My 84 year old mother in law lives with us now. She has had pneumonia and dehydration, recovered from those but suffers ongoing (and currently still undiagnosed cause) mobility problems. She has marginally normal blood glucose levels which we monitor daily. She has had reaccurring problems with dizziness and lightheadedness but they have ruled out blood pressure drops, strokes and most other causes. We are told that vertigo is not uncommon in elderly. She is on medication for the vertigo but it doesn't seem to help much.

She has recently had a urinary tract infection. I had no idea that in elderly this is common and it can cause, not only the usual burning symptoms on urination, but also confusion and weakness. Of course the elderly don't happen to mention any symptoms at all. In her case, the UTI brought back the vertigo that she was getting over.

Now she is on antibiotics and the UTI is apparently under control but the dizziness and weakness are not any better. It is a lot to worry over. She hates to give up what little privacy and dignity she has left, doesn't want me to help her to the toilet etc, but has had several very close calls, nearly falling.

Does anyone have any suggestions dealing with vertigo in elderly patients? She can't seem to know which way is 'up' and the least head movement even makes her queazy. I hope this subsides, but I wonder if it will.

Hello

The doctor may be able to prescribe "Stematil" which in Australia is an anti-nausea drug, but really fixes that wobbly feeling .. !!!

I suggest you try and get her to start drinking cranberry juice, or if she detests it, lemon barley (preferably home made, but mass produced is acceptable).

Make sure if she's incontinent with urine that she's kept dry, and if incontinent with faeces, that she's kept clean and nothing from that end reaches the front end. Cross infection is rampant in our elderly!!

If she's on antibiotics, try and get some live culture acidopholus into her, that can be in yoghurt itself or in tablet form from a health food shop.

She MUST keep her fluids up, if that takes a cup of tea, a drink of fizzy or a drink bottle at her side (to continually sip from) keep it up. She needs to keep her system hydrated and flushed.

Goodluck!!

Cheers
Sally

Has her "potassium" been checked. Too low potassium will cause weakness and usually imbalance goes along with weakness. Some doctors treat low potassium and others do not. If potassium is below "3" it is most likely too low.

Check her B12 I cant stress how important it is to keep track on that in the elderly..B12 can cause imbalance problems and among other things..Has she been checked for anemia as well..Being Anemic can cause weakness, dizziness , feeling faint

Check her B12 I cant stress how important it is to keep track on that in the elderly..B12 can cause imbalance problems and among other things..Has she been checked for anemia as well..Being Anemic can cause weakness, dizziness , feeling faint
I was just about to write the same thing, couln't agree with you more!
My 73 year old mother has weakness and dizziness all the time. She has a deficency of b12 and has to get a b12 shot once a month. When she gets it her mood lifts a LOT, she has a LOT more energy, etc. Towards the end of the month she gets sad easily, feels sorry for herself, has no energy, etc. That shot REALLY helps perk her up! I can hardly keep up with her after she gets it! She aslo has low blood which is causing most of the dizziness and some of the weakness. Right now the doctor has her drinking orange juice, grape juice and eating blood building foods to help build it back up which should get rid of the dizziness. We're into the 2nd week of trying to build up her blood so, I hope all goes well.
Good luck to you!
T.