I am primary caregiver for my 86 year old mom. She has been complaining of abdominal pain for years, she has had numerous x-rays, scans etc. and they can find nothing wrong. This morning she was so distraught of because of the pain she wanted me to call an ambulance for her. She said If I wouldn't do it that I should call my oldest brother to see if he would. I drove her to the er. She got in right away and they did blood tests and x-ray but all was normal. Her blood pressure was high most likely due to pain and the emotional turmoil she was in. The were able to give her dilauded for the pain and it finally got under control. Most of the time we were there she was confused about where we were and why we were there. She didn't seem to remember that she had insisted on going.
She is on a regular schedule of pain medications which apparently do nothing for this specific pain. She has several health issues besides the dementia.
I have noticed that this seems to be worse for her in the morning and by noon she has usually settled down and doesn't mention it again until the next morning. I guess my main question is how can I talk her down (so to speak) when this inevitably happens again? She does not remember anything now about being at the hospital and we have only been home an hour.
I am trying to get her back on palliative care. She had been on hospice until early May when it looked like things were under control.
Anybody else out there dealing with something like this?
Sorry, I know this isn't your situation, LeaAnn, but I needed to get that off my chest : )
Lower GI tract problems over the bladder can be extremely painful. I am wondering if she is constipated from the opoids and or synthetic narcotics? I am not a physician but as a Medical assistant I can tell you a story about my own experience with a older man and he got relief by laying on a pilates ball-well inflated and slowly rocking him back and forth until the bowel gas expelled-Being very careful that he did not fall. He got to enjoy this exercise every day and it gave him much relief-be sure to ask her doctor. If the dementia is caused by the drugs have you let her see a palliative psychologist? It depends on the stage of dementia but a PHD Psychologist can do wonders-hypnosis-meditation. Your mother is very fortunate to have someone like you in her life-God Bless and may her suffering ease soon.
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