Hi, this is my first post but I have been a reader of this forum since last year.
My mum is 52 and she was diagnosed with early-onset FT dementia in 2012. She was originally diagnosed as schizophrenic in 2011. She has been generally well since her diagnosis but she has gradually forgotten how to do housework and has gradually lost her ability to communicate with us in the last 2 years or so. She is doubly incontinent and she does not recognise us anymore but smiles when we walk into the room. She can walk but struggles with her balance. Behaviour wise she has been great and easy to take care of.
However, most recently for last 2 months she has been screaming and shouting literally all day every day. She used to shout out before but it would be few times a day which was bearable. This is just constant and it is getting really difficult to take care of her and be around her. Feeding her and washing her is much harder now. We don't know the trigger. It may be the warm UK weather but as she cannot communicate we are struggling to keep her calm and quiet. She does not take any medication for the dementia but recently a specialist doctor visited her and said to give her risperidone only when she gets really agitated. We gave her this same medication in 2013 and it caused her to have mini panic attacks (she would look into space with eyes wide open and breathe heavily for a good minute and then breathe a sigh of relief) but giving her water calmed her down and A&E said she was fine and nothing was wrong with her.
Does risperidone calm the person and stop their shouting is what I want to know though? Anyone had similar issues and have other solutions we may try?
Thanks in advance for the replies and you guys are absolute legends for the care and support you guys give on here and in your lives to your loved ones.
My mum is 52 and she was diagnosed with early-onset FT dementia in 2012. She was originally diagnosed as schizophrenic in 2011. She has been generally well since her diagnosis but she has gradually forgotten how to do housework and has gradually lost her ability to communicate with us in the last 2 years or so. She is doubly incontinent and she does not recognise us anymore but smiles when we walk into the room. She can walk but struggles with her balance. Behaviour wise she has been great and easy to take care of.
However, most recently for last 2 months she has been screaming and shouting literally all day every day. She used to shout out before but it would be few times a day which was bearable. This is just constant and it is getting really difficult to take care of her and be around her. Feeding her and washing her is much harder now. We don't know the trigger. It may be the warm UK weather but as she cannot communicate we are struggling to keep her calm and quiet. She does not take any medication for the dementia but recently a specialist doctor visited her and said to give her risperidone only when she gets really agitated. We gave her this same medication in 2013 and it caused her to have mini panic attacks (she would look into space with eyes wide open and breathe heavily for a good minute and then breathe a sigh of relief) but giving her water calmed her down and A&E said she was fine and nothing was wrong with her.
Does risperidone calm the person and stop their shouting is what I want to know though? Anyone had similar issues and have other solutions we may try?
Thanks in advance for the replies and you guys are absolute legends for the care and support you guys give on here and in your lives to your loved ones.