Stressed daughter

[caz80]

Hi everyone, new on here and first time post.
Has anyone found their loved ones getting worse on trazadone?
My dad (74) had to be admitted to hospital a month ago due to aggression and agitation towards my mum, his carer. Throwing things at her, threatening her, breaking things in the house etc. After numerous visits from the police, they decided this time he needed to be assessed so they called an ambulance and l went with him. He caused chaos in the a&e department and had to be restrained by security. He was admitted and stayed there for 10 days whilst social services and mental health team tried to figure out what to do with him. In the end we brought him home with change of meds..trazadone instead of sertraline. Also lorazepam when needed. Things over the last fortnight he went downhill rapidly, incontinence set in, talking to himself, no increased sleep, but very tired all the time, refusing to wear pants, and no improvement with agitation and aggression. Last week was horrendous, and we had to find a suitable home for him and he went in on Friday morning. I know it's early days but he's not settling or sleeping. So l suppose l'm asking if anyone else has had similar problems and what medication was used other than trazadone?

 

[Kevinl]

Well yes and I have a view on the effectivity of medications posted about on here for years, there is no cure so if you think it helps or doesn't then say so, the side effects can be worse, ive found.
Positive posts will always win out but not for me and I post as a carer just so you know. K

 

[caz80]

Thanks, everything you say is true, there is no cure so maybe there's no point him taking the trazadone isn't helping?

 

[Annamalina]

My mum was on trozadone when she started showing challenging behaviour. The doze was increased with lorazepam added when and as required. Things continued getting worse and I suspected it was psychosis ( mum lives with me). The diagnose was confirmed by her doctor and now she is on anti- psychotic medication which helps most of the time. She still takes trozadone and I have lorazepam as a back up pill in case she has an episode especially when we are not at home.

 

[caz80]

I think he needs an anti- psychotic meds

 

[Annamalina]

Probably but only your dad’s doctor/ psychiatrist can advise and prescribe after a formal assessment. I believe Trozadone still helps with other symptoms and is good for a better sleep but it won’t prevent psychotic episodes.

 

[My Mum's Daughter]

@caz80 you Dad is now safe with a whole team of carers to look after him so please try to relax a little.

I've only ever dealt with one PWD and you're probably just the same but Dad's care home will have dealt with hundreds of residents with dementia so they'll have seen all this before. Please try to do what I know is a very hard thing, sit back and let them deal with the doctors and your Dad's medication but ask to be updated regularly (this is where I went wrong).

Being unsettled is normal, especially as he's only been a resident for 48 hours. Not sleeping is not a problem, the night carers finish work and go home for their sleep, not like you or I that faced another day of coping on a couple of short naps.

Please contact the care home before visiting and don't be surprised if they ask you to wait a week or 2.