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A week ago, Dad was declining so badly I thought it was the end for him. Then the doctor had me stop his BP meds because Hospice was called in and it seemed like Dad only had days to live. Well the 2nd day without any medications Dad sprung back to life! So much so that on Saturday the 5th day off meds (and my birthday) our family was over and He was up for 10hrs with us all and even played poker with us (as best he could remember how to play) but physically he was good. He laughed, ate a beautiful meal of Yellow Fin Tuna my son had caught earlier in the week, drank coffee, had ice cream and cake, and best of all He got to sing Happy Birthday to me! - We were all left with our mouths hanging open.
So, the important reason I'm sharing this is because we seriously thought Dad was on his deathbed - NO he wasn't - it was his medication was too much for him on his limited diet. Once he stopped eating solids, because of the dysphagia, I believe his blood pressure medications (2) different ones, were now too strong for him, obviously, I know this now because they knocked him out. So if your LO starts to lose their appetite - please have their medications looked at and adjusted to prevent the same thing from happening.
Dad and I have now spent hours daily now sitting together out in our backyard patio talking and looking out over all the flowers and roses he's always loved so much. Talk about a 180º turnaround.
This also has been a huge psychological rollercoaster for us all here - we went from discussing his final arrangements to playing poker on my birthday. Seriously.
Dad is 96yrs old and still has severe Lewy Body Dementia, but this turn of events has at least made whatever time he has left so much more enjoyable than sleeping his life away. Someone said it might be a rally but it's been 7 days with no meds now - I'm not sure a rally would last that long! If anyone has had any experience with this please let me know. Thank you!
Check the meds - it might be part of the problem if your LO is sleeping too much!.

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Great update! Oftentimes, people freak out when hospice suggests discontinuing meds for an elder at end of life. We're a society fixated on pills to fix everything, when sometimes, pills CAUSE issues.
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Mamacrow Aug 19, 2024
Actually Hospice hadn't even gotten started yet - it was his GP that recommend trying that to see if it would help! He was right! Dad feels so much better! And, YES, pills do cause a lot of problems! Thank you!
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I’m so glad you’re getting to enjoy this time with your dad, such a special experience. My dad’s time on hospice wasn’t like that, but I will say it amazed me once so many of his long time medications were discontinued by hospice, he spent about 6-7 weeks without them, nothing seemed different minus all the meds. Really made me wonder what they’d actually done for him for so long….
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Mamacrow Aug 19, 2024
Thank you! And - Exactly! I'm wondering if Dad should've been taken off these meds years ago! But, at his age (96) - it was more of don't rock the boat - he's doing fine, then dementia set in. I'm caring for him here at his home - where I grew up! So he seems to be very much at peace! So sorry about your dad.
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I so appreciate your posting. Often, when you are of an age you ASSUME that it is the end days when it could be that your blood pressure is so low you can do little but sit and stare. You post may help many others, Mama.
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Mamacrow Aug 19, 2024
Thank you! I do hope it helps others to watch out for this! His BP has actually been ok during this entire time - I take his vitals 2x per day - 114/76, pulse 72 is about average for him. The meds were just inducing sleep - knocking him out - and he only took them once per day - low dose of two common BP meds (don't know if I can name them in this forum). He has shown a marked improvement since off these BP meds 7 days ago. He's in there enjoying dinner as we speak! What a relief, poor guy. He still thinks I'm forgetting his meds - hard to explain when they have such high levels of confusion as it is. Sigh of relief for us for now! Thanks again!
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