Last night AL called. My sweet little mom Was violent and tried to stab someone with a fork!!!! She fell last week, ER trip. Eye swollen like a soft ball. Still swollen. Purple.
I'm wondering if The fall could have brought on this violent behavior.
They called the doc and he is putting her on depakote.
In talked to her on phone during this episode, she was confused about where I was and where she was.
My father committed suicide almost 29 years ago. She thinks he is still alive and is cheating on her. She will argue with him (loudly) yell out words like -slut, whore,says he is fu-king 20 women. He never ever cheated on her.
Her hallucinations just started last June and I had to put her in AL memory in October for respite. Taking care of her for 8 years sucked the life out of me and left me with several chronic diseases from stress and not taking care of me. I had no help at all, family all scattered and distanced themselves from us, not wanting to help.
I lover so much and she loves me so much. I want her back! I know it won't happen. I swore to take care of her as long as I could and guilt because I couldn't do it. Guilt keeps me from visiting as I should. Also as soon as she sees me she starts in on my Dad. It brings up all my pain from suicide
Anyone know what may happen to her personality on depakote?
The AL had a senior prim last Saturday. My husbad and I went she did pretty well, except embarrassed about the black eye.
I have been on this board for 3 years, reading several times a day. I just don't ask too many questions, just learn from others posts. I could not fingpd anything helpful on depakote and violence. But now id appreciate any input on what might lay ahead. Mom will soon be 94- she is in good health. I think she may have had 3 mini strokes since June. I'm afraid they will kick her out.
Does anyone know what it could do to her. ?
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You see, I wouldn't want someone to think that they were trapped on a medication forever is all, especially if it is one that they hate or need to come off of. I would feel scared and hopeless if someone said that to me. Some people may be more sensitive to quitting/titrating down some meds, but all people are different. And neither of us really knows whats going on because we aren't there. I am certain that her doctor and pharmacist can find ways to help her.
The caregiver can research, present, ask questions, and advocate for their loved one. We're here to provide care, support and share experiences, and find sneaky ways to point them to useful websites, LOL! And as Mishka says, sometimes I'm here to be snarky. *giggles*
p.s. but i'm not being snarky in here. :)
Also, as Pamela said, it takes time to wean someone off of most meds used to help dementi/Alz. patients. Most of these meds need to be started in very small doses in case of a reaction like your mom had and they should be cut down very slowly if taken away.
This is the part I found the hardest in the last 7 years of caring for Mom. It's a long process for some and very stressful for all involved. Every person and every case is different and there is no magic way to tell what treatment will work.
Mom was given ativan in the hospital a few years ago after a fall. They said she was off the wall agitated and needed something to calm her down. I found out that they never gave her the Parkinsons meds and she had no control over her body. That was after I stayed at the hospital until 1AM to give them all her meds and times to take them. She went to rehab the next day and it took them 2 weeks to get her back to no longer seeing bugs in and on everything!
Here4her, hang in there! The right combo of meds is something we all struggle with. I hope they find what your mom needs soon. Good luck!
There are medications which are difficult to quit. But it does not mean that people must stay on the medication forever. They only must be titrated down VERY slowly with a doctor's close supervision. I was on an antidepressant like that; the side effects of quitting were very difficult. I disliked those electric feeling "brain zaps", so I called my psychiatrist and he temporarily increased the medication and then a week later decreased it again, but not by as much, and then we moved slower. It took a while but it was worth it because the side effects of staying on the drug were ones that I was no longer willing to live with.
Here4her, quitting three meds is a long and irritating process for the body and brain. The hospital is the best place to do that, especially for an older person, or anyone who's health is compromised. It's a good thing that the doctor seems to be right on top of everything. It's possible that some of your mom's behaviors and the twitch are from quitting the meds. I'm sure if you have any questions your mom's new doctor will answer them. And Reverseroles is right, researching medications is always a good idea. I never take a med without knowing what I'm taking. I use a little dot com called drugs, I love one of the features there that allows me to type in every med I take and then it shows me possible interactions.
Now, after the EEG did the neurologist diagnose seizures? And if they did, what kind of seizure? Or is it still being called a twitch? I'm just asking because I have a seizure disorder, (grand mal, seizure free since 1986), and now I have something called Myoclonic Jerks/Twitches. Some doctors still call Myoclonus a seizure, but it's not one. If I am having a bad day/night of them, they do look like a seizure. I'm ok though, I am completely alert and aware the entire time. They happen on the left side, so I can still drive. Being stressed makes it worse, a sudden loud noise can make it come on. They don't hurt me, they just bug me and I look silly so I feel embarrassed when it happens in public. I take that back about the pain, if they go on for the whole day and become very strong, I do get sore. But you know what? They don't happen all the time. So I'm ok with it. :)
Now I need to research the little seizures, if that is what it was. God our loved ones who are going through this.
They sent her to a hospital where there is a psych doctor to Terri. Her meds.
He is weening her off aricept, namenda and paxil. She has still been agitated but they say doing better. I was only allowed to visit after 48 hours. When I visited she was so sleepy, kept dozing off. I told her she was a sleepy head and she told me she was "unconscious" - still some humor there.
About 2 1/2 weeks ago she fell out of bed (on carpet). She looked like someone hit her with a sledge hammer. It's still got a knot above her eye.
I'm fearful what she is going to be like after the meds are out of her system. Will she decline down to an unconscious state. Will it helpmher irritation or will she improve. It is so scary to me to loose her.
(Feel free to share this timeless pearl, but please give me credit. )
Ergo: Depakote is a great drug, except when it isn't. Given a choice between that and antipsychotics, I'd try the Depakote first. The only group of people I know who defintiely should not try it are those with a mitochondrial condition called POLG, and people with liver problems in general are going to be at risk of more.
I would hope that an assisted living facility who will accept a resident with dementia would have the skills to deal with it, but I suppose that is assuming a lot. Perhaps now that she is back to her own routine in a familiar place and also taking a very small dose of a mood stabilizer she will quickly return to her former baseline and non-aggressive behavior.
Whenever my husband was hospitalized after developing dementia, I made sure that he was never without a family member in his room. The hospital experience itself is traumatizing and I wanted to minimize its impact.
I have no experience with Depakote but have heard good things about it at my caregiving group.
RR
"Depakote side effects
Seek emergency medical attention if the person taking Depakote has nausea, vomiting, upper stomach pain, or loss of appetite, low fever, dark urine, clay-colored stools, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes). These symptoms may be early signs of liver damage or pancreatitis.
Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, depression, anxiety, or if you feel agitated, hostile, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction to Depakote: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor at once if you have any of these other serious side effects: . . ."
There is even a button you can click on for professionals which will give you much much more information. My mother was on depakote along with quite a large number of other pharmaceuticals; I believe what made the largest change in her personality which are along the same lines you are mentioning here, was the Ambien. Horrible horrible horrible stuff!!!
My real question is more about will the depakote calm her down, make her a vegetable, loose her personallity, which is quite funny. They get her to do cheers for them. I should have not mentioned the fall. His changing of questions is a reason years ago I quit asking!!!
I once asked a question and it was changed totally different. I had to keep on them to change it back.
This change was not so bad, but it wasn't what I wrote!!!!
Why can't It be left like it was asked.
Guess I won't be asking any more questions!!!!!! Frustrating, to say the least.
Something I don't need more of.