We are baffled!

[Wigan]

I have posted on here a few times mainly about medication as mum's keeps changing as we are not happy with the side effects of some of them. The latest tablets being trialled for mum are Galantamine and Citalopram. She started the Citalopram 4 weeks ago and for the first week was really good, but thinking about it now, that was probably when there were no drugs in her system other than her regular heart medication etc. The 2nd and 3rd week brought anxiety and insomnia. 2 weeks ago mum was put on Galantamine as the doc at the memory clinic thought mums suspected vascular dementia may now be lewy body dementia (but not sure and no firm diagnosis). Since Monday mum had become increasingly restless, agitated and the visual hallucinations were heightened. Sent for doc on Thurs as she was seeing people everywhere she looked. Doc thought she may have a UTI so started her on antibiotics. The dipstick test came back clear but the sample has been sent to the lab. The last 2 days have been awful, mum really agitated, up at 5 in the morning shouting at the "people in the garden", can't sit still and weirdly is speaking really quickly. In other words "on a high". We stopped the Galantamine this morning as we thought this tablet may be the culprit but am now wondering whether it could be the Citalopram. Her dose was 10mg but was increased to 20mg today.

Has anyone else had any side effects of Citalopram?

 

[FifiMo]

Here is the Patient Information Leaflet.

http://xpil.medicines.org.uk/ViewPil.aspx?DocID=18163

If you scroll down to Other Warnings, 3rd Bullet Point, this appears to be what is happening to your mum and it suggests the dose needs to be adjusted.

If it is found that your mum has dementia with Lewy Bodies then some drugs can be unsuitable pluse they can become sensitive to some medications too. Might be worth asking if this is perhaps what is happening.

Hope this helps,

Fiona

 

[Wigan]

Thanks. Just opened the curtains and saddened to see mum in the garden again talking to the people. The garden and people have become an obsession with her at the moment. I am going to ring her GP this morning.

 

[1954]

Good idea x

 

[Wigan]

I rang the doctor who was very helpful the other day. Today completely different. She basically did/would not offer any advice on the meds. She said if I wanted to stop the Citalopram that was up to me. When I asked if there would be any withdrawal symptoms she said we would only know once it is stopped. She wouldn't advise re the Galantamine. She then completely stunned me when she said its best to call the mental health team to say an urgent assessment is needed for mum as if she is a danger to the community she may need to be sectioned. Gobsmacked is an understatement. I explained that we had been out shopping today and mum was perfectly fine how can she possibly need sectioning! This latest lack of compassion/advice from a professional makes me mad. On Thursday I called the memory clinic to discuss the Galantamine as wasn't sure if this was making mum's hallucinations worse. The stand-in consultant there suggested the dose be doubled (after only 2 weeks on it). I said "no" we didn't agree with that to the duty officer who I spoke to. She replied that in February when my mum's initial assessment was done it was clear she was in the moderate stage of dementia. I replied to her that I was there during this assessment and the lady who came out said to me she didn't think it was dementia as mum didn't present the usual symptoms. She then said she was happy to retract that comment as she was basing it on mums score without taking any anxiety, illness into account. Needless to say I was less than pleased and told her they need to think carefully about what they say to families as it is a very sensitive matter and reminded her that to date we haven't even got a firm diagnosis for mum. She re-iterated that she retracted that comment - the mind boggles! I can't believe how much research I am having to do myself. Surely the professionals in this field should be there to help more.

 

[embers]

Galantamine

Hi Wigan,
I am sorry to hear you and your Mother are having such a stressful time. It is really difficult when you feel stuck in the middle and trying to do your best. I was prescribed galantamine which I took for some months. I continually complained about the fact that I had developed insomnia, to the extent that then and even now I could go over 50 hours with no sleep, but didn't feel tired in the way I did when sleep deprived because of a young family. Your description of your Mother being'high' I think is the word you used makes sense to me, as even though I have been exhausted, for some reason I felt on over ride and just couldn't relax. The few times I got a bit of sleep I had bizarre dreams. I was prescribed zopiclone to try and help with the insomnia with no effect. I kept asking if the galantamine could affect my sleep pattern and was told no, but when I googled 'can galantamine cause insomnia' it came up as the second major side effect at that time. I don't know what these drugs do to our brains, but do feel that there must be some chemical reaction to stop sleeping tablets working with galantamine which has been my experience. I hope you and your Mother get some resolve soon. I am not sure how useful this has been to you, but thought as someone with alzheimers taking medication it might be useful for you to have some insight as to how I have felt. I send you my best wishes.