My mom has had the issue of saying she is constipated but actually isn't. The forum was of help with their answers. However, now she has anxiety attacks or panic attacks. They have become more severe and more often and the constipation issue has lessened. These attacks come on unprevoked out of nowhere. Doctor wants to keep her off of medications at her age of 92. Any suggestions? Thank you.
She can't hear well, short-term memory is going, reasoning going, can hardly walk, can't see out of one eye, but oh she is the Expert on All Things.
When (if?) it gets to the point where she can be declared incompetent, I will not be the one who will be her guardian. That job I will leave to my Golden Boy brother(s) out of state. If it has to be someone in the same state, then I will demand a salary.
Someone mentioned Xanax, My doctor told that someone in their 80's isn't supposed to take it. She put me on Buspar. I usually only take it at night when I feel overwhelmed.
Cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective in reducing anxiety, and would be a good place to start before psych meds.
At issue here is whether WillyB's mother would benefit from learning some breathing techniques, having some talk therapy, etc. My mother, with dementia, might be able to learn them but would never have remembered them when needed. Maybe if someone was with her to coach her through it it would help. My husband, with dementia, could have learned it but would probably not remember in a moment of panic. A friend who has bipolar disorder but no cognitive impairment using breathing and imaging techniques all the time. If he feels an attack coming on when he is driving he pulls over and does the exercises until it passes. A young woman I know has some generalized anxiety and was going into panic attacks over the death of her brother. Her daughter talked her through each episode (and handed her a teddy bear!)
WillyB, I don't know if this would help your mother or not. If she doesn't have dementia or is in early stage dementia it might be worth investigating. Even if she couldn't remember herself, if she is with people who could talk her through it that might work.
As I have already posted, I don't object to drugs when they can help someone out of mental anguish.
(I have only had one panic attack in my life, and that was one too many. It is a dreadful experience.)
(I'm one of the ones who has been forced into caregiving. I don't do much other than drive, and I've put strict boundaries on that -- which my mother wasn't happy about at first. She isn't very grateful, and finds fault with so much of what I do. On the other hand, my Golden Boy brothers rarely come to visit her, and they can do no wrong....particularly the one who rarely calls her, doesn't even send a card for her birthday, and one time didn't come to see her and my father when he was alive for FIVE YEARS.)
The anxiety is a major problem too doc gave her Zoloft it helps a little
Best of luck to you