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My mom has to go to bathroom 30 times in 2 hours period. She has no uti. Some days are better than other days. How do I get this habit to change. I have tried to distract by doing something but still within 2-4 minutes she is heading for the bathroom. She gets angry if I try to stop her. Dr. Has put her on urinary incontinence meds but doesn't due much. She does not have to wear depends. She goes sometimes but usually not during these episodes.

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I went through this with my mum a couple of years ago, it was so frustrating and every minute. It seems it was a phase though most likely due to anxiety that she might wet herself ? It passed after a few months and now it doesn't happen at all.
Because I was becoming so on edge and focussed on the fact she was going all the time ( telling her she had just been, shutting the door etc ) it was actually making it worse. So as hard as it was I just ignored it and let her go 50 thousand times of that's what she wanted. Suddenly she wasn't anxious anymore. I didn't comment or make an issue around the toilet.., maybe give that a go for a while. If it isn't an infection as it wasn't with my mum, then it most likely is anxiety around the fact that she might be restricted from using the toilet.
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We had the same experience. My patient was not mobile so our entire day was going to the toilet or thinking about it. If she is mobile enough t go it alone that maybe problematic. I just kept reiterating that she could use her depends and put her on a "toilet break time" which can be once an hour or so at which time she actually sits on the toilet a good 5-10 minutes (at home)shorter at outings.
you are actually "retraining" her urinary impulses , this is common in stroke patients. Hope this helps!
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My mom did this and it was killing our backs. She's 200lb and can't stand or walk on her own! It has gotten better but now she wets her clothes, through a depend more often. The two biggest things that I think have helped is a new sitter that made her wait and drinking water versus diet soda! The water is the biggest thing. Also, she was on bladder control meds during that time and didn't make any difference. Dr took her off bc can cause cognitive issues in some as well as constipation which could have been what she was feeling that made her want to go every 15min. I do think a lot of it is anxiety and habit, plus for mom, she has hard time communicating and sometimes she'd call my name then pause and say I need to use bathroom which I think was her not being able to say what she was thinking so would just say I need to use bathroom.
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My dad was the same way. Due to a high fall risk, we ended up putting in a supra catheter. Emptied only every 4 waking hours and enabled him to sleep better at night. The doctor said that perhaps BOTOX to the bladder would have helped with the bladder contractions. My dad's life was literally in the toilet.
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I would not give her diet soda. It makes u go more often. It goes right thru me. It may be the artifical sweetner.
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The sphincter at the bladder is losing its ability to expand and contract. It is the nature of dementia and systems start to breakdown. If she has the urge, then do not worry about the amount of times, although I am sure she is now dehydrated and needs drinks with electrolytes in them (I use Propel). Don't let this go on too long as dehydrating will make her kidneys shut down.
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You say she goes to the bathroom very often. My question is does she actually urinate or does she just sit there? I would approach the matter differently depending on the answer to that.

If she is indeed urinating, then why is she producing so much fluid. It could be a heart issue, since they can cause an excess of fluid in the body.

Does she have sleep apnea? That can cause one to get up during the night and pee a lot. It puts stain on the heart and the body produces more fluid.

Is it mediation she's taking? Some meds cause this.

Or if she's not urinating, but obsessed with the toilet, I would try a couple of things like keeping her out of the room except at schedule times. Take her in to sit on toilet every hour on the hour.

You say she does not have to wear depends. I"m not sure what you mean. If she's wetting her pants, then I would go with the depends to keep her dry. If it works, then I wouldn't concern myself of whether she technically needs them or not.
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In addition to SUNNYGIRL'S pertinent questions, I would experiment with discontinuing fluids that are bladder irritants, such as coffee, tea, carbonation, acids (like orange juice). Substitute with cranberry juice--maybe that will help.
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Mother did the same thing. She finally was dxed with a "torsioned urethra" she had a catheter for a long time, the they placed a pubic one. She literally never has to go, now, except to empty the bag. Mush better, as life was lived around bathroom visits. She wore depends for ages, but felt so gross if she had an "accident". She wanted to have surgery (if you've read anything about my mother you know she's always on the prowl for a new surgery) but this pubic cath was placed in office and was not a big surgical deal. Pressure of any kind on the pelvic region can make elders feel like they have to "go"..and as we age, gravity takes everything downwards :( It's sad.
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This is a tough question. I personally had my bladder lifted when they did my hysterectomy. It worked for many years. I just had a bladder issue. But now, later in life, I do have to go often. I don't want to take any more pills. So, when the time comes and my kids have to take care of me, I would probably recommend, they use the catheter. I never thought it could be the use of substitute sugar. I use it in my coffee. I am so sorry you have to do this. I also feel sorry for my kids in the future. Oh Well.
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My mother went through the same thing while in the nursing home. Unfortunately she could no longer walk, and had gained a lot of weight. It took two workers to take her to the toilet. She asked to go to the toilet so often she sometimes started asking again before she was out of the bathroom. It was incessant, and she was miserable, grimacing and shaking when she wasn't taken to the toilet quickly.. They checked for UTIs repeatedly and there was none. They tried every bladder medication that was available at the time. They took her as often as they could, but that was about once per hour, not nearly as often as she wanted. Unfortunately it lasted 14 months, until the day she died. I think this was the most miserable part of the entire Alzheimer's experience...for her, for us and for the NH workers.
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Sometimes a yeast infection or an irritation or chapping in the urinary area can feel like you need to "go."
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Manatee65: Well, let me tell you it's better than the elder waiting too long to get to the bathroom! When I had to leave my Maryland home and live with my mother since she dug in her heals and said "I'm staying in my own home" (94, legally blind), every day I was wondering why I was wiping up the bathroom floor from NOT urine! This was confirmed when later at the NH, the nurse, who was assisting my mom to the toilet said "oh no maam, you didn't make it!" Bottom line=be careful what you wish for. One time she even used her shower seat as a toilet! Not a pretty sight! Lord help me if I ever get to that point...I jokingly told my daughter if that happens "do me in." Jokingly she said I would have to sign a waiver! Just injecting a little humour into the mostly unpleasant task of caregiving and it is not meant to offend anyone. ♥♡★☆♣♧
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This may not be helpful, but my mom was going through the same thing a couple of weeks ago. She was peeing often and suffering from shortness of breath. Turns out the problem was pulmonary edema caused by her afib. If your mom is having same symptoms, this could be it, but wouldn't be an answer if she doesn't have heart problems.
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