Recently my DH had a UTI. I remember something being discussed in the past about this as it relates to AD, but I couldn't find it in "search". The problem was (hopefully now corrected with meds) that he HAD NO PAIN. I had no idea he had a UTI. He had some urgency that I thought was leading to incontinence, but one day out of the clear blue sky, his urine had blood in it. A LOT of blood. So, we went to ER and he never once complained of pain. I was thinking maybe something to do with the brain cells and pain??? Anyone had this happen? Thanks a bunch.
Jayne-for some reason many people with AD develop uti's with no symptoms. Usually it is because they don't remember to drink enough fluids. The infection can cause a rapid decline in cognition but sometimes resolves by treating the uti.
I don't have any experience with UTI's yet, but they're one of THE top topics over on the Alz Assoc web site. They are sometimes called "silent UTI's" because they can occur without any of the usual symptoms of infection at all, not even the blood, but they can have a drastic impact on the AD patient's behavior. I did a quick search over there for silent UTI's. Johanna, who is an RN and very helpful, responded to a question about them:
Urinary tract infections are frequent in this population. As a person becomes elderly, urinary tract infections increase in frequency, especially in females because of changes in the body.
Many times, these urinary tract infections, (UTI's), are "silent". That is, they have no symptoms. There is no odor, no change in color, and no burning while voiding. But when a urinalysis is done, there it is; a UTI.
Untreated UTI's frequently cause a huge change and decline in cognition and behavior in a person with dementia. When treated and resolved, a person usually returns to their baseline function.
When there is a sudden change in a loved one's behavior and/or function, most of us who have been doing this for awhile, ask for a urinalysis to be done to rule this condition out. In my own mother, she has had many such "silent UTI's", which negatively impacted on her ability to function. For her, the changes are rather dramatic.
Hi there, we suffer from cronic UTI's now since jan-every 2wks i found myself in the ER with husband as he would try to empty the bladder and only dribble or pinkish cast. I use the AZZO uri check strips from pharmacy (walgreens/CVS) about once/wk just to check so things dont get out of control. there can be dehydation issues that cause uti or even misfiring of electic impulses from brain to bladder triggering urine cutoff and retention which is a super sourc for bacteria to start up and cause one as well. this is what we are suffering. on daily rx for small dose of antiobiotics now and trying to keep in control but laser surgery to open the canal due to enlarged prostate now may be in the future - yes utis can give no warning and so the strips are the best detection with AD i have found the hard way too late and then it went to sepsis in the kidneys. seems most AD sufferers also have the uti issues as well. hope your LO uti clears up soon, Divvi
DH went to Dr. today for follow up from ER on UTI. His urine was clear. The Dr. said watch him close....and added UTI's are leading cause of death with AD. WOW, was I ever shocked! I hope this is a one time thing and does not become chronic. Thanks for your heads up on the strips at CVS. What is sepsis in the kidneys? Thanks to all for your responses.
divvi - Thanks for the tip about the UTI test stick. I picked up a box at Walgreen's. A couple of months ago Hank's doctor in Oregon thought he might have a UTI and suggested we find a doctor. Then, things improved and my DH didn't want to go anyway. This is a good thing to have on hand - something I knew nothing about, nor about AD and UTI. I've learned so much from this site. Thanks to everyone.
divvi, thanks also from me regarding the UTI tests. I found some at Amazon.com. Two nights ago we made a run to the ER as my DH hadn't urinated in 10 hours. After they catherized him, they said he had very little urine and no UTI. After we brought him home, it was like someone had opened up the floodgates and he urinated a lot and had very little control over where he urinated. It will be nice to have the strips and not worry about running to the ER on a Saturday night and know whether it's the disease progression or a UTI when he becomes more "out of it" than usual. I also bought a new ADA toilet so that it would be higher as he is getting stubborn about not wanting to sit down. I thought the higher toilet might help. Has anyone else had this problem and did you find anything to help?
Hi Ladies, yes the UTI Azzo strips are a godsend to test early for UTI. i almost panic if i am out of them now. if your LO is having uti's then its a good point to test regardless about every month i find if the test results so ANY color swatch matches i call dr asap and then we treat as i soon as i can get him in- have been staving off the super infections this way. sepsis of the kidneys is when the bacteria enters the blood stream and is rampant and can be fatal so treating a bladder infection early is of super importance before it travels to the kidneys. my son is an MD and i had since reinforced the info in the ER that as long as the UTI has NO fever then usually its only a bladder infection -if fever then its progressed to the kidneys and is serious to see dr asap or ER. since my DH suffers from many of these now i feel i have learned the hard way lots of this, hoping i can pass my info on for your benefit. my best to you all, Divvi
ps i also have found recently with last uti that alot of DH uti issues are dehydration and since dr ordered 2 liters of water DAILY things are better with the uti but he goes alot but i trade that off instead of ER visits anyday. seems our AD loved ones are not taking in enough fluids and this can be a main source for uti.