Sophie, I'm afraid you didn't read what I said. I did NOT say they should not be used at all. I enumerated some of the common concerns and then added that family (as presumable collaborative members of the treatment team) should " Monitor your loved ones' behavior very closely while on these meds." If had said that they never should be prescribed, there would not have been a need to monitor anything. What most annoys me about your comment is that I recall family members attacking several different physicians (not me) for having prescribed medications that were causally suggested as reasons for falls and broken hips. Broken hips frequently lead to death. By the way, I am an honored psychiatrist with considerable experience treating elderly patients who frequently consume 10 or more medications from a number of different prescribers. Given potential pharmacological interactions, providing excellent care for complicated elderly patients is not stroll in the park. Give us a break!
See, doctors will tell you they won't give your loved one anti-anxiety meds because they will fall down more. The doctor would rather put you through h*ll than risk a medical bill from a fall. I get that you don't want people to fall; I hate it when Mom falls, but the caregivers are humans that need a little peace in their lives, esp when responsible for 24 hour care! Check with a good geriatric psychiatrist about the anxiety and see if there's help. it's not all just about her, it's about you surviving as well.
The behavior you described exceedingly commonplace. Be wary of the anti-anxiety meds. I think that they are wonderful when used properly. However, even very low doses can accumulate in the elderly, and the level of confusion and disorientation may actually worsen. Monitor your loved ones' behavior very closely while on these meds.
If you were losing your memory, you would probably worry about all the things you forgot to do. Try to reassure your wife that you have taken care of "it" and that she does not need to worry anymore. She may be picking up on your distress, so try to talk to her in a calm voice (even though you are anything but calm!).
mthr was fidgety for about a year before she moved beyond that stage. The doc put her on an anti anxiety pill which kept her from climbing out the windows to get to her car, which she just *knew* was on the other side of those trees over there. Right. :)
Many people with dementia exhibit obsessive behaviors. Sometimes redirecting their attention works and sometimes it doesn't. Is your wife on an anti-anxiety medication? That may help settle her down a bit. I think we all know how it feels to be anxious and worried. It doesn't feel good. If someone with dementia feels this way most of the time it can't feel good even though they may not be able to express it.
I know that my cousin would often fidget with things such as straightening a towel, moving items in place on a counter, arranging cans of food in the pantry, all with no real purpose. She would worry she didn't have enough cat food, even though she had over 50 cans. She wanted me to get her 6 bottles of soda or 5 boxes of cookies. She would repeatedly mail checks to renew magazine prescriptions thinking they would run out. You know how they keep sending you reminders to renew? She took them seriously, and when I took over, I found several who had returned her checks, explaining that she was paid up for years and they couldn't take her money. This was before she stopped paying bills.
I have noticed that some dementia patients never sit still. They walk around the Memory Care unit constantly, never ending up anyway, but always pacing. I think that is quite common.
My cousin will propel herself around in her wheelchair by using her feet. Most of the time, she is looking for someone. It's hard to say who. Sometimes she is looking for her former roommate who left due to sudden decline and never returned. She thinks this roommate is a male friend she knew from the 1980's named Dwayne. She looks for him a lot. Her roommate was not a male, but had short hair and she must have reminded her of Dwayne, who she hasn't seen in over 30 years.
She has not worried as much or been as nervous since going on Cymbalta. If she is not taking Cymbalta, she will literally chew her fingernails until they bleed.
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I'm afraid you didn't read what I said. I did NOT say they should not be used at all. I enumerated some of the common concerns and then added that family (as presumable collaborative members of the treatment team) should " Monitor your loved ones' behavior very closely while on these meds." If had said that they never should be prescribed, there would not have been a need to monitor anything.
What most annoys me about your comment is that I recall family members attacking several different physicians (not me) for having prescribed medications that were causally suggested as reasons for falls and broken hips. Broken hips frequently lead to death.
By the way, I am an honored psychiatrist with considerable experience treating elderly patients who frequently consume 10 or more medications from a number of different prescribers. Given potential pharmacological interactions, providing excellent care for complicated elderly patients is not stroll in the park. Give us a break!
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I have noticed that some dementia patients never sit still. They walk around the Memory Care unit constantly, never ending up anyway, but always pacing. I think that is quite common.
My cousin will propel herself around in her wheelchair by using her feet. Most of the time, she is looking for someone. It's hard to say who. Sometimes she is looking for her former roommate who left due to sudden decline and never returned. She thinks this roommate is a male friend she knew from the 1980's named Dwayne. She looks for him a lot. Her roommate was not a male, but had short hair and she must have reminded her of Dwayne, who she hasn't seen in over 30 years.
She has not worried as much or been as nervous since going on Cymbalta. If she is not taking Cymbalta, she will literally chew her fingernails until they bleed.