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I care for my husbands 98 yr old grandmother she has Alz, diabetes, bp problems, thyroid, just no name a few. The problem is that this poor woman has been pooping her brains out! Every time she eats she has to go and not just once! And she goes even in between eating! And when she goes you hear her moan and I ask her if she is in pain and she has said yes! The stool is most of the time like water with stuff in it and the smell is just deadly. Sometimes its a little thicker and looks pussy! And the color goes from a real dark green to a muddy green. I have told her daughter about this for some time and her daughter has DPOA. She has mentioned this to her doctor and he just seems to blow it off. I told them I think she needs a scoop to see what's going on! And he seems to think that that is a hard procedure to put her through! I understand that if they were to find something like cancer or something to the likes they really couldn't do anything about it but I think it would be good to know one way or another! At least this way if they find nothing maybe its the meds they have her on! I think this poor woman is suffering and they just don't care! She has lost weight and we have tried putting more fiber into her diet to see if that would help but she still going like she has been. He has her on meds for the diarrhea but it don't seem to really help. It might slow it down a little but the poor thing goes at least 5 times or more everyday! And at night she seems to leek this watery stool. Should I insist that they do this scoop or is this more cruel to do the scoop? And I'm afraid of her dehydrating because she's not a big drinker! She 's like a horse you can lead them to water but you can't make them drink! I'll take any and all advice!! thanks!

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Allshegot, when grandma started with her bp and sugar problems she was not even close to being terminal, And because of the lac of care with her diet she has 99% blockage on both sides of her neck. She still gets sweets but in moderation. She has such a sweet tooth!! lol And when she came here to stay with me she would have days that she just looked like death and would hold her head and was dizzy or very lethargic! I was told that she fakes this to get attention! But she wasn't faking, not with bp's over 200 and sugar into the 300's. So I took it upon my self to change her diet by cutting out the stuff that made her feel that way. And that took the first 6 months she was here to get it under control. Most of her meds say don't drink alcohol, but they give it to her and she gets real weird like. But again they just think she's faking. I try to tell them its the mix of alcohol and meds and there response is Oh,..I didn't know! I do feel they don't believe me because they don't see it all the time like I do. They think she can control asking the same question over and over. They think she just dose it to drive you nuts! But I know different. I took care of my own grandfather with Alz, and he too was a diabetic. So none of what grandma is doing is new to me except the pooping problem. I send them all kinds of info on Alz. so they will understand that she has no control of this. They think because she knows their name but maybe not the next persons name that she's faking this some how. And when she cries that she just wants to die they think she just wants attention! They think she has control to the point that she is staying here on this earth just to be stubborn! I think my in laws are a bunch of selfish people and think she is nothing more then a burden. The same woman that was always there for them and now when she is in need they are too busy or just plain don't care. I wasn't brought up that was, I helped care for my mother at home when I was 17 she had terminal cancer. I've always had respect for my elders that my in laws don't have a clue about , but yet they demand respect! But anyway I had a meeting with them yesterday and I put my foot down! We will be getting grandma in this week to be checked out and I will be there with her! And I will not leave there till I have some answers or see that he is trying to do something. And if he don't I told them I am taking her to a new doctor for a re-evaluation! I have the list of meds she's on and what her diet consists of. And I will have one of her diapers so they can see for themselves. Its one thing if nothing can be done that she has to suffer but if there is something that can be done to help her I'm going to do it! Thank you and to everyone else for all your input on this. Its nice to feel like your not alone in this. :)
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thanks ed . its sad to watch someone crappin themself t o death and yet nobodys doing anything about it :-(
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HARDEBECK:

Way to go!

DEBB:

There has to be something up there, otherwise the body wouldn't be trying to flush it out so quickly. I'm not a doctor, but the only thing that comes to mind is a chronic viral infection.

Also, remember that doctors are like lawyers: they can be fired. In the meantime, take her somewhere else before she wastes away ... and get a copy of all mer medical papers from that quack.

Good luck my friend.

-- ED
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I would also agree - get her to hospital, or take her to the doctor yourself. This is NOT ok.
I have also seen Vaalia yoghurt used for baterial type diarrhea. It has Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG or LGG® is a strain of L. rhamnosus in it that seems to kill off nasty bateria.
If you can get it, it can't hurt.
Good luck.
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Please ask the doctor for a diet review, medication review to search for her routine and ALLOVER THE COUNTER MEDS she takes that together or by each that might cause this issue. There are stool cultures that are easy to obtain that can be done without ANY DISCOMFORT to her. But is she is poohing 3-5 times a day with puss and cramping there is something going on which would bring discomfort to anyone and it maybe simple to find a solution without any type of surgical or complex diagnostic testing. Start with the simple and move to the complex. In the big picture diet changes(done with the help of licencsed Dietician) are easy to do. A pharmacist can do a medication review, usually at no charge, for medications that could cause or contribute to this, and lab work up to include a stool culture for c-dif and maybe a blood draw might give some clear clues to the cause. In the mean time do not give high fiber foods routinely, some people are allergic to wheat etc or too much can cause this. At 98 let's be slow to do complex procedures. But to do nothing is hard on her emotionally, her sleep is obviously interrupted with constant leaking pooh and her overall health and discomfort is affected. So gently try to ask for minimal small changes one at a time.

