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Lynn123 Asked October 2018

Are my mother's flare-ups of worsened dementia and unusually heavy urine flow related?

My mother is 96, has dementia, and cannot stand/walk. I care for her at home, with morning help from a CNA. About once or twice a month, my mother has 1- or 2-day "flare-ups" of dementia -- really exaggerated verbal agitation, often accompanied by wadding up or removing her covers/clothes and/or attempting to get out of bed by herself (she would fall). Always, this is accompanied by a dramatic uptick in urine volume (no odor, no fever, no other indication of UTI). I've consulted her doctor; he doesn't think a UTI is causing the hyperactivity, saying if it were an infection, she would feel weak/sick (not hyper); also, and I agree, we can't keep giving her antibiotics because doing that can make matters worse. He thinks the cause-effect here is that she has manic episodes, which crank up her adrenaline, make her heart beat harder, and cause her to urinate more. We have tried a variety of meds to address the agitation; none worked. She has long taken an antidepressant. All I do during these "episodes," basically, is give her cranberry pills (just in case), put thicker pads on the floor next to her bed, watch her as carefully as I can, and try not to freak out myself. I guess I'm just asking about people's experience with dementia flare-ups accompanied by excessive urination (but no other UTI symptoms). Thanks.

Ahmijoy Oct 2018
My mother had chronic UTI’s. She was never “sick” with any of them. She had no fever, chills, aches, etc. But, she did become very “out there”. Disorientation, confusion, hallucinations, and the worst was that she became combative.

A medical professional cannot assume that it is an infection or not. The only way to tell is with a urine culture. If Mom is not mobile, your doctor can give you a “hat” that fits under the seat of the toilet. Collect the urine and pour it into a clean container.

My mom had to be tested each month for a UTI. They are common but can be very serious if left untreated. They can cause complete personality changes.

In my experience, dementia symptoms do not flare up. It’s a downward slide with no reverse gear.

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