Starting on anti psychotics

[Louise83]

Today is the first I've looked in this section, and almost every thread I could have written myself. Only 1 year after diagnosis I've now accepted this is the stage my mum is at.

I posted last week about my mum's agressiveness and violence towards me, and her anger at her hallucinations. This week urine and blood tests came back normal so no infections.

I spoke to the doctor at the clinic yesterday and we have agreed the next step is anti psychotics. She starts on quetiapine on Monday, half a pill at night. Slightly worried about whether she will co operate and take it. We have a carer who comes in the morning for medication prompt but she takes her own evening pills after I leave them at her bedside (although recently there is the odd night she hasn't taken them despite insisting she has). I will consider phoning the social for evening medication prompt although given the current situation I know they are struggling (I had to beg for the morning carers to return last week after 5 weeks suspended).

I feel we are getting closer to moving mum into a care home.
She lives with me but I work full time, and my own mental health has suffered dealing with her and the abuse I get for it.

I did a search on here for people's experiences with their PWD on anti psychotics, and wait in trepidation about what the upcoming weeks/months will bring. I pray it will bring my mum some peace.

 

[Palerider]

Today is the first I've looked in this section, and almost every thread I could have written myself. Only 1 year after diagnosis I've now accepted this is the stage my mum is at.

I posted last week about my mum's agressiveness and violence towards me, and her anger at her hallucinations. This week urine and blood tests came back normal so no infections.

I spoke to the doctor at the clinic yesterday and we have agreed the next step is anti psychotics. She starts on quetiapine on Monday, half a pill at night. Slightly worried about whether she will co operate and take it. We have a carer who comes in the morning for medication prompt but she takes her own evening pills after I leave them at her bedside (although recently there is the odd night she hasn't taken them despite insisting she has). I will consider phoning the social for evening medication prompt although given the current situation I know they are struggling (I had to beg for the morning carers to return last week after 5 weeks suspended).

I feel we are getting closer to moving mum into a care home.
She lives with me but I work full time, and my own mental health has suffered dealing with her and the abuse I get for it.

I did a search on here for people's experiences with their PWD on anti psychotics, and wait in trepidation about what the upcoming weeks/months will bring. I pray it will bring my mum some peace.

I hope so @Louise83, I feel for you as my mum has been spared this side of dementia -though she does have some moments, but not often.

You will find information on antipsychotics and efficacy very thin on the ground and its very much trial and error. But I found this article written in 2006 in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. If you look at page 198 it shows that the overall analysis favours quetiapine in two studies in dementia. I hope it helps undersatnd the use of these drugs a bit more. The article is attached as a PDF

 

[Louise83]

Thank you @Palerider I'll have a look at that.

 

[Batsue]

My mum has been taking risperidone for over 2 years, without it I think she would have been in a care home long ago.

 

[Jayne M]

My mum has been taking risperidone for over 2 years, without it I think she would have been in a care home long ago.

That's good to hear as my dad has started on risperidone this week. We are in desperate times.

 

[Grannie G]

I don`t know if this will help @Louise83

Antipsychotics and other drug approaches in dementia care

Antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed for people with dementia who develop changes such as aggression and psychosis. However this is usually only after other drugs have been tried such as anti-depressant, anti-dementia and anticonvulsant drugs.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

When my husband took antipsychotics the dose needed to be tweaked to get the best does for him. It`s a bit of a scary process good if it helps.

The person with dementia may be quite frightened and confused and aggression may be the only way they think they can safeguard themselves. Antipsychotics are now used as a last resort but if they agree with the person with dementia they can be a godsend for all.

 

[Louise83]

Thanks @Grannie G I did read through that earlier this week.

I'm really hoping this will improve things and delay mum moving into a home (I know this has to happen at some point).
There's been so many times we've had our hopes dashed though I'm cautious about these things now.

 

[Woo2]

Family member has taken quetiapine and it did the job it was meant to, everyone is different though,fingers crossed it works for your mum and has the desired affect .

 

[Vitesse]

I don`t know if this will help @Louise83

Antipsychotics and other drug approaches in dementia care

Antipsychotic drugs may be prescribed for people with dementia who develop changes such as aggression and psychosis. However this is usually only after other drugs have been tried such as anti-depressant, anti-dementia and anticonvulsant drugs.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

When my husband took antipsychotics the dose needed to be tweaked to get the best does for him. It`s a bit of a scary process good if it helps.

The person with dementia may be quite frightened and confused and aggression may be the only way they think they can safeguard themselves. Antipsychotics are now used as a last resort but if they agree with the person with dementia they can be a godsend for all.

Risperidone is a life line in our house. The dose has gradually been increased and it keeps my husband calm for most of the day. I was worried when they first prescribed them, as they have side effects, but it is the only way to get through the day. I feel guilty saying that, but it is the reality of what we are living through.

