Dementia Medication

Star24

Registered User
Jun 12, 2014
4
0
Hello,
My mum has dementia diagnosed a few years ago and she was on medication for it. After her recent assessment at the memory clinic the doctor said she has deteriorated and they are stopping the medication as it is not giving any help. Since they stopped the medication she has deteriorated very quickly and I am worried that this is due to stopping the medication. When should medication be stopped during dementia, this is my question.
Thank you
 

marionq

Registered User
Apr 24, 2013
6,449
0
Scotland
In my husbands case it never started. He has a slow pulse which makes him unsuitable for drugs. I see no evidence that he is worse off for not taking medication and he escapes any of the side effects drugs might cause. If the doc thinks medication is not helping then there is a good chance he/she is right.
 

Padraig

Registered User
Dec 10, 2009
1,037
0
Hereford
For what it's worth when my late wife was first diagnosed, the doctor prescribed Prozac. This I learned was for depression. It was a wake up call for me to try and discover the underlying cause of the depression. It seemed to me that if I were told that I was suffering with Alzheimer's I would be depressed big time. Once that problem was solved medication was not required.
Over the following 13 plus years my wife received no medication for Alzheimer's. All other medication she was given were for illnesses due to avoidable causes, such as pressure sores and to 'keep her quiet'. These happened whilst in the care of hospitals and Nursing Homes with out my knowledge.
Once I cared for her at home, the only medication I administered was a dash of Lactulose in her drinks to avoid constipation. In her final five years it never occurred to me to offer her drinks of tea or coffee. I found Build Up and a variety of juices worked well.
 

KingB

Registered User
May 8, 2011
254
0
Berkshire
When my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimers she was prescribed galantamine, and it was very clearly explained to her and to family that this would help for a while - but that when there came the point at which it was not helping then it would be removed, and the result would be a very abrupt downturn. She is still on it at the moment so we havent actually seen that effect yet - but will be expecting it
 

Stanleigh

Registered User
Jun 13, 2014
8
0
Mixed feelings

Hello
First post. Hello all. My dad has been in care for 2 and half months after a mixed dementia diagnosis. Before going into care he only took 1 tablet for blood pressure, now he is 3 different drugs. Aricept, lorezapam and a sleeping tablet. After discussions with the mental health dr, he wanted to put him on anti-depressants too! My dad is reluctant at best to take tablets, so I have refused the last offering on his behalf. I don't feel he needs anti depressants, he has good and bad days and who wouldn't be depressed after being moved into care and having their pleasures taken away?...my husband and myself regularly visit and end up shaving and showering him as the ch doesn't seem to b able to do these basic things for him. Still upset after nearly 3 months, but at least I don't get midnight calls from the police saying they have my dad in the back of the car. I live in hope the aricept will make a difference and that I can have a conversation with dad once more.
 

Not so Rosy

Registered User
Nov 30, 2013
578
0
Dad takes the standard dose of Ebixa then a tiny dose of both Carbamazepine and Risperidone.

The Consultant seems happy with his progress although I am wondering if it's more to do with them taking his walking stick away so he can't lamp anyone. :rolleyes:
 

Brogues

Registered User
Apr 13, 2014
150
0
Dad takes the standard dose of Ebixa then a tiny dose of both Carbamazepine and Risperidone.

The Consultant seems happy with his progress although I am wondering if it's more to do with them taking his walking stick away so he can't lamp anyone. :rolleyes:

Oh I sorry but this made me laugh, I could have posted this about my mum, honest to god I have ducked so many times it's untrue. If you don't laugh you cry <3 xxx
 

CLEMENTINA

Registered User
Jun 14, 2014
19
0
medication and alzheimers

Hello,
My mum has dementia diagnosed a few years ago and she was on medication for it. After her recent assessment at the memory clinic the doctor said she has deteriorated and they are stopping the medication as it is not giving any help. Since they stopped the medication she has deteriorated very quickly and I am worried that this is due to stopping the medication. When should medication be stopped during dementia, this is my question.
Thank you

My husband diagnosed Dec 2013, the main symptoms apart from short term memory loss, being very troubled over shortage of words, whole sentences impossible to start. After starting acetovir donezepil, a marked improvement, but I am told that this will probably not last very long, and we are just making the very best of a short time we feel we've been given back, until the assessments show that there is a deterioration, after which I expect there will be a fairly rapid deterioration. (I think not being able to express himself added to the frustration and helplessness he felt, and the improvement has lightened his mood).
 

Star24

Registered User
Jun 12, 2014
4
0
When my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimers she was prescribed galantamine, and it was very clearly explained to her and to family that this would help for a while - but that when there came the point at which it was not helping then it would be removed, and the result would be a very abrupt downturn. She is still on it at the moment so we havent actually seen that effect yet - but will be expecting it

I see, in our case we were told nothing and the medication has been taken away and the very abrupt downturn is happening now, my dad feels he has been left without any help or advice we knew she would get worse with time but we did not know this was going to happen so quickly after the medication was stopped. We feel a bit lost and left in the lurch if you know what I mean.
 

Star24

Registered User
Jun 12, 2014
4
0
Medication

Hello
First post. Hello all. My dad has been in care for 2 and half months after a mixed dementia diagnosis. Before going into care he only took 1 tablet for blood pressure, now he is 3 different drugs. Aricept, lorezapam and a sleeping tablet. After discussions with the mental health dr, he wanted to put him on anti-depressants too! My dad is reluctant at best to take tablets, so I have refused the last offering on his behalf. I don't feel he needs anti depressants, he has good and bad days and who wouldn't be depressed after being moved into care and having their pleasures taken away?...my husband and myself regularly visit and end up shaving and showering him as the ch doesn't seem to b able to do these basic things for him. Still upset after nearly 3 months, but at least I don't get midnight calls from the police saying they have my dad in the back of the car. I live in hope the aricept will make a difference and that I can have a conversation with dad once more.

I can't remember the name of the medication my mum was on but it was for memory not depression. It must have been doing some good, as we gave seen such a fast downturn when it was taken away. I wish we had been better informed about this. I just don't understand the reasoning behind it all:(
 

Star24

Registered User
Jun 12, 2014
4
0
My husband diagnosed Dec 2013, the main symptoms apart from short term memory loss, being very troubled over shortage of words, whole sentences impossible to start. After starting acetovir donezepil, a marked improvement, but I am told that this will probably not last very long, and we are just making the very best of a short time we feel we've been given back, until the assessments show that there is a deterioration, after which I expect there will be a fairly rapid deterioration. (I think not being able to express himself added to the frustration and helplessness he felt, and the improvement has lightened his mood).

Thank you for your reply, I am starting to understand now that this seems to be the standard practice, my dad was so upset about it over the weekend he said he was going to write to the MP!? If the consultant had taken the time to explain to us why the medication was going to be stopped and what was due to happen after this, then that would have helped us a great deal to be more prepared. I think the problem is down to nobody telling us anything, my dad feels due to lack of information from the consultant that he has been left up the creek without a paddle as they say, and is undersandably confused and upset.
 

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