Need urgent advice/help PLEASE!!!

Nebiroth

Registered User
Aug 20, 2006
3,510
0
I don't know what to do. Dad has suddenly become extremely confused and also seems to be hallucinating.

We spent all night trying to convice him that he wasn't in a strange hotel room and later on that he mustn't go out to "catch a train".

This morning he doesn't seem to recognise us, keeps looking and calling for his dead father and sits in the chair twitching and trying to pick things up that aren't there.

He does seem to have lucid periods, but this is very worrying. We have never had anything like this before, it seems so very sudden.

This morning was his first day on an extra Exelon tablet, don't know if that is anything to do with it.

I am at my wits end and I don't know who to contact or where to go for help. Should I try to contact the CPN, or call Social Services as an emergency, or what do I do?

HELP!!!!
 

Amy

Registered User
Jan 4, 2006
3,454
0
Hiya Nebiroth,
The extra tablet this morning wouldn't explain last nights behaviour, which sounds very much like sundowning - you wouldn't have been able to convince him of anything.
Does he have any physical symptoms - is he running a temperature, off colour, needing the toilet more than usual? A physical ailment can result in increased confusion.
Would it be possible to call on the out of hours GP - I think that would be my first port of call? Get him checked over.
Don't panic - you could be in for another long 24 hours - try and keep calm, reassure dad when he is confused; don't try and make him see logic, it won't work.
Keep in touch - there are people here to support you through this - you are not on your own.
Love Helen
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Hi Nebiroth

This sounds like an emergency to me. Call everyone you can think of. SS emergency number first, CPN, NHS24 if they don't respond.

So sorry you're having to cope with this -- don't do it alone, I'd say your Dad needs emergency assessment.

Increasing his Exelon dose shouldn't have this effect, but I'm no medic.

Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Love,
 

Nebiroth

Registered User
Aug 20, 2006
3,510
0
Yes, it did sound like sundowning. However, the problem seemed to be very severe and seems to have blown up out of nowhere.

Sundowing doesn't explain this morning either - again the symptoms seem to have boiled up out of nowhere and seem very severe for someone who hasn't displayed anything like this up to now (particularly the hallucinations).

He doesn;t seem to have a fever or going to the loo more often - I know that infections (particularly UTI's) can make symptoms much worse seemingly out of the blue but I don't see any indications of this.

At the moment he seems to be completely back to normal, he recognises everyone, knows where he is, what the time is....etc

We did have one period like this about a year ago, it lasted about 12 hours and then vanished, never to be explained.

If things start to happen again I'm calling our doctor's "out of hours emergency" number - I think it then gets handled by the local Primary Care Trust.

I am wondering if this morning was a comination of lack of sleep from last night plus the increased dose of Exelon on top.
 

Amy

Registered User
Jan 4, 2006
3,454
0
I think that sounds a very possible explanation - think how a sleepless night affects your brain - multiply it a hundredfold for how it would affect a brain already struggling to make sense of the world.

Sounds as though you are doing everything just right - but don't hesitate to call the GP if you are worried.
Love Helen
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,445
0
Kent
Hi Nebiroth,

Were the hallucinations AFTER the increased dose of Exelon or before?

Even if your dad`s OK now, you need some contingency plan for action if it happens again.

When I cared for my neighbour, I had an emergency number for the SS. It was brilliant, because when I did need it, someone was there within the hour.
I am going to ask for it for my husband, as he goes into very confused states, with no trigger or warning.

Hope he`s OK now. Sylvia x
 

alfjess

Registered User
Jul 10, 2006
1,213
0
south lanarkshire
Hi Nebiroth

Sorry you are havving a hard time, at the moment.

When Mum has a UTI there are no symptoms, but she is a lot more confused. I am getting to know the signs

A call to your GP, might help. Hope things improve to-day

Alfjess
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Nebiroth said:
At the moment he seems to be completely back to normal, he recognises everyone, knows where he is, what the time is....etc

Glad your dad seems better. Let's hope he settles down again.

But don't hesitate to call for help if you're worried.

Love,
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,445
0
Kent
I can`t believe the coincidence.

We have had a bad night. My husband became very confused and angry about his money, where it was, who had it, accusing me of hiding it from him etc.

This resulted in a bad night for both of us.

This morning I slept in. I was woken up by the front door closing and my husband literally dashing down the drive, fastening his coat as he went.

He was back, before I could get dressed to follow him, after 10 minutes or so, asking where were the squatters.

It seems he`d hallucinated too, seen sqatters in the bedroom and living room, but couldn`t find me. So he`d gone to find our son, just down the road, but there was no-one at home.

Now he`s back to normal, feeling relieved he`d not found our son and made a fool of himself.

He is not on any drugs, but, had, had a disturbed night.

Love Sylvia x
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Hi Sylvia

So sorry you're having a hard time. I hope your husband settles again. It's a good thing you've got the assessment coming up.

Love and hugs,
 

sony

Registered User
Jan 28, 2006
37
0
Armagh, Northern Ireland
Another coincidence!

