He feels very sleepy 2 hrs after eating. He seems to be in a downward spiral where he has no energy, yet doesn't feel very hungry. Therefore he doesn't eat much, which doesn't give him fuel....(I tried explaining this to him). He says he feels better after he eats, but then after about 2 hours he suddenly feels very sleepy again. He keeps loosing weight and muscle mass. His balance is getting worse, so he hunches over when he walks (sometimes with a walker) so he won't fall backwards. Generally speaking, this is a man who was very physically active until about age 75. He's had 2 hip replacements, recovered okay from them. My mother passed away almost 5 years ago. The first 2 years he seemed physically okay, the 3 year he slowed down a little and moved to an independent living facility. Year 3 even more so and now on year 5 he seems to be rapidly declining. He says he shouldn't be this way and has sent me the task to "look up on the computer" what is wrong with him.
youtube/watch?v=m7zCDiiTBTk
When he goes to see an md, are you there and getting details firsthand?
One issue with my mom was that she had 5 different MDs, all giving out Rx's & dealing with specific & increasing complaints. She wasnt actively listening to any of them either. She tore rotor cuff so saw Otho surgeon. He required because of age (almost 90) to be cleared by gerontology dept at health science center where he was on staff.. Not her internist or old family medicine doc but gerontology dept. Totally different approach starting with cognition tests, then a stopping or weaning off of her various Rx's, cardiology work up, etc. everything done by gerontology md or specialists within dept. all reporting centralized. Mom stayed seeing them after surgery about every 6 mos with cognition testing each visit. She was diagnosed with lewy body dementia. It was good to know as lewy has a somewhat different dementia decline in the first stages. There was no way her old docs would have been able to evaluate her, their approach was to prescribe something to cure which is what most medical school & residency training is all about. For elderly with dementia "cure" isn't going to happen, it more about long term management of a chronic and terminal disease.
If you can find a gerontology program, try to get dad an appointment for a full work up and be there taking notes.
My only advice is keep his mind stimulated..what about a new hobby like skydiving
that will get his eyes and his mind open
My dad is much like yours. Sleeping ALL day, trying to get my dad outside for a walk, fresh air was not an option, he simply wanted to sleep...a computer, Koodoos!
I hate drugs. I feel that they only mask symptoms, certain meds cause even more problems BUT seeing my dad sleeping all day, not living, just existing made me feel horrible for him. Understanding that age, the inevitable declines that are a part of aging and losses (wife, siblings, house etc..) all play a role in the physical and mental decline of our aging parents but that doesn't mean we should sit by and watch with idle hands.
I decided to have a chat with my dad (this goes back many years) and I came right out and asked him about taking an antidepressant. I don't exactly recall what I said, how I said it but I did. It was daring, as I was asking a man who never took or needed a medication in his life, ate organically, I was going out on a limb and nervous cause I'd exhausted any other measures to get my dad out of bed.
Surprisingly, my dad agreed.
The mild dose of an anti-depressant really helped.
The anti-depressant helped my dad get out of bed, get outside, be willing to engage with others, live, laugh and I saw a newish man. Albeit, he still slept but he answered the phone, he went to his meals, he enjoyed our time together rather than finding reasons sleep.
At that time dad was living in a retirement home, unaided, could do as he wanted, meals were prepared or he could make his own.
I know everyone is different, situations are different, I'm just throwing this out there because no one else has and wayyyy back then, my dad became healthier due to the minor change.
I'm not a medication pusher, thought this might help.
(Thank you for letting me share the happy' s in my dad's life, lately they're few and far between).
Don't know if it would help your dad but my wife is on low dose of REMERON for depression, appetite stimulant. and insomnia.
Knowledge helps with making decisions.
Get a blood pressure monitor.
Get a glucose blood tester (finger poke device).
Thermometer.
Also compute his daily caloric intake by using a site such as CalorieCount.
Also check mouth, tongue etc.
Check vitals as best you can and see if anything looks off.
Test a few times a day to see if any on those show abnormal then at least you can make decisions on telling doctor. same with calories.