Infections

I’m unsure of where to start or if it’s a reason to complain.

Mum (who has advanced MS and dementia) has been in and out of hospital over last 2 and half months, I reckon about 6 times. The longest between she’s been out is a week. It was a record this time at 2 days. She goes on with ?sepsis or ?stroke (when she has and infection she presents like a stroke) it’s generally a uti or pneumonia she gets pumped with ivs, sometimes goes home on oral but it’s generally in for a week or so and let out when her bloods look better.

But why does it keep happening? Why isn’t it clearing with the iv’s? Should she being referred on but to who?! I will speak with her MS nurse this week but is there any more I can be doing, raising a complaint?

It’s difficult for me to get to where she is as she’s an hour away and I’m working with a young family

edit. She has a supa pubic catheter and has had this for 15-20yrs

Hi, sorry I can’t offer you any help or advice, all I can say is I’m in exactly the same boat, my mum just goes from one infection to the next and each one seems more serious, it started with UTI,'s (probably caused by catheter), then shingles, blood infection, cellulitis, another blood infection. I just wonder how much more her 82 year old body can take. Sorry I know this isn’t the advice you wanted but maybe you get some comfort from knowing your not alone. Good luck

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Sorry to hear that you’ve been going through this. I experienced the same with my Mum, constantly going in and out of hospital with sometimes only a few days in-between. It all came to a head over Easter weekend, earlier this year, when she wasn’t responding to treatment for sepsis and we were told that she had hours, possibly days to live. Somehow, against all the odds she pulled through and was discharged just a few days later!

Like your Mum, she had had a suprapubic catheter in for 12 years. The doctors said the site of the catheter looked a little red so could be the source of infection and promptly removed it. Since then she’s not had one infection.

Unfortunately she’s not strong enough to go through the surgery required to have another fitted so has to wear pads at all times. Although not ideal, it seems to be working out ok for her and is preferable to the constant hospital visits.

Of course, everyone’s situations are different but it might be worth chatting with someone about whether it could be something to do with the catheter?

Sending lots of love to you, I know how tough it is xxx

Hi sorry your having these problems and I know how hard it is cause my husband is exact same constantly in and out of hospital with UTIs and the last one was horrendous he was hallucinating it was really distressing for my daughter and myself to watch him suffer. All I can maybe say is this time they fitted a silver tipped SP catheter and said silver helps with infections and stops the catheter blocking. He is only home this week so I cant give you a success rate but maybe ask about these catheters and hopefully they will help. All the best take care x