The full-moon effect started yesterday in our house. We are going out of town for a few days with DH's cousin, so it should be better for me. His cousin is soooo helpful. Let me know how it all works out for the rest of you.
Dh is affected for about 10 days--Full Moon being the 7th day of the 10. Wed. he had his first public incontinence event (only urinary, thank goodness). Not even 1/2 way through the FM time. Who knows what else is to come.
Yup. DH is getting snotty/cranky again. I'm discovering that this happens around the full moon. He's on Seroquel. I'll be interested to see if he again settles down after the full moon. Hopefully he won't need another increase in the Seroquel.
The Full Moon seems to magnify whichever symptoms are giving DH the worst time. Adjusting meds for the 10 days helps keep him more level--not all the way, but better.
Don't know if it is the full moon or not ~ it just wasn't a good day to ask about getting a small TV in the guest bedroom. (thought I would try that conversation again today cause last week he got sooooo angry with me about it) It's not about the TV. It's that we can't problem solve. Dr's think we should get counseling. But in trying to schedule, the counselor won't give us a session until we can give him our goals for counseling. Totally stumped DH and made him angry. Didn't know what a goal was, and the argue continued.
I think it's better to deal with the anger than try the counseling. Truly don't think it will work. #1 you can't teach an old dog new tricks, especially if they don't want to try; and #2 you can't teach an AD patient new tricks AT ALL.
I feel hopelessly in the middle between him and the doctors. If I write and tell his psch how I feel or what he is doing, then he doesn't trust me and won't share with me anymore. It is a vicious cycle.
To top things off, I'm suffering with some horrible vertigo (have had 2 treatments and still dizzy) and my thyroid is still low after three attempts to tweak the meds. Some days I just don't have what it takes to cope.
Thanks for letting me vent. I don't expect any solutions. Just feel safe here.
There have been several discussions about idiot doctors that think counseling can help people dealing with dementia. Though you may well need private counseling to help YOU cope, marriage counseling or counseling for HIM won't work, because as you say he doesn't understand. If you write and tell your psych what's going on you have to slip it to him, mail it to him, but fib about it, don't let him know you're doing it. Fiblets are our friends.
Loretta, if you haven't, read the article about "understanding the dementia experience" which is referenced on the left side of Joan's home page. It's long but so many of us have found it helpful. You might even print it off and give it to your doctor!!
I had one idiot friend of my husband's who told me that hubby would come around if I would just kick my sons out and be nicer to my husband.(He also told me cancer was caused by hateful thoughts that hadn't been dealt with).
Loretta, tell the therapist, that you will drop your DH off at his house and he can help him set goals!!!! Idiots, they have no business offering services for something they do not have a flipping clue about! OK, I feel better :o)
I agree,dd, that the so called friend is clueless. Can I share what drives me bonkers? My gf told me a couple weeks ago, when we were discussing ways to encourage my DH to try to go to church with me, said " well you just have to put your foot down and tell him in no uncertain terms to stop being a lazy butt and get up and go.."blah blah. I just rolled my eyes..they think they get it, what they don't get is that these poor souls condemned with this disease want to understand, to 'get it" but just cant. The other issue that makes me crazy is the idea that just because someone has a mom or dad who is 90+ years and a tad forgetful, they seem to think they are on the same plane as we are..If only...and what is so frustrating is, and I told my friend this, you dishonor me when you try to diminish the seriousness of this illness....HE IS NOT GOING TO GET BETTER IT IS ONLY GOING TO GET WORSE!!! It is not helpful when they try to make us feel better this way because we "get it" that they are not listening .
My 80 yr. old uncle calls me about once a week. Now I have told him that when he asks how Buzz is and I just say "OK," that means he is nearby and I can't elaborate. So he calls, asks, "How's Buzz?" I say OK and he responds.....that's good, maybe he is getting better. I just move on and try to ignore the comment because it happens week in and week out.
Around here the Full Moon coincided with the worst snow storm of the season. My house lost electricity for 111 hours. We had to move in with my daughter and her husband. The roads were so bad it was an official state of emergency. All the upheaval made it difficult to determine if there was any Full Moon effect... too many variables. All in all, the time passed quickly and my daughter was sweet and accommodating. Even throwing everything out from the refrigerator wasn't so bad. I guess we are starting this next moon cycle with all new fresh food. Good to be back in my own house though.
Thanks, Vickie. I have a clock that shows the moon phases but I couldn't remember if it was all black or all white during a full moon. It's all black right now. I can see a definite difference in DH. Hope this only lasts a few days and everything gets back to normal....well, normal for AD.
full moon definitely effects my AZ.Not only the memory but he breaks more things.He wanted to mow the lawn last evening,came up from the barn,cursing the mower,The John Deere won't start,he's grumbling,thought we should buy a different brand. I went gown to see what was wrong, first of all there was no key,I've told him not to take the key out,in fact I had put it on a chain and screwed it fast.Not only was the key out,but the whole igniton was gone. Of course,he didn't take it,knew nothing about it. I found the key tied to some wire on the motor,ignition was pulled out .hangin down on ground,who knows what goes thru his head,Oh,I know ,nothing,just another full moon.I grew up half mile from a huge insane aslyum.They would have an awful time at full moon,the siren would keep going off, someone escaped,Daddy would go out and stand on the highway watching for the escapee.As a child,I thought it was fun,not anymore.Anyone noticed how FM affects your pets?I get skunks on my property every FM and there is a lot more road kill at FM.
