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phoward51 Asked July 7, 2024

Did anyone realize that the Thickener Thick It and others build up in the throat of some Alzheimer's patients?

Since I brought my husband home from Memory care everyone tells us to add thickener even hospice RN tells us that so he will not choke.
We have discovered that the thickener coats the throat and builds up to a gooey substance where they can hardly swallow. This then causes choking and coughing. Just want everyone to be aware of this possible issue.
We have now mixed water with baby oatmeal so we can get his liquids down him.

Needhelp789 Jul 7, 2024
Thanks for the info

MACinCT Jul 7, 2024
Thick it is a standard of care. If it is sticking in the throat then his swallow ability is getting worse. Talk to the PCP about a speech re eval or a suction machine

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funkygrandma59 Jul 7, 2024
It sounds like you were putting too much of the Thick-It in your husbands liquids if they were building up in his throat.
My late husband(who had vascular dementia)drank all of his liquids with Thick-It in them for the last 22 months of his life after he almost died from aspiration pneumonia, usually just the "nectar" thickness and he NEVER had an issue with it building up in his throat.
I'm glad that you found something that works well for your husband.

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