I need suggestions on how to keep my mom from falling asleep standing up and then falling.

AHa-google it- Sunlight causes our livers to re-set our sleep clock-it makes our liver produce serotonin and melatonin-hormones necessary for sleep and elderly persons do not get enough and that is why they sleep less as they-(we age)- I just googled it-Meno is going for a shuffling little walk with me starting tomorrow-I need it and so does he! Menos-daughter Ruth

I realy think we need to know why she is staying awake and since it seems to happen around the time of the patch change that would be my guess. I worry about too many side effects from drugs for this and drugs for that.-where does it end? 6 feet under alot of times. Older folks that do not get sunlight stop producing a certainnatural sleep aid our bodies produce-it is made in the liver-I can't think of the name-30 minutes of sunlight is required for us all-it can be indirect-I'll research it and get back-I have it on the tip of my tongue-senior moment-menos daughter

Set up one of those small portable potties right by the bed at night and put bottled water and some non-perishable snacks on a table by the bed within reach. She could probably use some Ambien to keep her from staying awake for 24-36 hours. This is not healthy at all.

Hi Ramblingman, I think you are absolutely right about the pain patch. I really sounds like the dosage is too high. My mom has been on fentanyl for 7 yrs. We are thinking of trying something else soon as I think its not really working out for her any longer. I used to could tell on the first day that she felt much better and had more energy, but never did she stay up for 24 hrs. She may have had a night of not being able to sleep well, but everything went back to normal by the second day. It seems now her body is absorbing it too quickly. Does she apply the patches herself? Is she taking the other one off? I guess being that you have been a CNA and an EMT you probably don't need me to ask that. I think Menohardy's daughter had great suggestions about the falling. I don't have any advice on that. I guess I just wanted to add what I knew about fentanyl and if anyone knows what is a good replace I would appreciate advice. Our last Dr's visit she suggested a change. I would like to make an educated decision based on facts from people who know. Blessings to you, Vivian

I am menohardys daughter and caregiver. Meno cannot get ordinary rem sleep and it seems humanely impossible but he can remain awake for days or nights on end. I have caught him standing up with his eyes closed many times and he sometimes falls. During the day I can monitor him as I have monitors in every room. At night I use infrared alarms that wake me if he gets up and moves about the house. The beam is invisible. Each alarm is less than 50 dollars and they come in two parts-one part sends the beam to the other part and this beam is powered by a single 9v battery. When Meno breaks the beam the alarm sounds. It wakes him up and me and I put him back in bed or set him in the recliner and set the alarm I have that puts a beam from the living room to kitchen so if he gets up from the recliner he breaks the beam and the alarm goes off. These alarms are good for burglar proofing the home as well. I am not a fan of the patch-Meno seems to absorbt the medicatrion faster and he gets high and doesn't want to sleep. I talked to his pain management and he is on a time released pill that after about a week he does not set stimulation and his pain level has decreased and blood pressure is back to normal. He has stopped asking for pain medication altogether. His doctor stopped the medication for 3 days and he at the 3rd day began crying and asking for medicine. It seems cruel but since Meno doesn't understand how to judge his pain from a 10 to a 1 we had to get his medication lined up by starting low and working up to a therapy level that keeps him calm and I realize that if I medicate him at the same time every day exactly 8 hours apart we have had no issues. It sounds to me that your patient is "nodding" from the high and falls asleep-I would seriously consult the pain management and tell them how she acts especially with a new patch. I have heard alot of over doses have happened with the patch because some people perspire, even body temp. can cause the patient to absorb the medication at a faster than wanted pace. Then if this is the case the patient uses up the medicine faster and suffers the last week or so because the medication has been absorbed.sooner than expected. God luck and bless you.