Our Care Course offers support groups, live Q&A sessions, a 24/7 private member community and access to dementia care experts. Its a chance to get all of your caregiving questions answered. Click the link to learn more: careblazers.com/for-families/
Linda had 5 surgeries, starting in 2005. Back, knee, wrist, shoulder, knee. 2016 she showed signs of memory problems. 2017 was her last knee surgery. She woke up with post-op delirium. Took 5 days to recover, but never recovered completely. Beginning of the worst 6 years of our lives. For her, not so bad, her cognizance decreased till the last 2 and a half years she knew nothing of who she was. Or who I was. 2 and a half years of total incontinence and total care at home. I never placed her anywhere. And on the look back now, 1 year and 1 month since she passed, I am so very glad I never placed her anywhere. No amount of money can offer the same care anywhere. I was lucky to be able to care for her at home till her last breath. I wish everyone could, but this is not always possible for many reasons. Totally alone now. Her dog Lilly passed last month, 1 year and 2 days after her mom, Linda. Recovery for me still goes on. Doctors are in denial for many reasons about post-op delirium. It was amazing how her decline was sped up so much after it. A person should not be forced to live a life like Linda did for the last 2 and a half years. The Advance directives and Polst should contain the ability for a loved one to put forth death with dignity. She would have wanted this. Sad we are still so backward we can't work out this simple thing. I also would like to have a loved one do the same for me, as I would place in an advance directive and Polst, my wishes for this. Linda "lived" 2 and a half years not knowing anything, anything, period.
My father had hip surgery a few years ago and he had dementia before the surgery. The doctor told us that it could worsen his condition. He wasn't kidding, my dad woke up extremely angry and with delirium. I had never seen my father like that before. Yelling at the nurses, fighting everything they tried to do. They had to restrain him in the bed. He fought it everyday for almost a week. It's when we also found out that he had A-fib. Such a scary time. He still gets angry about things at home but not quite as bad as that week. I don't know what would happen if he had to go back in for another surgery. I pray for everyone that has a loved one with this horrible disease.
This needs more research. My 75-year old mother underwent surgery with general anesthesia, for a frivolous elective procedure, and experienced severe delirium that left her incapable of functioning independently. The medical system is in denial. General anesthesia should be reserved for life or death situations, and patients should be informed of the risks.
Agree. The medical system and medical professions are in denial. My mother had a surgery, under general anesthesia. Shortly after, she developed dementia. My thinking is that the GA has contributed to the development of dementia, especially in older people.
My 72 year old husband was diagnosed June 2023…FTD / Alzheimer’s. He is scheduled for a shoulder replacement on 4/10/24. I have spoken with the PA, had a pre-anesthesia appointment and again voiced my fears. I am shocked that they really have zero preoperative tests, interviews in place. I am scared to death about the outcome, but will definitely visit this page again and share my experience.
My husband had gallbladder removal surgery at the end of January and he's much worse than he was before. I was told by his doctors that he would have the dilerium afterwards and he did. I promise that he's worse though and hasn't recovered from it. He doesn't even know me anymore. 💔💔
oh honey I am so sorry, the same thing happened to my aunt she never came home from surgery, went straight to a facility and doesn't know us, it is so sad, I am 100 percent sure she would have prefered to do without the surgery if she knew this was an option...
I don't care what the "professionals" say about anesthesia. Our dad definitely had undiagnosed dementia but he managed to "hide" certain aspects about himself. My sister insisted he did. So, I had him evaluated by his PCP. He did a mini-mental and passed 27/30. He did great! The next month he had AAA surgery. Surgery was a success. But his mind was a mess! He had post-operative delirium which lasted 2 months. Now, my dad had a "new baseline" and was finally diagnosed with vascular dementia and later on with Alzheimers so he was a mix. The surgery basically pushed my dad off the cliff. He needed 24 hour care and was a fall risk. I am not blaming anyone, but these doctors need to figure out how to test patients better. The mini-mental is FLAWED, too. Our dad lasted almost 2 years after his surgery and his cognitive decline just got worse but we were by his bedside. I can now say he is at peace. Looking back, my dad should not have had the AAA repair. We were scared it would burst and I know he would die from that at his age. I think my dad would have taken the gamble and not done the AAA repair. He would have been at his previous baseline and still be with us. Doctors need to get with it and figure this out! I agree with the comment below. The medical world is in denial. We lived it and experienced it. No one can convince me otherwise.
