Any suggestions for sleeping aids please

[exhausted 2015]

A doctor that seems to care

Following on from my dad's sleeping problems.. Dad had an appointment at the geriatric clinic yesterday and the doctor that we happened to see was really thorough he asked in detail about all of dad's health problems even asking if I had enough incontinence pants and had got a regular supply in place, we then discussed dad's dementia and is inability to sleep I told him that I was being bounced from gp to memory clinic trying to find a solution and he said why hasn't anyone prescribed melatonin because he could see no reason why he couldn't have them.. I think he took pity on me lol as I was looking more exhausted than normal yesterday.. Last night he was a tiny bit better.. So will see what tonight brings.. I just thought what a really caring doctor he was. Fingers crossed for tonight xx

 

[fizzie]

good luck exhausted, good result, fingers crossed for you both xxx

 

[sleepless]

Following on from my dad's sleeping problems.. Dad had an appointment at the geriatric clinic yesterday and the doctor that we happened to see was really thorough he asked in detail about all of dad's health problems even asking if I had enough incontinence pants and had got a regular supply in place, we then discussed dad's dementia and is inability to sleep I told him that I was being bounced from gp to memory clinic trying to find a solution and he said why hasn't anyone prescribed melatonin because he could see no reason why he couldn't have them.. I think he took pity on me lol as I was looking more exhausted than normal yesterday.. Last night he was a tiny bit better.. So will see what tonight brings.. I just what a really caring doctor he was. Fingers crossed for tonight xx

Hope the melatonin helps. Was this the first visit to the geriatric clinic?

 

[exhausted 2015]

Hope the melatonin helps. Was this the first visit to the geriatric clinic?

Hi sleepless thank you xx yes it was his first visit xx

 

[exhausted 2015]

good luck exhausted, good result, fingers crossed for you both xxx

Thank you fizzie xx I

 

[di65]

I hope the Melatonin works for you. It often takes a few days to "kick in". I tried it for myself a few years ago and it was wonderful. It is a completely natural product, as melatonin is produced naturally in the body, but sometimes the production line goes wonky

Good luck

Di

 

[Goldsmith]

We have the same not sleeping problem with my FIL. All day long he is absolutely fine, he sits for hours watching any type of sport we can find on TV and all the repeats. He visits the loo no more than the average person and just takes little cat naps in the chair but as soon as we put him to bed he is up and down, going to the loo every 10 minutes and appears unable to use a bottle so its dressing gown and slippers on, walking frame ready and me behind him to steady him for the walk to the bathroom. He appears totally unable to relax and is perpetual motion all night until around 6 o'clock when he just collapsed out of exhaustion. For a while paracetamol worked and then we tried Nightol and then both but they dont do the trick now. Our GP is aware and reluctantly, after three requests - she prescribed Zimovane. FIL fought this and to see him staggering around was pityful. He is now in hospital following a fall (his night sitting carer fell asleep and he fell cracking his head open in two places) and has to have two nurses with him day and night and still they wont prescribe something to calm him. I cant believe there is no drug on the market that can calm dememtia patients. Our argument is he falls and stumbles constantly anyway, he is very unsteady and therefore is never left alone so if a drug makes him unsteady we are there for him anyway. We never leave him to walk anywhere without our support.
Exhausted I am waiting with much hope that you had a much better last night. Fingers crossed.

 

[exhausted 2015]

We have the same not sleeping problem with my FIL. All day long he is absolutely fine, he sits for hours watching any type of sport we can find on TV and all the repeats. He visits the loo no more than the average person and just takes little cat naps in the chair but as soon as we put him to bed he is up and down, going to the loo every 10 minutes and appears unable to use a bottle so its dressing gown and slippers on, walking frame ready and me behind him to steady him for the walk to the bathroom. He appears totally unable to relax and is perpetual motion all night until around 6 o'clock when he just collapsed out of exhaustion. For a while paracetamol worked and then we tried Nightol and then both but they dont do the trick now. Our GP is aware and reluctantly, after three requests - she prescribed Zimovane. FIL fought this and to see him staggering around was pityful. He is now in hospital following a fall (his night sitting carer fell asleep and he fell cracking his head open in two places) and has to have two nurses with him day and night and still they wont prescribe something to calm him. I cant believe there is no drug on the market that can calm dememtia patients. Our argument is he falls and stumbles constantly anyway, he is very unsteady and therefore is never left alone so if a drug makes him unsteady we are there for him anyway. We never leave him to walk anywhere without our support.
Exhausted I am waiting with much hope that you had a much better last night. Fingers crossed.

