PSP and Dementia

[AvonJane]

my mam was diagnosed in Feb 23, she has been stable since then. Everything changed 3 weeks ago, she is now confused and is very confused about time, could this be the start of dementia, the change had been huge in just 3 weeks, any ideas please

[Kelmisty]

Has she been tested for a UTI? Mum gets them regularly and they can cause severe confusion.

xx

[AvonJane in reply to Kelmisty]

Yes nothing, but had a course of antibiotics just in case

[Kelmisty in reply to AvonJane]

Is she on Sinemet? I’ve read that can cause hallucinations and confusion?

[AvonJane in reply to Kelmisty]

No, we can’t find anything to explain it

[Kelmisty in reply to AvonJane]

I guess it could be just a decline in her illness then, my Mum can have big step changes then small ones and can sometime improve.

[Bergenser]

The disease includes elements of dementia but I agree it seems likely something is triggering the sudden change, e.g. infection - even if she is managing to fight off a cold or flu without actually getting ill, it could significantly change her general condition and cognition. I would expect - or at least hope - that she will improve somewhat, especially as spring is on it's way. I may be stating the obvious so forgive me - it's quite distressing to lose the grip on time and dates - is your mum able to easily see what time it is ? I had to put in place a projecting clock to stop my husband wandering about in the night when he wanted to know the time. It seemed too simple but it worked.

Xx 🌻🧡

[AvonJane in reply to Bergenser]

Hi, yes she can see the time, but it doesn’t seem to register, I wondered if this was sundowning, I think it’s the speed of the decline that is very concerning and after eliminating infection we are a bit lost

[GreenBella]

I feel the same is going on with my husband. He has been pretty good but, lately not so much. Both of his hands are not functional and I can not not understand him on phone calls.

[AvonJane in reply to GreenBella]

It’s so hard xxx

[Karen1981]

my mum is starting to get confused over short term things but is very coherent and good at remembering other things that happened like a week ago but can’t remember what she had for tea an hour ago The consultant said short term memory is a common Sid’s effect and will get worse.

When she was diagnosed she declined a lot mentally and physically as I think the level of anxiety she was experiencing seemed to make everything worse such as balance, sleepiness, speech so I do think stressors can exaggerate symptoms and heighten confusion. She seemed to be better once she has come to terms with it abit more and settled into a routine abit. A big help was that we said we would focus on what she can do rather that what she can’t and embrace those that she can do x we try to laugh a lot about some of the little things she does and have a little joke about them together which she loves. This and how much sleep she both have a big impact that day on how her memory and mobility is and vice versa.

It may not be an answer but hopefully may help a little. I do think it will take time to come to terms with her prognosis and being all over the place emotionally could definitely be effecting her condition x

I do see when she has a bowel accident that all logic and problem solving go out of the window and she gets so so confused and does things that cause her to then fall, not think to press her bbuzzer , rub her hands in the mess panicking etc but the next day she will be as she was previously and be able to think quite sensibly

Take care and I hope things settle abit and slow down for her xxxxx

[AvonJane in reply to Karen1981]

Thank you Karen, we will just keep muddling thro, both doing the best we can xx