Newly diagnosed Donezipil and loreazapam

[LolaLou]

My mum has been recently diagnosed with ‘mild’ Alzheimer’s and prescribed donezipil. She can have sharper moments but delusions are increasing (often thinks she is in danger or that someone is coming to ‘hurt her’. She thinks my dad is a man who helps her out and often asks where her ‘real’ husband is. She gets quite agitated trying to explain herself in these situations. It is all so new to us and often we are at a complete loss what to say when she asks where my dad is when he’s sitting there. We find reassurance and distraction help up to a point (find that logically explaining things at the time doesn’t help so have abandoned that tack) The GP has prescribed Loreazapam to help calm her but I’m concerned we gave the Donezipil less than a week to kick in before resorting to this. We are having to rely on telephone appointments because of COVID - so the doctor is having to go on our descriptions. The memory clinic have been lovely but feeling a little like it’s now ‘over to us’ armed only with a handful of leaflets. Feels like it’s gone from forgetfulness, repeating herself, getting mixed up with Dad to quite intense delusions in a short period of time
Has anyone else any experience of donezipil and lorazepam? Thx

 

[Batsue]

@LolaLou
Welcome to Dementia Talking Point, you will find lots of people willing to help you here.

Donepezil is used to slow down the progression of alzheimer's not to improve current symptoms although some people do say that it can improve things. My mum used to get quite agitated thinking that people would break in and hurt her, she was prescribed risperidone which has been a life saver.

 

[karaokePete]

Hello @LolaLou, you are welcome here and I hope you find the forum to be a friendly and supportive place.

I hope you have time to take a good look around the site as it is a goldmine for information. When I first joined I read old threads for information but then found the AS Publications list and the page where a post code search can be done to check for support services in ones own area. If you are interested in these, clicking the following links will take you there

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/get-support/publications-factsheets-full-list

https://www.alzheimers.org.uk/find-support-near-you

You will see that there are Factsheets that will help with things like getting care needs assessments, deciding the level of care required and sorting out useful things like Wills, Power of Attorney etc., if any of that hasn't already been done. There is also a Dementia Guide in the list.

Anxiety and depression are common bedfellows of dementia and my wife is medicated for these as well as her dementia. My wife can get agitated if frustrated by her confusion and inability to express herself - I think that may be common.

If communicating becomes an issue, a few handy tips can be picked from the useful thread that can be reached with this link https://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/threads/compassionate-communication-with-the-memory-impaired.30801/

Now that you have found us I hope you will keep posting as the membership has vast collective knowledge and experience.

 

[LolaLou]

Thank you both. It’s very overwhelming T the minute. There’s so much information and dealing with my mum and dad I don’t even think mum’s diagnosis has sunk in yet. @reedysue how was risperadone effective for your mum pls?

 

[Batsue]

@LolaLou
Risperidone has stopped my mum from getting agitated and upset, she used to think that she was not safe at home and that the house would be broken into every night, it has also helped with sundowning and wanting to go home even though she has lived here for 13 years.