2017 my mom (81) had a severe reaction to the anesthesia after surgery to repair many broken bones from a car accident. The delirum was scary to watch. The trauma doc said it's possible this might linger for some time. It did. By 2019-2020 mom was displaying signs we know today as cognitive impairment.Always lingering in the back of my mind was the anesthesia. Do I believe the delirum from anesthesia caused the dementia? No. I think mom's brain was primed. My brother and I are managing mom with AD and dad with D. It's hard. Being a Careblazer makes it easier.
Definitely feel anesthesia makes a difference for my husband. But one thing that I have noticed that anytime he goes under for some type of a procedure or even get sick, or a UTI, he becomes very weak, and loses his ability to walk. it usually takes 4 to 5 days for him to get back to where he is able to halfway function.
My mother had mild to moderate cognitive decline until having shoulder surgery with general anesthesia. After that she had severe delirium for a day or so and then a steady worsening of dementia over the following year.
4/10/2024 UPDATE: My husband 72 years old was diagnosed June 2023 with Frontal Temporal Dementia. Today he had a shoulder replacement surgery. I was very concerned about the anesthesia and follow this channel regularly. I had conversations with the Anesthesiologist and he was aware of my concerns. My husband did fabulous and we were home by 10:30 am. The risks are very real.
My mother 9yrs ago had her knee replaced and after that she was never the same. She recovered physically well within several weeks of her surgery but months later she was so mean and nasty to me I almost didn’t speak to her for months. After this she had a slow decline into dementia. She is 79 in a care facility with a very short term memory..
My mom-in-law had heart valve replacement surgery at age 86. Prior to the surgery, we were told she would need to be in the hospital for only one night. When she woke after surgery she was completely disoriented, constantly felt as if she were falling, and was almost hysterical. It was really tough and that "one night stay" stretched to six. She eventually seemed to fully recover and lived an additional three years but the hospital stay was nothing like what we were told to expect.
I could definitely tell a difference with my mom not 'returning to baseline' following a hip replacement surgery. And her dementia seemed to accelerate following a second surgery (and general anesthesia) to clean-out and repair her hip wound following a minor second fall. After that second fall and surgery, she never walked again and within 6 months, she was gone.
My 75 yr. old wife had her second hip replaced. Following that, it was as if much of her memory had been 'erased'. Many tests/evaluations later she was told she had mild cognitive impairment. Further diagnostic work revealed her condition is Logopenic Primary Progressive Aphasia. She must be in that high percentage of elderly patients who never fully recover from post operative delirium. They have now decided she was susceptible because of a head injury in a car wreck that occurred more than 55 years prior to her second hip surgery..
Studies are often skewed to protect the medical system. My wife was under anesthesia for 8 hours during spinal surgery and had delirium that effected her memory for a long time. Even if this is not found to be neurotoxins it was still trauma to the brain which could have contributed to her Dementia.
After my husband suffered a broken neck and back from falling off a ladder, he required surgery for his broken sacrum. No one explained to me why my husband experienced intense delirium afterwards. Eventually, in rehab he recovered from the delirium but was cognitively affected. He never regained a sense of time and place and continues to deteriorate after 6 years. MRI’s did not show evidence of a Traumatic Brain Injury. But the lasting effects are very real. While he would benefit from knee surgery now, I won’t consider it.
