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He initially prescribed risperdal, but when my dad and I looked it up, it specifically said that it holds higher risk for elderly patients with dementia so my dad emailed the doctor asking about Paxil instead. The doctor responds quickly to emails, so we should have an answer in a day or two max.
Ok, off topic a bit, but why the hell would a doctor not know that?!
That was so very different than when my aunt was in the hospital for her broken hip. They told her that if she did not eat more they would give her "more calories through her IV" or something like that. They made a special point of bringing her extra desserts and scheduling extra snacks of cheese and things like that. In addition to her regular meals she had mid morning, mid afternoon & bedtime snacks.
I just remembered that when my husband refused to eat enough when he was in the hospital with complications from colon cancer his doctor said to him point blank. "If you do not eat more you will die. If you are trying to die under my watch I will be forced to transfer you to the psych ward and put you under suicide watch!!!" Trust me, my husband started to eat more.
I can not believe that the hospital let her lose that much weight so fast. Did they mistakenly think that she was terminally ill or something?
Seriously, her whole medical team sounds incompetent.
That was so very different than when my aunt was in the hospital for her broken hip. They told her that if she did not eat more they would give her "more calories through her IV" or something like that. They made a special point of bringing her extra desserts and scheduling extra snacks of cheese and things like that. In addition to her regular meals she had mid morning, mid afternoon & bedtime snacks.
I just remembered that when my husband refused to eat enough when he was in the hospital, with complications from colon cancer, his doctor said to him point blank. "If you do not eat more you will die. If you are trying to die under my watch I will be forced to transfer you to the psych ward and put you under suicide watch!!!" Trust me, my husband started to eat more. Heck, I wasn't even the patient and the doctor was so forceful that he almost scared me into eating more, too!
I can not believe that the hospital let her lose that much weight so fast. Did they mistakenly think that she was terminally ill or something?
What I think happened is that they assumed that she was under the care of a neuropsychiatrist (which she sort of is), and that the eating disorder was separate from the hip issue - that they were there to be sure she completed her hip rehab and that we would be addressing the eating disorder and other psychological/neurological issues with her doctor - which is actually correct, but I do wish they had made a bigger deal out of the whole calorie/weight issue. They DID lecture her every single day on her food intake, but they didn't force anything on her.
Ok, off topic a bit, but why the hell would a doctor not know that?!
Yeah, I wondered that myself.
Quote:
Important information
Risperdal is not approved for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Risperidone may increase the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related conditions.
My mother's neuropsychiatrist diagnosed her with bipolar disorder alongside stroke damage that has affected the logic and reasoning area of her brain, as well as probably having vascular dementia as well. So as soon as I pulled up the info and warnings on risperdal I thought, "Hey, this doesn't sound like a good fit for her."
Seriously, her whole medical team sounds incompetent.
I'm starting to worry about this myself.
You know what I am starting to feel like? I'm starting to think that her whole medical team thinks of her as another addled old woman with a broken hip who probably isn't going to rally particularly well. Well, my mom is only 77. She's not 87 or 97. She is wilting right in front of them. I think that when she goes to that boneyard in the sky, there will be another old woman with a broken hip in that bed and they won't think of her again. But this is my mom we're talking about - a formerly beautiful, gifted, artistic, intelligent woman who, yes, has struggled with mental illness her whole life but DANG FOLKS - she's willing to accept treatment now and it's better late than never! My mom is not throw away material!
<snip> I was just about rattled out of my own skin yesterday when I realized she weighed 120 pounds (119 today). <snip>
Please, do not allow your mother to be weighed everyday. Weekly, or biweekly at the most, should be more than enough. She should be focused on eating, not on whether she gains or loses a pound whenever she gets on the scale. I can guarantee you if she has an eating disorder, she will use that daily weighing in to control her weight gain.
