| Advice from those medically trained 21:53 - Oct 9 with 1217 views | Pendejo |
Just want some independent general advice.
How long can "delirium" last?
My elderly uncle had life saving surgery 4 weeks ago, he has good physical signals, heart, bp etc.
But has not been in this millennium since, from what I can piece together from his rantings he's reliving something/s from his teens (thinking along lines of "Marabou Storm Nightmares" but without being a rapist)
And is it wrong of me to "play along"? |  |
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| Advice from those medically trained on 21:56 - Oct 9 with 1174 views | Superblue95 |
Pretty sure I’d be in an alcohol induced state of delirium for about 6 months if we ever make it back to the Prem |  |
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| Advice from those medically trained on 22:32 - Oct 9 with 1054 views | Hereford_Blue |
Have PMed you. |  | | |
| Advice from those medically trained on 22:43 - Oct 9 with 1019 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
Check for urinary tract infection. |  |
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| Advice from those medically trained on 22:51 - Oct 9 with 999 views | Churchman |
I am not medically trained, but I had an experience of seeing it close up. In 2015, my mother, who was pretty mobile for about 88 years old though withdrawing mentally a little, had a fall and broke her leg. She was operated on and the leg successfully fixed, but she basically went berserk. They put her in the sole occupancy room on a ward in Ipswich hospital and at one point ripped out the drain, catheter etc and barricaded herself in. Delirium.
When they got in, they got the lot. Chair/anything not nailed down before she retreated to the toilet where they had to break the door down. I got there when she was screaming ‘rape’ and all sorts. She was eventually calmed down a bit but had little idea where she was. She reduced to the point of under 6 stone and nearly died.
She was moved to Asterbury care home after three months and there she gradually recovered. At the beginning she’d know who you were but stared at the wall all day. As the months passed, she improved and the delirium passed in about 9 months.
She was left with problems and needed 24/7 care and spent much of the time telling stories of the past; distorted versions that got ever more wild. Dementia or a form of it. She would interact normally, but couldn’t turn the tv on. My mother was very aware and proud (she was stunning in her yoof), but needed help it’s the basics like clothes, toilet etc. She knew who we were to the end (she died 3 years ago).
Obviously I asked around about delirium. I was told it affects the old who’ve had a severe shock, can be non existent, mild or severe, in some cases extreme behaviour and in some instances never goes. With my mum, I ‘played along’. My dad tried to correct her, which ended disastrously. For me, listening and playing along worked. She was happy telling her stories over and over and that was fine by me. It was her time. Photos, things she liked like plants, a calendar with pics of her home town Yarmouth, we tried everything with zero to some success.
It is so hard dealing with people at the end of their lives. Day at a time and take all the help there is. I’ve no idea what is right or wrong. Everyone is different. These are just my thoughts based on an experience.
I hope things improve for your uncle.
Edit: urinary inflection can play havoc too. [Post edited 9 Oct 2021 22:57]
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| Advice from those medically trained on 23:05 - Oct 9 with 934 views | Bluespeed225 |
| Advice from those medically trained on 22:43 - Oct 9 by BanksterDebtSlave |
Check for urinary tract infection. |
This. Mother in law had it a while back, traced to UTI. |  | | |
| Advice from those medically trained on 23:39 - Oct 9 with 873 views | ArnoldMoorhen |
| Advice from those medically trained on 22:43 - Oct 9 by BanksterDebtSlave |
Check for urinary tract infection. |
(I'm not medically trained) This was exactly what it was for my wife's Grandad. Suddenly went from very sharp and on the ball to what seemed like full on dementia. There are dementias which progress rapidly, but in his case it was a UTI. A couple of days in hospital and some tablets and he was back on form again.
I would say that the OP should be encouraging a trip to the Doctor as a starting point. It could be something relatively simple to sort, or something more worrying and long-term, but either way it is concerning and medical help should be sought. | | | |
| Advice from those medically trained on 00:04 - Oct 10 with 832 views | factual_blue |
| Advice from those medically trained on 21:56 - Oct 9 by Superblue95 |
Pretty sure I’d be in an alcohol induced state of delirium for about 6 months if we ever make it back to the Prem |
And how would we spot anything was different about you? |  |
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| Advice from those medically trained on 00:14 - Oct 10 with 821 views | BlueBadger |
The short answer is 'it takes as long as it takes' and as a general rule it settles with time. As you're now four weeks down the line, you probably need specialist support. Your first point of call at this point(unfortunately) is your GP. If he's had any kin of involvement with Critical Care services, regardless of how fleeting it is, it's possibly worth seeing if they have any kind of 'follow up' service for the post critical care group.
Also - 'if its not a delusion that will actively cause distress if you challenge it or cause harm if you go with it, by all means play along' is the advice I generally get from my colleagues who Know About These Things.
I am available for PM when I can offer more considered thought. |  |
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| Advice from those medically trained on 00:14 - Oct 10 with 816 views | BlueBadger |
| Advice from those medically trained on 22:43 - Oct 9 by BanksterDebtSlave |
Check for urinary tract infection. |
And also this. ESPECIALLY THIS. [Post edited 10 Oct 2021 0:19]
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| Advice from those medically trained on 00:16 - Oct 10 with 812 views | BlueBadger |
| Advice from those medically trained on 00:14 - Oct 10 by BlueBadger |
The short answer is 'it takes as long as it takes' and as a general rule it settles with time. As you're now four weeks down the line, you probably need specialist support. Your first point of call at this point(unfortunately) is your GP. If he's had any kin of involvement with Critical Care services, regardless of how fleeting it is, it's possibly worth seeing if they have any kind of 'follow up' service for the post critical care group.
Also - 'if its not a delusion that will actively cause distress if you challenge it or cause harm if you go with it, by all means play along' is the advice I generally get from my colleagues who Know About These Things.
I am available for PM when I can offer more considered thought. |
Plus, what Banksy Said. Get the water dipped. Sometimes, if you get overly specialised, you miss the simple, but obvious thing. | |
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