Thank you for your welcome message. I am sure I will find some help and encouragement on your site. I have an 85 year old partner with vascular dementia and Alzheimers at about half way through the seven stages. He also suffers from anxiety and depression and it is sometimes hard to define which is affecting him most. One minute he acts as though he is physically ill - shaking and panting - then he can come right out of that and go into crying and feeling useless and not wanting to be here within minutes. Next he is brighter and chatting for Britain! I can deal with the confusion, memory loss and feeling helpless as most times I can do something constructive to help, but I find it so hard to deal with the mood swings and anxiety. Our GP has weaned him off the Venlafaxine he was on for anxiety as it now doesn't seem to be working, so we are waiting now to see whether D's behaviour changes and whether there should be another medication which might help. I'm feeling shattered at the moment, but am finding some of the conversations on the Forums interesting and helpful.
Dementia Anxiety and Depression
- Thread starter Margaret J
- Start date
Hello @Margaret J and welcome to DTP
I glad you are finding the forum informative and supportive, I hope now you have found the forum you will continue to post.
I glad you are finding the forum informative and supportive, I hope now you have found the forum you will continue to post.
Hello @Margaret J and welcome from me too.
I know exactly how you feel as my wife is also medicated for anxiety and depression as well as her dementia. I did find that the anxiety and depression was more difficult than the dementia and it took several changes and tweaks to meds to find a combination that helped somewhat. It's worth sticking with the medics to find a solution but I have found that the issue never goes away.
There is a Society Factsheet about the issue and if you would like to have a read at that just click the 2nd line of the following link
I know exactly how you feel as my wife is also medicated for anxiety and depression as well as her dementia. I did find that the anxiety and depression was more difficult than the dementia and it took several changes and tweaks to meds to find a combination that helped somewhat. It's worth sticking with the medics to find a solution but I have found that the issue never goes away.
There is a Society Factsheet about the issue and if you would like to have a read at that just click the 2nd line of the following link
