Toms' body/head is busy adjusting to medication changes.... and changes as in decline so we are kind of bouncing around like a big rubber ball. Those that KNOW Alz. know this is a busy time for me.
He does have a Dr. apt on the Thursday to work on finding the right combo for him......
Everybody is different so it's not a standard if he does this give him that......There is nothing easy about this disease.
And as Alzheimer's is well known for........ you never know what's next. Well we aren't where we were and not done going where we are headed....
My yard is all water and mud and my four girls are loving it and I'm not. But my sister knew how to brighten my day........
Hi Cyn, sorry to hear you've had a bit of a set back. It does take some time and experimenting to find the right meds that will help settle things some.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like your Tom is in the mid stage which can be like a roller coaster ride, not knowing what to expect from one minute to the next.
My mom took Risperdal for quite awhile, which did help, but then it stopped working, she was so full of energy and anxiety, wouldn't sleep for several days and then crash. So we switched to Seroquel. That worked to get her to sleep at night, but also made her sleepy during the day. I just kept adjusting it to where she would sleep at night, but not be so drowsy during the day. She was still very active, wanting to go home, when she was home, and going round and round, in and out of the house. I found that if I kept her busy, mostly taking drives, going to the senior center for lunch and shopping, it would wear her down some by the time we got home.
While this stage seemed the hardest and I thought it would never end and considered placing her in a home and me going a bit crazy myself, fortunately it did pass. But unfortunately it meant passing to the next stage and I was wishing I had some of the old stuff back.
It's all so horrible, but somewhat a learning experience about ourselves and what we're really made of. For me, it has changed me into a more compassionate, patient, loving, understanding person. To live outside just myself and I've learned what unconditional love really means.
Don't know if you've read all the threads on what many of us have tried as far as meds and supplements, but here is a link to what some call the "Ultimate Cocktail", what I and many have tried or trying. I didn't start tryiing this until my mom was in late mid stage, so I don't know if any helped or slowed it down or not. But I figured most could not hurt, as long as I kept notes and monitored her closely when adding each new thing to the mix.
Here is the last page to the link:
http://tinyurl.com/yhzqo4h
Sadly we know there is no cure, but if we can help in any way to slow it down or even aleve some of the side effects of AD, for them, for us, it was worth the effort, time and cost.
Most sadly, the end results are the same at this time, but we do all we can.
Take care of yourself as best as you can and call on that loving family of yours whenever you need them. There is no shame or weakness in that.
Sorry this got so long. I should have emailed it.
Much concern for you and all of us.
Becky