Lack Of Sleep

[lemoncakes]

Hi all,

My partner (Karen) is 57 and has later stage AD. She cannot communicate much verbally, so it's hard to understand how she is feeling.

Karen started to assume the fetal position whilst in bed of a night- i.e. on back with legs bent at the knees and feet in the air. However, this has now progressed and Karen is now sitting up in the middle of the bed and slowly sort of moving round in circles with her feet. Any attempt to try and lay her flat fails because Karen is quite resistant to any movement that she isn't doing herself. Karen is now trying to sleep more in the day than she is in the evening, but I feel like if I let her do this it will just worsen the problems I'm having at night.

We have been given sleeping medication Zopiclone (although not much) but I read on the AD website that this doesn't help much anyway?

I was just wondering if anyone else has this sort of trouble?

Thanks in advance,

Sue

 

[Izzy]

Hi @lemoncakes and welcome to the forum.

I'm so sorry to read about your situation. Your partner is so young too. It must be very hard for you.

I'm afraid I have no experience of the drug but I know others on the site do. I'm sure they will be along to give their thoughts.

I wondered if you have an Admiral Nurse in your area. If you do it might be helpful to give them a call and see what support they could give you. This is their website -

https://www.dementiauk.org/get-support/admiral-nursing/

I know that you can call them or drop them an email.

 

[lemoncakes]

Thanks Izzy, I'll check that out!

 

[nellbelles]

Hi @lemoncakes welcome to TP
It sounds a very difficult situation, I would also suggest asking the GP or CPN for a change of medication
I hope things settle soon

 

[keegan2]

Hi just logged in and saw your post....I am having the identical problem as yourself...hubby just will not settle in bed any more, putting his legs up, doing 360 degree turns, lying in foetal position....it's driving me crazy. In the end I sit him on settee and even then he may or may not sleep. He also breathes so heavily ducking his bottom lip. Spoke to mental health nurse today who suggested giving him paracetamol incase he may be in pain ( hubby no longer talks) I am getting exhausted from lack of sleep and hate seeing him like this as I don't know what to do to help. Will try advice given then review situation

 

[Herewego]

My husband is in the late mid stage but unlike your partners is still mobile and talks (total rubbish, as nothing he says is based in reality) but was up almost all of last night, getting up almost every hour and trying to get dressed. Putting on the light and took all my will power to not yell at him - I am not good when woken up, even my kids realised that early on and I knew if they did wake me - I was really needed!

Thank goodness for the day centre - he goes today so will do some much needed housework and then have a few hours kip before he gets back -

So far nothing like the issues you both have @lemoncakes and @keegan2 so empathise with you - hope some of the suggestions you have been given work, no doubt I will be re-reading this thread in time to come. At the rate my OH has declined in the last 12 - 18 months, I suspect that won't be too long. Sigh..............