Friday, we had an appt with the geriatric Psych that we have been dealing with at the VA. Now, since I have been ill (Father's Day weekend, finally found it was Lyme, now feeling better, long story) he has had a hard time adjusting. The first day, when I had my DIL take me to the Doctor (needed 4 liter of fluid, dehydration) he threw such a fit, screaming that I was lying about being ill, etc. We've had several of these type outbursts since, and when he gets angry (driving is one of the issues) he pounds on the wall or table... anyway, you get the idea. I felt I needed something for him to take the edge off. Doctor had me tell him what was wrong, right in front of DH, and of course he swore I was lying, and was getting very aggitated. I didn't even say much, just described the incident above, and said there were many more. anyway, doctor prescribed Quetiapine which is Seroquel. I know there are some of you who have had experience with this. Well, he's supposed to be on 50 mls twice a day. One dose, and he was totally dizzy, and almost fell down the steps. reading side effects it says if extreme dizziness takes place call the doctor. has anyone else had this happen to their spouse?
chris seroquel is a wonderful drug. It starts at 25mg and goes way up. My husband did not have dizziness even at very high dosages, Each person reacts differently. If you feel up to it give it a few days-but definitely call his doctor. Glad you're feeling better.
Chris, definitely give it a few days. G has balance problems to start with, but this didn't seem to increase them, but it did take a while for it to get into the system. He is also on 50mg twice a day, and it has helped the outbursts...not eliminated them, but better than before.
Mine takes 25 mg in the morning and 25 mg at night and I can give him up to two more during the day if I thinks he needs it. So far none of the meds have made him the least bit sleepy. They just kind of tone down the hyperactivity a bit.
Mine takes 25 mg at night and it's helped so much, but not enough. I'm going to ask about adding a morning dose. The first couple of days it zonked him out, but after that it didn't. Just made him so much calmer and the behavior more socially acceptable. Not as much rudeness to other people and no outbursts in public.
Damn...when you read all of the above..could any of us imagined this would be our lives? And now it is rather common place to expect the outburst after the calm...and more. I had another one tonight when on the phone with my sister. She heard him erupt very clearly..has to be the phone that is triggering it. Shit!
Chris, Jim is on Seroquel, to us it is a miracle drug. He has not experienced any side effects and has slowly gone up to 100 mg in the am and 200 mg at bedtime. It should be increased by 25 mg at a time. The Maximum dose is 1200mg a day. Usually a small dose will do it. You might want to start with 25 twice daily for a day or two then go to 50. Just remember that the correct dose should pretty much take away the anger. Jim had extreme anger and aggitation with the kids, especially Dylan. For no reason he would pace as if just waiting for the poor kid to make noise or run by. Seroquel ended all of that and he has never seemed "drugged".
Kathi, can you use a cell phone and put it on vibrate? Or is it just you talking on the fact that you are talking to someone?
Chris, I think the Exelon patch and Risperdal are used for anger as well. So if you don't get the result you want with Seroquel call the dr and ask about the others. I got the best results for medication help from a geriatric psychiatrist at the VA also.
He is already on exelon orally, doesn't seem to help the anger. I'm going to try 25mg and see how that goes, but he's pretty much been sleeping since saturday, so I'll give him another day to get it out of his system. contacting the doctor today also.
Susan, I actually asked him what about the phone conversations bothered him and he didn't know. He said the old rage build up wasn't there, but he didn't know why he gets so upset...why I asked, I don't know either..:-). I think it is just me on the phone, and he is excluded. Who knows, but I'm not going to stop all phone conversations. Marilyn in MD has had a similar problem with her husband, so I guess it isn't uncommon.
