Have read many of the discussions on this site. Really a great help and refuge. I have ask about this before but need new imput. My DH has CHF, he is entering one of his episodes again and I need to know if I should try seroquel or not. Have read that it is not good for the heart.He only has 10% of his heart functioning. He has been talking to other men about our sex life (such as it is - he cannot perform so mostly I use alternate methods of satisfying him). Told me he knew a couple guys who would like me to take care of them, would I be interested. Also let slip that he had been with someone else then said he was lieing. I think he has and maybe more than once. I am concerned about the effects of seroquel but am also concerned about his inappropriate sexual behavior. This episode is just starting and will get worse, no aggression issues yet although he can be quite short tempered. I talked to his nuero about the alternative medications Sunshyne told me about - he had never heard of them. Surprise! Any suggestions and help would be appreciated.
gafs if your husband has FTD sexual innuendos is part of it. As far as seroquel not being good for the heart-that is correct. However you need to look at the entire picture. It is very possible that rages will get-much worse. Seroquel gave my husband an extra year at home.
Back in the early phase, about 10 years ago, My DH saw something sexual in everything - from fluffy cloud formations to comments, to newspaper articles. He even questioned homosexual sex on occasion. He's greet my friends - "Hi sexy..how are you today!"... or make some "va va vooom" remark! After repeatedly telling him his behavior was unacceptable and embarrassing to me. he became less verbal, but he still made guestures or did "the look"..I'd pretend not to notice. This was prior to his actual diagnosis, so I had no clue why he was acting out like that, which was so out of character for him. The doctors tell me that hypersexualilty is almost always a phase experienced in the earliest stage. Thank God! that passed. I could see how uncomfortable it made my friends feel, and I'm surprised none of their husbands didn't confront him with a warning or a punch in the nose!
Just in case anyone is as clueless as me, CHF is congestive heart failure. I looked it up. I would definitely talk to his neuro about the hypersexuality, and the CHF, and ask if there is a medication that will calm the sexuality without damaging an already fragile heart. Very difficult situation.
Thanks for the input. I have talked to his neuro about the behavior. He said I needed to find out from his heart doctor if the seroquel would be alright. The cardio doc said that the neuro would have to make a judgement call as he did not know anything about seroquel. Guess I need to decide which is the worse course of action. Glad I have you guys to talk to. Sorry about the CHF initials. Have gotten so used to hearing and talking it forgot others do not.
I understand that all doctors can't know everything, but it drives me nuts when I get bounced back and forth between doctors because Dr. X doesn't know anything about Dr.Y's medications. Sometimes life is just too complicated, and we're stuck with the decisions.
I have a friend whose husband exhibited the sexual symptoms in difficult situations..on an airplane..unzipped and went for it in full view...her Doc gave him a med that totally stopped that activity...not seroquel, so there is something out there that helps, but don't know about the heart situation.
About a year or so after dx my DH wanted sex All the Time. (Not that I'm complaining). I didn't understand it was part of the disease. He also went through a lot of "touchy-feely" He never acted inappropriatley around others, except one time at the credit union when he looked at the teller and said "You know you want me." I thought maybe I could just slide under the door and leave. At that time I just had no idea it was part of the disease and was quite confused.
Oh, rats, gmaework, you brought up an unpleasant memory. When DH had cardiac bypass surgery a couple of years ago and spent several weeks post-op at a rehab facility I went to pick him up to go out to lunch one day. As the aide was trying to help him into our car he said to her "you know why I'm like this don't you?" and she asked why. He replied "it's because we had too much sex". This was before I met "dementia" and it really had me puzzled why he would speak this way to a young woman.
Gmaewok, My DH said things like that. I was ready to kick him in the you know what when he'd make comments atcollege and high school basketball games about the young cheerleaders doing stunts as they'd flip..loudly..with people glaring at him. Then he'd make comments about our young grandaughters as they began to mature and develop. I let him know that he had to shut his trap and wash out his dirty mnind our he'd be arrested for being a pedophile. He stopped this embarrassing behavior around the same time he had several TIA's. I was so embarrassed by his behavior - I couldn't even tell his PCP. This was before his diagnosis, and I thought he was just being a dirty old man. So UNLIKE any previous behavior!! Totally shocking each and every time he came out with something.
gafs...my dh also has ftd and chf. He went through a period of hypersexual behaviour that almost made me lose my mind. Thank goodness 99% of it was directed at me and not at others. Our pcp explained it this way. As the brain deteriorates it struggles to survive. The basic compoments of survival are food shelter and procreation. That's why for some, sexual thoughts jump to the front and become inappropriate. Since many of the meds available are not right for those with chf he suggested Lexapro 10mg. That dose did take the edge off but we decided to up it to 20 mg. He is doing very well with that dosage. I no longer need to stand 5 feet from him at all times and our outtings are pleasant because I don't hold my breath worrying about what he will say of do next. A higher dose is available but we are doing well at 20mg. Since our dh's take sooo much medications for chf, I try to keep other things at a minimum. I would however up the Lexapro if it became necessary. Hope this helps. cs