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Other members, not this postbis from Feb.
I hope this helps!
Wiley
It took me years to figure this out but Memantine was causing Mom's ongoing UTI's.
A side effect of Memantine is bladder issues and UTI's.
If she takes Memantine I'd consider discontinue for 3 months and see how she does.
Once I stopped the Memantine Mom never had a UTI again. (She previously had them constantly.)
-Cranberry or D-Mannose pills
-Plenty of clear liquids; water, gatorade, sparkling water (flavored is fine), clear soda's like sprite. Avoid excessive caffeinated drinks
-Hydration pills (Medi-Lyte)
-Making sure her ladybits are cleaned and underwear is changed as needed
-Avoid using feminine hygiene wipes
-Invest in breathable underwear. Anything too tight can contribute to UTI's
-Avoid long term use of internal foley catheters (even in the hospital) or ask for a PureWhick. Internal Foley's are another contributing factor to UTI's
-PureWhick's are pricey but greats for chronic UTI's and night time sleeping. Sometimes it will move around with the body when sleeping, so it may take a few times to get it adjusted. Bed pads are suggested for this for any spillage
-External catheter's are great for daytime and going out
-Inquire with the urologist if she's retaining urine. This is another contributor to UTI's
-At home UTI testing kits. Early detection is key with UTI's. If it tests positive and mom appears fine, I still take her into the hospital for antibiotics, UA and culture tests. It's best not to wait to avoid delirium and the infection growing. Better to be safe than sorry
-Delirium is common with UTI's. It usually wears off after a few days, maybe even weeks or months, depending on how severe the UTI is. Usually once antibiotics are administered, it starts to go away.
-Always review her Urine Analysis and culture results. UA's results are usually returned in 1-2 hours. Cultures usually take a few days and are more detailed, but by that time, the doctor will have already prescribed some sort of general antibiotics and send you on your merry way and don't always follow up with the appropriate medication once the results of the culture come back, which can lead to another UTI because it wasn't properly taken care of with the right antibiotics
You want to make sure her UTI's gets taken care of ASAP before it can turn into sepsis. And that's a WHOLE 'nother can of worms
Many elderly try to do it opposite ( reaching inbetween legs ) because they can’t reach behind any longer .
I apologize for the visuals .🤦♀️
I just read and have heard that estrogen vagina cream has helped women with UTIs because of dryness of the vaginia being linked to UTIs.
Cranberry juice has sugar and should not be used in trying to prevent UTIs. Cranberry tablets and a probiotic was used for my Mom. Plenty of water for flushing. Make sure she voids. It may mean sitting a little longer and waiting for that urge to go. Leaning frontwards helps too. D-Mannose is been suggested too.
Also, make sure a culture is done so the correct antibiotic is given.
I agree with you - absolutely want to avoid unnecessary brain fog. No-one really wants to be on long term antis but it becomes a 'quality of life' issue. More fog = more adverse effects eg higher falls risk, poorer diet, disruption to sleep/wake cycle.
I didn’t even know that UTIs cause erratic behavior in the elderly until I started reading this forum.
Thanks for starting this conversation.
Hygiene is not necessarily the main cause: while we age our bodies go through physiological changes (such as our bladders getting "flabby" or weak or flopped and not voiding all the urine completely) as well as changes in pH. Your Mom doesn't have "dementia" during a UTI, she has neurological symptoms that are temporary and can go away with proper treatment.
My MIL was having the same issue in her LTC facility. I started giving her d-mannose, which is a supplement that can be purchased online, like at amazon.com. Follow the dosage recommendations. D-mannose is a simple sugar and doesn't interact with other medications but if your Mom has diabetes, I would consult with her doctor before giving it to her. Taking this supplement has significantly cut down on the number of UTIs my MIL was getting per year. Only give it to her when she is free and clear of the infection.
As far as the fog lasting longer, I think that is to be expected at her age , that it takes longer to recover . You may find that she never gets back to where she was cognitively . At her age it is very likely she has dementia . When someone has dementia , a step down is often noted during an illness and they don’t always return to where they previously were cognitively .