My grandfather is 83 yrs old and has kidney failure. He's been in and out of the hospital for the past three weeks. He is almost to the point of no kidney function at which time he will start dialysis. He has a cathedar because he can not unrinate. His prostate is enlarge and he feels like he has to "go" but can't. He gets confused about the cathedar and thinks he has to pee anyway. He has been married to my grandmother for 64 years. Over the last couple of weeks he has started getting very mean with her. If she doesn't spend the night with him at the hospital ( my dad will whenever she goes home ) he tells her she doesnt love him and should feel guilty if he dies. He hasn't slept in three nights because he's afraid he'll die if he falls asleep. Sleeping pills aren't working either. The doctor say that's common elderly anxiety. I spent the night with him last night and he kept thinking he was at home. I would have to say "Where are we PaPa?" and then he would say "Oh Yeah, I'm in the hopsital". About 50 times during the night he talked about turning the porch light on or going to the bedroom. Could he be losing his mind? Alzheimers? Dementia? Senile? Or is this the lack of sleep along with medications??? He can no longer be left alone or he will pull his clothes off. He says they are choking him. He has to go to the bathroom about 40 times a night but does nothing when he gets there. It's starting to take a toll on the entire family.

I'm no doc, but there are many things that mimic Alzheimer's, and I'm guessing kidney failure can cause dementia. When the body is that sick, the mind can't think clearly. He's probably also scared to death, and if he can't sleep, he probably can't think either. Severe depression, common among sick, elderly people, can cause "pseudo-dementia", which is treatable with antidepressants sometimes.

I was recently hospitalized for kidney failure & tests, and also had severe anemia (that usually goes along with kidney failure). I couldn't think very clearly, either. I'm 46! Now that I'm on my way back to health, my mind is starting to work clearly again. I wish your grandfather all the best. If he gets on dialysis, that will clean his blood and probably make him feel a whole lot better.

I feel so much better now just to get a response. Thank you so much. I guess this will be a "wait and see" kind of thing. Good luck with your kidney health, I wish you well. And thanks again for the insight.

Hi there,

I'm no doc either, but I really doubt it's Alzheimer's. Alz. develops slowly over a period of years -- there is no sudden onset. My mom died from it at the age of 62. She had the early-onset version so her symptoms progressed much faster.

Kerry1 sounds on target. There are lots of things that can cause dementia, especially temporary dementia. Medication problems are one of them. If the confusion does not get better after dialysis is started, definitely press the doctors to look into it. You grandpa is lucky he has someone like you!

I wish you both the best,
~zeez

I agree, Zeez. Another key to getting well is having a good support group of people looking out for your best interests, and pressuring the doctors if they need to!!! (Zeez is a cute name - it's my dog's nickname).

Hi Debi -

Another thing is that it is extremely common for the elderly to lose their orientation when hospitalized. In the hospital where I worked it was called hospital psychosis - it was worse at night, improved in the day, and disappeared within days when the patient went home. It was in no way a disrespectful term, it just let all the staff know that the patient might not be himself or herself after sundown.

There are, of course, medical and other causes, but perhaps he's just very confused because he's not at home.

Wishing you well - Barbara

Barbara,
My father-in-law has spent 12 days in hospital and realeased with "hospital psychosis" to physical therapy in a local nursing home. (He was admitted to the hospital for diverticulitis which was healed by the 3rd day)We found the meds administered while in the hospital seemed to make him more aggressive. Abstinence from them in the last 3 days made him less violent but no less hullucenatory (sp) or disoreinted. I have seen some articles stating "HP" is brought on by some meds and other articles stating it is delirium rather than psychosis.
Where can I get more thorough guidance/info about the cure/healing for this malady?

I work in the medical field and I can tell you this doesn't sound like it. I actually have a client who's own Dr. said he has alzheimers and has him on a drug used for treating it and there is no way he has it. The poor man is misdiagnosed. You Grandfather is scared and depressed which is common and this is the way it is effecting him. You all need to know you are there as a family for him and love him and you would let nothing that is being done hurt him. Old age is a cruel part of life and nothing I am looking forward to.

Hi - I posted the orginal message. I couldn't remember my login name/password so I had to create a new one. I just wanted to let you all know that my Grandfather died Oct 11 at 12:35am. Kidney disease is a terrible illness that affects the whole body including the brain. The coma that results is almost unbearable to see. My granddad walked into the hospital after driving himself there on July 18 and died in a nursing home last week. I can't begin to tell you what the family has been through in the last couple of months but I hope no one else has to see this kind of suffering.