To medicate or not to medicate?

[sue38]

Hi Gigi,

My Dad is very similar to your husband. Driving is the b all and end all. Every visit to the consultant is, in his view, a step further to getting his licence back.

Yesterday lunchtime he received notice of a meeting in Manchester that he says he cannot go to as he can't drive and was threatening to 'shoot himself'. Of course someone would take him, but as it turns out he's already going to a 50th wedding anniversary that night so he can't go anyway! Last night we went out and he was fine again.

Another point that occurred to me about stopping the medication was that you said Eric scored well on the MMSE. If he came off the meds and you then decided it was the wrong decision and wanted him to go back on, would he qualify under the NICE guidelines? Sorry if this is another complication you don't need.

 

[gigi]

Wow! This all sounds so familiar-which is reassuring to me in a strange way! When Eric gets his licence back he's going to buy an Aston Martin! I do believe for the last 18months I've been burying my head in the sand a lot! The forum is opening my eyes. I'm so sad that so many of you out there are going through rough times- but glad to have you all on board and to be able to share in this way. Things are falling into place I have a better perspective from a carer's point of view. Have just told Eric to look at the moon tonight-it's beautiful and he agreed!(Then went back to watch weakest link!) But at least he saw and appreciated....

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Happy bemusement

My mother has finally reached happy bemusement in the last couple of months. She has been in a wheelchair for just over a year, is totally incontinent, hasn't known who I am for at least a year, and now has only a few words.

She was diagnosed in Jan 2001 so it has been a very long haul so far. She is on drugs and we're keeping her there. Just to let you know it can be very difficult any way you go.

 

[gigi]

Hello Joanne-thanks for your input. It must be hard for you seeing your mum like that-6 years is along time to watch someone you love moving away from you.Did medication help in the beginning do you think? I am persuaded that keeping Eric on medication is the best option and while it seems to be working "better the devil you know than the devil you don't"(as my dad used to say!

 

[Canadian Joanne]

Gigi,
I do feel that in the long run the AD drugs have helped my mother. She was originally on Aricept for at least a couple of years and then was switched to Reminyl when she was put on Ebixa, which is for moderate and advanced AD.

It's very hard for you when your husband expects to "improve" to the point he can drive again. You might consider saying to him that some people deteroriate SEVERELY when they go off the drugs. And it's not even a lie. That's why I'm keeping my mother on the drugs, even though she's so far gone. She's achieved some sort of equilibrium so I really don't want to rock the boat in any way.

As for how hard it is to see my mother, I have finally achieved a certain amount of acceptance and serenity. She seems so much happier now, and that's a great relief to me. Also, it's amazing what human beings can adapt to. It's not so bad - I think of people in concentration camps, people who have lost loved ones to murder and all the horrible events we hear about and realize that my life is not so hard after all. A little perspective is what I need some days.