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.
The anxiety is a major problem too doc gave her Zoloft it helps a little
Best of luck to you
(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.)
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.)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is quite effective in reducing anxiety, and would be a good place to start before psych meds.
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.
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.
I agree with others. I'm not a proponent of medication in elders after 90 -- but in the case of anxiety and fearfulness - then ABSOLUTELY, the dr should prescribe based on poster's description. What's the use in living if elder is terrified? Dr. should prescribe medication and see how mom is. Liver failure or other, I'd prefer to take a pill and not feel fearful, anxious and die early from liver disease than face each day terrified and anxious.
See another doctor and document your observations. I'm pretty certain they will prescribe something in addition to some behavior modifications suggestions to help your mom.
Good luck
My DH, 96 yr, was suffering Panic Attacks and Depression and his GP wanted him on Zoloft but I fought it for a year - until they became too frequent. Now he is calmer and smiles again. If they don't "overdose," the Zoloft (or whatever) is a blessing to the patient.
I have mixed feelings about holding off for the year. The attacks weren't as frequent and he denied depression so we did what we thought best. But when I saw him sitting "hang dogged with his head down" I knew the time had come.
Find another doctor. Just question everything - the medicine used and the dosage. My DH is on half a pill or 50mg and he can function well.
PS: Also I bring her a vegetable smoothie twice a week to keep her bowels open and she loves the "treat".
Sometimes I read posts in which it sounds as if someone has aggregated a lot of terms and concluded the parent has a - c symptoms, or x - z symptoms. And sometimes the conclusions are very predictable, even if the circumstances don't fit.
I often wonder how much of what someone reads about older people and their conditions is really gathered from reading other posts as opposed to scientific, medical analysis.
Having observed that, I am not a medical professional and these are just observations from posts here, from a variety of people at different stages and comprehension of caregiving.
And I've also found that I sometimes experience strange symptoms and ask these questions of myself, especially in stressful times.
Look, I keep track of IQ points for a living. I did NOT recognize that my mom had lost any. Her doctor of many years treated her as "patient exhibiting some symptoms of anxiety" without investigating the causes.
One of the reasons I have such faith in geriatric psychiatrists is that over the years, we've gotten SUCH good advice from them. they seem to be the last MDs standing who actually consider the whole patient.
Barb, I think your approach was a very thorough one, investigating the situation and the options. And the information on the stroke made a significant impact on the decisions, at least in my opinion.
My impression of the OP's post was that none of the diagnostic work-up done for your mother had yet been done for the OP, and that she was at a point at she had not had the benefit of more investigative analysis of what her mother's condition was and why it was that way.
I've always thought that you had a particularly analytical approach to your mother's care (and that's a compliment.)