My Mum has dementia and became unwell with influenza. In the hospital, she had delirium and has had a marked cognitive decline since, and her dementia seems to have accelerated following both the illness and delirium. She needs to have a tooth pulled, but even going under "twilight" sedation now fills me with dread, given her previous delirium experience.
Experience- 75yo Client advanced PD w/ debilitating lower back pain, got back surgery. Was schedu as a day surgery, but they got delerium & stayed for 2 week post op recovery! Went from assistive support to full 1:1 24/7 Care. PLUS No longer consistently oriented to Time & Place. So Sad!
My wife who has ALZ had an UTI and went into an altered mental state. This was back when she only had MCI. She returned to normal after about 48 hours, but not quite the same.
I have a brain disease called Cadasil and was not diagnosed until I was 58. My last major surgery was when I was 44 under general anesthesia and it was an 8 hour surgery. The drs. had a hell of a time bringing me out of the anesthesia. Since diagnosis of Cadasil I was diagnosed with MCI (mild cognitive impairment). A few years after diagnosis I needed hand surgery and a colonoscopy. Because of my MCI my drs will only allow me to go under for any surgery using a nerve block for my hand surgery and twilight sleep for my colonoscopy. I was told I should avoid general anesthesia at all cost if possible!
I’m going through this now with my 70 yrs old husband. He has a prostate resection and was given general anesthesia. We are on day five of delirium. He was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in May, although every brain scan performed showed a normal brain. I am beside myself with guilt to have put him through this surgery. I don’t think he will regain his pre op baseline. I don’t know why this anesthesia was administered given his LBD diagnosis. If he doesn’t get better, I will have to live with this decision for the rest of my life.
My father suffered a mild heart attack and was taken to the emergency room. The doctors recommended a stenting surgery, but he was moved to different cubicles five times within 48 hours. As a result, he became delirious and the nurses considered tying him down. I sat by his bedside for 17 hours to keep him calm. The next morning, we requested discharge because he was not in a condition to undergo surgery and his cognitive abilities had significantly declined. Within 30 days, I had to move him into assisted living due to his cognitive decline. Every time a senior enters the hospital for an infection or surgery, the meds can save them and wreak havoc on their cognitive abilities post-discharge.
I have two stories to tell;- 1. Twenty seven years ago I had major back surgery and spent 8 hours under anesthesia plus three days in intensive care! It took me about 18 months for my acute memory to become reliable once more! 2. My LOWVD & PARKINSONS had open heart surgery in Sep. 2007 and three years ago was diagnosed as having suffered a clot in the left hemisphere of her brain! Perhaps not relavant but scary nonetheless!!!
My grandma wasn't outwardly showing signs of dementia when she broke her hip, but after waking up from surgery her cognitive capacity never returned to her pre-surgery days. It was shocking to see how sudden the change was between her pre- and post- surgery selves.
Delirium sounds like what my mother just went through. She has Alzheimer’s and has very weak and painful legs so there was no surgery but her doc put her on a pain med Tremadol twice a day and this pushed her into what I consider into a new stage of dementia. This was just last week. The doc agreed to stop twice a day and only gives at night and she became more like she was but still way more confused and less reactive than prior to starting. Her words make less sense etc and after watching this I’m wondering if this could be delirium from the medication? My feeling is she is not coming back to what she was just a couple weeks ago.
Our Care Course offers support groups, live Q&A sessions, a 24/7 private member community and access to dementia care experts. Its a chance to get all of your caregiving questions answered. Click the link to learn more: careblazers.com/for-families/
Linda had 5 surgeries, starting in 2005. Back, knee, wrist, shoulder, knee. 2016 she showed signs of memory problems. 2017 was her last knee surgery. She woke up with post-op delirium.
