We have tried every prescription doctors recommended like Methanamine Hipp and Myrbetriq, any supplement I could research , like D-mannose and cranberry tablets. Has anyone out there had any luck keeping these under control? I was thinking I would try a bidet next to see if that would help. It seems like every UTI makes here dementia worse. I wonder if getting delirium from UTIs over and over can cause dementia.
I also made sure my mother drank plenty of water to keep things moving. The easiest way for me to keep track was to line up four 8-oz. bottles of water on her little desk every morning, but I had to keep reminding her to "guzzle up" throughout the day. She hated it, but I kept on her, and as a result she suffered only one UTI in the 12 years she was in my home.
Get appointment with a urologist. There are some urologist that specialize in female plumbing.
I had a urologist tell me that if I were to get recurring UTIs, like 3 in a row, then it would be at least a 6 month course of antibiotics. Thankfully it never got that bad!
My mother was one to have multiple UTIs every year. I wasn't involved in her care at that time (she was much younger and self-sufficient), so I don't know if testing was done or if they just Rxed antibiotics. She finally went to the urologist and was Dxed with Interstitial Cystitis. This condition can cause symptoms that might mimic UTIs, painful urination, etc.
Ensure she gets sufficient hydration (avoid over-hydration, that has it's own issues - mom did that too!) One problem that can lead to multiple UTIs is not voiding completely:
"If the bladder cannot be completely emptied, so-called residual urine remains. Since the rinsing of the bladder is impaired, germs can easily settle on the inner wall of the bladder and cause infections. This encourages as well the formation of urinary stones."
Source: https://www.uromed.eu
Mom was given some type of catheters to use each time she went, to get rid of the remainder. Special foods to eat/not eat as well. Not a good choice for someone with dementia. Unfortunately as we get older, once most of the urine is voided, the "urge" isn't there and it's too easy to end up with left over urine in the bladder. Funny that she finally got sick of all of it and just stopped with the catheter things and the diet. For whatever reason, the UTIs and/or IC seemed to subside as well. She didn't have another UTI or complaints for a long time - first UTI in MC resulted in sun-downing, the only time she ever experienced that! Subsequent UTIs (1-2) after that presented as night time bed wetting (soaking!!!)
So, if/when the next one occurs, get a urine culture. If it shows up again after treatment, consult with a urologist. If it truly is bacterial, she may have to stay on the antibiotics longer. If it isn't, it may be Interstitial Cystitis (or some other bladder condition.)
I didn't even know what a pessary was until I looked it up just then on the internet. Thanks for sharing.
Have your mother been checked out by a urologist to see if her bladder is completely emptying? Also, have you tried getting her to drink something like cran grape juice? Anyway, just a few suggestions. God bless you and hope you find something that works, because UTI'S are terrible.
if she prefers, but at least 8 glasses to flush bladder. Encourage her to urinate when needed and to not hold it, and change panties if wet. Switch her bath soap to one without fragrance, hypoallergenic, and launder her undergarments with fragrance free detergent. UTI's can be very dangerous if advanced. Constant intake of antibiotics is not good for anyone.
My mom went through the same thing.
we used Nature's Way Probiotic Pearls for Womens vaginal and digestive health.
But a less expensive one may work just as well.
We only know she has an infection primarily by her extreme change in mood,
urine order very strong and cloudy. She never has pain and I suspect she has pelvic nerve damage from four large babies delivered. I have no other ideas.
Use a gentle non fragrant body wash and laundry detergent.
It has been mentioned on the forum that maybe the type of incontinence supplies being used is the problem. The materials used, the fragrance. Me, I can't use Kotex products. I switched to cotton briefs years ago. Years ago my daughter was getting UTIs. We cut out bubble baths, started using cotton undies. Found out it was the colored toilet paper I was using. Note: u haven't seen colored toilet paper for years. Should not be using any powder ot feminine sprays either.
Its hard as we get older but you have to completely void. I wondered why the aides would leave my MIL on the toilet a little longer. Maybe its so they void completely. Keep as clean as possible. I always used Huggies wipes on Mom. Big and thick. Lots of water intake.
She has again become less active and the UTIs are back. We keep sterile specimen cups on hand and her doctor made a standing order for urine cultures at the lab, so when her symptoms are pretty much unmistakable, weakness and urge without ability to void, we collect a sample and take it to the lab so she doesn't have to physically travel 45 minutes to get there. There is a particularly tenacious bacteria, a Pseudomonas, which is only sensitive to a few antibiotics , most of which she is allergic to. That's the one she gets most often, of course. So we have also added D-Mannose 500 mg 2x daily, and the Dr considered adding Hiprex daily or every other but the pharmacist said her kidney function is too low to tolerate that drug.
We have gotten quite an education on UTIs in the elderly. The first lesson was that symptoms are not the same as in a younger person. Second, hydration is essential, and if the pt doesn't like water, give diluted juice or add a small amount of flavor, and push those fluids! No caffeine, it dehydrates! Make sure the lab does cultures so they know what bacteria they are dealing with and what Rx will kill it. It takes a few days longer for the Dx but you are not giving useless antibiotics in the meantime. I personally think a bidet would be useful (though MIL is very fastidious and knows which way to wipe), but installing one in her tiny bathroom could be problematic, so I gave her an small, empty dishwashing liquid squeeze bottle that she fills and uses after a bowel movement. Just be sure to keep an eye on it to make sure she's not keeping water in it all the time, as it will grow algae, or something with a cloudy appearance.
Sorry this post is so long, but there is a lot of info to share, and I think it probably takes a combination, and to find just the right mix for a particular patient. Good luck!
Get your poor mom Off the antibiotics! They will do more harm than good.
Instead, get her taking D-Mannose....a health supplement, in capsule form....also feed her food with fresh garlic, and, if she can swallow another capsule every day, you can make up your own capsule filled with oregano oil, but be very, very careful with this oil as it's Potent. It will kill every pathogen, fungus, bacteria, virus, any parasite....but, avoid getting this potent oil on your skin or hers, or in the eyes, anywhere but inside the capsule, which will be delivered via water to the stomach.
These things will clear up her repeating UTI's....but, she'll need to keep taking the D-Mannose supplements, ok.
May God be with you and your precious mother....Happy Mother's Day! 💖💖💖
UTI definitely causes dementia like symptoms, confusion, angry outbursts - behavior not normal for the patient. If your mom still has UTI after a round of antibiotics, those pills are not clearing it up. Just relieving it for a brief period. And antibiotics that don't fix the problem have to be stronger to kill surviving bacterias.