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Extreme Mood Swings in BFs father

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onecalledk

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Hi there

am searching for some information please, my boyfriends father lives with us and he was diagnosed some months ago with diabetes. He is not in good health anyway and is nearly 80 yrs old. He told his son that he just had to address his diabetes through diet alone and doc had not given him tablets.

Myself and my son moved in with my boyfriend about 6 weeks ago and in that time we have become increasingly worried about his father. The mood swings and aggression are getting really bad. The past weekend he exploded at me and was extremely aggressive, shouting and swearing at me and we actually had to leave the house for a few days. He does not (in my opinion) address anything through his diet. I try to cook healthy food, have salads etc with main meals, eat fruit etc and hardly buy any fatty food or cakes. This however is undone when my BFs father gets to the shops and buys heaps of cakes and then sits and eats them all! Its getting unbearable and the tension in the house is unbelievable. He will sit and eat a meal then immediately go through to the kitchen have a cup of tea and eat cakes and biscuits. In the evening he takes a drink, we dont know how much as we have now resorted to staying in different parts of the house!

We have visited his GP with our concerns, due to his age we were worried he has the onset of dementia but a friend suggested to me that perhaps its a side effect of diabetes. Has anyone any insight? the doctor has called him in and all we now know is that he has been given different tablets. My BF is trying to find out what they are for but his father is being very vague. He is becoming very forgetful as well. My partner has his own business which his father helps out with and his outbursts are not just kept for me, he has been rude etc to customers. My BF and his siblings all tell me this is completely out of character for him.
K
 
We cannot diagnose on the forum but I think that he needs to be seen by a specialist in the elderly.This may not just be diabetes related.
 
Hi onecalledk,

It's possible that high blood sugars are behind his mood swings. You'd really need to buy a test
meter and coax him into testing his blood sugars after meals or during his rancorous spells.

Or, as Sue said, it may be something unrelated to diabetes that needs the attention of a doctor.

Best regards,
timo.
 
Hi
Two things,
First get him to see Gp could be non diabeties related!
If it is diabeties realted, then you need to keep a check on his blood sugars!
I find when i go too low with blood sugars i can get very offish or moody i don't see it but my poor fiancee has seen it!
It could also be his age as well, some people over the age of 80 can get moody because of age!
The problem with some people who get diabeties is that they don't want to admit it! so they carry on eating cakes sweets etc!
your best bet is to try and gently talk to him! i know it is hard as he could be getting angry! because of his blood suagrs being all over the place! Some people don't get full with eating a salad! How about offer him a salad of some kind, then for desert offer him a little piece of cheese and a tuc biscuit, and 1 square of green and black chocolate!
See how he goes with that! if he eats his blood sugars will raise a little treat now and then won't harm him!
it seems hard for you and your boyfriend! try to make a little time for you two to be alone together as caring for a family memeber can put alot of strain on a relationship!
Do try to get him to a gp!
Sandy
 
Hi

thank you all for the replies. The main problem seems to be his denial that anything is wrong with him, with regard to the cakes , he is eating cakes/biscuits after EVERY meal. So lunch is a sandwich say and a yoghurt then cakes. Dinner is followed by more cakes/biscuits. Later on in the evening he will get peckish and then have more cakes/biscuits.....

The strain is unbelievable. We have gone to the GP, he has new medication now so we will see how that goes, from what we can gather he was given tests at the doctors the other day and not just for diabetes. The mood swings when they happen are very volatile and sudden, there is no warning and he just loses the plot.

I dont buy into the whole "they are old therefore grumpy", as manners and respect cost nothing. I also have an 8yr old child to worry about as well and the effect all this bad temper and atmosphere has on him. We are already staggering meals and there is too much tension if we all try to eat at the same time!

Hopefully the GP will give a diagnosis soon .....

K
 
Hi
I feel for you! Alot of people deny that they have diabeties! It is life changing! I must admit i did not deny i knew i was wrong somehow! worst thing is! He is 80 he has lived most of his life as he is able to eat what ever he wants! now all of a sudden he is being told that he can't have!
You have to make some family time, for yourself! Just be because he is old does not mean he is grumpy!
I hate that as my gran was 98 when she passed away she always had a smile on her face manners for everyone! I hope that your Gp can give you some answers soon!
Sandy
 
Hi, Onecalledk, since being diagnosed and being given metformin and other meds,i have been getting pretty much the same as yr BF's dad. My temper is on a very short fuse and doesn't take much to set me off sometimes, have to make a conscious effort to not do this . generally i find i am most likely to do this when my BG's are low and I tend not to eat biscuits andcakes like you have mentioned. Not sure what the answer is for your situation but getting your BF's dad to test is a good idea and then try to deal with the anger issue when the situation is less tense. Hope things get better for you and yours,regards, peter :D
 
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