Evidently not uncommon. My DH doesn't get angry, but will call to me when on the phone and ask who it is. I tell him and he's okay with that. When I hang up he'll always ask again who it was! (:-)
Don was put on 50mg of serequel at bedtime as sometimes he was up 3-4 times a night ,going to work or fishing he said ,I was worn out as he never slept during the day at all either .The first 10 days taking it he was worse .he slept much better after that and was on it until he went ino full time care and they weaned him off it with the docs consent , as the manager there said if he did get up in the night there were carers to see to him.I did find though that after he went to bed after starting on Serequel he sometimes talked for up to an hour,mostly to imaginary people.I went in to him a few times and he didnt know he was doing that Rosie
even in early stage 7, talking on the phone within ear shot of DH triggers a talking mode so loud i can barely hear! it was really bad early on and he was always getting into my face and demanding to know who was calling.
i do think its being excluded and not having that 24/7 attention mode that triggers this behaviour.
and if i laugh now while on the phone, he laughs and smiles and just carries on like he is talking to them too. NONSTOP!~ i put it to his ear now so he can hear someone saying hi to him too. after that hes ok! thats why i have so many toy phones that talk to him anytime i am on the phone i give him one and say someone is calling. :) sometimes it works sometimes not- divvi
DH has been on 225 mg of Seroquel a day and it has been a miracle drug for us as well. Has controlled the rages and aggitation. He has never been sleepy on it. He was on 25 mg og Risperdal for 2 days and he was a zombie.
Divvi, your phone story is wonderful. And your point about the 24/7 attention is right on.
I have a similar problem when I spend ONE HOUR a week with an elderly friend: I take her for a walk in the park every Monday morning because she can't walk without guidance. DH is always furious when I get home and I think it's because he (at some level) sees her as a rival for my care-giving hours. His fury is not a serious matter; I always have an outing planned with him for immediately afterwards (usually just grocery shopping) and as soon as we are underway, all is soon forgotten.
When DH was started Exelon I did think it helped with the anger and preventing mood swings. But who knows? I would like to have something for agitation in unusual circumstances (like a day outing or a plane trip) and have a telephone consultation with the neuro coming up.
My DH is taking 50 mg twice a day. It's been a miracle drug in controlling his outbursts and untoward behavior. I swear it made our lives livable and him out of a nursing home. He has had NO reactions to it at all. Began with one 25 mg a day, then upped it to two 25 a day, then two 50 mg. a day. That was the perfect dosage.
Mine's minded for YEARS - long before diagnosis - if I talked to someone else in his presence, either in the house or on the phone, unless it was strictly "business." It's actually calmed down in the last year or so - I don't think he can keep it in his mind that someone's here long enough.
My husband get furious when I am on the phone...no matter who it is...even his children. He has been this way for 3 - 4 years. He will shout, slam things around and generally make a butt of himself. So much fun. :-(
My DH was like that a few years back, but now I don't think he realizes what the phone is. It can ring, and be on the end table right next to him and he doesn't react. Grannywhiskers, your DH needs a little Seroquel! (grin)
It doesn't help that I've got phone phobia from not being allowed to use the phone as a child or teenager. Phones were always for business only. But if the phone rings he HAS to know who it is.
We get a lot of machine phone calls from the local representatives and senators (both State and National) inviting us to Town Meetings (in person and on the phone) or giving their local phone numbers in case we need anything. And that totally drives him nuts. Personally it is nice to know that they are so actively trying to make contact. It is not something I've experienced in any other state.
My DH also get jealous when I'm on the phone. Jealous is the only way to describe it. now, I make sure I put him on too. Mostly I speak to the kids anyway, so it's not a problem.
Seroquel helped my husband's sleep disturbances (thrashing about, talking, hitting, etc.) but he could not take it. It didn't zonk him out. It raised his blood sugar, raised his blood pressure, caused swelling in his arms and legs. I wish he could have continued on it. Maybe some day I will feel that the good it does will outweigh the side effects.
buzzelena-- There are other meds to try. Seroquel zonked my DH. Risperal was great with the psych symptoms but cause major joint and muscle pain. Talk to the Dr. and be open to trial runs, if that's what it takes to find the right stuff for the job.
I have said this before so pardon me for repeating myself, but, Seroquel and now Welbutron saved my sanity. I am conv inced that I could not have continued with the rage and hate that my wife of 50+ years was demonstrating. Besides, she is a much nicer (not completely) person as compared to the person she was.