He’s been in the hospital 11 times in 12 months. He keeps pulling out his feeding tube. He’s now in palliative care going from SNF to LTC at the same facility. If he comes home, he’ll just fall or pull out the tube and we’ll be on the merry go round of ER, hospital and SNF again. No one can convince him he needs 24hr. care. I’m just not going to visit anymore. He’s also sliding into dementia, sundowning, etc. The nurse practioner suggested Xanax or Zoloft to deal with the agitation. Has anyone had experience with antidepressants with an 88yr old.
Wishing the family well with a difficult situation.
Zoloft takes 2-3 weeks to kick him.
Start with Xanax and see how he reacts. Start the Zoloft after you are sure the Xanax isn't causing side effects. It's never a good idea to start two new meds at the same time.
The long and short is that, whether on medication to calm him or not, your husband now is more care than can be done in home without 24/7 help. If that latter is possible then it's a choice; otherwise he now needs several shifts of several people each to care for him.
Again, this isn't about choice, sadly. It's about necessity. I am so sorry. I am glad you have now chosen palliative care. I hope Hospice can be brought in when wished for and appropriate in the eyes of the medical team. Just the opinions of an old retired RN, and do feel free to kick it to the curbside; these are individual decisions and your own right to make your own. I wish you only the best.
If husband's advanced directives are being honored I agree that a low dose of an anti-depressant or a tranquilizer as needed is a good thing to consider.
I agree that husband should probably live in a LTC facility now. I hope you will enjoy visiting him again, once the feeding tube and RX issues are resolved.