My Dad is 73 years old. He fell and broke his hip 3 weeks ago and had to have surgery. Before the surgery my Dad was mentally alert, able to carry on a conversation and has never been diagnosed with Alzheimers or any type of Dementia. My stepmother said he was having some mild confusion before the surgery. My Dad also is on oxygen due to pulminary lung disease. The doctors and her attributed his confusion prior to the surgery due to lack O2 because there were times he wouldn't use it.
Now after the surgery he has made a drastic turn for the worse. He is having hallucinations, is delusional, paranoid and very agressive. (trying to hit my stepmother, throwing things etc). At first the medical personnel said all this was probably caused by the anethesia and/or pain meds. This left me bewildered but I accepted it at that time but now here we are 3 weeks later and he is not better. He's been off pain meds for 2 weeks. My Dad is unable to swallow correctly, and was put on a feeding tube because he was aspirating into his lungs and develped annomnia. My Dad's speech is also affected. I try to talk to him on the phone (I'm out of state) and I'm not able to understand anything he says. One minute he seems mentally fine and the next he starts babbling and is totally not "with us".
My stepmother says he will say really bizarre things..sometimes he thinks he's in the military. Today he was upset because he was late for school. He doesn't understand why he's in the rehab center. He thinks we've put him there to die. He thinks my stepmother is running away with the banker and stealing all his money...and the list goes on. I'm am so worried about him! My Dad was NOT like this before the surgery! He was fully functional before the surgery and I'm desperate to find out what is wrong with him. My stepmother doesn't take the initiative to ask questions of the doctors. Just blindly accepts. (that's another story) I think the medical staff don't fully realize that he wasn't like this before the surgery and nowhere close to it.
I'm flying up next weekend and I've insisted that my stepmother have a neurologist exam him. Has anyone gone through an experience like this? If I'm not in right forum, can you please direct me to a site where others have had similar experiences. I'm beside myself trying to find some answers. Thank you!
My mother had back surgery last year - December 23 and we had a long, long recovery period with symptoms like you describe. Scarey to say the least. They told us it was the combination of anesthesia and Parkinson's - she's doing some vivid dreaming and mentioned hallucinations again now. Hears the voices of her dead mother and sister talking with me (about her) in the mornings, but "knows" they aren't real, thinks I've stolen her money, etc. I know it's the disease but it's hard to listen to. The worst symptoms were after surgery and cleared after about 3 months. These are just reappearing lately. We'll see a neurologist after the holidays but watch the medications - the elderly are very easily overmedicated though it sounds like your father needs something. Congratulations on caring enough to make the trip and insist on care for your father!
Posts: 1 | Location: Midwest | Registered: November 23, 2005
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<katrina39>
Posted
I can relate to your problem. My stepmother has within the last year put my father into the Veterans Home, which he thought would only be for a short visit, and now he is saying that he is at work, then correcting himself to say that he is working at the Veterans Hospital helping out with things. He claims that we tricked him and locked him up there. He says that my stepmother is seeing someone and that the man has been to see him, (no such person) When my stepmom asks him to tell about the person he claims that he is a black male about mid 50's and wears a trench coat. I am also out of state and cannot make sense of what my father says most of the time either. I am also flying up to Maine this weekend to see him. Where is your father, what state? Where are you? It isn't cheap for us to visit by plane but I also feel that I have to go up and see for myself a few times a year what is up. you can email me directly if you want to chat and we can have a pity party and compare notes. I also found out there is something called NPH. Normal Pressure Hydrocepalus. It seems if you do an internet search and answer the questions, that a neurologist that is familar with this knows what to look for in a MRI. Seems pressure builds up in the brain and that is why they fall and lose thier balance as well as confusion. This might explain many of the symptoms and it is treatable. They say that it resembles Alzheimer s. I hope this has helped you. email me at milonas3@comcast.net Kathy
Hiya, Brneyznfl. I can understand your concern!! Your dad's symptoms could be from MANY things stemming from his recent hospitalization. His medications may have changed; he may have had a small stroke, etc. So MANY things about hospitalization can affect people dramatically! I hope that the folks in the rehab have given him a thorough workup! I cannot imagine that a neurologist would NOT have examined him by now... Good luck! I hope you can find out some answers to your questions and get things on the right track for your dad. Please be sure to update us on what you find after you visit. Hang in there!
"She ain't heavy; she's my mother."
Posts: 3056 | Location: SE LA | Registered: August 12, 2004
I had a friend who went through something similar. He was in his 80s and doing fine, went in for shoulder surgery and was never the same afterwards. We also chalked it up to the anaesthesia. It can really be nasty stuff! I've been nervous about general anaesthesia ever since.
A neurologist is an excellent idea. And ask the neurologist for other ideas - any other specialists who might deal with anything even remotely like this, like a gerontologist or a rehab doctor or anything.
How's your stepmom holding up? This must be so scary for everyone. Good luck.