Like Grannie G, I can't believe the coincidence either!
My grandad who has VD went into hospital last Friday for an unexplained back pain, they kept him for 4 nights and he went completely crazy!! We eventually got him home hoping that would settle him last Tuesday, but it's just been worse!!
On Thursday night my Mum was staying coz my granny also has AZ and she overheard them talking and my grandad was saying 'my daughter (my Mum) is a very greedy girl, all she wants is money, money, money, she took £300 off me today', etc etc. This upset my Mum no end coz nothing like this happened.... I told my Mum that this is just a symptom of his VD, was I right in saying that? It's still very hurtful for her though.

So, then last night my uncle was staying and my grandad never slept a wink, he almost put the house on fire by putting the electric kettle on the hob, and kept disturbing my granny.
While he was in hospital my granny was so good, she was really settled and all but since he's come home they're both so unsettled. The hospital recommended respite for both of them but this seems impossible at the minute....

Just thought I would add my story since we all seem to be going through it at the same time...!!

Take care

Sony
 

noelphobic

Registered User
Feb 24, 2006
3,452
0
Liverpool
sony said:
On Thursday night my Mum was staying coz my granny also has AZ and she overheard them talking and my grandad was saying 'my daughter (my Mum) is a very greedy girl, all she wants is money, money, money, she took £300 off me today', etc etc. This upset my Mum no end coz nothing like this happened.... I told my Mum that this is just a symptom of his VD, was I right in saying that? It's still very hurtful for her though.
Sony

A lot of people with dementia do state that people have taken their money, possession etc. It is a common feature and a very distressing one that lots of people will identify with. The irony is that the people who ARE likely to have been rather light-fingered are not the ones who get these accusations thrown at them!
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,445
0
Kent
Hi Sony,

Just reassure your mum that this obssession with money seems to be common. It doesn`t stop the hurt, I just can`t handle it when my husband makes accusations and doesn`t trust me, but makes it a little bit more understandable.

Love Sylvia x
 

Helena

Registered User
May 24, 2006
715
0
Sadly trouble handling money and finances and accusations of things lost or stolen is one of the first problems /things to go with Dementia

This seems to be especially so in Vascular Dementia although wild mood swings from one day to next or even hour to hour also are a hallmark of early Vascular Dementia IMHE
 

Kayla

Registered User
May 14, 2006
621
0
Kent
Strangely enough, on Wednesday when I visited Mum, I thought she was more confused than usual and she seemed to be talking about relations who don't exist, as far as I know.
However on Saturday, a nurse and a carer said that Mum had been very lucid and alert and she has really settled down now. I'm pleased, but rather confused myself. I guess there is probably quite a lot I don't know about Mum's life, and there is no one left to ask about it.
I was pleased that Mum has been able to take part in an art activity, which she has found difficult for the last year or so. Can the brain heal a little when a person has vascular dementia? Perhaps Mum was just well motivated and tried really hard on that particular day.
Hallucinations are upsetting for everyone and hopefully the medication can be adjusted to help the situation. I try to think of them as bad dreams, as that doesn't seem quite so bad.
Kayla
 

Helena

Registered User
May 24, 2006
715
0
Vascular Dementia is weird in the way they have Good Days and Bad days and thus in the early stages you may not realise whats happening however soon the bad days and the "i dont feel well but wont go to the doctor" days proliferate

As the infarcts happen closer and closer you will find almost all days are a fog and they loose so much of their abilities that the brain becomes vulnerable to other damage and infections take their toll
 

Grommit

Registered User
Apr 26, 2006
2,127
0
Doncaster
Sorry to be a bit late in the day but I have seen one or two references to "sundowning" and, as it is a word I have not come across before, I wondered if someone could explain what it is?
 

Grommit

Registered User
Apr 26, 2006
2,127
0
Doncaster
Thanks Nada.

I thought I had read all the info but must have missed this bit. Jean is in the latter stages at this time but the opposite seems to be the norm, where she needs a lot of care and attention first thing each day but calms down later on. Perhaps this is dawning?
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
My mother like that,
she needs a lot of care and attention first thing each day
but then at 7:30pm seem more agitated, restless and seem to remember , talk more around that time . My mother is also at late stages

My mother only experience hallucination , few time when she was given Exbixa in the first year of taking that medication .

she on 20g now , as she started on 5g as I had to cut the one tablet of 10g in half , then build up to 20g over quite a few mouths , the side effect of Ebixa is hallucinating so after a year it all stop.

So am wondering what side effect does Exelon tablet have ?


I don’t know about VD , but even with AZ my mother was also like that accusing all each of us of staling her money , her belonging .yes it is hurtful when your living in that moment with them and they are accusing you , then it turn up because they have just mislaid it and just plan forgotten . many a time we have had to pull every thing out just looking for something mum lost , then we find it hidden in the back of her clothes , jam , the ham chesses , money . Those days have passed now. All mum hangs on to is her hang bag , my daughter loves mum bag , mum forgot it when she went to respite , when she got back she was asking for it , who was using yes my daughter and my mother wanted it back and my daughter asking if she can use it one more night , mum was not having it , as my mother said she always taking my things this time mum was right .
 
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