Bennysmum
11-08-12, 17:02
Hi
Firstly, I hope I'm posting in the most appropriate place. I am just looking for some advice & I apologise if my post is longwinded.
Three years ago dad died suddenly & my 82 year old mum was not very well afterwards (headaches/nausea/generally distressed). GP prescribed 20mg Prozac. At that time mum did not experience any side effects from Prozac & it proved to be very helpful. She took it for a year & then was able to stop the medication.
I have mum living with me, there are no financial worries etc. I do work from home which means that mum does not always have my full attention but I am in the house. We also have an adorable dog called Benny who mum loves. She has always been very busy & active despite having systemic lupus, diabetes and osteoporosis.
In March this year I thought I was noticing some subtle changes in her:-
she would not read a magazine
was sitting in the chair staring out of the window
would not answer the telephone
At around this time she had a slight fall in the bath (bath seat collapsed) she was not physically injured but became extremely anxious - was re-living falling, had palpitations, feeling sick, dry mouth, she couldn’t sleep, developed a permanent headache, constant nausea, palpitations, bowel upsets, disinterested in everything, very clingy with me I had to shop online, couldn‘t even pop around the corner to a shop, had to re-arrange my business, she seems to have a problem holding a conversation with people (although not with me she is fine with me).
Went to see the GP who prescribed 1mg Lorazepam to be taken three times per day for one month. GP referred mum to the hospital. GP also prescribed Cyclizine for the nausea which has been great. Mum only took 1mg Lorazepam as and when she felt she needed it because they made her very drowsy and very, very confused & I couldn’t leave her on her own. Her other symptoms eased somewhat but she can’t live in a confused state that's no quality of life for anyone.
In May we went to a special unit at the hospital & I quickly realised that this was not just for older people with anxiety but that mum was being checked for Alzheimer’s. Fortunately, she does not have Alzheimer’s (has a better memory than me! & functions fine). We had to wait until 28 June to get the results from the Consultant and mum has stayed on the Lorazepam since May.
Consultant stated to continue for one month on 1mg Lorazepam & then to reduce to 0.5mg Lorazepam for one month and then to cease taking this medication. He started mum back on 20mg Prozac & to see how she goes with this. Follow-up with Consultant in October. He did say headache/nausea are caused by anxiety and he thought she had anxiety/depression.
Mum is now on the 0.5mg of Lorazepam and is far more lucid.
I did just want to know if people do experience headache and nausea (headache seems to start over night & mum has headache mostly in a morning & the same with the nausea) with anxiety & does it ever ease & other than prescribed medication have people done anything to help themselves?
At the moment the nausea is bad although Cyclizine helps greatly but I suppose the nausea could also be a side effect from the Prozac. Is it possible that even though the first time she had no side effects with the Prozac but this time it could cause nausea and retching?
Other than hospital visits mum hasn’t been out of the house since March I think this is mostly because she feels so ill during the morning with the headache & feeling sick. I certainly don’t want to make going out a big issue for her - I don't want to make her worse - but not going out isn't healthy either. I am trying to get her around to perhaps going out for tea (we have lots of nice quiet pubs in our area that we could go to for an evening meal) or to visit a relative. I really don't know the best way to deal with her not going out.
I do think there is a lot of depression going on because I do have to push her to look after herself as well & she still won’t read a magazine, not really interested in TV, does not want other family visiting, won't answer the telephone unless she thinks its me phoning, if I go out shopping I have started to ring her just so she can have a conversation with me because if I don't phone sometimes when I get back she seems very anxious & I have cut back on a lot of social and personal things as I can't seem to leave her at the moment for more than an hour.
Obviously if there is no improvement by October when we go back to Consultant I need to raise all this with him but I just wondered are there other things that I should be doing?
Any advice is very, very much appreciated & I apologise for that long essay!!
Firstly, I hope I'm posting in the most appropriate place. I am just looking for some advice & I apologise if my post is longwinded.
Three years ago dad died suddenly & my 82 year old mum was not very well afterwards (headaches/nausea/generally distressed). GP prescribed 20mg Prozac. At that time mum did not experience any side effects from Prozac & it proved to be very helpful. She took it for a year & then was able to stop the medication.
I have mum living with me, there are no financial worries etc. I do work from home which means that mum does not always have my full attention but I am in the house. We also have an adorable dog called Benny who mum loves. She has always been very busy & active despite having systemic lupus, diabetes and osteoporosis.
In March this year I thought I was noticing some subtle changes in her:-
she would not read a magazine
was sitting in the chair staring out of the window
would not answer the telephone
At around this time she had a slight fall in the bath (bath seat collapsed) she was not physically injured but became extremely anxious - was re-living falling, had palpitations, feeling sick, dry mouth, she couldn’t sleep, developed a permanent headache, constant nausea, palpitations, bowel upsets, disinterested in everything, very clingy with me I had to shop online, couldn‘t even pop around the corner to a shop, had to re-arrange my business, she seems to have a problem holding a conversation with people (although not with me she is fine with me).
Went to see the GP who prescribed 1mg Lorazepam to be taken three times per day for one month. GP referred mum to the hospital. GP also prescribed Cyclizine for the nausea which has been great. Mum only took 1mg Lorazepam as and when she felt she needed it because they made her very drowsy and very, very confused & I couldn’t leave her on her own. Her other symptoms eased somewhat but she can’t live in a confused state that's no quality of life for anyone.
In May we went to a special unit at the hospital & I quickly realised that this was not just for older people with anxiety but that mum was being checked for Alzheimer’s. Fortunately, she does not have Alzheimer’s (has a better memory than me! & functions fine). We had to wait until 28 June to get the results from the Consultant and mum has stayed on the Lorazepam since May.
Consultant stated to continue for one month on 1mg Lorazepam & then to reduce to 0.5mg Lorazepam for one month and then to cease taking this medication. He started mum back on 20mg Prozac & to see how she goes with this. Follow-up with Consultant in October. He did say headache/nausea are caused by anxiety and he thought she had anxiety/depression.
Mum is now on the 0.5mg of Lorazepam and is far more lucid.
I did just want to know if people do experience headache and nausea (headache seems to start over night & mum has headache mostly in a morning & the same with the nausea) with anxiety & does it ever ease & other than prescribed medication have people done anything to help themselves?
At the moment the nausea is bad although Cyclizine helps greatly but I suppose the nausea could also be a side effect from the Prozac. Is it possible that even though the first time she had no side effects with the Prozac but this time it could cause nausea and retching?
Other than hospital visits mum hasn’t been out of the house since March I think this is mostly because she feels so ill during the morning with the headache & feeling sick. I certainly don’t want to make going out a big issue for her - I don't want to make her worse - but not going out isn't healthy either. I am trying to get her around to perhaps going out for tea (we have lots of nice quiet pubs in our area that we could go to for an evening meal) or to visit a relative. I really don't know the best way to deal with her not going out.
I do think there is a lot of depression going on because I do have to push her to look after herself as well & she still won’t read a magazine, not really interested in TV, does not want other family visiting, won't answer the telephone unless she thinks its me phoning, if I go out shopping I have started to ring her just so she can have a conversation with me because if I don't phone sometimes when I get back she seems very anxious & I have cut back on a lot of social and personal things as I can't seem to leave her at the moment for more than an hour.
Obviously if there is no improvement by October when we go back to Consultant I need to raise all this with him but I just wondered are there other things that I should be doing?
Any advice is very, very much appreciated & I apologise for that long essay!!