Wow, I don't even know how to say all of this. My mother-in-law has lived close to us for the past year. I've been taking her to dr. appt's and she stays with us 1 week of every month. (BTW - she's almost 80) For the past 5 yrs or so she's been having these weird spells where she gets hot and starts to sweat ALOT. Sometimes she passes out and ends up on the floor. She would tell us about these spells sometimes 2 weeks after they had happened.

We finally got her to a dr. about them and they feel it may be mini-strokes. That was also when we discovered this woman was taking up to 20 different herbal supplements a day! 7 can cause high blood pressure (it was 202/98 two weeks ago), 3 can cause low blood pressure, 2 can cause clotting and 3 others can cause blood not to clot enough. The dr. has told her to quit taking all of them until they discover what the problem is.

Our problem is that she won't quit taking some of them. She really thinks she's going to die if she doesn't have at least a few of them. She lives in a senior's manor - has her own apartment. If we take the pills away she can just go buy new ones. She doesn't drive but she can walk downtown on her own. How do we get her to stop. We'd like her to be around to get to know her grandchildren but I'm scared these pills are going to kill her!

Any suggestions anyone? I don't know how to convince her to quit. She also needs to be moved into a lodge according to the public health nurse. She is totally against that but she really doesn't eat right and tends to sit in her living room with no lights on - her dr. said she was slighting depressed about 4 years ago - maybe she is. That's why we have her with us for the week - to make sure she's eating and relating to others.

Please help me. Thanks Jeannie


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Hi Jeannie,
Sometimes some of our wonderful aging parents get to a place where they have a little trouble making good judgement calls. That's when we have to step in and help them out by making some decisions for them. It's a tremendous strain on the family to try to do this yourself,but,worth it in the end and sometimes they are more combative with family members than they would be with someone else. Sounds like she may be better off to live in a facility that is experienced at dealing with these types of behavior and be supervised 24/7 as things may deteriorate as time goes by. They may be a little upset at first,but,most of the time they will soon adjust and enjoy the companionship of the other residents,all the activities and the different church groups that come in on a regular basis. If you do decide to place her in a facility,do check around and find a good affordable place for her and visit often,take her for home visits or out to lunch occasionally,keep tabs on her medications she's taking and just ask questions about the care she's receiving. Sometimes the more reputable places have like a 6 month waiting list. Hope this has been of some help to you and I wish you and your husband lots of luck,strength and wisdom. Enjoy each day with your aging parents b/c you won't have them forever and you WILL miss them dearly. May God Bless!! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/angel.gif

Don't do whatever you like -- like whatever you do. -- Unknown


AS WE LIKE IT

Aging is a complex issue and not really understood too well. All we hear about anymore is genetics, right living, and good healthcare. Personal belief also has a lot to do with what a human being can accomplish in life, psychologically and physiologically speaking.

Human beings are living longer now, despite all the hardships we have created for ourselves environmentally and psychosocially. If not for antibiotics and the benefits of modern healthcare, I am sure I would not be here now. Any number of serious infections in my life could have brought on my demise.

In reading your posted concerns on what another oldster takes, I thought of many older people I know who must have their "down side" in order to have their "up side." This is not to say that the supplements are not harmful when taken in quantity, or mixed improperly. In a sense, however, we are one and all our own experiment in life.

What many older people do is create a "negative crutch" in order to justify their need as a will to live, to endure and persist in aging to the max, if you will. My grandfather lived to be ninety-nine years old, and he told me that he was pronounced dead three times in his life as a result of work-related accident.

One story my grandfather told me had to do with hearing the company doctor pronounce him dead after a leveraging accident that knocked him out cold, where upon hearing the doctor's pronouncement, he just had to move his little finger to indicate that he was still alive.

My grandfather also told me that the news of his demise traveled so fast up the hill to the coal camp, that he just had to walk home that evening and show everyone on the hill that it just wasn't so. Apparently, it was a matter of personal pride and grandstanding on the part of "Old Granddad."

Visiting my grandfather as a very young man, he drunk me under the table after I had only three shots and three beers. My grandfather's stamina, his daily crutch, was "Old Granddad" 100 Proof, and he was pretty well saturated with the good spirit. Everyone attended to his need, including me, as needed. It was a matter of pride, the Old Man on the hill, who had his shot with his coffee in the morning and throughout the day, as needed.

My grandfather also told me more than once that his mother lived to be ninety-two. His fixation on this age mark was like a personal mantra to himself in that he kept reminding himself of his intention to live as long as possible. He made it a point of pride to tell everyone that his mother lived to be ninety-two. The point being that he was determined to match or better his mother's age. In affect, his belief to overcome was his End Game.

My grandfather was a hard rock coal miner whose idea of personal accomplishment included sticking it out as long as he could against all odds. Sometimes I think that he was just plain afraid to die and face up to his life's work, as arrogance, stubbornness, and just downright high spirited meanness.

Candidly considered, I sincerely doubt anyone will best his life mark any time soon in our family. In the End Game, it was a long-standing leg ulcer that brought his demise when he finally had to have his leg amputated for reasons of blood poisoning. My own father was following suit, and so mindset in his father's mark of accomplishment that he was so sure that his father would pull through the amputation. I remember telling my father that such an amputation at that age would kill his will and pride to live. My grandfather died three-weeks after the amputation, and nothing was ever said as to why he died by anyone.

In the game of aging, without our complaints, our crutches, and our resolution to overcome as we like, suffering our age would simply hold no moonshine in our lives. As once was told to me by another older man, a master trap and sheet instructor, a straightshooter, “Now that’s a horse of a different garage.”

Thank you both for your posts. You've given me lots to think about.



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What I want to know is, what are the three herbs or supplements that cause low blood pressure?

Low dyastolic? The low one?

Dehydration can cause it. Mine was 54 today. I was taking medicine for about 40 yrs for high b.p., now suddenly too low, so I'm looking for reasons.

Only herb I take is odorless garlic pills, which are antioxidant and also antibiotic, and really have helped with my allergies and stuff.

Please, I've gotta know. Thanks in advance and good luck with your mom-in-law. Bless you for caring.

I will have to get the list from the Dr. on that. She was taking so many that I don't remember half of them.

I know they said for people with high blood pressure to avoid the garlic pills. Garlic in it's natural form is okay but there is something about the pills (I'm not sure just what) that can cause high blood pressure.

This is a learning experience for me let me tell you. When I have the list (probably won't be for 2 weeks or so) I'll definately let you know.



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