 

[Trekker]

Risperidone has helped my mother over the years. Important these meds are taken consistently so might be worth asking your GP to switch to morn dose so carer can supervise.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

@Louise83 if your mother won't take the pills at night, would it be possible to have the quetiapine switched to being a morning pill? I realize there may be a problem with drowsiness, which is normally why they are taken at night.

My mother was on anti-psychotics for about 10 years, as she was physically violent. We did have to tweak them occasionally - in the 10 years, she was on 3 different anti-psychotics because of various problems.

 

[Louise83]

Thanks for the replies.

I got her to take tonight's pill by telling her it was an anti histamine (she has taken these before). Will see how long I get away with that.

 

[Jayne M]

Thanks for the replies.

I got her to take tonight's pill by telling her it was an anti histamine (she has taken these before). Will see how long I get away with that.

Hi Louise,
We've managed the risperidone but we're now in the middle of a complicated delusion involving the government. This is my 85 year old dad and I can't see us managing bedtime meds. So difficult!

 

[Carobby]

Hi just read the thread My mum has been getting verbal and agitated in the afternoon banging the chair and shout out but when i go to her she says she is not shouting and that its the children in the room or those on the telly. she was prescribed 500 mcg once a day but that was a week ago. she constantly keeps getting out of her chair and has started getting up in the night so they dont seem to be working. today she was very bad verbal aggression to me and very aggressive this morning shouting and trying to hit me i dont know what to do next?

 

[Canadian Joanne]

@Louise83 Calling it an anti-histamine is half right.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Hi just read the thread My mum has been getting verbal and agitated in the afternoon banging the chair and shout out but when i go to her she says she is not shouting and that its the children in the room or those on the telly. she was prescribed 500 mcg once a day but that was a week ago. she constantly keeps getting out of her chair and has started getting up in the night so they dont seem to be working. today she was very bad verbal aggression to me and very aggressive this morning shouting and trying to hit me i dont know what to do next?

It can take up to 6 weeks for the effects to fully kick in. Hang in there and let us know how things progress.

 

[Louise83]

Hi just read the thread My mum has been getting verbal and agitated in the afternoon banging the chair and shout out but when i go to her she says she is not shouting and that its the children in the room or those on the telly. she was prescribed 500 mcg once a day but that was a week ago. she constantly keeps getting out of her chair and has started getting up in the night so they dont seem to be working. today she was very bad verbal aggression to me and very aggressive this morning shouting and trying to hit me i dont know what to do next?

It can take up to 6 weeks to kick in.

As I type, my mum is in her bedroom shouting at her hallucinations, angry at their "carry on", driving her round the bend etc. Been going on 10 mins so far. I just leave her alone now unless she tries to leave the house.

Is a doctor/nurse going to keep in contact with you to see how things are going?
The clinic said a CPN would phone me every week or so.

I'm planning to write in a diary to keep track of any changes etc. I've done this previously through the dementia to spot patterns.

 

[Louise83]

Those who gave their PWD anti psychotics - did you have any problems getting them to take them?

For the first week I told mum they were anti histamines (she sometimes gets a small itch and runny nose etc), but this week she refused to take them, insisting that a doctor told her not to! I've been slipping it into her dinner.

I told the CPN this and she told the doctor, said it's ok to carry on putting in her food but they may address it later.

 

[Vitesse]

Those who gave their PWD anti psychotics - did you have any problems getting them to take them?

For the first week I told mum they were anti histamines (she sometimes gets a small itch and runny nose etc), but this week she refused to take them, insisting that a doctor told her not to! I've been slipping it into her dinner.

I told the CPN this and she told the doctor, said it's ok to carry on putting in her food but they may address it later.

My husband has always refused the antipsychotics, but now he is also refusing his blood pressure and thyroid tablets. So, with the doctor‘s agreement, they all have to be hidden in drinks or ice cream!

 

[Louise83]

My mum is now on her second type of antipsychotic as the first had no effect.

After a few good days initially she is back to how it was before, angry, violent with me, everything is my faulylt, wandering out now and then. Yesterday she went out in her dressing gown and shoes, in the rain, she made it about a 15/20 minute walk down the road onto a main road before I found her (I saw her leave the house on camera so dashed home from work). Our neighbours are back at work now so couldn't call them.

After this I called the social about respite in a carehome for now. Waiting on a callback.

Last week we had had a good (if you can call it that!) about care homes, she was accepting that she would need one eventually and said that I had my own life to get on with. Had never heard her speak like that.

Yesterday she was back to "you want rid of me" and "I'm not going to a home".

This morning she is up and putting her shoes on again, I said we could go together later, but I'm not convinced she won't go out again so will need to stay here instead of going to work.