Each person is different. We found that some anxiety medication actually made my mom meaner. After trying different ones, we finally found one that worked for HER. It takes time and there’s no one-that-fit-all. See what works for her.
Please don’t say that. I need all the help I can get. Five doctors some from hospital stays all say something different. I need choices then I can go back to the doctor and ask if this medication is suitable. some caregivers or nurses have better knowledge than doctors on dementia.
My large, strong, athletic husband was suffering with anxiety and paranoia and although he has always been a very gentle giant he would become aggressive and frighten the caregivers in his memory care.
I am so grateful that I read an article about CBD gummies giving relief to dementia patients suffering anxiety attacks. Having a gummy every 4 hours has made all the difference! We purchase those with only CBD and no THC.
It was difficult for his primary care Dr. to figure out how to write instructions for the facility but he persevered and for us the results have been amazing - as long as his doses are administered on time! I purchase them and keep a supply on hand for the caregivers.
When we take him out for day trips we see first hand that if we are a bit late on a dose he starts fretting. About 15 to 20 min. after we give him the late gummy his suffering begins to subside and once it takes full effect, in about 30 min., he can again enjoy life as his own sweet cheery self.
So far the gummies have worked to stave off use of anti-psychotics which we observe diminishing the quality of life for many other residents. These chemical restraints make caregiving easier but at a high cost to responsiveness and quality of life.
It is very unfortunate that the research needed to fully understand and provide dosage recommendations for this useful treatment can't be done due to current law. Many suffering with diseases such as epilepsy and others will be helped once law makers are able to address this harmful foolishness.
There is some research but it isn't clear due to comorbidities. Gummies have few side effects, can reduce pain, calm the person and stimulate their appetite. If you are in a state that allows it, get a medical consult just to be certain there is no risk of problems with other medications. The anecdotal evidence is quite compelling!
Everyone is correct that we can't give our medical "advice". What I can share is my experience with my mom. Because the brain is deteriorating, the anxiety levels are very high. It is a medical fact that the amygdala is dying out and the person's "fight or flight" response is elevated which causes extremely high levels of anxiety. There is a tendency to want to sedate residents in facilities so that they "behave". This is not appropriate and you should always ask the question whether they are being sedated to make things easier on the staff or on the resident.
I was fortunate that my moms psychiatrist put her foot down when the facility recommended anti-psychotics. She said it was absolutely not appropriate for her behaviors and that the diagnosis is extreme anxiety. She informed them that her medical evaluation indicated that an antipsychotic would only keep her sleeping all day and lead to falls and declining health. In other words, it would help the staff but not my mom.
What she did recommend and put my mom on was an SSRI, anti-anxiety meds, and a very low dose of Remeron at night to help with eating issues. These have worked great for my mom.
There is no one size fits all for medications and everyone on the forum is right that you need an experienced geriatric psychiatrist to help treat the anxiety caused by alzheimer's/dementia.
I do know from much research and issues I had with my mom in a facility that using antipsychotic drugs should be heavily researched and talked through with your doctor.
"While ongoing efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have helped reduce the risky off-label use of antipsychotic drugs among dementia patients living in nursing homes, the use of these drugs has increased slightly among dementia patients living in the community, according to a new AARP Public Policy Institute report."
My mom has vascular dementia and she can get quite paranoid and aggressive at times. It's gets much worse with sleep. They have her on Citalopram and Seroquel. Without these things do downhill quickly.
As others have mentioned you should talk to your doctor(s) for their thoughts and dosages.
