advice please -- 91 year old grandma

[hillview]

My grandma is 91 and has a history of fainting -- she has had these episodes for the last 15 years or so. The doctors never find anything wrong with her. They have happened maybe once every couple of years at first, then maybe once a year and now 2x this year (well last 12 months). She is 91, on no meds and generally healthy. She lives in FL (we are in MA) and so I cannot be with her in FL right now, my uncle is. My uncle is a mess (financially ruined her, stole her money etc HOWEVER he does take care of her). Her last fainting spell was 2 days ago and he had taken her to dinner -- it happened right at dinner. They called 911 and she has been in hospital for 2 days. They cannot find anything at all wrong with her. Tomorrow she is getting a brain scan and eeg.

My advice to my mom is to find out what they could be looking for and to determine if there is any reason to keep looking. I feel for every day she is in hospital she is likely to get staph or some other infection and for what? She is 91, she won't be getting ANYTHING invasive (no pacemaker, no chemo, etc). So unless they are looking for something that she can take a pill for (and as long as that pill doesn't cause other issues) there is really no point to looking for something they cannot find. At 91 I am thinking they send her home. Now I totally get that it is possible she will fall and break something from this issue. But that seems like a reasonable possibility (again she is 91, she could fall going to the bathroom without her fainting issue).

Thoughts?

TIA

[mytwosons]

I agree with you.

I'm surprised they haven't ruled it vesa vega (sp?). Your uncle should make sure she stays hydrated to hopefully prevent future spells.

[salsah]

how is her blood pressure? i know someone elderly who went through the same thing (but more frequently). even though the doctors couldn't figure it out, she suspected that it could be because of her low blood pressure. she started adding salt to her food and stopped fainting.
i hope it is something as simple for your grandmother.

[hillview]

I agree with you.

I'm surprised they haven't ruled it vesa vega (sp?). Your uncle should make sure she stays hydrated to hopefully prevent future spells.
Honestly I suspect it is something along these lines (or food related -- it seems to happen when she eats often but not 100%). She is alone most days/meals but hydration and general nutrition is a possible factor. She does not have a major appitite. Her wish is to live in her house (well the one we purchased from her as she was facing foreclosure due to my uncle but I digress) and not in a medical facility.

[hillview]

how is her blood pressure? i know someone elderly who went through the same thing (but more frequently). even though the doctors couldn't figure it out, she suspected that it could be because of her low blood pressure. she started adding salt to her food and stopped fainting.
i hope it is something as simple for your grandmother.
Her blood pressure is always fine however I suspect (see pp) that it may be due to food and blood pressure which would be hard to get at the moment. Thanks for posting! I will suggest the woman who looks in on her every day add a little salt to her meals.

[crl]

My mom has had several fainting spells. After several er trips and a couple of hospital stays to try to find a cause they have settled on vasovagal syncope. This disgnosis does not really explain all her symptoms, but she feels she has had all the appropriate tests. She is a retired nurse and completely with it mentally so that's it.

Coincidentally I have also been diagnosed with this--after totalling a car because I passed out while driving, it was my first episode so I had no warning. I was told to drink lots of water and increase my salt intake. I did so and have had no further episodes.

Catherine

[dogmom]

She could be having arrhythmias that cause the fainting spells, or seizures, or vagal episodes, or something else. Honestly if it was my granmother or mother at that age I would just check her out of the hospital and bring her home. She has made her wishes of invasive procedures known. I think your instinct is good.

[brittone2]

GMIL is around the same age and dealing with recurring bouts of dizziness. Some considerations were her blood pressure, whether her meds were causing it (she does not always take her meds and says they sometimes *make* her feel dizzy, but I think her BP is not controlled as well as it could be and may also be contributing). She had her cartoid arteries cleaned out and they thought that would alleviate it, but it has not (and based on her symptoms and the literature it didn't sound promising to me to begin with, but that's another story). ITA w/ the arrthymia consideration too. It could be lots of things.

GMIL is still quite with it mentally and wants to remain at home. I was surprised she consented to the surgery anyway (had the 2nd side done at a later date). She occasionally stays with my ILs for a few days when she's had a more significant bout of dizziness, as she lives alone, but she's determined to remain at home.

[StantonHyde]

As my husband calls it--little old ladies who are weak and dizzy. That's just sort of it. I think the nutrition/hydtration thing is important. After that, let it go. Who wants to go through all that at 91??

[mom2binsd]

Good advice from others, I just wanted to add, she can appoint your uncle her healthcare power of attorney and someone else (you) financial power of attorney, I see that a lot with the patients I work with in nursing homes/assisted living.

Does she have a Life Alert? They are awesome and I think just about everyone who lives alone, whether they are 91 or 51 should have one (my uncle who is only 60 but lives out in the country alone and works with the horses/in the garden has one as he would be SOL if he fell outside/inside.

[kcimato]

My Dad was having issues like this too, where he would just pass out and fall. He had other major problems also. To make a long story short, while he had a visiting nurse come after a bout with MRSR, she noted his heart rate dropped to 30. She called the Dr and they sent him right to the hospital and put in a pacemaker. When the heart rate drops that far they can pass out. It's hardly ever discovered because by the time the Rescue Squad comes, things are back to normal. He was lucky the nurse was there when it happened.

[merianne16]

My grandma suffers from the same thing- fainting for no apparent reason. She is approaching her 90's and is not interested in doing anything invasive or even in taking any medication. Her blood pressures and blood sugars are always normal. However, one time she had one of her faints while at the doctors office where they did an EKG on her during the "spell." This showed a significant cardiac arrhythmia. She has since seen a cardiologist and had a full cardiac workup. She only faints when her heart goes in to this arrhythmia (maybe 6-12 times per year) and is perfectly healthy otherwise. Once her heart gets itself back in to a normal rhythm her faint is over until next time. We just deal with it when it happens because the alternative would be a pacemaker or medication. Good luck!