Shocking night with dad

[flossielime]

Well just as I have been writing on here and saying to my husband that we may have jumped the gun with all the talk of care homes, Dad was shocking last night.

Lovely when I got to his, he was watching Question Time and seemed to be following it - other that thinking he had been to school with Dimbleby!

So went to bed at 11 - but 12.30 he was back up getting dressed for work convinced people were telling him to get up. When I told him to go back to bed it was midnight he started flouncing around like a toddler and flops on the bed. He was up a further 6 times between 12.30 and 4.10am. When he got up at 4.10am I just let him go downstairs. He came up at 5am demanding his keys I said I didn't know where they were and he went away. Then was back upstairs about 6.30am asking for the keys again I asked him Where he wanted to go before 7 in the morning. He then started shouting 'who do you think you are, I am like a prisoner here' and stormed off. As I left the house at 7 am he was sulking on the settee. Refused coffee and breakfast and then started pretending to be asleep.

I used to think when he said people were telling him to get up or his mother was telling to gey up, or he could hear a knock on the door that he was dreaming these things. However, after last night I am now wondering if he is hallucinating. I feel like I have been mithering the CPN to death recently begging for help with his sleeping (which nothing worked for) I can almost hear the sigh already if I call and say he is now hallucinating. Is there medication that can help with this if it is the case. It only seems to be an issue at night.

 

[Ann Mac]

Let the CPN - and anyone else who wants to - sigh as much as they like. Its no joke trying to cope with a disturbed night! Had bouts of this with Mil - she went through a long time of getting up at 2 and 3 a.m,, after 'nightmares' - which the CPN thought were more likely to be delusions. She was prescribed mitrazapine, which certianly helped, though we also find that we have to persuade her to stay up till 10pm., at least, or she will be almost certain to wake distressed in the early hours and its almost impossible to settle her.

Go back to CPN or GP and ask - insist - on some help. You can't go out to work after nights like that, hun x

 

[flossielime]

Thanks much for your reply Ann. I am next on the 'night shift' at my dads on Saturday if he is the same I will call the CPN on monday.

As mentioned before from this week I have a carer doing 5 nights a week - which costing a fortune but I tried to do all nights myself and then just 4 nights myself but I was heading for a breakdown myself. I feel so much better having mostly slept in my own bed all week - as good as a week in a health spa after the previous 3 months of sleep deprivation most of the week.

That said though after last night I am not even sure I can cope with the 2 nights a week I am now scheduled to do. It is not just the lack of sleep it is the emotional turmoil when it is a parent. I think if I was doing it as a job it would not be as upsetting.

He tried mirtazapene but it had no impact at all on him.

 

[wilf]

Well just as I have been writing on here and saying to my husband that we may have jumped the gun with all the talk of care homes, Dad was shocking last night.

Lovely when I got to his, he was watching Question Time and seemed to be following it - other that thinking he had been to school with Dimbleby!

So went to bed at 11 - but 12.30 he was back up getting dressed for work convinced people were telling him to get up. When I told him to go back to bed it was midnight he started flouncing around like a toddler and flops on the bed. He was up a further 6 times between 12.30 and 4.10am. When he got up at 4.10am I just let him go downstairs. He came up at 5am demanding his keys I said I didn't know where they were and he went away. Then was back upstairs about 6.30am asking for the keys again I asked him Where he wanted to go before 7 in the morning. He then started shouting 'who do you think you are, I am like a prisoner here' and stormed off. As I left the house at 7 am he was sulking on the settee. Refused coffee and breakfast and then started pretending to be asleep.

I used to think when he said people were telling him to get up or his mother was telling to gey up, or he could hear a knock on the door that he was dreaming these things. However, after last night I am now wondering if he is hallucinating. I feel like I have been mithering the CPN to death recently begging for help with his sleeping (which nothing worked for) I can almost hear the sigh already if I call and say he is now hallucinating. Is there medication that can help with this if it is the case. It only seems to be an issue at night.

You should never hesitate to contact the C.P.N. or your Dads G.P. I have had similiar behaviour with my Mum but at 91 years old she isnt physically able to get up and down the stairs. Mum has an alarmed pressure mat next to her bed and it goes off every couple of hours through the night. I am not a medic but a help for me was 50mg Sertraline (antidepressant) every morning and 1/2mg Lorazepam (sedative) at bed time. Have noticed a marked improvement but I stress you should contact the C.P.N. as what works for one person with dementia may not work with another. Good Luck.

 

[marionq]

This was exactly the pattern of my husband's night up to two months ago when I took him to the GP. She didn't hesitate and prescribed Zopiclone. It has been a godsend. They are also talking about Trazadone but at present the Zopiclone is just fine.

Get help Flossie - lack of sleep is devastating.

 

[flossielime]

Thanks Maronq - good to hear others have been through similar (not that I would wish it on anyone). And glad to read that zophiclone was helpful with your husband unfortunately it did not work with my dad, he just became very confused and a bit aggressive at night. That said he was fairly aggressive and very very confused last night without the zophiclone.

I just keep thinking there must be something to help medically - but CPN is certain the consultant thinks zophiclone and mertazapine are all that can be tried (both have failed).

 

[jawuk]

I suspect that your Dad is having aural hallucinations. My husband suffered from these, and also visual hallucinations but when he was prescribed Rivastigmine all of his hallucinations stopped.