Mom comes out of dementia state by stopping Ditropan

Alzheimer's misdiagnosed?? My mother made mental quantum leap out of mid-level Alzheimer's dementia, after recently stopping prescription Ditropan/Oxybutynin. Improvement started to show at about 3 weeks. More alert, using words more, moving with intention, being curious about past, finding old letters and photos, asking for specific help. Generally, more THERE "there." This video was shot at around 6 weeks after stopping Ditropan/Oxybutynin.
Aug 12: Mom continues to learn/relearn words and concepts like telling time. She is generally more "conversational," more normal to be around; I don't have to repeat things four times. As her caregiver, this is less stressful. How much improvement can she make? We'll keep trying.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Alzheimers
• Alzheimer's
• improvement
• misdiagnosis
• Oxybutynin
• side
• effect
• Ditropan
• dementia
• senility
• geriatric
• caregiver
• caregiving
• elderly
• aging
• brain
• fitness

[MsJodijohnson]

My grandmother has been misdiagnosed as a scizophreniac and the medication they gave her made it worse. It got so worse that she herself called the cops three times because the neighbors were ruining her car. It would be nice if you read my blog about dealing with a grandparent with dementia and comment about what i could do to make it better. Its jodijohnson.blog.com. The name of it is I'd Eat Men (dementia)

[CarolJWright]

@MsJodijohnson

this is about my mother coming out of ditropan dementia. the past year we have had also Seroquel insanity and Ativan evil-eyed zombie behavior. She off them and much better. Please lookk up Beers Criteria on the internet...it is basic chart for getting seniors off their Rx, or vastly reducing. I think alz could be cut significantly if everyone went drug free for several weeks. Be aware that some drugs need weaning off over time, and many drugs may cause withdrawal sx, like cramps

[GoodJesse]

I too will try and get photage on the internet if my mother continues to show improvement.

In her new CT scan she was shown to have Water on the Brain. She is now in line to have a shunt operation. I believe that in cunjunction with the being taken off Ditropan my mother will recognise my face for the first time in 8 years.

Thank you again.

[CarolJWright]

Good grief. Don't you feel like bringing a lawsuit or something? No one wants to be responsible for this sort of thing. Glad you are making progress,a nd sorry you lost your mother for 8 years. There's a lot of WHAT IF in this.

[Pimpmastahanhduece]

wow, im so happy for you. my granddad is becoming more crisp and getting better memory though he's near 90. i dont know what he was on before or what he's changed. maybe that his first 2 great grandchildren were born and it just gave him a boost,but my grandma is getting less and less dependent. if it wasnt for my granddad,she wouldnt be living on their own with no assistance or drive to the store.i wish i could help as easily as it was for you to just cut a med,god knows she takes so many a day

[CarolJWright]

Mom tanked a few months after when doctor changed her Lovastatin to Zocor. We tried OFF, she got better; ON worse. OFF better. ON worse. Now OFF, but time is taking its toll. She can't talk like this any more.

You are young. You think your granddad is "handling it." I have 3 sisters who are SO glad I am "handling IT." Get involved, 1st on the chore level. Then keep your eyes open & step up. Just now, Mom could not rip off the tab on the Kleenex box. That's the kind of care needed now.

[madmanatsea]

@CarolJWright

These Ditropan/oxybutynin, anticholinergics, are used to treat incontinence according to wikipedia where I go to find info on drugs or anything else so why was she put on those 2 drugs .they CAUSE DELIRIUM which is listed as a side-effect of using them..........Get YOUR ELDERLY parents on stuff their brains, organs, and bones need like MAGNESIUM, B-VITAMINS, etc., and STOP FEEDING THEM THESE POISONS!!!!!!!!!

[BooKittyRadley]

I'm giving Mom niacinamide (NOT niacin, they are different forms of B3). It has been only one week, but I have noticed improvement with language, attention span, and long term memory. I can't make a judgment about short term memory yet. Agitation is less, and she seems a little more able to reason.  I'm hoping that I am not jumping the gun. If your person has Alz, look up Abram Hoffer vids here.

[GoodJesse]

At this point I cant focus on the what ifs, Ive come to terms with that (I hope) The only what if is "what if mom recognises me?" At this point any progress would go into the category of miracle for me.

Thanks again.

[GoodJesse]

Bless you for posting this. My mother was diagnosed Alzheiners ten years ago. In all the years with all the informational pamphlets none of them ever mentioned missdiagnoses. Recently weve taken my mother to have a new CT scan. The specialist said that it is likely she was missdiagnosed. About a month ago they took her off this same medication and at this point she was able to ask if a plate of food was for her, which is more than shes said in a few years now.

[AlzheimersMass]

Carol, this is really incredible. Please stay in contact with us! - The Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association

[Pimpmastahanhduece]

i didnt mean "handling it" as in I dont need to care about them getting older. and being young has nothing to do with it, even young children as young as 10 are sometimes forced to care for their elders. i only talked about my father's side. my mom's side, my granddad was so far gone but i had to deal with it as a 10 year old