Outstanding improvement in Mom

[kayleigh999]

Hi All

I wanted to post and sort of update on my post last week when I was at my wits end with worrying about Mom being violent and Dad not wanting me to tell the psychiatrist as she would have been sectioned and he did not want that.

I have to say I have a new Mom she is calm,smiles,is looking well but the best part is the "other" husband that she wanted to kill (and did try to, with a knife) has left the building The paranoia has gone totally as has the agitation and terrible fear and distress.

Her Amisulpride has been raised to 50 mg and it seems to be working. I am aware enough to realise this may be a honymoon period but with this condition when no 2 days can be predicted we are on a roll of 5 fantastic ones.

Maybe anyone out there who has knowledge on these drugs can give me some feedback as to how it helped, or indeed ,did not help their relatives. I honestly dont mind having my bubble burst as I am a realist and dont want to get my hopes up too high. Dad is all praise for the GP that set all this up (forgetting I dragged him screaming there with him insisting there was nothing was wrong with Mom!) but thats fine because I am just so happy she,and in turn ,him seem happier.

For people who did not see my original posts Mom is almost 3 weeks into a diagnosis of Vascular dementia with patchy evidence of AD also.

Big day tomorrow, first day at the assessment centre/day centre thingy attached to the psychiatric hospital. Already saying "no way and there is nothing wrong with me "but I think I am winning. I liken it to my childrens first day at school and will try to support her as many moons ago she did me. I was going to take her myself but apparently parking is almost impossible so the kind sister of the unit is allowing me to travel in the transport vehicle and stay with her an hour. The fact I will be stranded to find bus stops and my way home is a bridge I will cross tomorrow
, if I get her there I will be pleased and anyway I am too reliant on my little car and could do with a trek comfort eating taking a toll, oh dear.

So I am glad to post some positive news, if it helps anyone else reading wonder of the worth of getting a diagnosis and treatment,even against your parents or partners wishes I have to say it is the way forward. I would hate to imagine how things would be with Mom now otherwise.

Take care all

K xxx

 

[jenniferpa]

Dear Kayleigh

I am so glad that the meds are working for your mum. I don't know either how long they can be expected to work but it's good to hear that they DO work. It sometimes seems that there is no help for this paranoia, because we tend to see posts on the board where these drugs haven't helped , yet obviously they can be effective in some cases otherwise they wouldn't be on the market. It's very good that they are helping your family.

Love

Jennifer

 

[Lucille]

Hello Kayleigh

I am glad to read that the meds are working for your mum. I have no experience of the drugs, but I'm sure others will post.

I hope the assessment centre goes OK (and that you manage to get your bus back home! Typically, they'll probably arrive in twos) Let us know how your mum gets on at the centre. I hope it's a success.

best wishes

 

[Skye]

That's great news, Kayleigh. So glad your mum is responding to treatment.

Good luck tomorrow with the day centre. Give me a buzz when you're ready and I'll come and pick you up!

Love,

 

[Nebiroth]

So glad to hear that you've had such an apparently good result.

I would guess that it is perfectly possible for the drugs to have such a good effect.

I am guessing that the paranoia and hallucinations etc were the result of a purely physical problem rather than being pyschological and I think you've maybe benefitted from getting the medication in early and "nipping things in the bud" so to speak.

My Dad's paranoia, very difficult, because we left it so long and it became very deep rooted. He spent over a year convincing himself that the beliefs were true, and finding "evidence" so I think that is why the medication took a long time to help, and we still get flashes of it now and then with complaints about "them".

 

[Taffy]

Hi Kayleigh,so pleased to read that things are looking much brighter and mum is responding so well to the medication. I hope things continue to remain positive for you. Best Wishes. Taffy.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

The drugs can help. They have helped my mother for months at a time. Then it seems that a drug loses efficacy after a time & we move on, trying to find another that will give good results. The time in between the good periods can seem very long.

But as I said, we would have 7 or 8 months at a time. Considering my mother's take on the disease, this is quite good. So you'll have a break. Use it to enjoy your mother as she is now.

Love
Joanne

 

[mel]

Hi Kayleigh
I am so happy to read your post......what a change from last week eh?
Take time to enjoy
Good luck for tomorrow
Love Wendy x

 

[Kathleen]

Hello Kayleigh

Excellent news, long may it last!

Keep posting

Kathleen
x

 

[Grannie G]

Dear Kayleigh, I`m so pleased your mum seems so much better on the medication. You sound as if the worries of the world have been lifted off your shoulders.

Take care xx

 

[Sunlight]

So glad to read your positive post. Hope things go well tomorrow.

 

[kayleigh999]

Quick update

Hi All

Wanted to say thank you for the replies. Also Mom went to day centre, a little scared wobble on way in but happy and relaxed even after I left,according to the sister that just rang me. One quite awkward man was not being very nice to the staff,demanding someone fetch his toast and dear Mom took him it over to him.

