For cynron( & anyone else!!)....about quetiapine

jarnee

Registered User
Mar 18, 2006
181
0
leicestershire
Cynron.

Sorry, I don't know how to do the "quote" thing....but you wrote...

Dear Brucie.
My husband is at this moment being assessed in a over 65s mental ward. The day centre said he was aggressive and did not want him to come any more. He has vascular dementia and has suffered mini strokes and several years ago had a quad by pass. They have put him on QUETIAPINE and after googling this drug i am very concerned about this. I have a meeting with the powers that be next Monday and will go armed with the information such as THIS MEDICINE HAS NOT BEEN APPROVED TO TREAT BEHAVORIAL PROBLEMS IN OLDER ADULTS WITH DEMENTIA. This is just one aspect that this drug is not for him. My friend a retired ward sister said she wonders if they are using him for a trial !!!!

REGARDS CYNRON X X


Anyway, my dad was put on quetiapine when he first went into respite as he was aggressive and then again became aggressive and hit someone, having advocated never being violent all his life.....sound familiar to you, cynron?

The good news is that it has really helped him. The "symptoms" of his AD have changed...he no longer wants to open a greengrocers, but rather wants to renovate a house!!!!, but he laughs and is content in his own way.

I would be interested to know what the "powers that be" say to you, but my experience has been ok so far.

Incidentally, dad is settling now and the agression has gone ( fingers crossed....no sign of it for about 3 weeks anyway)The doc that prescribed it to my dad said that agressin and even violence is not at all unusual when settling somewhere new, be that a home or a hospital

Anyway, please let me know.

Jarnee
 

Dave W

Registered User
Jul 3, 2005
268
0
63
Bucks
Quetiapine

My only counsel on this topic would be that it appears to be used fairly regularly for dementia patients in the UK, but that there are possibly side effects that need to be monitored. In my Mum's case (she hs a mixed vascular/AD diagnosis), it caused two serious fainting episodes, and was withdrawn and replaced with a different anti-psychotic (wich she'd been on previously and had been previously dismissed as 'old-fashioned'). If your Dad has a history of blood pressure issues or a slow heartbeat, ask questions. If he's not been diagnosed with either, ask them to check. But it may work wonders - it appears to have done in several cases you can find on TP if you use the Search facility.

I hope this helps.
 

cynron

Registered User
Sep 26, 2005
429
0
east sussex
Dear Jarnee,

Thanks for your reply re quetiapine. One of my main concerns was the fact that my husband has heart problems and has suffered mini strokes both of which are a warning not to perscribe this drug.Otherwise hears hoping it will calm him down and he can come home and return to his day centre again as this is my only respite from being his sole carer. Will post again when i have had the MEETING on Monday.

regards Cynron x x
 

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