Took 5 days to recover, but never recovered completely. Beginning of the worst 6 years of our lives. For her, not so bad, her cognizance decreased till the last 2 and a half years she knew nothing of who she was. Or who I was. 2 and a half years of total incontinence and total care at home. I never placed her anywhere. And on the look back now, 1 year and 1 month since she passed, I am so very glad I never placed her anywhere. No amount of money can offer the same care anywhere. I was lucky to be able to care for her at home till her last breath. I wish everyone could, but this is not always possible for many reasons. Totally alone now. Her dog Lilly passed last month, 1 year and 2 days after her mom, Linda. Recovery for me still goes on. Doctors are in denial for many reasons about post-op delirium. It was amazing how her decline was sped up so much after it. A person should not be forced to live a life like Linda did for the last 2 and a half years. The Advance directives and Polst should contain the ability for a loved one to put forth death with dignity. She would have wanted this. Sad we are still so backward we can't work out this simple thing. I also would like to have a loved one do the same for me, as I would place in an advance directive and Polst, my wishes for this. Linda "lived" 2 and a half years not knowing anything, anything, period.
My father had hip surgery a few years ago and he had dementia before the surgery. The doctor told us that it could worsen his condition. He wasn't kidding, my dad woke up extremely angry and with delirium. I had never seen my father like that before. Yelling at the nurses, fighting everything they tried to do. They had to restrain him in the bed. He fought it everyday for almost a week. It's when we also found out that he had A-fib. Such a scary time. He still gets angry about things at home but not quite as bad as that week. I don't know what would happen if he had to go back in for another surgery. I pray for everyone that has a loved one with this horrible disease.
This needs more research. My 75-year old mother underwent surgery with general anesthesia, for a frivolous elective procedure, and experienced severe delirium that left her incapable of functioning independently. The medical system is in denial. General anesthesia should be reserved for life or death situations, and patients should be informed of the risks.
And they've recently repealed "right to informed consent"...so...
Agree. The medical system and medical professions are in denial. My mother had a surgery, under general anesthesia. Shortly after, she developed dementia. My thinking is that the GA has contributed to the development of dementia, especially in older people.
My 72 year old husband was diagnosed June 2023…FTD / Alzheimer’s. He is scheduled for a shoulder replacement on 4/10/24. I have spoken with the PA, had a pre-anesthesia appointment and again voiced my fears. I am shocked that they really have zero preoperative tests, interviews in place. I am scared to death about the outcome, but will definitely visit this page again and share my experience.
My husband had gallbladder removal surgery at the end of January and he's much worse than he was before.
I was told by his doctors that he would have the dilerium afterwards and he did. I promise that he's worse though and hasn't recovered from it.
He doesn't even know me anymore. 💔💔
💖💖💖
I'm so sorry to hear this.
oh honey I am so sorry, the same thing happened to my aunt she never came home from surgery, went straight to a facility and doesn't know us, it is so sad, I am 100 percent sure she would have prefered to do without the surgery if she knew this was an option...
Yikes I'm very sorry to hear this
My mom had already been diagnosed with dementia when she had surgery , but it was mild . After surgery it became worse .
I don't care what the "professionals" say about anesthesia. Our dad definitely had undiagnosed dementia but he managed to "hide" certain aspects about himself. My sister insisted he did. So, I had him evaluated by his PCP. He did a mini-mental and passed 27/30. He did great! The next month he had AAA surgery. Surgery was a success. But his mind was a mess! He had post-operative delirium which lasted 2 months. Now, my dad had a "new baseline" and was finally diagnosed with vascular dementia and later on with Alzheimers so he was a mix. The surgery basically pushed my dad off the cliff. He needed 24 hour care and was a fall risk. I am not blaming anyone, but these doctors need to figure out how to test patients better. The mini-mental is FLAWED, too. Our dad lasted almost 2 years after his surgery and his cognitive decline just got worse but we were by his bedside. I can now say he is at peace. Looking back, my dad should not have had the AAA repair. We were scared it would burst and I know he would die from that at his age. I think my dad would have taken the gamble and not done the AAA repair. He would have been at his previous baseline and still be with us. Doctors need to get with it and figure this out! I agree with the comment below. The medical world is in denial. We lived it and experienced it. No one can convince me otherwise.