I am afraid to say it incase I jinx myself but I have never noticed any changes with my DH. Now that I have said it we will see how it goes starting today!!!!
When Charlie was at home, I knew the full moon was coming without looking at the calendar. He always acted worse right before, during and right after a full moon. Now that he is in the nursing home, the girls there all swear by the full moon. Every resident there does not act up every time, but there is enough change that it is very noticeable.
Full moon!!!! Is that why DH thinks that the people on TV are here in the room and they are calling his name? Last night he ask me if I was going with them and was relieved when I said no. He also said he was leaving to go live with his brother who has been living in the cemetery for 12 years. I ask if I needed to pack his bag and he said he could handle it.
I have never noticed any difference...today, DH calls and says I need some help in here...I went to his bathroom and there he stands in a puddle of pee. I asked what happened and he said I forgot to unzip my pants! Now is that a full moon or just an OOOPS moment? Never a dull moment....LOL!
i can tell without looking at the moon, DH has many more jerking episodes and all around demeanor changes. very strange indeed. i have witnessed it over and over, and justlast night without looking if full moon approaches i thought for sure its here. divvi
DH always gets more jerking with full moon. and lately hes been up clapping his hands all night! just what we need a lunar moon causing more lunacy! hold on for the wild ride. divvi
Started here last night! Up and down all night, trying to push Millie (that thing') off the bed. Wanted to get dressed - had to go out and fix the fence - we don't have a fence! Tried to give him another Lorazapam at midnight and it ended up in the bottom of the glass - melted. Not much sleep for either of us. Hope the ride isn't wild for you all!
geez vickie it really hit in your house didnt it? maybe we should prepare for full moon giving the meds prior to bedtime. here too, my DH is late late stage 7 and i can see changes in his demeanor with full moon. i may give an ativan tonight too. he claps alot and is very late to fall asleep during this strange time. and in general more 'rowdy' than normal. grin. since he cant walk or move alone its just mainly racket. aww. maybe others will post if they had unusual behavior. its 100% on full moon tonight!
We had a Dr. Appt yesterday where my DH's score on the Allen Cognitive/CPT Test is now at 3.4, down from 4.0 at this time last year. Not a surprise, as I believe he is in stage 6 now. Then, last night we had our first 'episode' of up and down several times during the night; just too unsettled to sleep. Typically, he will get up around 1pm and then go back up to bed between 7p and 8:30p. He does not sleep the entire time, but 'nests' by himself in his room. I'm preparing for that to change to a more sundowning type behavior. Oh well. He has been very easy going so far. I'll keep fingers crossed that does not change too drastically.
Yep, we get the full moon effect here too. DH is quiet all day, then in the evening is very busy trying to figure out who all the people are in our house, often 'little people'. Getting him into bed, he then decides it is a good time to ask questions about where we are, who I am, when are we going home, etc. All other times he seems pretty grounded but can barely finish a thought, and I can barely hear his whisper, but the full moon brings on a sort of delirium that keeps him from settling....most of the night. He attempts to get up to go to the bathroom, but only has the strength to get to the door jam, where I find him holding on with his legs shaking from trying not to fall. It's just so sad. I could go on, but just wanted to chime in of the full moon effect. This moon was especially trying for me because I have been so sick all week. Lucky for me, he is so tired by morning, he has breakfast, I shower him, and he will sleep most of the day. Crazy times, huh?
....I've been reading these full moon blogs every time there's a full moon and while they are interesting and helpfull, I can't keep from trying to find an answer as to how the position of the moon in relation to the earth and sun can effect anyones behavior. ....After mulling it over in my little brain for a few days. Here's what I've come up with. They say that this full moon effect lasts about ten days, which means that there is no effect during twenty days each month. So I will divide the month into three ten day periods and call them period1, period2, and period3, and call the full moon period, "period2". ....Now it's obvious that during a full moon (period2) everybody knows about it. We can all see the full moon and it's even mentioned on the calander. But during period1 and period3, there is nothing going on to remind us of that particular time of the month. Would anyone start a discussion here if they noticed a problem during the ten days befor the full moon or the ten days after the full moon. (period1 and period2)?.... ....I would have to assume that one-third of the behavioral problems would occur during each of the three periods which means to me that two-thirds of them are not reported because there is nothing to relate them to. ....Also, I have to admit that I kind of liked the full moon. When Dear Helen and I were camping during a full moon, we used to sleep outside the RV so we could enjoy the beautifull, romantic, full moon. ............With love for everyone here.....Full Mooners or not......GeorgieBoy