I have talked about my 94-year-old mom before for different reasons. Her dementia has gotten worse over the last year, but still recognizes everyone, remembers things, etc.
Saturday, I went to her AL and she was on the ground babbling. We (me and aides) got her up and they did all her vitals and tested her mobility and she seemed okay, but just mumbling nonstop. Probably should have taken her into the ER then.
Sunday, they checked on her and she was again on the floor babbling. They had paramedics come and bring her to the ER. She has been in hospital for a full day now, just babbling in bed. They say it's delirium, but don't know the causes.
They're wondering if a recent change to her meds (upping the Seroquel) is the cause. I talked with the station nurse now and they don't seem to be actively doing anything. I don't know if this just goes on forever or she snaps out of it or what?
Anyone had experience like this? Thanks.
Just to make sure I cover all the bases regarding delirium, I will copy paste a section of my book "Dementia Care Companion" which is available from Amazon at the following address that deals with delirium.
Delirium
Grandpa spent the early hours of the evening with family. But a couple of hours later, he has a fever and is lying in bed. He whines and talks incoherently. We don’t know what he sees or says; he doesn’t know either. He is half awake and half asleep.
Delirium is not a symptom of dementia. Rather, delirium signals a potentially serious medical condition such as infection, kidney or liver problems, or prescription drug interactions or side effects. It is usually accompanied by fever, sweating, changes in heart rate (increase or decrease), and changes in sleep patterns.
Unlike behavioral changes that are caused by dementia, delirium appears abruptly. It is marked by dramatic and rapid changes in the patient’s perception, attention, mood, speech, and ability to move or perform tasks. It appears within a few hours to several days of an underlying condition, and generally disappears if the underlying condition is properly treated.
Delirium is easily confused with behavioral issues such as hallucination, especially in patients who are no longer able to express themselves clearly. As a result, caregivers may fail to take action quickly enough, thereby delaying treatment and allowing the underlying condition to get worse.
· Delirium is a symptom of potentially serious medical conditions that need medical attention right away.
· Delirium may not be accompanied by fever all the time. Therefore in all cases of delirium, consult a doctor.
· People with delirium may do things that are quite dangerous, without realizing the danger, or even remembering doing them afterwards. Do not leave the patient alone.
i looked it up at the time and other causes were side effects of medication
changes to environment causing temp delirium
it said ‘most’ cases disappear
my fathers did as soon as his infection cleared up
please get her checked out for any infection/medical issues
common cases dehydration / blood sugar/ reactions to medications / even vit deficiencies
check she’s actually drinking
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Yes, the waiting is the worst. If you need something to do, you might start looking at nursing facilities that will accept her with hospice services.
My mom was in a NH for 4 1/2 years after a stroke and hip fracture. She got hospice services for the last few days of her life after a fall. In truth, she was "hospice eligible" for almost the entire stay, due to CHF and pulmonary issues.
Has she dropped any weight recently? It's my understanding that thyroid meds are dosed based on weight and could cause problems if out of synch with current weight.
I agree with others that she needs to have her meds administered to her correctly and not rely on herself anymore.
At 94, maybe consider having her assessed for hospice. She could be having other medical issues but the testing for this may be too much for her...
If you are not her MPoA or Medical Representative (you assigned by her on a HIPAA form) then this can be a problem in getting her docs to talk to you: they legally cannot if you don't have at least one of those authorities.
If you are her MPoA then make sure to take the paperwork with you when you go to the hospital or facility.
Hope it's going better for her today!
Another issue my mom does not have a thyroid. They removed it years ago as they thought it was cancerous but it wasnt
Since then shes been on levothyroxine . Was told it was very important not to take this at same time of food and other meds.
Just this past week when she transferred from taking pills from pill box I set up, to having them administered by AL staff, they started giving these at same time as other morning meds. Nurses at AL didnt think this was problematic But if one reads, it is suggested this can prevent absorption of levothyroxine. And further reading suggests that suspension of thyroid treatment can trigger delirium. Again, I know this is a question for the MDs, but it seems impossible to know when they will be with my mom at hospital and they dont call back
My wife has a daily 50mg long acting tab,
and her fast acting Seroquel dose was just increased from 50mg up to 75mg and the Dr wrote the script that I can go to 100mg if needed. The side effect he warned me about was watching for excessive tiredness during the day. I understand some people are on much higher doses.
They are weaning her off psych meds but added Ativan which really seemed to calm down the delirium so she can at least get rest .
Also earlier today her oxygen was down, which made them suspect pneumonia, and other vitals were down as well ,but they put her on oxygen and that seems to make other things better
Anyway, they dont know and say it may be a while before they do know
Also, be aware that elderly are prone to hospital induced delerium because of the change of environment, harsh lighting and vital checks at all hours preventing adequate rest. The deleriums may continue for weeks once the underlying cause is found and treated.
Good luck.
The likely culprit seems to be an increase in Seroquel. She could have had a stroke or TIAs but a CT scan would be needed to determine that.
Good luck figuring out the latest round of craziness.
Did she have reactions to other meds other than the vertigo patch. And how long to get better after patch removed?
I have been on these boards complaining about my mom in the past but right now I cant sleep fearing a dreaded call