My mum was finally reviewed again by her Consultants HSO who found she was very good on general conversation but failed very badly on the actual assessment. I was unable to be at the assessment because he rang one hour before arriving to say he would be there so I had to have my sister attend instead. My mum has been very bad tempered lately, always did have a temper but lately she just starts an arguement for no reason, she argues about everything, cant get her to eat or drink or do anything really and it has been a struggle but I have found that I argue back with her and then it ends up in a full scale row with the two of us getting very upset. I decided I had to deal with this better and have been trying not to answer her back and not trying to force the issue and so far it has been working. She is still bad tempered but calms down when you dont confront her. Anyway, (sorry for rambling) another sister showed up and they both told the doctor that mum was aggressive and he prescribed SEROQUEL. I was not happy about this and called him and explained that mum wasn't being aggressive just grumpy from the fact that she had nothing to do all day and the fact that she doesn't know she has Alzheimers but knows there is something wrong and is probably frustrated at the fact she can't remember things, and that I didn't help the situation but I was trying to improve it. An Annual review was being held with mum's Care Manager and the 'family' (what a joke!), so it was discussed at this meeting and her Care Manager said it was kinder to mum to be put on these tablets as it would stop her agitation. I feel that this is just mums fighting spirit and is all she has left of her old self and it is not our place to drug her to get rid of this just because we find it difficult to cope with. It was then agreed to give her 25mg in the evening to help her sleep as the doctors have her on sleeping tablets (something she has needed long before AD came along) but these aren't working, just confusing her at night and she has just on two occassions got up in the middle of the night and went outside. But they want to give her 25mg in the morning as well and say it wont make her drowsy during the day. I read up on the tablet on the internet (it can be a curse sometimes, too much information!!) and this is a very scary tablet, apart from the awful side effects which if an AD sufferer experienced would be terrifying for them, I found two websites from law firms in America wanting to start class actions on the makers of the drug because it has links to diabetes.
My mum is a fighter and is a very difficult woman to deal with but she is 77 and has had AD for nearly 10 years and is still quite independant, I dont want to take this away from her and feel it is terrible to even think of drugging her just to make her more manageable. Her care manager thinks it's kinder on her because it would be worse to let her sit and be agitated, but she is bored, nobody takes her out, she doesn't get any stimulation during the day when I am at work. I am just torn as to what to do, is it kinder to her to do this and is this drug safe because it doesn't sound as if it is. Has anyone else heard of it or had any loved ones taking it. My siblings are divided on the subject as they are on everything and are of no help because they dont know her like I do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I really dont know what to do for the best.
P.S Sorry for going on so long.
Thanking you all in advance.
My mum is a fighter and is a very difficult woman to deal with but she is 77 and has had AD for nearly 10 years and is still quite independant, I dont want to take this away from her and feel it is terrible to even think of drugging her just to make her more manageable. Her care manager thinks it's kinder on her because it would be worse to let her sit and be agitated, but she is bored, nobody takes her out, she doesn't get any stimulation during the day when I am at work. I am just torn as to what to do, is it kinder to her to do this and is this drug safe because it doesn't sound as if it is. Has anyone else heard of it or had any loved ones taking it. My siblings are divided on the subject as they are on everything and are of no help because they dont know her like I do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated because I really dont know what to do for the best.
P.S Sorry for going on so long.
Thanking you all in advance.