Hi goldsmith really sorry to hear about your problems with your fil.. It sounds so very similar to my own it's so frustrating when there doesn't seem to be anything that can help.. I'm hoping that the melatonin will help dad, two nights in and no change yet but I believe that they take some time to work.. My best wishes exhausted 2015 x..ps dad had Zimovane and did nothing for him too

 

[exhausted 2015]

I hope the Melatonin works for you. It often takes a few days to "kick in". I tried it for myself a few years ago and it was wonderful. It is a completely natural product, as melatonin is produced naturally in the body, but sometimes the production line goes wonky

Good luck

Di

Hi di thank you I can only hope that it will work xx
.

 

[yadit0]

Yadit0

All the posts I have read are my situation to a T mum is just the same active and alert as much as she can be during the day but come 5pm to 6am she changes in the last 7 weeks I have only had 2 nights sleep. If I'm not getting in and out of bed every half hour or so I'm sleeping on her bedroom floor. As we live in a bungalow and her bedroom is facing the bathroom I have put hook and eye on the lounge door so she can only wonder up and down the hall with no obstacles. Her gp will not prescribed sleeping pills, have tried the paracetamol, soft lights calming music to no avail instead of getting our every time I hear her shuffling around I tend to leave her to it by about 6am ages finally asleep in bed till 8 when she wants tea and breakfast. I'm just rolling along with it but exhausted.

 

[exhausted 2015]

All the posts I have read are my situation to a T mum is just the same active and alert as much as she can be during the day but come 5pm to 6am she changes in the last 7 weeks I have only had 2 nights sleep. If I'm not getting in and out of bed every half hour or so I'm sleeping on her bedroom floor. As we live in a bungalow and her bedroom is facing the bathroom I have put hook and eye on the lounge door so she can only wonder up and down the hall with no obstacles. Her gp will not prescribed sleeping pills, have tried the paracetamol, soft lights calming music to no avail instead of getting our every time I hear her shuffling around I tend to leave her to it by about 6am ages finally asleep in bed till 8 when she wants tea and breakfast. I'm just rolling along with it but exhausted.

So sorry to hear that your situation is so similar to mine, could you contact her GP again.. Having said that I know that they are reluctant to prescribe anything.. Hope that you find a solution soon xx

 

[Sam Wilson]

My solution for Richard

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions to help me with dad's sleeping problems as stated in previous posts my dad does not sleep he will perhaps have an hour between now and 1am but after that he is wandering all night. I have consulted the memory clinic and they are not prepared to prescribe anything given his age (91) also because of the risk of falls they did suggest contacting dad's GP to increase the Zimovane from 3.75mg to 7.50mg which he did do but this was to no avail he's still up around 1am until 7 or 8am given that I cannot get anything on prescription I was wondering if there were any harmless herbal remedies that I could try.. As in need of some sleep thanks again in advance exhausted 2015 xx

First time I have used this - i hope it works. I recently started caring for a friend with mid term dementia. He had no medication when I arrived and was really disturbed at night. Got him Zopiclone which worked, but all the "Z" drugs result in tolerance and addiction if taken daily. My super GP suggested an anti histamine ( Atarax) This makes you drowsy. Then I went and bought "Quiet life" tablets. They contain a variety of herbs notably Valerian. They are great! Using these in combination works 90% of the time. On nights when he doesnt settle ultimately I give him a Zopiclone, which is ok - just not too often. My mate is 90. You might need to slowly reduce the "Z" as 7.5 is the strongest. How long has he been taking them? Hope this helps. Sam.

 

[Biggest Fairy]

Yup. We're the same. GP wouldn't prescribe anything so months of no sleep until we got hold of the psychiatrist.

Melatonin seemed to work briefly and then stopped. 3.75mg of Zimovane just calms him ever so slightly and the GP hasn't prescribed the Memantine that she was supposed to.

Just off to phone them now. I just wish I could force the GP to do a week caring for FIL. Maybe then she would appreciate the value of sleep.


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[19maggie]

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions to help me with dad's sleeping problems as stated in previous posts my dad does not sleep he will perhaps have an hour between now and 1am but after that he is wandering all night. I have consulted the memory clinic and they are not prepared to prescribe anything given his age (91) also because of the risk of falls they did suggest contacting dad's GP to increase the Zimovane from 3.75mg to 7.50mg which he did do but this was to no avail he's still up around 1am until 7 or 8am given that I cannot get anything on prescription I was wondering if there were any harmless herbal remedies that I could try.. As in need of some sleep thanks again in advance exhausted 2015 xx

Hi Exhausted,
I am in exactly the same position. My husband has dementia and I care for him 24/7 myself and can manage reasonably well with sleep but after several nights with no sleep to speak of I am like a zombie. I also tried the doctor for sleeping tablets and reluctantly he gave me some but they had little or no effect apart from making him unsteady on his feet when he did get out of bed. My husband is 75 and was diagnosed 2 years ago but looking back I think he had signs 2 years before that. I would be grateful if anyone can give any tips. Maggie