What to do about her patch due now?

[Lynnpin]

A full scale argument has just erupted because my mother has been looking for her "sleeping pills" that she has been taking herself for the past umpteen years. She hasn't, of course, because for the past 3 years I have had to put them out for her as she was quite liable to take more than one.

The pills are not really the problem though, it's her rivastigmine patch which is also due now and, to be honest, the way I feel I couldn't care less if she gets it or not. But obviously I'm worried about the consequences. Are there any? Would it hurt to miss one patch? Or could there be and kind of withdrawal symptoms so soon?

I'm loathe to bring up the subject with her as she is still ranting away downstairs so I don't suppose she would be willing to have the patch on anyway.

 

[cragmaid]

Tell her the prescription has run out, dont try to argue or remind her she does not take them ...Unless she is allergic to them, give her a paracetamol " sleeping pill" or failing that give her a vitamin pill or similar.Tell her the prescription has been changed so the pills are diferent now. Or tell her the patch will help her sleep...if you think you could get away with that! The lies don't count...the peaceful night does. Good Luck.x.

 

[Lynnpin]

Thanks for your reply but problem solved. She's taken the patch. She's calmed down a bit but at least she's not ranting now.

The pills she takes are actually Amitryptilene and although they are technically an anti-depressant they were prescribed for their side effect of encouraging an appetite. They are only low dose and even if she had two or three it wouldn't really amount to a normal dose but I cannot let her be responsible for them so I have to hide them.

As far as the AD patches are concerned, I don't really know what side effects they can have if you stop applying them. Is there such a thing as withdrawal symptoms from patches? Or are these not the same kind of drug that causes withdrawal symptoms.

Edit: The pills are blue and she's not that far gone that I could give her a replacement without her knowing and yet in other ways...

 

[clareglen]

My mum is supposed to start on those patches (same medication as mentioned) but as she's due to go into respite in 3 weeks I didn't want anything to upset that & I want to monitor any side effects so I've negotiated with psych doc to postpone the start. I did say to him she is a nightmare taking a plaster off so I can't imagine trying to get one off & a new one on everyday. I said to him have you any idea what's it's like trying to do this with a person with dementia. He's quite young & although old age psychiatry is his specialism I'm sure he's no practical experience. I would willing take a work experience placement

 

[LadyA]

My mum is supposed to start on those patches (same medication as mentioned) but as she's due to go into respite in 3 weeks I didn't want anything to upset that & I want to monitor any side effects so I've negotiated with psych doc to postpone the start. I did say to him she is a nightmare taking a plaster off so I can't imagine trying to get one off & a new one on everyday. I said to him have you any idea what's it's like trying to do this with a person with dementia. He's quite young & although old age psychiatry is his specialism I'm sure he's no practical experience. I would willing take a work experience placement

The patches aren't nearly as "sticky" as a plaster, but you can get special wipes for removing medical adhesive - they are aloe vera based and very gentle, but do the job very well. If you hold the wipe over the patch for a few seconds, it should come off very easily with no pulling. I can't remember what they are called now - I used to use them, but my husband hated them, because they felt a bit cold, and he wouldn't stay still long enough for me to hold the wipe over the patch anyway! It's easier to just whip the patch off - he doesn't feel it.

 

[clareglen]

The patches aren't nearly as "sticky" as a plaster, but you can get special wipes for removing medical adhesive - they are aloe vera based and very gentle, but do the job very well. If you hold the wipe over the patch for a few seconds, it should come off very easily with no pulling. I can't remember what they are called now - I used to use them, but my husband hated them, because they felt a bit cold, and he wouldn't stay still long enough for me to hold the wipe over the patch anyway! It's easier to just whip the patch off - he doesn't feel it.

Thank you for this info. I don't think my mum would like the wipe either

 

[FifiMo]

you could tell your mum that the tablets are in the process of being changed so some are blue and some are white. You can get tins of tiny mints in Lidl that look just like pills. Tell her they are the new ones and the ones you give her are the old ones. How about blue smarties? Have a look in pick and mix for blue sweets! If it lets her feel in control without affecting the medication then all the better.

Fiona

 

[Lynnpin]

you could tell your mum that the tablets are in the process of being changed so some are blue and some are white. You can get tins of tiny mints in Lidl that look just like pills. Tell her they are the new ones and the ones you give her are the old ones. How about blue smarties? Have a look in pick and mix for blue sweets! If it lets her feel in control without affecting the medication then all the better.