This a common issue but it can have a simple fix in many cases.
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Another thing to consider about the dr. Sometimes when people are very elderly, and are basically terminal some dr. Just don't do a lot as far as bp and sugar things like that, cause they figure at this point diets and things wont make much of a difference in mortality and morbidity. Not saying I agree, but that's just the position they take. My grandfather for instance who my aunt cares for has outlived what they thought he would by at least 30 years. He has such severe heartroblems the only thing that has kept him going is an internal defib. His heart is in such a condition now that any min it could just stop on him. And has, thank god for a caring stranger who admitted cpr he wouldn't have made it through the holidays. (Of coarse he was angry at the stranger as he is a dnr) anyways they have found that he has sugar diabetes but the speacialist(who is accualy world renound speacialist) told him to just go easy on sugar but they arnt going to treat him for it or put him on insilin or sugar checks, cause he is 85 at this point it wont prolong anything or make it better so he is just to live life. This could be where they are with your elder. Although I know it is hard. We have this internal thing where we want to fix them. And denial is part of grieving the loved one with alz. Its strange but I have seen this. Its so hard on the children of the patient. And yes dr. Rarely even now diagnose someone indefinatly with alz. In nurseing paperwork they still will call ity a probable ad. Because it can't really be confirmed until after death. Senile dementia is also what some dr. Call it when they refer to vascular demintia. Wich is much like alz. But differnt. The diarreah thing is defanatly a comfort issue and should be treated. Stay strong its not easy caring fof someone. Especially if you are sharing it with someone else. Then again it sucks doing it alone too. I pray you get the guidence you need on this situation.
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Thanks you so much for all the advice. Going to get a stool sample to get it checked out. And I do think my MIL is not relaying what needs to be when I ask her to. For the longest time she wouldn't even admit she has Alz. Even her doctor kept saying she did but that she had senile dementia. Had to tell and show my MIL that senile dementia is an outdated term for Alz.! After a fall I had a nurse come to the house for a few weeks and during that time grandma was showing signs of sundowners. The nurse even called him to see if we could get something to help this woman sleep at night and for me to get some sleep too. And he seemed to not now what she was talking about! Mt MIL thinks this doctor has kept her alive all this time and she refuses to even see anyone else. To me she might have been a lot better off with someone else because they would have insisted she be on a better diet when she was first having Bp and sugar troubles. He even told me to my face she could eat whatever she wants. And when I did that her sugar and her BP would go through the roof and she would be sick. And my MIL said she fakes it, well when you take there BP and suger and the numbers are like they were you can't fake it. So I took it upon myself to change her diet, And like I said now its normal and she feels so much better. And if I have to go over my MIL head for this problem I will! I see her everyday 24/7 and my MIL sees her once a week if I'm lucky! Had her come and stay here for a couple of days while I was out of town seeing my son graduate from the army. Before I left I told her we were having troubles with her getting up all night. And I told her don't tell her she can't come out of her room because if she has to go to the bathroom she will do it in her room if you tell her she can't come out!. Well she must have told her to stay in there because when I got home she tells me she never got up at night! That right there surprised me or I thought you sleep like a log then, But I went into her room and all I could smell was urine! First place I looked was in her bed, but that was clean. Then I found it it in her drawers! She was peeing in her drawers! My MIL tells me that I do such a good job with her but seems to refuses to listen to anything I say. Just in turn tells me that the doctor says she healthier then him! ( Maybe thats the problem! lol) But I will keep doing what I feel is best for grandma and get a stool sample right to her doctor! I should put it on his desk so he can enjoy the wonderful smell of it all and then maybe he will listen too!!
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I don't think they will give her a scope, it probably is to invasive if she is extremly frail. Anyways a I agree with someone who said to get a stool sample,this should be all they need to see if it is something they can fix. Treating that kind of diareah problem can be a very long process. I saw a woman who had it for many many months, they were treating her for it, it just took a long time to combat it. So it could be the meds they are giving her may be all they can do. You in the mean time could give her the yogurt to help on your end.