2017 my mom (81) had a severe reaction to the anesthesia after surgery to repair many broken bones from a car accident. The delirum was scary to watch. The trauma doc said it's possible this might linger for some time. It did. By 2019-2020 mom was displaying signs we know today as cognitive impairment.Always lingering in the back of my mind was the anesthesia. Do I believe the delirum from anesthesia caused the dementia? No. I think mom's brain was primed. My brother and I are managing mom with AD and dad with D. It's hard. Being a Careblazer makes it easier.
Sending you so much love!
Definitely feel anesthesia makes a difference for my husband. But one thing that I have noticed that anytime he goes under for some type of a procedure or even get sick, or a UTI, he becomes very weak, and loses his ability to walk. it usually takes 4 to 5 days for him to get back to where he is able to halfway function.
My mother had mild to moderate cognitive decline until having shoulder surgery with general anesthesia. After that she had severe delirium for a day or so and then a steady worsening of dementia over the following year.
4/10/2024 UPDATE: My husband 72 years old was diagnosed June 2023 with Frontal Temporal Dementia. Today he had a shoulder replacement surgery. I was very concerned about the anesthesia and follow this channel regularly. I had conversations with the Anesthesiologist and he was aware of my concerns. My husband did fabulous and we were home by 10:30 am. The risks are very real.
My mother 9yrs ago had her knee replaced and after that she was never the same. She recovered physically well within several weeks of her surgery but months later she was so mean and nasty to me I almost didn’t speak to her for months. After this she had a slow decline into dementia. She is 79 in a care facility with a very short term memory..
My mom-in-law had heart valve replacement surgery at age 86. Prior to the surgery, we were told she would need to be in the hospital for only one night. When she woke after surgery she was completely disoriented, constantly felt as if she were falling, and was almost hysterical. It was really tough and that "one night stay" stretched to six. She eventually seemed to fully recover and lived an additional three years but the hospital stay was nothing like what we were told to expect.
I could definitely tell a difference with my mom not 'returning to baseline' following a hip replacement surgery. And her dementia seemed to accelerate following a second surgery (and general anesthesia) to clean-out and repair her hip wound following a minor second fall. After that second fall and surgery, she never walked again and within 6 months, she was gone.
I'm so sorry to hear this.
Dear me that's sad...I'm so sorry
My 75 yr. old wife had her second hip replaced. Following that, it was as if much of her memory had been 'erased'. Many tests/evaluations later she was told she had mild cognitive impairment. Further diagnostic work revealed her condition is Logopenic Primary Progressive Aphasia. She must be in that high percentage of elderly patients who never fully recover from post operative delirium. They have now decided she was susceptible because of a head injury in a car wreck that occurred more than 55 years prior to her second hip surgery..
Studies are often skewed to protect the medical system. My wife was under anesthesia for 8 hours during spinal surgery and had delirium that effected her memory for a long time. Even if this is not found to be neurotoxins it was still trauma to the brain which could have contributed to her Dementia.
Thank You for this information
My pleasure!
After my husband suffered a broken neck and back from falling off a ladder, he required surgery for his broken sacrum. No one explained to me why my husband experienced intense delirium afterwards. Eventually, in rehab he recovered from the delirium but was cognitively affected. He never regained a sense of time and place and continues to deteriorate after 6 years. MRI’s did not show evidence of a Traumatic Brain Injury. But the lasting effects are very real. While he would benefit from knee surgery now, I won’t consider it.
My Mum has dementia and became unwell with influenza. In the hospital, she had delirium and has had a marked cognitive decline since, and her dementia seems to have accelerated following both the illness and delirium. She needs to have a tooth pulled, but even going under "twilight" sedation now fills me with dread, given her previous delirium experience.
Experience- 75yo Client advanced PD w/ debilitating lower back pain, got back surgery.
