Psychosis?

danonwheels

Registered User
Apr 13, 2016
229
0
Rotherham, South Yorkshire
I've read a few bits and bobs that seem to suggest psychosis (hallucinations and delusions) are a part of Alzheimers for some people. Just wondering how true this is? I've been recently diagnosed with psychosis and my GP has referred me to the same people I'm under for my alzheimers but a different team, so it's like she's not linking the 2.

Does that make sense or would it be more appropriate to see the memory clinic perhaps?

Oh, my psychosis manifest itself as a little girl who seems to like hiding behind my living room door and appears to be trying to tell me something. I also hear what sounds like people trying to get into my flat and that one can be scary but I have the insite to know it's not real for now.
 

canary

Registered User
Feb 25, 2014
25,018
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South coast
Hello Dan, I am sorry you are getting these problems, Im sure it must be scary if you think someone is trying to break into your flat. Yes hallucinations and delusions are very common with all types of dementia, so Im sure the doctors have tied the two things together.

The memory clinic isnt actually very good at sorting out the medication for this sort of thing which is why they usually get a different team who is used to this to do it.
 

LadyA

Registered User
Oct 19, 2009
13,730
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Ireland
I'm sorry you are experiencing this, @danonwheels , on top of everything else. Yes, as @canary says, it's very common. My husband suffered a pretty extreme form, and it was like he lived in his own private horror film, 24 hours a day. Thankfully, after a couple of incidents which could have had tragic consequences, he was prescribed medication, and thankfully, it worked wonders for him, without any side effects! It was as if someone had flipped a switch, and turned off the hallucinations, the voices, the paranoia.
 

LynneMcV

Volunteer Moderator
May 9, 2012
6,116
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south-east London
I am so sorry you are going through this @danonwheels

My husband, who has Alzheimer's, started to have psychotic episodes a couple of years ago now. At that point he moved away from the care of the Memory Clinic to go under the wings of the Community Mental Health Team. The CMHT are far more clued up about how to treat it than either the Memory Clinic or GP are.
 

danonwheels

Registered User
Apr 13, 2016
229
0
Rotherham, South Yorkshire
Ahhh so it makes sense thgen. Thanks for replying, that's reassuring. I have my first appointment with this new team sometime next week and no idea what they're going to do - my biggest worry is that they might decide to lock me up although I've been assured that's a last resort.

At the moment I feel like I'm losing my mind which I guess I am really but in a diufferent way.

It's weird that someone is trying to get into my flat - I hear what sounds like a door handle jiggling but, like number 10 downing street, I don't have a handle to jiggle on the outside of my front door!
 

LadyA

Registered User
Oct 19, 2009
13,730
0
Ireland
Ahhh so it makes sense thgen. Thanks for replying, that's reassuring. I have my first appointment with this new team sometime next week and no idea what they're going to do - my biggest worry is that they might decide to lock me up although I've been assured that's a last resort.

At the moment I feel like I'm losing my mind which I guess I am really but in a diufferent way.

It's weird that someone is trying to get into my flat - I hear what sounds like a door handle jiggling but, like number 10 downing street, I don't have a handle to jiggle on the outside of my front door!
Danonwheels, you speak so eloquently, and can describe so clearly what's happening, i think you're very far from being in danger of being "locked up" , or of losing your mind!
I found sometimes with my husband, the auditory hallucinations were triggered by an actual sound, which his brain misinterpreted. For example, a bird, tapping it's beak on the chimney pot became somebody shooting at us. The wind in the trees became evil children who lived in the trees, and would laugh, and scream obscenities and throw things at us. (Except he could see the children too).
Do let us know how you get on. And persevere, if the first medication they try doesn't work - it took several months, and several different trials of medication before finding what worked for my husband.