Bizzare Behaviour

[keywest67]

Hi

Dads currently in hospital on a section 2 and being assesed, yesterday for the first time in weeks i took him out of the ward he is on to the main part of the hospital for a coffeee and Bagguette, he seemed to be very unaware of his surroundings, where he was or what he was doing, when he was eating he was literally falling asleep at the same time as eating.

We walked back to his ward and i thought he might have a nap but no, wandering round, picking up bits of paper off the floor, generally acting very strange, he then got upset and said he felt sad.

I called just now to see how he was because he had been so strange and they said he was up all night acting totally crazy, trying to take curtains down, trying to walk through objects, staff etc??? just ranting like a crazy person, he is now shattered and falling asleep in his chair, he apparently was falling asleep in his breakfast.

They gave him lorazapam last night at 7.30 with no effect! he is also taking risperodol 0.5mg which he started this week. They have said he has no infections although they will check everything again today just to be sure.

Im really worried for him and a bit at my wits end ...................i guess i just want my Dad back.

[Grannie G]

It is tough for you but the hospital will probably try different meds until they hit on the right one for your dad.
A very emotional time for you.

[Butter]

I'm afraid this is completely normal behaviour when people are ill. Eventually your dad's medication will be sorted to suit him but it takes ages as we are all different. In my mum's case, last time (there have been three times), it took months. But she is always leaving hospital better than when she went in.

[keywest67]

I'm afraid this is completely normal behaviour when people are ill. Eventually your dad's medication will be sorted to suit him but it takes ages as we are all different. In my mum's case, last time (there have been three times), it took months. But she is always leaving hospital better than when she went in.

Hi Butter

Thankyou, its really very reassuring to know that others have been through the same thing and come out the other side, when i witness how my Dad is and the very weird things he is doing I just wonder if it is the disease or something else, despite how many books you read or people you speak to it can never really prepare you for seeing your loved one in such a horrible situation, i do think its worse for us watching than the patient themselves.

Thankyou again

[Ariadne]

They gave him lorazapam last night at 7.30 with no effect! he is also taking risperodol 0.5mg which he started this week. They have said he has no infections although they will check everything again today just to be sure.


Hi,
I don't want to frighten you more than you already are.
But I just have informed myself about Risperodol (Risperdal) in the internet.
I am interested in medicin given to people with dementia because I am working in a care home.

I don't know how old your dad is, but it is warned not to give that medication to older people and people with dementia.

Just a thought.

Wish you all the best

Ariadne

[keywest67]

Yesterday my sister and Mum visited Dad and he was sitting in the chair virtually asleep for the whole time he was there, he just looked vacant, not engaged in conversation, tried to climb on a table.....................it was horrendus, Mum came back home and just cried for the longest time and said he was gone and that he would never be coming out the assesment centre, i think she thought he was literally going to die.
I was told about all this and i had a terrible night last night, no sleep, stomach churning with anxiety, felt sick and when i got up i just cried my heart out.

Anyway with massive apprehension i called the hospital and they said he had another night without sleep (thats 2 nights solid when he has been awake and restless all night) Dad started a low dose of respiridone only tuesday this week and because i could see this decline i asked them not to give him the respiridone as i felt it was causing this and i was very concerned, anyway the nurse agreed and said she would not give it to him but would need to get it authorised by the oncall doctor.

When i went to visit at 2.00 today I get there and Dad is clean, with his own clothes on, looking fairly alert, he recognised me and gave me a big hug, i just thanked god for answering my prayers and i immediatley thought its because he hadnt been given the respiridone

Anyway the nurse came to see me and told me Dad had been given the 0.5mg respiridone because the oncall doctor had said it was not a good idea to stop yet and we needed to give it a fair chance to help sort out Dads agressive outbursts (there have been 3 )
So now i am baffled, Dad was much more with us today, fairly relaxed and i cant even say he looked that tierd considering no good nights sleep for the past 2 nights, i am so confused by this disease, over the past few days it looked like a light in dads eyes had gone out and today it was turned back on.
Is it the medication?
Is it just the way it goes, some days terrible and others not so bad?
How long can he go on without a proper nights sleep?


He has been in the assesment centre 3 weeks and we have been told its early days, what does this mean, how long does it take to sort out meds and get dad home, i worry he will decline in the hospital and become incontinent (i have had 2 occassions where they have put pull ups on him and yet he does use the loo himself, i want him to retain this as its a big part of wether we can cope at home)

Sorry for the rembling rant, needed to get it off my chest

[Butter]

It does sound as if he is making progress. Yes it is early days. My mum took 8 months before she was stablised. So this is VERY early days.

[keywest67]

It does sound as if he is making progress. Yes it is early days. My mum took 8 months before she was stablised. So this is VERY early days.

Thankyou Butter

8 months is such a long time, in respect to stablising your Mum was this by tweaking medication? I just wonder why such a long time.
I keep telling my Mum it can take ages but she thinks 3 weeks is a lifetime, i guess she has never been at home without Dad before and it must seem very quiet, despite the fact she has me and my 2 sisters and 4 grandchildren all who see her during the course of the week as we all live close by which is a godsend really.

[Butter]

Yes. The cocktail of medication she was on took ages to sort out - and also they got her to one stage on it - at which point she was well enough for them to start to try and get her on the next stage. So she had to be weaned off her starter medication. At the same time her dementia was developing and changing so the medication had to be adjusted again.