Hi I am new here. My dad is in a care home, and has been for two years. Recently the care home have been complaining about dad's aggressive outburst saying they were afraid he would harm himself or others - he has waking hallucinations now. So they have put him on haloperidol and memantine )?) anyway now he can't really walk and is really shakey. Is this because he is so drugged up? I can't help but feel this isn't right but it isn't me who is dealing with the outbursts is it? Anyone else have any experience of these drugs?
Strong anti psychotic meds - is this right?
- Thread starter Chloe36
- Start date
Hi
Just read through your forum. Have you spoken to your dad, I understand he has dementia but he may be enlighten you on the hallucinations he is having. Have you talked with the staff what they think triggers the hallucinations.I am sorry I can not offer any other advise but I do hope you get some answers.
Just read through your forum. Have you spoken to your dad, I understand he has dementia but he may be enlighten you on the hallucinations he is having. Have you talked with the staff what they think triggers the hallucinations.I am sorry I can not offer any other advise but I do hope you get some answers.
The shaking and mobility problems sound likely side-effects. According to the Alzheimer's Society, there is overprescribing of antipsychotics; it's impossible to say whether it's 'right' in your case, but the risks and benefits should have been discussed with you.
More information:
How is dementia treated?
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/dementia-guide/Pages/dementia-treatment.aspx
and similarly:
Frontotemporal dementia - Treatment
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/frontotemporal-dementia/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Dementia with Lewy bodies - Treatment
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Search information published by Alzheimer's Society:
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ Search site... 'antipsychotic'
Search previous forum discussions:
'Advanced Search' http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/search.php
Search For Keyword(s): 'antipsychotic' or 'haloperidol' etc.
The 'Search Titles Only' option is useful.
More information:
How is dementia treated?
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/dementia-guide/Pages/dementia-treatment.aspx
and similarly:
Frontotemporal dementia - Treatment
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/frontotemporal-dementia/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Dementia with Lewy bodies - Treatment
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/dementia-with-lewy-bodies/Pages/Treatment.aspx
Search information published by Alzheimer's Society:
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/ Search site... 'antipsychotic'
Search previous forum discussions:
'Advanced Search' http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/search.php
Search For Keyword(s): 'antipsychotic' or 'haloperidol' etc.
The 'Search Titles Only' option is useful.
Hi Chloe, welcome to TP
To be fair Chloe it's a doctor not the care home that have prescribed this medication so it's s/he you should be talking to about your concerns really if at all possible.
Visitors don't always see the full picture, I spend an half an hour chatting to a woman as she fed her mum, I was feeding my wife at the next table, her mum was (totally out of character) nice as anything. Within 10 minutes of the daughter leaving the usual swearing started, then 10 minutes later she walked down the corridor slapping everyone she walked past (my wife included) then started a fight with a frail old lady with a walking frame.
From what was said I suspect the family will be given 28 days notice to find her somewhere more appropriate to live and all of us that have seen the big picture will breathe a sign of relief as she goes.
The care home have a duty of care to all the resident's including your dad, so if they feel he is a danger then the first option should be get the family to find him somewhere else that can meet his needs not the "chemical cosh".
Other people's experience of a medication isn't really relevant, my wife took one of the ones you mention and it worked well for her, but that proves nothing. Our middle child nearly died first time he was given penicillin, as we found out (the hard way) he has an allergy, some people die from eating a peanut.
I'd try and work with the doctor and the home to find a solution like an alternative medication as the first option and I'd say "it isn't suitable for him because of..." rather than emotive words like "drugged up" that could sound like an allegation which would put them on the defensive, big time, (it's OK to speak your mind on here) but accusing a doctor and a care home of "drugging someone up" won't go down well.
Sorry to go on so much.
K
To be fair Chloe it's a doctor not the care home that have prescribed this medication so it's s/he you should be talking to about your concerns really if at all possible.
