Medication that calms...any advice?

[Pudster]

Two weeks ago the manager at OHs day club called me to the office and explained that he was showing signs of aggression towards both her and another club member, by shacking the back of her chair...they were not able to say what had happened just prior to this so I don’t know if or what the trigger may have been, however I had also noticed that his mood and temper had declined since Easter.

At the beginning of December he was prescribed 20mg x daily of memantine which made a huge improvement but only for 3months. I contacted the crisis help line at the hospital as the neurology department declined our GP request to see him again (he was last seen in Jan 14) a mental health nurse did a home visit and the following day arranged for a doctor to do a home visit this Friday. The nurse mentioned a medication review, which I think would be helpful as he is taking more and more but some don’t appear to have made an impact.

Just wondering what other people’s experiences have been with medications, mood, temper and what may work! He is also on donepezil 10mg x daily and citalopram plus others for different things.

 

[margherita]

My husband has been on memantine for two years. It seems to have decreased his aggressiveness and (for the first year only) slowed down the deterioration of memory and reasoning.
Every night, when he goes to bed, he has some drops of lormetazepam which helps him with sleep

 

[Hickory dickory dock]

I have limited experience but am a ( young) retired GP and my mother's just started to need care ( at home w me at the mo') and I have been reading various experiences of dementia eg Sally Magnusson's book about caring for her mother. I don't really feel medication is the best route, but obviously at times " needs must". Sally mentioned how music calmed her mother even in the very last stages of her illness. Has to be music the person can relate to in previous times. Being patient... taking your time... is he trying to say something- is he in pain? bladder troubles? is someone bothering him? Hope it helps

 

[captainscarlet]

Whatever medication you end up taking be prepared for side effects and them having sideffects worse than the original problems. We have stopped 2 medications meant as relaxing etc.Each individual may have specific problems.

 

[Pudster]

Capt scarlett you have said what I feared, and my reason for writing. However, OH has mostly been hostile towards me since 2009, when I first started to notice differences in him. I returned to work for respite and my income pays for his support. The day club doesn’t meet his needs in the way that his 1:1 support does but is more reliable in that it is a constant option and doesn’t take holidays or sickness! I have asked that MMSE is redone so that I can have some understanding of where he is. Thanks for messages

 

[PalSal]

I have limited experience but am a ( young) retired GP and my mother's just started to need care ( at home w me at the mo') and I have been reading various experiences of dementia eg Sally Magnusson's book about caring for her mother. I don't really feel medication is the best route, but obviously at times " needs must". Sally mentioned how music calmed her mother even in the very last stages of her illness. Has to be music the person can relate to in previous times. Being patient... taking your time... is he trying to say something- is he in pain? bladder troubles? is someone bothering him? Hope it helps

dear Hickory dickory dock. There is a lot of wonderful information on music and its effects on dementia. The late, Dr. Oliver Sacks and his colleague at Columbia University Dr. Connie Tomaino have been working with music and its effects on the damaged brain for decades.
Did your mother take an interest in music? You can made a playlist of her favorite music and it may sooth and comfort her.
Alive Inside is a group which has a lot of information on music and its effects.

Dr. Tomaino on music (She is talking about Glenn Campbell)

Hope this is something which will help your mother.

 

[PalSal]

And my hero Dr. Sacks