I have been caring for my mum for almost 7 years now with Alzheimer's. Things have taking a downward turn since Xmas. Mum has no appetite, her mood is very low, behaviour to the carers appalling, she refuses medication and has no interest in anything (although she only ever knitted squares or reads the same page from a book over and over again any way). She has been staying in bed until lunch time saying she has nothing to get up for (she's always been an early riser and up at 8.30 a.m). She is saying she wishes she were dead and if it wasn't for her cat she would take her own life! She was on Citalopram up until the end of November but diarrhoea became a very big problem so that tablet and several others were stopped. Loperamide has been added in three times a day (when we can get her to take it) which seems to help the diarrhoea and also Sertraline which was started 3 days ago - the day after the first dose of Sertraline she had D & V again so I am hoping this was just a co-incidence and not a quick acting side effect from it. I am putting all my hopes on it working to lift this big black cloud over her; its my lifeline at the moment. Along with all this she is ringing me most evenings usually between 1 a.m. and 5.00 a.m. It has been happening so regularly that I have had to block her number from my phone between 12 and 6 a.m. as I am getting no rest by day or night. AM I WRONG IN DOING THIS, I WILL FEEL SO GUILTY if anything happens during the night? I have personalised my answer phone so it tells her to go back to bed and I will ring her in the morning, so she can still leave a message but this hasn't stopped the phone calls. At least by doing this though; I am not aware that the phone is ringing and when I wake during the night (which I always do) I can check for any messages. Sometimes the messages are very irate, sometimes she just puts down the phone. 13 calls one night last week. It's starting to take its toll on me and I am at breaking point with everything. Dementia, diarrhoea, vomiting and depression is certainly not a good mix. I am an only child so have no one to share the care and she has no other family. Has anyone experienced any of this and is there any light at the end of the tunnel? She just wants me there 24/7 and I feel utterly drained and at the end of my tether. God, this seems to have helped just sharing all this with someone. . I know many are thinking time for a care home which is probably right but she would hate it - and when I do sometimes mention this to her she goes wild. I am 100% certain she would hate it. Thanks for reading this. xx