New to the group

[sillymom23]

Hello! My husband had herpes encephalitis 30 years ago. There was quite a bit a damage to the hippocampus per MRI findings. He miraculously recovered 95%. But over the last 10 years the hippocampus has been aging faster than normal and he now has a diagnosis of probable Alzhiemer's type dementia. He is 77 years old. He has been on aricept for 3 years and was started on Namenda about a month ago. He has been sleeping at least 14 hours a day for a few years but now it is up to 20 hours. He feels like he is sick but is unable to express what is going on. Anyone else have experience with the excessive sleeping? Is it the Namenda? Thanks in advance for answering.

 

[Bay Tree]

I'm sorry that I can't answer your question but I do have experience of excessive sleeping. My husband is 75 and diagnosed with Alzheimer's and most days he is in the bedroom literally all day. He comes out to eat, have a shower and ask me questions and then it's straight back to the bedroom where he sleeps day and night. He's not reading or doing any activity but gets under the duvet and sleeps and says he is so tired all the time. He's on donepezil but was sleeping before his diagnosis/medication. I sometimes wonder if I should be grateful for the peace and quiet but it feels so odd and uncomfortable to be in the house with someone not leaving the bedroom and sleeping so much. I will say he goes out 2 half days to activities but as soon as he comes home from these, he goes to bed!

 

[Pacucho]

Hello,
I've just read your post.
I don't know whether Namenda is the cause of the problems with your partner, but if you have not already done so I would urge you to contact his GP and perhaps seek an urgent home visit appointment.
Hope this helps,
Paco