Was schedu as a day surgery, but they got delerium & stayed for 2 week post op recovery!
Went from assistive support to full 1:1 24/7 Care. PLUS No longer consistently oriented to Time & Place. So Sad!
My wife who has ALZ had an UTI and went into an altered mental state. This was back when she only had MCI. She returned to normal after about 48 hours, but not quite the same.
That's just so sad, I stopped trusting Medical people after Covid we have lairs like DR Fauci
Thank you! Yes, my husband declined more and more after colonoscopy repeatedly.
I have a brain disease called Cadasil and was not diagnosed until I was 58. My last major surgery was when I was 44 under general anesthesia and it was an 8 hour surgery. The drs. had a hell of a time bringing me out of the anesthesia. Since diagnosis of Cadasil I was diagnosed with MCI (mild cognitive impairment). A few years after diagnosis I needed hand surgery and a colonoscopy. Because of my MCI my drs will only allow me to go under for any surgery using a nerve block for my hand surgery and twilight sleep for my colonoscopy. I was told I should avoid general anesthesia at all cost if possible!
I’m going through this now with my 70 yrs old husband. He has a prostate resection and was given general anesthesia. We are on day five of delirium. He was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia in May, although every brain scan performed showed a normal brain. I am beside myself with guilt to have put him through this surgery. I don’t think he will regain his pre op baseline. I don’t know why this anesthesia was administered given his LBD diagnosis. If he doesn’t get better, I will have to live with this decision for the rest of my life.
My father suffered a mild heart attack and was taken to the emergency room. The doctors recommended a stenting surgery, but he was moved to different cubicles five times within 48 hours. As a result, he became delirious and the nurses considered tying him down. I sat by his bedside for 17 hours to keep him calm. The next morning, we requested discharge because he was not in a condition to undergo surgery and his cognitive abilities had significantly declined. Within 30 days, I had to move him into assisted living due to his cognitive decline. Every time a senior enters the hospital for an infection or surgery, the meds can save them and wreak havoc on their cognitive abilities post-discharge.
I have two stories to tell;-
1. Twenty seven years ago I had major back surgery and spent 8 hours under anesthesia plus three days in intensive care! It took me about 18 months for my acute memory to become reliable once more!
2. My LOWVD & PARKINSONS had open heart surgery in Sep. 2007 and three years ago was diagnosed as having suffered a clot in the left hemisphere of her brain!
Perhaps not relavant but scary nonetheless!!!
Yes, that does sound scary!
Thank you for this info.
No question about it... my mom had a series of cavities filled in in five stages and every single stage 2 days later she got delirium.
Very helpful!! 😊 thank you.
Glad to hear it. 💖
My grandma wasn't outwardly showing signs of dementia when she broke her hip, but after waking up from surgery her cognitive capacity never returned to her pre-surgery days. It was shocking to see how sudden the change was between her pre- and post- surgery selves.
Yes my grandmother was never the same after pancreatic cancer surgery...and she was on a wild trip immediately post op
I had general anesthesia 3 times and local 2 times in 1 year
Are lower anesthesia doses given as we age and weaken? Or are seniors given the same powerful doses as the young & healthy patients?
I need to take my 88 year old Mother to the dentist & I think she has dementia. What do I do? Is a shot better than gas?
Delirium sounds like what my mother just went through. She has Alzheimer’s and has very weak and painful legs so there was no surgery but her doc put her on a pain med Tremadol twice a day and this pushed her into what I consider into a new stage of dementia. This was just last week. The doc agreed to stop twice a day and only gives at night and she became more like she was but still way more confused and less reactive than prior to starting. Her words make less sense etc and after watching this I’m wondering if this could be delirium from the medication? My feeling is she is not coming back to what she was just a couple weeks ago.
are they finding a connection with increased delirium after having COVID and Long Covid?
But…delerium doesn’t last forever and continue worsening.
My husband- fell in love with his doctor after a colonoscopy-
❤