We had a bit of a scare last week. Mom came down with stomach and digestive issues early in the week, which left her not wanting to eat, and swallowing became painful. The nurses gave her stronger pain medication to help, but it hit her hard. She became disoriented, confused, withdrawn, and was sleeping very heavily. To be honest, I was scared watching her go through it.
What I didn’t fully appreciate at the time is how differently older adults process medication. As we age, liver and kidney function slows down, which means drugs stay in the system longer and build up to higher levels than expected. On top of that, the aging brain becomes more sensitive to opioids and heavy sedatives, making confusion and delirium far more likely. And here’s the kicker: Mom rarely takes so much as an aspirin. That means she had zero built-up tolerance, so what might be a routine dose for someone else hit her like a freight train.
Once I realized what was happening, I got her off the pain medication and she bounced back almost immediately. She was herself again. It was a good reminder that sudden behavioral changes in a senior, including confusion, withdrawal, or depression-like behavior, are often the illness (or the medication) talking, not the person. Doctors call this “atypical presentation,” and it’s one of the most important things caregivers can know. A UTI, a digestive illness, even pneumonia can show up in an older person as confusion or lethargy rather than the obvious symptoms a younger person might have.
The swallowing pain is still something we’re managing, and that’s our next puzzle to solve. Since I personally deal with chronic acid reflux, I recognized the symptoms. Reflux, or GERD, is actually a very common cause of painful swallowing in seniors and can run silently for years before flaring up. I suggested we try a reflux medication, and we’re hopeful it will give her esophagus a chance to calm down and heal.
As always, thank you for your love, prayers, and continued support. She’s a tough one, and she isn’t done yet!