Wt* is going on?

Really feel with you... I hope you took her to the ER already... she needs to be re-evaluated promptly... before she suffers real health problems very quickly... she may need to be admitted for docs to see how she reacts to meds and they can control it... just tell them you won't take her back till she is calm....!!!

It is not weaning her off the drugs that's the problem, it's the weaning her ON them. For the past 4 years or more she's only taken the Excelon Patch and Citrapolan. When I first arrived 2 years ago she was on those 2 and Risperedone.... I weaned her off those as they were considered "black box" meds and it would benefit her more to take later on down the road.

What I need to realize is NO medication is going to take away ALL of her symptoms. Dealing with a crabby person/a negative person is fine, it's the volatile parent that's difficult.

After speaking to her Dr a few minutes ago, HE feels things will settle down. According to him, the Resperidone is to STOP hallucinations not cause them. Sigh. He suggested since she's been semi okay the past few days to go ahead and start her up on .5 tonight.

I spoke to the nurse for an hour last night. Her mother had AD also and eventually became too much for her and her sister to take care of due to anger and aggression. The threats to bash heads in, grab steering wheels and jump out of vehicles is not only a danger to them but to their caretaker. Sadly, some AD are very aggressive. The nurse told me she could see it in my moms eyes and behavior when we left yesterday that I was gonna catch hell when we left. She was right. She also told me of a lot of hidden help they have for AD caretakers here in Oregon. You can bet your bippy I will find that hidden help if it's the last thing I do....or it might just be the last thing I do.

My goal is to find a happy medium for her so she can enjoy what time she has left without the crazed anger/temper tantrums. I'd like to actually sleep at night without worrying she's tippy toeing around being mischievous.

My brother finally pushed her bed against the wall so she can't trap herself behind it. They both work a lot during the summer and well.... I just need to bite that proverbial bullet and nicely manipulate a way to get her to daycare without her harming the other patients there. The Senior Resource Agency and I are coming up with a plan to make life easier on both of us. Mom would have a GREAT time there, could talk her ass off if that's what she wanted to do.... it would be heaven for her. For now though, it would be H*LL on everyone else.

One step forward :)

We once had an MD who cut all meds to see what happened. My sister went into status epilepticus and nearly died. Use caution and avoid drastic changes.

Olma, unless you have been with those on the antipsychotics before and after I do not think you should suggest removing the medication. These are prescribed to control behaviors that are difficult for the person taking them. And in this way make behaviors more easily managed for the caregiver. Taking them off of them most often causes huge problems. Only we the CG know if the medications are helping them!

Unless your mother is schizophrenic why does she need the drug?
I read so much about bipolar disease (we called it mood swings when I was young) and frankly I think far too many people are misdiagnosed and treated with meds that cause more damage than good.
Ask her doc to wean her off these drugs and see what happens. You might be in for a pleasant surprise.

JB - glad she is doing better and you sound better as well. I am curious if they tapered your mom off seroquel before putting her on the risperdone? I am surprised that she wasn't started on a low dose of the risperdone and increased gradually to begin. It is good to hear that you are both safe. Hope she continues to improve. Take care.

Whoops! Didn't see your last post. Glad that she's at last resting so you can relax for awhile too.

Maybe a trip to the ER is in order; at least they might be able to calm her down, or at least do some blood screening to find out if there's something else amiss or perhaps if she's having some drug reaction.

Thank you for the support/advice

She's home and resting finally... nothing wrong with her blood work, she's just very sensitive to medication. Apparently .5 mg's of Resperidone is too much for her body to handle (right now) funny because she was taking it before I even got here... but, as the doc said, her mentality has changed and with that it all changes. The perception and thought process is different and scares her, with fright comes agitation with agitation comes hallucinations. Cycle cycle.... I have no idea what is worse anymore.

For now, he suggested she stay on it but at .125 to start.... until she adjusts more to it in her system starting tomorrow evening (letting some of it leave her system)

There must be a better way to handle this kind of agitation? So awful to witness and I can't even imagine what's going on in her head. Stuff that calms the normal brain irritates the AD brain. yikes....

gonna catch a nap while she's napping.

To say nothing about a possible wait in the ER you need prompt attention for your mom which will also improve care management by medical staff.

bookluvr...911 will ask questions about the patient before sending an ambulance. Be sure to tell them of violent or aggressive behavior and you are afraid for their safety or yours. EMTs are trained to handle the situation.

