any advice on how tohandle delusions?

sue4

Registered User
Apr 15, 2008
6
0
My Mum has Lewy Body and was diagnosed 3 years ago at the age of 63.She is becoming more confused but this fluctuates greatly.The most upseting thing for everyone,including Mum,is that she believes my Dad is two different people.She thinks they both look the same and have the same name.She gets very upset/agitated because she thinks this other person is reading their mail,living in their house,driving their car etc.This happens at some point every day now and can last a long time. We wondered if anyone could give us any advice on how to handle this especially when Dad is on his own.Anti-psychcotic drugs are not really an option because of the Lewy Body.We feel totally helpless and feel we have tried everything to reassure her but with no success.It is terrible seeing her like this but we don't know how to help her or my Dad.
 

Linda Mc

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
1,879
0
Nr Mold
Hi Sue

Sorry I have no experience of this but I know others will come along later and help.

Just wanted you to know someone had read your post.

Linda x
 

EmJ

Registered User
Sep 26, 2007
244
0
Scotland
Hi Sue,

I can relate to some of what you say. My Granny can be like that with my Dad sometimes. She is unsure of who he is and whether she can trust him. He tries showing her photos of her and him but she says no your not my son. Usually he just leaves her until she is less confused and she comes ok. You just get used to the fact that it may happen and reassure as best as you can.

We don't live with my granny therefore I do understand it must be very difficult for your dad to know what to do in such circumstances. It must be very stressful especially if it distresses her. We just try and see the situation from my granny's perspective. She is seeing someone different therefore naturally she would be scared and there is no persuading her otherwise really. Sometimes talking about familiar things from the past may help but it all depends on the person really.

Take care,

EmJ:)
 

TinaT

Registered User
Sep 27, 2006
7,097
0
Costa Blanca Spain
LBD is a horrid disease! My husband also has LBD. He has to be on a cocktail of drugs, but the hospital consultant manages them and she is very well aware of what certain drugs can do regarding the disease. Perhaps if you contacted the consultant in charge of your mum, he/she may be able to adjust medication? It must be very hard for you all. I'm not sure how you could deal with such a delusion other than 'go with the flow' until she comes back to reality. How you can do this when she is deluding about the person she lives with I just don't know especially if the delusions last for long periods at a time.
xxTinaT
 

lesmisralbles

Account Closed
Nov 23, 2007
5,543
0
Hello Sue4

My hubby has Parkinson's & Lewy bodies.
Did you know several weeks ago we had lot's of people living with us in our bedroom ?
Well, you agree, you ignore, you go with the flow.
Whatever it takes, go along with it, they, hubby, wife Dad, Mum - soon forget.
Do not be scared. It to will pass.
Barb & Ron:)
 

Sandy

Registered User
Mar 23, 2005
6,847
0
Hi sue4,

What you describe sounds a lot like capgras syndrome, a recognised condition where the sufferer believes that a person close to them has been replaced by an imposter.

I don't have any first-hand experience of it myself, but it has come up on Talking Point (TP) from time to time.

You can use the search option (above right on green navigation bar or directly: http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/search.php) and search on the term capgras.

A recent thread that might be relevant is:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=10104&highlight=capgras

Also, it seems that this type of condition is more commonly assosciated with dementia with lewy bodies (DLB).

What does your mum's consultant say about medication? Sometimes the newer, atypical anti-psychotics are tried.

Also has she been tried on an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drug such as donepezil (Aricept), rivastigmine (Exelon) and galantamine (Reminyl)? There is provision in the NICE guidelines on dementia to try people with DLB having severe hallucinations on these drugs.

Take care,

Sandy
 

knackered

Registered User
Apr 8, 2008
21
0
Sussex
hi Sue4,

I can relate a bit to what you say. My mother has a replacement husband who appears from time to time and does things. She tells it as if it is normal, it's we who find it difficult to deal with. But we have to let her get on with it, as to try to deny it confuses and then upsets her. The difference in our case is, my real father is dead. So he isn't there to feel bad about it. My mother doesn't remember him dying, just looks at his photo and says the other husband isn't him, but is just like him. 'Another M'. To her, they are both alive and real.

What I wonder about is why your mother is agitated by this second husband- is it because she know he's an imposter? Or is it that she 'picks up' on everyone else's unease? It can certainly be very alarming for everyone!

Perhaps your dad could jolly her along in some way by saying he's superman. Or something. He must find it very hard. As I said, we find it best not to contradict my mother, but this may not be appropriate if your mother is truly distressed by the other husband. I don't have any answers for you, just to let you know that you're not alone in this.

Take care,

knackered
 

sue4

Registered User
Apr 15, 2008
6
0
Thankyou to everyone who has replied.It does help to know people out there understand.The consultant is trying to up her rivastigmine but she didn't react well to an increase a few months ago.This time he is increasing it just a little.I have looked up Capgras but I'm not sure it is what Mum's got as she hallucinates all the time.She gets distressed about all the people she sees in the house.The link to another thread was very interesting because this is the closest I have come to finding someone who describes symptoms like Mums.We will keep trying to reassure her or distract her but poor Dad really struggles when he is on his own.Mum is so irritable with him and nothing will reassure her.I often have to go round which is difficult because I have a very young family.On a more positive note we still manage lots of laughs when she is more lucid and she gets great pleasure from the grandchildren.
 

TinaT

Registered User
Sep 27, 2006
7,097
0
Costa Blanca Spain
It does indeed help all of us to know that we are not alone in experiencing these terrible symtoms of LBD.

My husband has just moved into a care home. Yesterday afternoon he told me our son had sat with him whilst he ate his lunch. I went along with this although son lives in London and is a pilot. Son was flying a plane to America at the time but it was useless of me to tell this to my husband so I just agreed with him. Thankfully he soon forgot about it.

This afternoon as I arrived at the home the manager told me an even more disturbing dillusion which has surfaced once again. My husband thought another resident who had the same colour and style of hair was me. This worried me very much as the Consultant warned me that in the past this had caused problems for the staff as he won't let them near whoever he thinks is me! Fortunately the manager said that they had managed to deal with the situation. If he persists in this and it does cause problems for the staff, then my poor husband would have to go back on the long term ward at the hospital. I don't think I could bear that!!

xxTinaT

xxTinaT
 

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