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It may be c-dif has she been on any antibiotics in the last few months? Or it could be a side effect from her alz. Meds. You mentioned she has alz. Is she on ariceft or the like? The puss sounds more like an infection of some type. Do you go to the dr. With her? Can you call him and voice your concerns. I know he can't give you info but sometims they will listen. It could be that the mother in law isn't relating the info correctly. In the mean time, yogurt is what they give to paitents in the nursing home with chronic diahreah or other diarreah problems. It puts good bacteria back into the bowls. Good job on straitining out the bp and sugar.
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Yes, Debbie. What Linda said! I would take her to emergency for immediate attention. The poor thing is in terrible pain, and it is scary, too. She could have colitis or worse. A perforated colon would be a tragedy. Please don't wait any longer--DO WHAT YOU THINK IS RIGHT!!!
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bless your husbands heart for helping you out , he should anyway .
i hope and pray that she gets better cuz sounds like to me shes crappin herself to death . something is very wrong here .
husband needs to put his feet down and do some growling with his sister . get her fired if she doesnt try to get her better .
quack dr is noooo good ! poor old woman is suffering , plz just call 911 and have her ship to hospital asap . she is living in ur home and if something bad was to happen youre in deep trouble cuz ure the caregiver ! i wouldnt play with the fire ! i be callin 911 and get her to hospital . hell with dpoa ! they have no idea ! my bro is poa and sis is medical wise , but they leave it up to me cuz dad is with me and they trust my better judgemental , i dont want to get in trouble and i make sure dad is well taken care of . no guilt ..
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My husband is with me on this...the poor guy himself has had this happen when he was watching her so I could get out. And felt so bad calling me to come home because she has messed herself. He's been great about it we work as a team. He cleans the bathroom and I clean her. But my mother in law (grandmas daughter) has DPOA and she has medical and financial over her.
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TELL UR SIS IN LAW THAT U NEED HER TO COME AND SIT WITH HER MOM . TAKE OFF BE GONE FOR HOURS ! HOPE AND PRAY THAT SHE HAS A FULL BLOWN CRAP ALL OVER HER DAUGHTER , MAYBE ONCE SHE GETS A WIFF OF THAT SMELL IM SURE SHE LL CHANGE THE DR .
I AM NOT A POA . IM HIS CAREGIVER AND I DECIDES WHAT DR HE GOES TO AND DECIDES IF HE NEEDS WHATEVER . IM THE ONES THAT IS TAKING CARE OF DAD , THE POA IS NOT . POA JUST PAYS THE BILLS AND THAT IS IT .
SHE LIVES WITH YOU , U TAKE HER TO WHOM EVER U WANT HER TO SEE . POA HAS NO SAY SO IN ANYTHING .
DO WHAT YOU WANT AND DO WHAT U THINK ITS THE BEST . WHAT DOES UR HUSBAND SAY IN ALL THAT ?
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Been telling the doctor for months!! And nothing ever happens, just put her on this medication and I've told him its still happening! My mother in law has DPOA and I've told her and told her and she just thinks this doctor is the best! I think the man is a quack!! Even when she first came to my home the poor woman has bp of 200's / 120's and he would just say she's healthy! But I managed to get her bp to normal and her sugar! All this just by changing her diet! But yet he has never told them she needs to be on a special diet! Between her sugar and bp it would make her so sick and out of it but now she's much better with that its just this pooping thing that worries me but done seem to bother them! I guess because they are not the ones that have to clean this poor woman up because she can't hold this crap and sometimes it comes out of her with such force that it explodes right out of the toilet and onto the walls! And to hear her moan and know she must be in pain and then not even two mins after she has gone she goes again! How can I make her daughter see this is not something to just let go! I think the poor woman is suffering and she might not need to suffer this way! Thanks for the fast responses, I need to do something but I feel like my hands are tied since I don't have the POA to do so! She lives with me not her daughter so she only knows what I tell her. But at times I don't think she really cares, because if this was my mother I would have had her checked out with this a long time ago! Thanks again for helping me out here.
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Maybe your doctor could give some advice. In the meantime, "People's Pharmacy" notes that some people get relief from diarrhea by eating Archway coconut macaroon cookies. I have read about this many times in the newspaper. At least, the cookies would taste good and she might enjoy that with a cup of tea..(a way to get more fluid into her). Poor little soul. Bless you and your sister-in-law for caring so much for her.
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she may have C-diff, it needs to be treated. call dr and explain symptoms
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if her doctor wont do anything about it , then i would take her to ER and explain it to them . shes crappin herself to death !

my dad had bacteria in his stool and it stunk so bad . dr said to call the family in cuz it was so bad that it got into his blood ssytem , but he bounce back and is alot better now .
it bothers u so much and it hurts her too , change diffrent dr or take her to ER . if u go to ER , PLACE HER STOOL SAMPLES IN SANDWHICH BAG SO THEY CAN TEST IT WHILE URE WAITIN IN THE ER .
better safe than sorry .
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