BTW - Many years ago I was given Remeron, an antidepressant, to help me sleep and gain some weight. I enjoyed the refreshing sleep but not the constant hunger (and very rapid weight gain). The drug is also sometimes given to the elderly to increase their appetite. I assume your mother cannot take the drug because she is manic-depressive. But your comment about Paxil (another antidepressant) reminded me that Remeron is an appetite stimulant and I thought perhaps that info could be helpful for other caregivers.
Last edited by lenora; 03-23-2016 at 09:12 PM..
Reason: wrong word
You know what I am starting to feel like? I'm starting to think that her whole medical team thinks of her as another addled old woman with a broken hip who probably isn't going to rally particularly well. Well, my mom is only 77. She's not 87 or 97. She is wilting right in front of them. I think that when she goes to that boneyard in the sky, there will be another old woman with a broken hip in that bed and they won't think of her again. But this is my mom we're talking about - a formerly beautiful, gifted, artistic, intelligent woman who, yes, has struggled with mental illness her whole life but DANG FOLKS - she's willing to accept treatment now and it's better late than never! My mom is not throw away material!
Hmmm. Well firstly, that's friggin disgusting.
Secondly, perhaps you do need to go to the hospital/doctor's appointments and bring your damn lawyer.
What I think happened is that they assumed that she was under the care of a neuropsychiatrist (which she sort of is), and that the eating disorder was separate from the hip issue - that they were there to be sure she completed her hip rehab and that we would be addressing the eating disorder and other psychological/neurological issues with her doctor - which is actually correct, but I do wish they had made a bigger deal out of the whole calorie/weight issue. They DID lecture her every single day on her food intake, but they didn't force anything on her.
While I can sort of understand their logic, if something truly serious had happened to your mom under their care, like she had a heart attack or died because of the drastic weight loss, you can bet money that they would have been in huge trouble for ignoring it.
Since, it appears that the neuropsychiatrist did not visit your mother nor was involved with her care in the hospital why in the world would the hospital staff just assume that her losing weight was "under control"?
But did the neuropsychiatrist actually visit your mom in the hospital? Was he aware of her daily food intake? Was he aware of her rapid, dramatic weight loss?
If he was not, I would be very, very upset about her lax care. Losing that much weight (ten pounds in two weeks!!!) in such a short time could hardly have been good for her heart or any of her organs.
Please, do not allow your mother to be weighed everyday. Weekly, or biweekly at the most, should be more than enough. She should be focused on eating, not on whether she gains or loses a pound whenever she gets on the scale. I can guarantee you if she has an eating disorder, she will use that daily weighing in to control her weight gain.
BTW - Many years ago I was given Remeron, an antidepressant, to help me sleep and gain some weight. I enjoyed the refreshing sleep but not the constant hunger (and very rapid weight gain). The drug is also sometimes given to the elderly to increase their appetite. I assume your mother cannot take the drug because she is manic-depressive. But your comment about Paxil (another antidepressant) reminded me that Remeron is an appetite stimulant and I thought perhaps that info could be helpful for other caregivers.
Oh, she's not being weighed every day. It was just that she had two back to back doctor appts and they both weighed her. She was wearing exactly the same clothes (that's a whole other story but it's the least of my concerns right now).
The only time they are going to weigh her is when she goes to the doctor. I think my dad has hidden the scales at the house.
While I can sort of understand their logic, if something truly serious had happened to your mom under their care, like she had a heart attack or died because of the drastic weight loss, you can bet money that they would have been in huge trouble for ignoring it.
Since, it appears that the neuropsychiatries did not visit your mother nor was involved with her care in the hospital why in the world would the hospital staff just assume that her losing weight was "under control"?
But did the neuropsychiatris actually visit your mom in the hospital? Was he aware of her daily food intake? Was he aware of her rapid, dramatic weight loss?
If he was not, I would be very, very upset about her lax care. Losing that much weight in such a short time could hardly have been good for her heart or any of her organs?
He did not visit her in the hospital. He was supposed to but didn't. Instead he booked an appointment for her that's coming up in the next couple of weeks. Yes, that ticked me off and believe me, he's going to hear about it. He may try to commit ME before it's all said and done, but good luck with that!
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