Visitors don't always see the full picture, I spend an half an hour chatting to a woman as she fed her mum, I was feeding my wife at the next table, her mum was (totally out of character) nice as anything. Within 10 minutes of the daughter leaving the usual swearing started, then 10 minutes later she walked down the corridor slapping everyone she walked past (my wife included) then started a fight with a frail old lady with a walking frame.
From what was said I suspect the family will be given 28 days notice to find her somewhere more appropriate to live and all of us that have seen the big picture will breathe a sign of relief as she goes.
The care home have a duty of care to all the resident's including your dad, so if they feel he is a danger then the first option should be get the family to find him somewhere else that can meet his needs not the "chemical cosh".
Other people's experience of a medication isn't really relevant, my wife took one of the ones you mention and it worked well for her, but that proves nothing. Our middle child nearly died first time he was given penicillin, as we found out (the hard way) he has an allergy, some people die from eating a peanut.
I'd try and work with the doctor and the home to find a solution like an alternative medication as the first option and I'd say "it isn't suitable for him because of..." rather than emotive words like "drugged up" that could sound like an allegation which would put them on the defensive, big time, (it's OK to speak your mind on here) but accusing a doctor and a care home of "drugging someone up" won't go down well.
Sorry to go on so much.
K
It does take a while for a person to get used to any new drugs so I wouldn't feel to concerned at first - but obviously seeing your dad this way is hard, I do understand that. My MIL was hitting her carers (she was never violent at all prior to this disease) and other things so she was given some similar drugs.
She literally became a static, dribbly shadow of herself, was so hard for us to see. Turns out the dose she was on was to strong so they kept experimenting until they got it to a dose that worked for her.
She literally became a static, dribbly shadow of herself, was so hard for us to see. Turns out the dose she was on was to strong so they kept experimenting until they got it to a dose that worked for her.
The memantine is an Alzheimer's drug which can help with challenging behaviours. My mother was on it for quite a few years. Be aware it may take several weeks for it to reach full effect.
The haloperidol is a first generation anti-psychotic. Personally, I feel there are much better, newer anti-psychotics which can be used. I would definitely have a talk with the doctor. There is a place for anti-psychotics but they do need to be carefully monitored by the family. My mother was also on anti-psychotics for many years, as she had violent and aggressive behaviour. She was agitated a great deal of the time, and anything that helped calm her was a good thing in my opinion. It might take a while to find the right dosage before your father is calmer but not over drugged.
The haloperidol is a first generation anti-psychotic. Personally, I feel there are much better, newer anti-psychotics which can be used. I would definitely have a talk with the doctor. There is a place for anti-psychotics but they do need to be carefully monitored by the family. My mother was also on anti-psychotics for many years, as she had violent and aggressive behaviour. She was agitated a great deal of the time, and anything that helped calm her was a good thing in my opinion. It might take a while to find the right dosage before your father is calmer but not over drugged.
My Dad was sectioned in November they thought he had alzheimers and vascular dementia. Then the hallucinations started and became very very aggressive. So they tried haloperidol to calm him which made him worse. Then they tried rivastigmine patch (took him off the memantine he was on) for the hallucinations which made him worse and then risperidone, same effect. The Consultant diagnosed lewy body dementia and told me that he shouldn't be on memantine, I have however heard from others and read that memantine isn't a problem for lewy body and can in fact help, but that was my experience and what WE were told. Being sectioned wasn't nice obviously but it did allow for a proper diagnosis and allow them to figure out what drug was right for dad and to assess the outcome of each. When you first hear anti psychotic it does frighten you, it's all new at that stage. It's hard to witness. I used to argue with consultant like a mad woman as the effects that the medication when they tried to get it right would either make Dad hallucinate more or sleep, or walk fast and not sit. The Consultant would say it's the progression of the dementia but I knew most of the time it was the drugs. She used to say it's the lesser of 2 evils, either be so aggressive he is in seclusion and can't be cared for, or calm and manageable. But that really meant be on a drug that made him lose the use of his legs, quickly and sit still be less of a problem. He also suffered falls which I think frightened him and the fear of walking began. Hard illness to get your head around. Stay strong for your family x
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