Seeking mutual support from carers

Hi @Bella1978,

it sounds as though you have a lot on...and I'm sorry to hear that your mum's mental health is declining. My mum is 91 and not surprisingly has physical and mental health issues. How my mum is can be really affected by the weather. Sunny days means that she feels pretty good and optomistic - she can start to feel low as the days get greyer and colder. Does the weather affect your mum too? So right now mum is pretty happy and I am having a breather. She doesn't live with us but she does live close by. My husband and I had a pretty diffucult year last year with mum - two stays at mental health clinics, anxiety followed by mania. I ended up getting help from Carers Victoria - who were great.

Hi @Bella1978 🙂

Thanks for checking, I think home remedies should be ok, such as cranberry juice etc. @Shaz51 has a good knowledge of the guidelines 🙂

Sorry to hear you are not well @Shaz51. Hope you feel better soon.

Hello @Bella1978, how is your mum xoxo

do you have monthly injections? EPO hormone)-- not yet @Bella1978, but am on HRT

I have osteoarthritis too and i can omly take osteo painkillers

I have anaemia but very high ferritin level == 1090

I have Proteinuria , and my next checkup is in june

thank you @Former-Member , @Former-Member

i am still learning @Bella1978

but i do find soaking in epsom salts are really

be careful of cranberry juice as they are full of sugar

I have to cut back on protein, salt , sugar , potassuim @Bella1978 and drink water , how is your mum xx

thats good news about your mum might be able to come home tomorrow @Bella1978 howd you go at the hospital today? did you manage to let her know she wont have to worry about doing anything when shes home?

howd your day pan out?

Hi @Catcakes

Carers Vic were great to talk things through - my husband and I are the main carers, as my brother lives overseas. When my mum becomes elevated she becomes increasingly difficult - she can become nasty if you disagree with her and things can go off the rails. Carers Vic are very used to dealing with these sort of issues and were great at providing perspective and strategies.

HI @merri

lovely to hear from you. my mum's mood isn't affected by the weather but, as for me, i do better in summer and spring than i do in winter - gloomy days and shorter weather plus i dont get out and about as much doing my exercise. i also battle depression and anxiety myself.

im so pleased to hear you mum is doing well at the moment, and yes that means you can have a breather which is nice! my mum also had a full on year last year - she had a stroke at the beginning of the year and her health went downhill from there unfortunately, and she also had two stays at a mental health clinic. it's tough for them going through all that, and tough on us seeing them struggle the way they do. ive also recently contacted carers wa and started seeing a counsellor and will also look into other resources that they have too. im wanting to see if i can attend a support group and meet other carers in wa. these forums have also helped me so much - people who understand what we go through emotionally as carers - it's a tough gig what we do!

x