My mom is too drowsy on medication. Is there any solution other than stopping the medication?

Before you discontinue a med check with her doctor. Tell doc that she is too sleepy and let doc determine the appropriate adjustment.

This is one of the most delicate treatment changes for any aging person, as well as any person for that matter... Each individual absorbs multiple medications at different rates, & this becomes much more difficult with age... the doctor has to find the right combination for your Mom. She may or may not be metabolizing the combinations at the right rate... This is a very-very "tight rope" course of treatment, & as with ANY medication, not everyone responds the same way to the same combinations and/or doses. Sharing your concerns and the details of how/when/ and if the medication is given with the doctor helps. There is always the choice of a second opinion, but whether going through that process all over again is a bigger question ... This one of those moments of testing your patience to the ultimate limits... Many prayers to you.

Polypharmacy is a big problem in the elderly. I agree with not stopping suddenly any medication. Some medications need to be tapered off gradually especially SSRI's and Benzodiazepines.
On a side note to another poster here...my dad takes Buspar and it is NOT worthless for him. It reduces his anxiety without the side effects of a benzodiazepine on the brain

Just a suggestion, but when my mom contracted a raging UTI, she became very lethargic, combative and delusional. Has your mom been tested?

Talk with her doctor first explaining how your mom is.
Ask if any of those pills should have been tapered to reduce side effects.
Talk to a pharmacist about the issues
Ask to have a review of your mom's medications with a pharmacist.
Amazing how some doctors don't taper because they haven't been on that pill "that long" well, that sure has backfired on someone I know.
You can look up the meds online and read the interactions, whether it can be crushed or not and whether it needs to be tapered and educate yourself a bit on this too.
Good Luck! Oh.....Ask the Pharmacist....to review the meds.....doctors too busy....

You really need to talk to her dr. The elderly react very differently to med changes...and stopping a benzo cold turkey is miserable for anyone.

Please contact her dr ASAP, in the meantime, talk to her pharmacist. They are very well versed in the drug interractions...seriously, IMHO, more so than the drs.

What I do before ever taking a new medication is to first find out if it causes drowsiness. If so, I only take it at bedtime. Meanwhile, remember to tell your doctor about the medication side effects on your next visit

Pharmacists have to go to school for 6 years to become certified to dispense medication. Most medical students do not have to take any pharmaceuticals classes. If they serve an internship under a doctor who knows a lot about medication issues, they have a leg up. But pharmacists are really the experts about drugs and drug interactions.

As a general rule of thumb, the American Geriatric Society advises that no person over the age of 65 be prescribed more than three central nervous system drugs at the same time. It should be noted that the FDA has issued warnings about the use of anti-psychotic meds in the geriatric population. Haldol is the anti-psychotic most closely linked to stroke and death in patients with dementia; Seroquel comes in at Number 2. If you can find one, your best bet might be to find a geriatric psychiatrist. They are, unfortunately, a rare breed.

All meds in benzo category must be weaned off. (Main reason is severe depression and suicide ideation occurs.) Usually takes four to five weeks to wean off any benzo. Many meds are on list that are not for elderly and to fill them you have to have doc tell pharmacy. ...even then many insurances will not pay. Any med changes will cause reactions. Talk to pharmacy if you cant talk to doc. And do research at reliable sites. Usually a doc will give you pcs for weaning off. Like half one dose in morning for week. Then half at night for week. And so on. They do half of half...so it really takes four to five weeks to completely get off them. Many drugs cause dementia to worsen and cause short term memory loss. With any drugs you would have to measure side effects vs. results. I worked in a medical institute but I am not doctor or nurse. So, please check with them. Your pcp for mom will prolly say to go back to drugs used before hospital stay if new drugs not working. Best wishes and hugs x

I've seen many folks come in walking to mom's memory care and after awhile a lot are put into wheelchairs
Since I know about 90% are on antipsychotic drugs
I don't believe it is just the progression of the disease