I have a question about Dizzy Spells. Is this apart of AD? My mom had it as so far as I know she didn't have this problem but she did have gait issues later into the disease.
When DH was put on Namenda he got the dizzy spells upon getting up from a chair but not just sitting. When I would ask if he tripped getting up or was he dizzy he would say 'It doesn't matter".
This morning, his brother told me that last night when he got up from his recliner he got dizzy and grabbed the sideboard ( where the TV is) to steady himself. Then I guess he had another episode of this getting up from the kitchen chair.
DH is on meds for hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol,and exelon.about 12 tablets a day and insulin injections ..
We go to the neurologist this afternoon so this will be discussed but I was just wondering if this is part of AD as well as a step in the progression.. : (
Your neurologist should get to the root of the problem. It could be any number of reasons, given his medical problems. Sid gets dizzy when his blood pressure and/or his glucose levels get too low. Besides which, every one of the dozen or more medications he is on has a warning about dizziness.
DH has had dizzy spells for several years. When he gets up, he is dizzy and has to steady himself in order to walk. I've check his BP when this happens and it's always okay; checked his blood sugar - okay. I believe it's either certain medications, or the combination thereof - or just part of this horrible disease.
I just got back from the neuro. He looked closely at the meds and DH is on 3 for blood pressure and at a strong dose and we were advised to touch base with the PCP for does adjustments. Additionally, we are to start PT to work on his balance. I was told that in the doctors opinion DH is not likely to be aggressive or violent but my difficult issue will be stubbornness. He also says that from the first time he saw DH some couple years ago, he sees apathy whereas before not the case. I the view of our doctor, DH is sort of in the moderate region. But at the same time, as we all know, these phases can crisscross and so it is somewhat cloudy at this point. Left not very encouraged. But then I guess we never will come out of a visit encouraged unless we are told things are stable. Going to start Namenda again to see how it goes too.
My DH was told (after his last visit to the ER) that his passing out may have been caused from his prostate meds. Two drs. suggested I give him half the dose. The meds are also used for people with high blood pressure. The drs. don't always tell you all you need to know when you get a medication.
My DH did have fainting issues (he'd just fall and black out) prior to the prostate issue for a year and a half. No one was able to figure out why (they did not believe it was seizures). His neurologist ended up putting him on an anti-seizure medication which seems to help.
some prostate meds have a side effect of dropping blood pressure. we had to discontinue 2 prior for this reason. we were on enablex but have also since this month cancelled this one too per hospice. these meds can also cause hallucinations. the doseage is important for blood pressure especially if given with other meds. divvi
It depends on how you are defining "dizzy" and how far along your husband is. Early in the disease any form of unsteadiness is uncommon (as a result of the disease itself) but may well be the side effect of one or more medications. Later in the disease unsteadiness is very common. At that point it isn't "dizzy" the way you or I would experience it. It is more a result of the inability to control motor function rapidly enough to remain errect. Muscles stiffen and fine motor control decreases. My wife is ambulatory enough when she is in one of her windows of engagement and attentiveness... but early in the morning and later in the day she can only walk with help. Last night my wife was standing to the side of the bed while I was turning it down and I turned my back on her for two seconds to get a chux to put under her and she went over like felled tree. Thankfully the carpet in our bedroom is plush and I spotted her before she hit bottom and got a hand under her. She scares the hell out of me sometimes. It is like her body doesn't belong to her any more... not in her control.
There are also "absence seizures" which are really like fainting. Not mini-strokes, just trembling and blacking out briefly, then being perfectly normal thereafter. I gather a lot of our cared-fors have them from time to time.
Several times over her last 10 years, my Mother would suddenly topple over backward like a log. No warning. No way to help. Once in a friends basement, twice in a store. No answer from ER or Doctor. Everything checked out fine.