My 83 YO wife with AD has numerous health problems and over the years, I have managed her medicine and her diet and medical care, as well as completely taking care of all the other household duties that I have time for! I don't resent changing diapers and cleaning up the feces from her and her clothes as well as the stool and the floor, after a unexpected bowel movement. I have become pretty adept at her twice daily bladder catheterization and making sure she gets her daily Budesonide inhaler to keep asthma at bay. And I set the alarm to help me remember to give her the Calcitonin-Salmon nasal spray to control osteoporosis. This is my wife and this is my life and I accept it, even though she could be a little more cooperative some times, but I understand that. I probably wouldn't handle it as well as she does. The hardest thing for me is when she is hurting or feels nauseated, or is freezing or various other problems that I feel sure are legitimate, but there isn't anything I can do to help! She is nauseated a lot because of her LPR from her intra-thoracic stomach. I give her Mylanta and Pepto Bismol, and Meclazine and non-acid or greasy diet to try to treat it, usually with very limited or no, success! It really hurts to hear her say she feels nauseated and I can't help!
It works so well.
There are specific meds for nausea. Don't over use the over the counter anti-acids! The stomach has acid for a reason. Use digestive enzymes supplements, or digestive bitters. From a good health food store, for quality.
Please consider a test for food sensitivities. Dairy, eggs, corn, wheat, soy are the obvious ones. Specific vegetables and fruits can set off all kinds of reactions in people. Send for a home kit, like Everlywell.
When I feel sick, I want company, or to be checked on frequently, but not touched. Yet others want to be left alone. And some like a hand held, back stroked, feet rubbed. You can't take away all the discomfort, but you can BE a comfort.
for nausea and for her IBS she takes Bentyl in the generic brand for her stomach spasms.
God Bless All Of Us Caregivers!
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/how-to-use-bitters
you are a good husband. The world needs more people like you.
My husband has gerd and it helps keep his stomachs acid neutral or even alkalized, does wonders and has healed the esophagus lesions.
You can get expensive stuff at stores like natural grocers that tastes okay or you can get the cheaper stuff at Sam's and add it to apple juice, because it doesn't taste good. Same stuff just different processing I suppose.
One thing I have found, diets that don't have enough fat in them can cause body temperature to feel cold. Try adding more healthy fats and see if it helps. Walnuts, avocados, EVOO cold pressed, 1st run, and full fat dairy, like real butter are all good choices.
I know it feels counterintuitive for what she has going on, add more fats, just know they aren't all created equal. And I have felt the effects personally to know I am warmer when I do this. Hopefully it helps her too.
Your wife is very blessed to have you.
him up. I warm his sheets and blankets in the dryer at night when I put him to bed. He doesn’t like socks to sleep in, so I bought a throw fleece blanket at Family Dollar for $5 and wrap it loosely around his feet. The warmth from the dryer does the trick and he feels so pampered and loved. It takes no extra effort on my part, just part of the nightly procedure. You have my prayers.
Prayers
If you have Insurance, check about getting Home Health where a Nurse will cone check on you and an Aide will come 2-3 times a week to help you with a bath.
She is very lucky to have you stick by her side.
Prayers
Nausea: Mylanta and Peptol Bismol probably aren’t the best for treating a nauseous tummy. They are better suited to indigestion, or gas. Try GRAVOL instead, but know that it can cause drowsiness. It comes in many forms (swallow pill, liquid, liquid capsul, and melt on your tongue) so you can choose which would best for your wife.
If she is freezing, you could try a hot water bottle and move it from her feet to her tummy. I also love an electric blanket, because it heats up quickly, and then boom, you can turn it off, but there is still residual warmth.
And being that you are a man, it's in your nature to want to fix things, so I understand your frustration in something that you can't seem to fix. However Geaton777 gave you a great suggestion for a medication that hopefully will help with her nausea. I would be calling her Dr. today to get them to call in a prescription ASAP for her, so her nausea can get under better control, and that can be one less thing you have to worry about.
Keep up the good work you're doing, and just make sure that you're taking care of yourself along the way as well, so you can continue on this journey with your wife.
I can understand how frustrating it is to see a problem but not be able to do anything to fix it. It pains you to feel helpless.
I remember my mother's sudden decline into Alzheimer's. It was like a switch. One day she was fine, the next she couldn't remember anything. I remember feeling so frustrated with her for what she couldn't do anymore. I was angry at her for her losses.
It took a while but it dawned on me that I should look at the glass half full instead of half empty. I started naming all the things that she could still do and told myself that I should be glad she could still do them. I told myself things could be worse. It helped me to accept her condition and the changes/losses that followed.
I suppose feeling nauseated isn't so bad in the scheme of things. There are many worse things than that. She has more good moments than bad, right?