medication

[alfjess]

Hi All

I don't know if anyone has any answers, but Mum has been prescribed risperidone (sp) because Quietiapine although not at the full dose, was no longer working, She was refusing to take the tablets and risperidone can be delivered in liquid form.

Quietipine was stopped and risperidone started. At the beginning maybe, 3 weeks ago, it was working like a dream, Mum was no longer agitated and Dad much calmer, so therefore both easier to cope with.

But 2 weeks ago Mum was not herself. Normally Mum never shuts up, but now it appears to be an effort for her to say anything

I flagged it to the CPN. The dose of risperidone was reduced last week.
Once a day instead of twice.

There hasn't been an improvement yet.

She walked normally, now she shuffles and trembles.

Before risperidone, Mum was smart on her feet and very mobile, although also hard work and agitated.

To-day I spoke to the manager of the care home and was told that last night, Mum didn't sleep at all, wandered all night, in and out of the room and disturbing Dad. Maybe the risperidone will have to upped again.

At my instigation they have taken her to the Gp to have blood tests, urine sample (they are great, I could never get a urine sample) The results won't be available until next week.

Opinion at the care home is that this is the next stage, a progression of the dementia. But it happened so quickly and was it conicidential with the change in medication?

I am worried and don't know what to think

Alfjess

 

[Nell]

Dear Alfjess,
I have nothing to say about the medication because I simply don't know enough. I think Rispiridone is quiet a strong medication - have you looked up side effects on Google?

I can only say how I feel for you and how much I hope for your sake and for your Mum's sake, that a better solution comes quickly to hand.

{{{HUGS}}}}

 

[Grannie G]

Dear Alfjess.

I can understand how worried you must be at this sudden change in your mother, coninciding with her change in medication.

I doubt it will have been the CPN or the manager of the home who will have prescribed the risperidone, it must have been a doctor. I would ask to see the doctor to discuss the changes, and ask if the drug were stopped altogether whether your mother would be as she was.

I`m also surprised the CPN can change the dose. But then all this is out of my experience so it`s just how I feel.

I hopeyou get it sorted.

Love xx

 

[allylee]

Dear Alfjess,
Ive had a very similar experience with my mum.

She was prescribed Quetiapine as she became very aggressive and violent whilst in residential care in May. In some cases the sypmtoms are made worse by the drug which is what happened to mum , she was totally out of control after only a few days of taking it.

Quetiapine was stopped and she was prescribed another anti psychotic, Sulpiride.
This had the same effect as you have described, mum stoped talking, shuffled when she walked and started to dribble constantly.

I felt strongly that the medication had robbed us of her last bit of personality and decided to move her to an EMI home where the focus is on managing clients with behaviour rather than the chemical cosh!

The new home has reduced mums Supliride and there was a slight improvement initially but I have had to come to terms with the fact that she has progressed to the next stage of the disease.

I do hope you get the answers you need.
Love Ally xx

 

[Cate]

Hi Alfjess

The side effects of Risperidone are quite extensive, and include:

insomnia, agitation, anxiety, headache, drowsiness, impaired concentration, fatigue, blurred vision, constipation, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, skin rash, to name but a few.

As far as I am aware, the dose should be increased very slowly, In the elderly initially 500 microgrames twice daily increased in steps of 500 mg twice daily to 1 - 2 mg twice daily.

If mum is having any or all of the side effects, I would certainly ask to see the prescribing doctor (it had to be a doctor, a CPN cannot prescribe), and discuss whether the benefits outweigh the side effects.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Love

Cate

felt strongly that the medication had robbed us of her last bit of personality and decided to move her to an EMI home where the focus is on managing clients with behaviour rather than the chemical cosh!

I agree 100% with you Ally on this one, it seems its just too easy to go in with heavy duty medication

 

[alfjess]

Hi

The care manager of the home consulted CPN, because Mum was very agitated and anxious and this in turn was making Dad stressed and aggresive to staff.

The Cpn informed the psycho-geriatrian who after a phone call to me, telling me that he would like to try respridone, but warning me that there had been reports, it caused strokes and what did I think.

I felt it was Hobson's Choice.

What to do?

Have Mum and Dad live constantly stressed and Mum in a continual state of agitation or the small risk of Mum having a stroke.

I know it is terrible, but I felt like asking the Doctor (although didn't) Can you guarantee a fatal stroke?

At first the new meds worked. Dad is much happier, smiling and talking, in his own way. Mum was calmer

Now she is just not herself. Management in the care home seem to think it is another stage in the progression of dementia, but I am now wondering if she has had a slight stroke.

Sorry for rambling.

