Re: ? about drugs/synthroid and coumadin...

[Guest guest]

Donna,

Can you contact hospice? They have a very different position on the

drugs. Perhaps you can talk to them without getting help yet. I think

you would appreciate their point of view.

Lynn

>

>

> Dad is stillin the hostpital - another bout of aspiration pneumonia.

>

> They discovered he has blood clots in his legs - so they have him on

> heparin and then coumadin. We always hate adding any new drugs ...

>

> anything I should know about this ?

>

> Also DR decided he needed synthroid. He was on this once a few

years ago

> and mom always noticed he changed somehow - more antsy ... more

nasty

> just not himself ... and it all seemed to stop when she stopped the

drug.

>

> We told numerous docotors but they didn't see any connection saying

it

> was a safe drug. (But they said that about the cough meds too and

now we KNOW

> LBDers have problems with that).

>

> So now new doc wants to try him on it again. Do we really need

another drug?

> I'd be happy with the PK meds and aricept - why do we need all this

other stuff/

>

> Thanks for the info

>

> DOnna

[Guest guest]

Please keep us posted as to what happens. I am of the opinion that

less is more. Is it too awful to ask why do we keeping giving drugs

at all? Isn't there a way to make a LO comfortable without giving

the drugs?

>

>

> Dad is stillin the hostpital - another bout of aspiration pneumonia.

>

> They discovered he has blood clots in his legs - so they have him on

> heparin and then coumadin. We always hate adding any new drugs ...

>

> anything I should know about this ?

>

> Also DR decided he needed synthroid. He was on this once a few

years ago

> and mom always noticed he changed somehow - more antsy ... more

nasty

> just not himself ... and it all seemed to stop when she stopped the

drug.

>

> We told numerous docotors but they didn't see any connection saying

it

> was a safe drug. (But they said that about the cough meds too and

now we KNOW

> LBDers have problems with that).

>

> So now new doc wants to try him on it again. Do we really need

another drug?

> I'd be happy with the PK meds and aricept - why do we need all this

other stuff/

>

> Thanks for the info

>

> DOnna

[Guest guest]

I didn't think Hospice did this ... I know they help end stage

cancer patients (I know two women that had this but both died within

days of starting hospice). But I don't know about PD/LBD which

can drag on for ages.

How did you know your dad was at end stage ?

Dad was doing good Mon/Tues - alert awake etc - they were talking

about moving him to rehab again ...we thought we might finally be on

the road to recovery.

Then today we got a call that he was all congested and they were moving

him to ICU ... seems he's aspirating his saliva I guess (he isn't getting

any food !).

The nurse seemed to indicate that this would continue to happen ...

what a mess - how we went from a nice Christmas - a trip to AC

at New Years (he won $600!) ... to this ?

I really blame the Haldol - but I suppose I could never proove it.

ANyway I;d appreciate any information you can give me.

HUGS

donna

>

> Donna,

> Can you contact hospice? They have a very different position on the

> drugs. Perhaps you can talk to them without getting help yet. I think

> you would appreciate their point of view.

> Lynn

>

>

> >

> >

> > Dad is stillin the hostpital - another bout of aspiration pneumonia.

> >

> > They discovered he has blood clots in his legs - so they have him on

> > heparin and then coumadin. We always hate adding any new drugs ...

> >

> > anything I should know about this ?

> >

> > Also DR decided he needed synthroid. He was on this once a few

> years ago

> > and mom always noticed he changed somehow - more antsy ... more

> nasty

> > just not himself ... and it all seemed to stop when she stopped the

> drug.

> >

> > We told numerous docotors but they didn't see any connection saying

> it

> > was a safe drug. (But they said that about the cough meds too and

> now we KNOW

> > LBDers have problems with that).

> >

> > So now new doc wants to try him on it again. Do we really need

> another drug?

> > I'd be happy with the PK meds and aricept - why do we need all this

> other stuff/

> >

> > Thanks for the info

> >

> > DOnna

>

>

>

>

> Welcome to LBDcaregivers.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Donna:

There is a medicine to stop the patient from producing saliva and therefore

not aspirating their saliva.

Hospice is for any end stage patient. They are excellent. Their only

concern is to keep the patient comfortable, not to extend life. They will not

take

any " heroic " measures to keep them alive longer, especially if it will not

make the patient more comfortable. We had them for my dad and he was more

comfortable and felt very well taken care of. He knew he was at his end stage.

There are indicators of the diferent stages. You could find them in the

files here. You could also try post # 18110, I asked for the stages of the

disease. They sent me the response at the end of the message, so scroll all the

way

down until you see the numbers. It is the stages for generalized dementia,

but it is pretty accurate.

You mention that your dad isn't getting any food. That is an indicator of

the beginning of the end. They cannot survive for long without food, especially

since they are in a weakened condition already. He may get better and start

eating, and then have more time. Sorry to be so blunt.

They gave my dad Haldol when he was in the hospital. I don't know if it

precipitated his death, but I am sure it made a lot of his days and especially

nights much more horrific, as his hallucinations became so much worse. It takes

a long time for them to metabolize Haldol.

I hope this helps. I'll keep you in my prayers,

Josie

[Guest guest]

Hi Donna

Sally here (UK)

Dealing with the sudden fluctuations in this ghastly disease is so hard and

I feel for you. Even at the beginning of the 'final decline' with my dad -

about 3 months before he died - we had really terrible days and then out of

nowhere he'd perk up! I would leave the hospital on certain days and plead

with God to let him die because he was so bad; drooling, rigid, thrashing

tremor, not eating or drinking ..... THEN next day he was dressed, talking

and we were imagining him home!! It was hellish torture - I'd spend all the

time feeling so darn guilty that I even contemplated him dying!!!

Hospice wouldn't take my dad in his final days. He was too aggressive and

violent, needed too much nursing attention (like 24 hrs a day!) and they

gave me the distinct impression that they only dealt with a certain 'type'

of palliative need. I reckon it depends on who runs the Hospice and

availability of beds. Here in the UK we are desperately underfunded and

chronically short of resources.

As my dad was refusing all medication I can't advise on any.

All I will say is that my dad was dehydrated - through sheer neglect. He was

clean but he was dried out! Watch what they do.

Above all I pray that if this is indeed the final time, it will be a

mercifully peaceful, gentle end.

Thinking of you

Sally x