I agree ambulance to er would be safest means of getting someone in this condition to a doctor.

Jeanette, I also think you should get her to the ER, probably by ambulance. She may be at danger in the car if she wants out and tries to open the door. I too, had a strange night with mom last night. If it had continued much longer I would have had her taken in for one of those two week psych evaluations. Then I could get some time away, the only way it will ever happen. I am beginning to feel there is no way out.

JB, sounds awfully scary to me. My mom became violent and attacked us. We ran. Since then, I've been terrified with people who has a mental illness. I keep thinking that they can suddenly become violent and attack.

Out of curiosity, in case my dad reaches this stage, WHAT do you say when you call 911 and they ask what's your emergency?

JB - If you take her to the ER they can do bloodwork and urine test to rule out possible other things going on as well including a reaction to the medication. Please take care of yourself.

Captain - Sounds like the weeks for troubles. Sorry to hear you are having more than your share as well. Hope things settle down for you soon.

I agree with Pam. Get her to the ER, stat.

shilo,
dammit .. honest caregivers are dying from guilt they dont deserve and non carers are abusing everyone in their sight and wont lose a moments sleep over it ..
im suffering my own torment tonight . had to leave my aunts side to force aps ' hand . they wont act as long as im losing work and staying by her side ..
ive been where your at too jeanette . im saying er . theyll jack mom full of haldol and soothe her pain . my mother didnt get that wild till 8 weeks before her death from dementia ..

Jeanette, call 911, get her to the ER and take the med list with you.

I agree I would call the doctors night service. I'm sorry it's a tough time.

Sounds like an extremely volatile situation, I'm sorry that's the case. These suggestions are pretty basic, but what comforts her? A warm blanket out of the dryer? Giving her a massage or similar way to calm her physically? My mom likes her feet rubbed after soaking them in warm water that I tell her is therapeutic. There is such a mind-body connection that whatever words will calm her like "This warm blanket will really sooth you" or listening to relaxing music. These 2 things help my mom when she's agitated. Good luck.

JB - my heart goes out to you with what you are dealing with now. Hope you make it through the night and call the physician in the morning. Better yet, call his night service if things get too out of hand.

captain - If you want to kick some a** in the family you can start with the family my mom has in Illinois then on the other side of you is some more of her family in Ohio. They could all use some a** kicking. Kick them to kingdom-come for all I care. Notice I said my mother's family and not mine. btw lived in Fort Wayne almost 25 years then left in '06.

She's not ready to die Bob quite possible she could live for years at stage 6.... she cussed her Dr out. out and stood her ground so he was deceived by her showtiming.

She's talking to the pillow...

Is this cause for hospice? Dad got hospice 2 days before he passed.

No, no more meds. This is not right :( Almost called 911 .... she's so wired and will not sit still. She threw her teeth across the room. Threatened to kill my dogs. THIS IS SO NOT HER.

How can calm her down? Drugs are not the answer

Of course everyone is an individual who reacts differently to medications and dosages of meds, but Risperdone (and actually Seroquel as well) caused my mom to have hallucinations (visual) and a night terror. Any chance a lower dosage might be needed? My mom is very sensitive to all meds, and tweaking a "regular starting dosage" to fit her needs means giving her much less than what the average person needs. Good luck with "tweaking the meds" to fit! I hope this helps or the doc figures out another med that will help.

im surprised doc doesnt get hospice in there . they can make with the injectable tranqs and comfort meds ..
back to doc . wtf is his malfunction ?

Just spent an hour reading about Lewy ....it so fits. I'm not the doctor though? Every single time they give her a new med she flips ....hallucinates, doesn't sleep, poops her pants up all night and best of all, talks to the bugs and fleece on the floor. I don't care how far a person is gone with AD, THIS IS NOT NORMAL!

She is tripping big time. BIG TIME I will not give her any more MEDS until someone can explain this sh*t to me.

Gosh Jb this is stressful oh i think let them all be god knows whats in these drugs how very scary for you yep as Cap says time to kick ass with the "family". How can you possibly relax?

Call the md and tell her/him what you're seeing.

i just done it .. cuz dont dare leave town with the aps heat on her so grankids came here tonight . im going to see my grandkids . p-eople suck if you'll let them ..
( if youll let them . )

you need some help jeanette . time to get s*itfaced with some family ..

Lewy Bodies? If the meds set her off, I would suspect that. Ask the MD?