Fiona

Fortunately, at the moment, this is just an occasional thing when she realises that she isn't in charge of her own pills so for now she would know that the substitute pills weren't normal but she's gone downhill so much in the last 12 months that it probably won't be long before I could do that.

 

[BR_ANA]

Every time I changed mom patches, I told her we were quitting smoking.

I used a eyemask remover to clean marks on skin, she complained about marks when it was on her chest.

 

[garnuft]

I like the sound of those anti-depressants..Amitryptilene.

Increased appetite? I'll have some of them for me mother.

Glad your Mum settled in the end, less ranting has GOT to be a good thing.

 

[Lynnpin]

I like the sound of those anti-depressants..Amitryptilene.

Increased appetite? I'll have some of them for me mother.

Glad your Mum settled in the end, less ranting has GOT to be a good thing.

They actually worked miraculously from day one. She started eating normally again immediately. They are also prescribed for children who wet the bed and this must also have a beneficial effect as she can hold her water well! I've noticed that sometimes she doesn't even go to the toilet in the morning when she first gets up.

She had been on Amitryptilene for years beforehand for anti-depressant reasons (at a much higher dose) before being diagnosed with AD and the consultant said she should stop taking them even though the doctor didn't agree but he had to comply. I do think she went downhill then too.

 

[cragmaid]

Amytriptiline are a bit of a wonder drug...in that they are prescribed for all sorts of reasons other than as actual anti depressants....I know, because I take them nightly as a muscle relaxant for nerve pain due to a long term bad back.

I have had white ones before....and yellow! different dosages = different colours, so you might could get away with a different colour as in = a new prescription

 

[pippop1]

Memory patch

MIL's patches are placed on her back. The carer stands behind her and does it and we bought make up remover wipes to take off any residue. They say that they remove waterproof mascara so I reckoned they would be fine.

We used to use the medical ones which are much smaller, much dearer and dry out in a second or two. The Dr wouldn't prescribe them anyway and the make-up ones smell nicer.

 

[ohno!]

The rivastigmine patch can be missed for up to a max of 3 days, then if on the higher dose patches, your mum would have to start again on the lower dose working up to the higher dose. We had a problem with mums GP surgery and chemist not sorting prescriptions in time on a few occasions leading to us having to start mum off on the patch again.

 

[Lynnpin]

The rivastigmine patch can be missed for up to a max of 3 days, then if on the higher dose patches, your mum would have to start again on the lower dose working up to the higher dose. We had a problem with mums GP surgery and chemist not sorting prescriptions in time on a few occasions leading to us having to start mum off on the patch again.

Hello again! My mother is on the 9.5 patches which I think is the highest but I'm not sure. Did you notice any difference in your mother after missing the patch for 3 days? To be honest, I often wonder if they are doing anything at all.

 

[clareglen]

Hello again! My mother is on the 9.5 patches which I think is the highest but I'm not sure. Did you notice any difference in your mother after missing the patch for 3 days? To be honest, I often wonder if they are doing anything at all.

I'd be interested in this too before I start my mum on them.

 

[nicoise]

My mum found them beneficial in that the medication reduced her "fogginess" - that was her description.

So not a wonder drug, but they improved the way she felt on a daily basis, and that was good enough for me.

 

[pippop1]

9.5

MIL is also on 9.5 strength patches and is definitely deteriorating. We asked the memory clinic ages ago if there was any point in her being on them and they said that without them she would slide back to how she would have been without them and it was v important to continue with them.

We used to have a lot of problems with supply of them from a small local pharmacy, even when we explained that we would need 30 every month, so eventually changed to a pharmacy branch at a big supermarket chain beginning with T who have been marvellous and reliable.

 

[Lynnpin]

MIL is also on 9.5 strength patches and is definitely deteriorating. We asked the memory clinic ages ago if there was any point in her being on them and they said that without them she would slide back to how she would have been without them and it was v important to continue with them.

A "12 year old boy" came out to check on my mother's condition a couple of months ago and I asked him if there was any point too but he said he would recommend her staying on them as he thought she was doing well!

I have another thread going about ear syringing http://forum.alzheimers.org.uk/show...e-a-routine-requirement-after-diagnosis-of-AD as I'm convinced if they would only ensure that wax build up was eliminated from the equation it would make a big difference to their quality of life. He said he would make a point of it in his report to try and get something done about it but it was just mentioned in passing. I didn't really expect miracles!