She has just rang me and said "it was nice,they all freindly and I had a nice chat but I wont go again thank you as its really for staggery old people" Mom is 82 and unsteady on her feet and uses a stick

I will not push it now until nearer time and then I guess ultimatley the decision is hers as she was fair and gave it a go.

Still fantastically stable, I am almost forgetting the diagnosis and thinking someone made a mistake but maybe I will be back down to earth soon with a bump and maybe coming back on and offloading. I do feel I have made some "friends" on here (albiet virtual ones)and people are kind enough to help others.

Take care all

Kxxx

 

[jenniferpa]

Dear Kayleigh

I'm glad the day centre went OK. I'm afraid your mother seems to be like mine: convinced she is somewhat younger than she actually is. Hospital stays in particular have produced remarks like "These poor old people, why am I here with them?" and "Goodness, I hope I don't live to be as old as them". My mother (post stroke) is 89 and has, to date, been the oldest one in these situations. If asked, she'll hazard a guess that she's in her sixties. On the whole, she doesn't mind if I point out her real age, and her normal response is "Oh, no wonder I can't (fill in the blank)" but it doesn't stay with her.

Love

Jennifer

 

[Skye]

Hi All

"it was nice,they all freindly and I had a nice chat but I wont go again thank you as its really for staggery old people" Mom is 82 and unsteady on her feet and uses a stick

I love that!!!!

I'm glad your mum enjoyed the daycare, perhaps she'll decode she wants to go again.

It's also great that she's back to normal. Enjoy it while it lasts!

Thanks for the update,

Love,

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Kayleigh,
How about suggesting that she's actually going to "help" the "staggery old people" as a volunteer or something along those lines? That is the tack I took when my mother was going to the day centre and it did the trick nicely. I find that feeling useful and needed is so important for AD patients. Any way that we can get that in is good.

Now as for your mother's perception of her age - I'm 53 and when I've caught an unexpected look of myself in a mirror or window, I've often wondered who the fat, dowdy frump was. Until I realized I was looking at myself!!! Can't say I blame your mother on that one

Joanne

 

[Grannie G]

Hi Kayleigh, I`m so pleased it all went well for your mum and she enjoyed the day centre.
I do hope she goes again, it will give her a change of scene, even if all the others are too old for her.

 

[RussellC]

Kayleigh

I am pleased your Mum is improved from last week's situation.

When my dad went to the day centre I sent the staff a story of my dad's life and interests. He was encouraged to help others and assisted the gardening gang. This helped him settle in and boosted his self esteem.

After that he eagerly walked out to the coach. Indeed if he saw it in the town on the days he didn't go to the centre he would want to get on it!!

Best wishes

Russell

 

[kayleigh999]

Little update

Hi All

Thanks for the posts, they really made me smile. I realise since my last update I may be fooling myself a bit here (although ignorance has been bliss For a week now ) I was getting all carried away in thinking she is well, and all the past month and its dreadful times has gone and wont return.

My Boyfriend has a close friend who is a psychatrist although I am only on nodding terms with him as I have only seen him briefly a couple of times. So I thought I would take advantage and get some info out of him via my boyfriend,who was out with him last night.

He said it is progressive (as we all know of course) and in Moms case those pills only work for a period. After that usually the patient does become used to them and the dosage is increased. Also on my fears and worries about sectioning he said sure, patients are sectioned,sometimes more than once but it is not locked up forever as my Dad seems to think. They apparently get the meds right, do blood tests and dont prolong their stay any more than usual. Funding is one reason for this. So that has alleviated my worry somewhat.

Lastly,and this is the reason for my post really,is 2 things he said were really important; make sure Mom drinks enough and also she is not constipated as it can increase toxins and make things worse. First time I had heard of it but if it makes sense to anyone else and helps then I thought I would share it with you. Mom,by the way has terrible bowel problems with Diverculitus and has been told to eat reg fruit, veg and wholegrain cereals,which she rarely does. She also hardly ever drinks so I will pass that on to Dad anyway.

Anyway whilst we have a good,stable period its time to sort some things I have been neglecting, namely my weight, sorting the messy dump it all in cupboard,and getting on my 16 year olds back for his exam revision. Mom, for now,has time for nagging!

Thanks again all and best wishes to everyone.

Kxxx

 

[Grannie G]

time to sort some things I have been neglecting, namely my weight, sorting the messy dump it all in cupboard,

You and me both Kayleigh.

You sound so much brighter though, Make the most of it while you can.

With love

 

[Skye]

Oh dear, Kayleigh, I'm another who could do with some nagging. Why do we always put on weight when we're stressed? (Nothing to do with chocolate, I'm sure!)

I'm a diverticulitis sufferer too, and I know that any increase in stress will bring on an acute episode. That produces more stress, as I worry about looking after John.......... it's a vicious circle. I take probiotic yoghurt drinks daily, and I've recently been recommended to drink aloe vera juice (from health shops) daily. I do think the yoghurt helps, haven't noticed much difference with the aloe vera though.

Anyway, thanks for the info, and I'm glad your mum is doing so well.

Love,