My mom was extremely combative. She had to be tricked when taking her to the first Memory Care facility. Once there all she wanted to do was fight to get out. She would ram her walker into the door constantly. Fights with the caregiver and even pulled her hair. Verbally abusive with me and them. I was the “devil’s spawn”. It wasn’t a choice to put her there. The EMT’s, ER doctors and her Geriatric neurologist. Mom has Vascular Dementia and couldn’t be left alone. She had a Caregiver during the day everyday but the nighttime’s were difficult. At her second facility, the behavior continued. She wrote on the windows with her lipstick that she was kidnapped! Still abused her caregivers. I was so afraid they would as me to find another facility. Her doctors said to give her Seroquel and it really helped. She still wants to go home but not vicious about it. She is calmer, Hawaiian dancing with are hands, watches TV with the residents. I forgot to mention she is 93 and we moved her there at 89. All I can say is talk with her Dr. about Seroquel. It saved our family.
First there needs to be a diagnosis of Dementia and what kind it is. There is Vascular, Lewy body, Frontal lobe (aggressive) and others. They all respond differently to medications. Its actually a hit a miss thing. Takes about a month to see if the person is responding. My GFs father had to be placed in a Psychiatric facility after getting violent. They hadcto find the right "cocktail".
some caregivers or nurses have better knowledge than doctors on dementia.
I am so grateful that I read an article about CBD gummies giving relief to dementia patients suffering anxiety attacks. Having a gummy every 4 hours has made all the difference! We purchase those with only CBD and no THC.
It was difficult for his primary care Dr. to figure out how to write instructions for the facility but he persevered and for us the results have been amazing - as long as his doses are administered on time! I purchase them and keep a supply on hand for the caregivers.
When we take him out for day trips we see first hand that if we are a bit late on a dose he starts fretting. About 15 to 20 min. after we give him the late gummy his suffering begins to subside and once it takes full effect, in about 30 min., he can again enjoy life as his own sweet cheery self.
So far the gummies have worked to stave off use of anti-psychotics which we observe diminishing the quality of life for many other residents. These chemical restraints make caregiving easier but at a high cost to responsiveness and quality of life.
It is very unfortunate that the research needed to fully understand and provide dosage recommendations for this useful treatment can't be done due to current law. Many suffering with diseases such as epilepsy and others will be helped once law makers are able to address this harmful foolishness.
I was fortunate that my moms psychiatrist put her foot down when the facility recommended anti-psychotics. She said it was absolutely not appropriate for her behaviors and that the diagnosis is extreme anxiety. She informed them that her medical evaluation indicated that an antipsychotic would only keep her sleeping all day and lead to falls and declining health. In other words, it would help the staff but not my mom.
What she did recommend and put my mom on was an SSRI, anti-anxiety meds, and a very low dose of Remeron at night to help with eating issues. These have worked great for my mom.
There is no one size fits all for medications and everyone on the forum is right that you need an experienced geriatric psychiatrist to help treat the anxiety caused by alzheimer's/dementia.
I do know from much research and issues I had with my mom in a facility that using antipsychotic drugs should be heavily researched and talked through with your doctor.
"While ongoing efforts by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have helped reduce the risky off-label use of antipsychotic drugs among dementia patients living in nursing homes, the use of these drugs has increased slightly among dementia patients living in the community, according to a new AARP Public Policy Institute report."
As others have mentioned you should talk to your doctor(s) for their thoughts and dosages.
It wasn’t a choice to put her there. The EMT’s, ER doctors and her Geriatric neurologist. Mom has Vascular Dementia and couldn’t be left alone. She had a Caregiver during the day everyday but the nighttime’s were difficult.
At her second facility, the behavior continued. She wrote on the windows with her lipstick that she was kidnapped! Still abused her caregivers. I was so afraid they would as me to find another facility.
Her doctors said to give her Seroquel and it really helped. She still wants to go home but not vicious about it. She is calmer, Hawaiian dancing with are hands, watches TV with the residents. I forgot to mention she is 93 and we moved her there at 89.
All I can say is talk with her Dr. about Seroquel. It saved our family.
You need a neurologist to know whats best.
Speak with a doctor who knows the person’s medical history.
Having your loved one seen by a geriatric psychiatrist with experience with dementia patients is invaluable.