Really worried about my Mum. Meds just not working.

[TheOtherGirl]

My poor Mum is 76 and is now in her 5th week of suspected labrinthitis. So far, her GP has tried her with 3 anti histamines which have done nothing. And since she's been staying with me my GP has tried her with Prochlorperazine which is doing nothing either.

She feels so nauseous all the time and if she has to move (just to use the loo) she vomits. She just looks so pitiful and is obviously at her wits end with it. She keeps crying and is getting very withdrawn and very, very low

She's barely eating, and even brings plain water back up some of the time. Added to all this her INR is 3.9 and the clinic can't seem to get it stable.

I've asked for my GP to call and discuss what else can be done, but I know he's probably going to say it will just have to right itself on its own. But I'm genuinely worried she is just going to fade away if this carries on. At her age you can't go for weeks only nibbling a tiny bit of toast every day

At what point would she be taken into hospital, because I'm running out of ideas to help her.

I've got Ménière's disease so I sympathise with your poor mum. This is vile. The room doesn't stop spinning even when you're lying down.

If she's vomiting a lot there's a good chance the meds aren't being absorbed. Ask the doctor for Buccastem. It's Prochlorperazine, but it's a small tablet that you place underneath your top lip and it absorbs through there, so if she is sick it won't be lost. I don't know ifshe's been prescribed Betahistine but I've been given both at the same time in the past. Check with your GP.

When I have been really bad my ENT consultant suggested a decongestant, like Sudafed, because having blocked ears doesn't help.

There's an exercise that some GPs do with the head. My mum has had it done. It made her really sick but after a few hours she was much better. I know it can be done by physios sometimes too. Your GP might know someone who can do it.

Five weeks is a long time for labyrinthitis, ime, They were looking at referring me around that point.

I hope she's feeling better soon.

I would be thinking of urgent referral or admission with this. Labyrinthitis doesn't usually last this long. It COULD be this but I'd be wanting further investigations, bloods including calcium levels done. Is she dizzy too?

I would take her to hospital. I hope she feels better soon.

I suffered for several weeks with this and eventually was diagnosed with a severe inner ear infection.
Your poor mum, it's dreadful.

You need someone who can do the epley (not sure of spelling) manoeuvre. It resets the inner ear. Needs to be someone trained in it, our gp does it but as someone upthread said it can be done by a physio

That's the manoeuvre I was thinking of Ferris but couldn't remember the name.

It's explained here OP.

Thank you everyone, really grateful for the replies.

I had a long chat with my GP last night who is fantastic. He thinks she has been left to linger too long and we need to get to the bottom of things.

He is sending the nurse out this morning to take bloods so he can see what's going on, as in her last lot of bloods her calcium levels were raised, so he thinks she might have hypercalcaemia. If that's the case it could explain the relentless nausea, and it would indicate she has a problem with her parathyroid? And if that's the case she will need to be admitted to rebalance her levels.

He doubled her dose of Prochlorperazine last night, which is making her feel very fuzzy headed and drowsy. He has asked that I take her to open surgery in the morning, even though she will very likely be sick in there but needs must

But at least I feel my GP is taking a proper interest, whereas her own GP just kept fobbing her off with new anti histamines over a period of 3 weeks.

I really hope she is admitted as I think she needs far better care than we can provide here for her. I have to work today and tomorrow, so DH will work from home but although he is lovely with her she finds it very embarrassing him having to help her etc.

How is your mum getting on OP? Poor woman. Labyrinthitis is terrible.How lucky she is to have you and your husband caring for her. But don't neglect yourselves; it's important for carers to take time out to recharge their batteries. I'd advise a few days away if you can grab them. Take care of you x