Anyone have a loved one that is walking around the house (With a walker) one day and the two days later you have to lift them out of the bed because they have no strength?
My wife goes through the wild and extreme swings in her abilities that make no sense.
She had a stroke almost 4 years ago now, and almost everyday is different and you have no idea one day to the next how much care she is going to require.x
If the trouble is getting her from lying down/sitting to standing, the weakness could be due to orthostatic hypotension. A quick and simple test performed by a home health nurse or in the doctor's office can determine this. If this is the problem, allowing her to sit still and quietly before attempting to stand makes all the difference. This would be you "best case scenario" and easily checked for and eliminated as a cause before moving to more difficult to remedy causes.
It is very important to know what kind of dementia a patient has for both treatment and planning purposes.
Her recent memory test showed mark decline, but speech says that she will have to undergo a couple more until she can say it is permanent or just a hiccup. CT scans show no changes. All other blood work shows normal.
My Dad has a stroke in 2015. He is 90 and has energy for one activity every other day to a max of 3 per week. He does his bed exercises every morning, but additional activity really drains his energy.
An activity could be an appointment, or lunch with friends, shopping etc.
Does your wife have PT that she does at home to maintain her strength? Dad does his bed exercises, and some days lifts free weights, but the weight he lifts has dropped from weights on the dumb bell to just the bar of the dumb bell. A year ago he was walking daily, now he rides an exercise bike occasionally, but that is not load bearing exercise and his legs are getting very weak.
Yes...this is common with different forms of dementia such as Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). My mother was diagnosed with LBD over 6 years ago and she experiences the same type of unpredictable mobility challenges. Each day is and will be different. Caregivers and medical professionals such as nurses will often times be clueless as to what LBD is and does. The bottom line is that the brain controls the entire body, and forms of dementia hinder the brains communication with the entire body - at different times affecting different body parts. There are some prescriptions that are meant for Parkinsons patients that help the rigidity in the body but they come with horrible side effects. All a caregiver can do is be patient and supportive. I found the best approach is to ensure that nothing else could be hindering there mobility such as dehydration, low potassium or magnesium, low sugar, etc. I also ensure my mother has a daily dose 5-15 minutes of sunshine, fresh air in the home by airing the house out daily, eating balanced meals that do not lead to constipation, and when she is able to walk slowly for as long as she can to keep the muscles used (use them or lose them. Unfortunately most doctors will be of no assistance and will sum it up to the "progression of the dementia". It is challenging to keep trying different things but it helps...
For example, I purchased a WaterPik (water flosser) to personally assist my mother with her oral hygiene; I purchased ALWAYS DISCREET diapers and told her they were only in case she couldn't make it to the bathroom quick enough; I purchased special utensils with better grip and thickness to help her when she is able to hold a fork/spoon herself; I installed hand rails in her bathroom; I purchased a personal table that adjusts to her level when she eats meals --- I could go on and on. I do a lot of research on the internet on how to make life as comfortable for my mother as possible since this disease is not curable -- at least by man. Each person with these type of dementias have different needs and it takes attentive people to address their needs without making them feel helpless or hopeless. It's a balancing act with their care and to keep up our own care. Best wishes on this journey.
And, importantly, what's her diet like? Is she getting enough iron? Has she ever been D'x'd as anemic? I deal with that myself and know what it's like to have no energy to just get up, and it's all food related.
I agree that this should be reported to her doctor and investigated. Meanwhile - have you tried keeping a daily journal to see if you can identify any patterns or possible causes?
Is your wife able to describe how she's feeling? And, I wonder if giving her extra time after waking (she could take any pain relief she's prescribed, and/or have a hot drink) to "gather" herself might help fend off bad days.
You can ask her doctor and maybe the doctor will order physical therapy to strengthen her.
These come to mind:
Fibromyalgia
Chronic Fatique
Parkinson's
UTI
Depression
and so many others