Anyway tomorrow Mum will be 83 and we have bought a big birthday cake and big tins of chocolates and biscuits, which she can dish out to all the other residents, if she is able, she will enjoy that. "Lady Bountiful"
All the family will be there.

Maybe there will be an improvement tomorrow

Alfjess

 

[jenniferpa]

You're right of course: damned if you do, damned if you don't. It doesn't sound exactly like a stroke thought: didn't you say her behaviour changed again when they started tapering the respridone? If she had stayed shiffling and everything maybe, but the agitation sounds like either a side-effect or sadly a change in the level of dementia.

And no, Alfjess, the comment about a fatal stoke doesn't sound awful: I for one know exactly what you mean.

Love

 

[Grannie G]

Dear Alfjess

I hope your mother enjoys her birthday and is less agitated.

Love xx

 

[Cate]

Hi Alfjess

Hope you have a really good day with mum on her birthday.

Love

Cate

 

[j.j]

hi alfjess, my mam is in an assesment unit and started on risperidone, at first things seemed to be better less agitation, but then she began to move her mouth in strange ways which can be an irrevesable side effect, the dose was then reduced but mam was drooling and like your mam shuffling, worst of all her head began to droop right down onto her chest, we had read up on the side effects but were happy to give the drug a try if the benefits outwieghed the risks, after weeks of watching mam going on like this we had to INSIST on stopping the drug, i think if we hadn,t done this the consultant would of been happy for her to stay on it (it saddens me greatly to think of those people who have no one to look out for them)
mams neck is slowly coming back up and some of her old spark has also returned, but alas so has the agitation! while we strive to try and control this agitaion i can,t justify swapping one problem for a host of other problems.
it is unfortunately a case of trial and error and maybe like my mam risperidone is not suited to your mam.
mam has now been prescribed sodium valproate we have our fingers crossed,
x j.j

 

[connie]

Hi j.j.

mam has now been prescribed sodium valproate we have our fingers crossed,

My lovely.Lionel is now on soidum valpoate I think, in our case, they are clutching at straws.
I know, they know, Lionel is in the latter stages of AD. What do time scales matter. In our case they are simply trying to keep Lionel reasonably acceptive of personal care, to enable them to go about their daiy duty.

I understand this. I find it very difficult somedays to allow me to shave him.
Why should he.........In his mind he doesn't need shaving, this is something he could do for himself.

I would wish that your mum is allowed to be herself.........to show that she is unhappy.........to accept help when it is offered.

What a tangled path we tread. Would someone point me out of the maze?

 

[alfjess]

Hi

J.J I hope the new meds for your Mum works

Yes Jennifer it is damned if you do or don't

Anyway everyone,

To-day was great, hilarious even.

Mum was a bit better, although not back to normal.

The whole family were there, obviously, minus my brother. He had visited yesterday.

We lighted the candles, there were not 83, just a nominal amount, we sang happy birthday and she managed to blow out the candles.

Then we shared the chocolates and biscuits with all the other residents.

Mum then went into party mode, telling everyone to be quiet, I was going to sing and I was good.

Well I may be good at some things, singing is definately not one of my talents.

The rest of the family were in fits of laughter and Mum was insisting I sing, so to please Mum I sang all the old Glasgow/Scottish rhymes I could remember. eg Ali Bali (sp) Ma cuddy's ow'er the dyke, Ma maw's a millionaire.

My cousin Jean, who can sing, sang My Mother's Eyes, very emotional. My Grandaughter then played Titanic on the organ and my youngest Daughter was only sorry she didn't think to bring her clarinet.
I think my Mum and all residents enjoyed her birthday and there is plenty of cake and chocolates left for them all to enjoy with their tea.

A good day and I am feeling happier to-night. Hope Mum and Dad are also.

Alfjess

 

[Grannie G]

What a lovely post Alfjess.

I`m so pleased everything went well. What talent in our midst.

Love xx

 

[jenniferpa]

A very good day by the sounds of it: I just wish you'd thought to take something to record your endeavours with (or do I ). Still, she may not have got your talents right but she does think you're talented, and that's something to treasure.

Love

 

[Cate]

So pleased everthing went really well with the birthday. Times like this are to treasure.

Love

Cate

 

[alfjess]

Hi

Cate you are right, although we did take a digital camera, we should have thought to take a video camera, if only to record the smiles from Mum and Dad.

Jennifer, we definately don't want a recording of my singing efforts and as for Mum thinking I can sing, it goes to prove her memory is not what it was , she must be confusing me with someone else

Slyvia, the talent in your midst is something you never want to experience

Take care everyone
Alfjess