Oh Acco, that sounds like a terrible consultation with your GP. It reminds me of my uncle who continued to practice as a GP some years ago with AD, eventually he realised he had it and stopped when he went out on a night call and couldn't remember why he was out in his car.
The use of antipsychotics in severe agitation
- Thread starter mishy75
- Start date
http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/showthread.php?48421-Risperidone&highlight=respiridone
Lots of other experiences on this thread too.
I'm sorry you had such a poor consultation Acco.
best wishes
Sue
Lots of other experiences on this thread too.
I'm sorry you had such a poor consultation Acco.
best wishes
Sue
My experience on the topic is poor, but I might mention:
in December when my mother fell 7 times while loosing her sight and strength,
she also showed agression unimaginable for her on several occasions.
She also used to wake up at 1am or 2am and walk around very angrily and dangerously etc.
I tried with some medications in consultation with our GP,
one by one, stopped when I found them useless, tried with another one....
and soon again she did not need anything. Of course, we do not know what future has for us,
but: monitoring is very important.
in December when my mother fell 7 times while loosing her sight and strength,
she also showed agression unimaginable for her on several occasions.
She also used to wake up at 1am or 2am and walk around very angrily and dangerously etc.
I tried with some medications in consultation with our GP,
one by one, stopped when I found them useless, tried with another one....
and soon again she did not need anything. Of course, we do not know what future has for us,
but: monitoring is very important.
So glad I found this thread, as my Mil has just been prescribed 0.5mg of risperidone, twice daily.
I think we are lucky in that the agencies involved with Mils care give every indication that they take the monitoring very, very seriously - we have been allocated a CPN, who will see Mil weekly, to oversee and monitor the medication.
I'm concerned because Mil does have angina, as well as dementia, about the health risks - but I think the health risks are about on a par with the concern I had that there was a serious risk that she would hurt herself during the paranoia/aggression/hallucinations, which happened several times a day (and night) and sometimes all day (and night).
I was talking to a friend yesterday, off loading the worry and guilt I feel about what i termed as 'having to resort to medication' - and was asked in Mils shoes, would I rather live in a world where I was constantly stressed, agitated, angry and aggressive, unable to interact with my family in any pleasant way, seeing sometimes scary things that aren't actually there, and constantly getting worked up and upset to the point where my relatives were seriously worried about stress induced heart attack or stroke, and also about the potential for me to seriously hurt myself as a result of all this - or maybe still be at risk from the heart attack or stroke, but be calmer, less likely to hurt myself (or others) and be able to interact to at least some pleasant degree, without having my mind clouded with hallucinations and paranoia . . .
Put like that, I know which option I would chose.
I think we are lucky in that the agencies involved with Mils care give every indication that they take the monitoring very, very seriously - we have been allocated a CPN, who will see Mil weekly, to oversee and monitor the medication.
I'm concerned because Mil does have angina, as well as dementia, about the health risks - but I think the health risks are about on a par with the concern I had that there was a serious risk that she would hurt herself during the paranoia/aggression/hallucinations, which happened several times a day (and night) and sometimes all day (and night).
I was talking to a friend yesterday, off loading the worry and guilt I feel about what i termed as 'having to resort to medication' - and was asked in Mils shoes, would I rather live in a world where I was constantly stressed, agitated, angry and aggressive, unable to interact with my family in any pleasant way, seeing sometimes scary things that aren't actually there, and constantly getting worked up and upset to the point where my relatives were seriously worried about stress induced heart attack or stroke, and also about the potential for me to seriously hurt myself as a result of all this - or maybe still be at risk from the heart attack or stroke, but be calmer, less likely to hurt myself (or others) and be able to interact to at least some pleasant degree, without having my mind clouded with hallucinations and paranoia . . .
Put like that, I know which option I would chose.