Hi. Can anyone help me with the best way to cope with paranoia and hallucinations of someone with lewy body dementia.. My OH has episodes on and off throughout the day.. Some I can cope with by distraction or just agreeing with.. Children in the house or garden and wondering what they are doing.. And when are their parents coming.. Others are not so easy.. Men who can harm me..sometimes sexual.. and he can get angry with me if I don't seem to be worried.. How to cope.... Don't know. any advice please
Coping with paranoia and hallucinations
- Thread starter Linton
- Start date
I’m sorry you are experiencing this.
I wondered if this factsheet would be helpful -
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/hallucinations#content-start
I wondered if this factsheet would be helpful -
https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/about-dementia/symptoms-and-diagnosis/hallucinations#content-start
My dad was quite bad at the beginning of his dementia.So many stories and delusions.TV made him worse.He was talking to people,He thought were talking to him.He was a lot better when he was started on Rivastigmine. Night time was the worse. Acting out his dreams which were frightening to me,let alone him.He was put on 1/2 a qunetipine which did the trick. He’s now 3 years after diagnosis and has just had his rivastigmine patch upped .He is in a carehome now and his hallucinations and stories have really increased,hence the med review.You don’t say if your OH is on any medication .It may help him(and you ).We see a consultant geriatrician who has been so good.I realise we have been lucky to have her support.I read some posts on here and I get cross that people have to fight to get the care they need. Keep posting and I’m sure other TP friends will have other advice.
Hi Linton, just picked up your reply on my thread!
Early in the progression of his illness The Banjoman would “see” people in his flat when in fact it was coats hanging up and eventually “see” people and even realise they were a hallucination. He did believe there was a man living down in the boiler room of his block of flats and at one point a man living up in the loft but we think that was based on plumbers having to get up there to sort out leaks into his flat. Eventually he believed that things on TV were actually happening in his lounge.
Thankfully he has never had frightening hallucinations as far as I am aware although he spent one night with the window wide open “to let out the birds that were stealing his books”.! Thankfully it wasn’t a freezing night in winter or he would have suffered hypothermia.
Early in the progression of his illness The Banjoman would “see” people in his flat when in fact it was coats hanging up and eventually “see” people and even realise they were a hallucination. He did believe there was a man living down in the boiler room of his block of flats and at one point a man living up in the loft but we think that was based on plumbers having to get up there to sort out leaks into his flat. Eventually he believed that things on TV were actually happening in his lounge.
Thankfully he has never had frightening hallucinations as far as I am aware although he spent one night with the window wide open “to let out the birds that were stealing his books”.! Thankfully it wasn’t a freezing night in winter or he would have suffered hypothermia.
My husband had extreme paranoia and hallucinations. Utterly terrifying for him. He used to spend entire nights running from room to room in the house, convinced that "they" were about to push the walls in on us; that we couldn't go outside because of the evil children that lived in the trees and threw things at us (and heartbreakingly, he used to take out bowls of ice cream and food, because he was afraid the evil children would be hungry!); every car that was behind us on the road contained assassins who were going to shoot out our tyres, and then murder us. If a car actually went to pass us, he became completely hysterical.
This went on, getting steadily worse, until eventually he was put on anti psychotic medication. Then, once they found the right combination/dose for him, it was literally as if someone had flipped a switch and turned both the paranoia and the hallucinations off. I know these medications aren't suitable for everyone, but for us, they were a life saver.
This went on, getting steadily worse, until eventually he was put on anti psychotic medication. Then, once they found the right combination/dose for him, it was literally as if someone had flipped a switch and turned both the paranoia and the hallucinations off. I know these medications aren't suitable for everyone, but for us, they were a life saver.
So grateful for all the replies and experiences others have had.. It does make a difference to know I'm not alone and seeing how others are coping.. I will ask about medication when the nurse from the memory clinic comes again.. Thanks again for replying..
