Expert: Michalene Peticca - 4/11/2008

Question
i am carer for my mother/law diagnosed with vascular dementia/alzheimers,8yrs ago,she recently collapsed evacuating both bladder& bowels, and unconscious for 2/3 mins,taken to hospital who diagnosed a faint?? next day on waking incontinent++++ very unusual for her,i am not sure what stage she is at,she often can say one or two words that make sense but no conversation, if not toileted,she would be doubly incontinent. what would this[faint]been? is it part of her illness

Answer
Hi Carol,

Thank you for writing.  

Due to your mother in laws' diagnosis, it very may well be related to her dementia.  However, since she was taken to a hospital, i would suggest asking the physicians who attended to her,  what kind of tests they performed to come to that conclusion.

I'm sorry i can't give a definative answer on this situation; i am sure the hospital personnel could help you much better.

thank you for writing!

Best Regards,

Michalene Peticca, M.A.