My husband has had increasing dementia for 2 years. He has frequently complained of extreme fatigue. Advice?

My mom has Vascular dementia and also has extreme fatigue. Hers is due to heart disease (Aortic Valve Stenosis.) There are four issues that come to mind which could cause tiredness (1) depression, (2) UTI, (3) thyroid problems, and/or (4) medication side effects. And, of course, it could be any number of health issues that haven't yet been diagnosed. Between your husbands primary Dr and his Neurologist, they will hopefully figure out what's wrong.

It is typical but requires further review by an interdisciplinary medical team made up of many doctor specialists. This is a program that Medicare needs to approve .I go back again to the subject of polypharmacy and a team would all be aware of each others prescriptions and phase out counter medications that might be the problem.

In all of our discussions here in the USA on all medical ills facing our communities we have a missing link. This blog should be tied to Medicare so participant's can reach the powers in that organization learn and understand the many problems that we all face when it comes to their inflexible regulations relating to preventive medicine. They accept the doctors initial diagnosis and limit what that practitioner and nursing home can provide and receive reimbursement. Entitlement seems to be a bad word but it implies that we as citizens deserve to be spared the path to death if other disciplines can correct illness that compound those incurables we are discussing. Until the researchers are successful with the dementias and reversal of brain deterioration they must appreciate the challenge. The medical profession is sitting on their hands in this fight.

My mom sleeps more now. She doesn't say she is tired so much until bedtime. However, I feel the main reason she sleeps more is that her mind has her constantly doing things. She "works" all the time and thinks she goes places. She talks to people and shows them what she is making, and orders the workers around some. So by the end of the day she probably is tired mentally doing all this. At night she sometimes does the same thing in her sleep. Might be just a while or all night. After a couple of days of this she is asleep in her chair most of the day and sleeps through the night without incident. She is wheelchair bound and too afraid of standing/walking even with help. But like I said, in her chair during the day, and in her sleep she is on her feet and working constantly.

DonRita, it sounds like you have developed a routine fit for your spouse and it works for you. Great job! When he sleeps, you have time to do what you want to do, sew, crossword puzzles, run errands. At least you have time away from the caring duties that is so time consuming. I think everyone with a person to care for should read your comments and develop their routine like you did. Think back to when your kids were barely 1 or 2. The sooner you got them on a scheduled routine, the better and easier it was for you to plan your day; showers, meals, etc. I used the sleep times to do housework. I tried napping once when they slept and they (4) woke up early (they were 2,3,5,5) and they decided to set fire to one of the bedrooms. I awoke to smoke and quickly put it out. I stayed away after that. My point is things happen quickly when you nap so stay awake and do the things you need to do, like laundry, ironing, etc. Something has to give. Some women think they are wonder woman but in reality, they just work quicker than others. If anyone is frustrated and never get things done, it just might be that no routine or schedule is in place. If at all possible, get them on your schedule and not the other way around. Kudos to you for making his day worth while, DonRita.

I meant I stayed awake not away. typing too fast.

On the flip side my dad doesn't sleep enough. No naps, goes to bed at 9:00 pm and gets up to pace at 10:00 pm, back to bed at 11:00 pm and up for the day at 6:00 am. I'm thankful and yet I wish he would at least take a nap and yes that nap would benefit me too. :-)

Terry, your typo gave me the giggles. "I stayed 'away' after that" hahaaa! I knew immediately it was a typo but appreciate the moment of laughter.

IamAmy, glad I could help! Sometimes I hit "post" and then read what I've typed and some of my comments read like I've had a glass or two of wine while typing. Also, that could have been a Freudian slip too. Having my first 4 children in 32 months (no BC back then) made me think about "staying away" more than once! lol But we all survived and I even had #5 10 years later. I could write a book on what kids do and say. One lesson I learned was never say "my kids would never do something like that". Because they either did or were thinking about it.

Beautiful exchange with implied humor. Shows with all the strife of kids, caregiving and everything else we are all human and enjoy hidden meanings with a laugh.

I hear ya, my youngest son burned down our house when he was barely two yrs old. This was before they had the sense to put a safety feature on those long BBQ lighters. I guess they thought I'd have the sense to keep it out of reach, yeah right, they didn't know me and they didn't know him. My oldest son got a hold of my car keys, put the car in neutral and rolled down the hill into the lake when he was 3 yrs. My daughter got out of her car seat at 18 mo. and shifted my idling car into drive while I was inside the ATM and mowed down a sign before coming to a stop with the help of a nearby parked car. Lord'amercy I wanted to run away more than once or at least be sent to my room for a week.

You said it Normandy!

Wow I wish my mother who has dementia/alzheimer age 85 would sleep, she was diagnosed in March 2015, she is up all the time and never sleeps, even the night time pills she takes I have to crush them in order for her to even get them into her stomach, she is very argumenitive. She is in denial about the diagnose and thinks everyone else is crazy. She may take a nap for 5 min off and on but never laying down, all night. I try to go to bed about midnight and if I have to go to the rest room during the night 2 she is up 4 she is up and she starts calling people about 7AM if they will answer. My prayers go out to you good luck with your Dad, we will make it.

It could be caused by many things. Have you noticed if he has shallow breathing when sleeping or does he snore? Sometimes people with sleep apnea will always be tired and sleepy, because they don't get full rest to due lack of oxygen. Cpap is the treatment, and I don't know how that would work with a dementia patient. I would imagine it would be difficult to explain what it is and why they need it. Still, it could answer why he's so exhausted, if that is the problem.

Husband has vascular dementia, is 78, sleeps a lot at night, not during day. He's on Namenda, Citalopram, Aricept, Metformin, and a few other prescribed meds, as well as vitamins & baby aspirin daily. Dr. tells me my loving husband's has to work harder due to the dementia, and I am seeing cognitive failure every day. Husband had MOH's surgery last week; 3 incisions in one day, 1 in forehead & 1 behind each ear. I know that took a lot out of him & he doesn't want me to treat the wounds, but I can do it once a day & I am grateful and an happy I can do that for him. My husband is and will always be my one true love......he is worth every moment I can have with him. I do tend to lose my patience, but then I say a prayer to give me the strength to take care of him. We live in an independent apartment; I am 69 & we have been married 47-1/2 yrs........each day is a blessing.......my husband is still in there......I know it...........We Caregivers need prayers & patience.....these are our loved ones.....MsHowdy2 is my nickname, if you care to read my comments.....

My dad has always done that for the past 4 years. He's been in the VA home 2 years. He sometimes sundowns so badly that he's up most of the night but the VA stuff get him back on schedule quickly. My mother was still alive two of those years fighting her own battle with Alzheimer's, which affected my Dad. I think it's common for dementia patients to be lethargic at times and manic at others.