My husband is gradually becoming an insomniac! A year ago I started giving him Melatonin, and it worked for quite a while. Now he is on increased Seroquel and Trazodone, it works some of the time. Last night he was up and wanting to pace all night--finally got him to sleep by 4:30 a.m. by turning on the TV. He does doze during the day--the aides and I can't get him interested in much to keep him awake.
A friend suggested increased caffiene intake during the day--he now drinks coffee at breakfast only. Today we'll give him coffee at lunch too.
His neuro said we can try Ambien, but it may make him more sleepy during the day--not good!
Anyone have success stories on restoring sleep? I think his internal clock is readjusting to the sleep during the day/up at night mode.
My DH is also up wandering most of the the night. He's not sleeping during the day but will dose off after supper for a while. Tried Trazadone but it didn't do anything so his Dr. said to just try AdvilPM. Thought it was working great until I woke up one night to find he had urinated all over the foot of the bed, bedspread, box spring and carpet! 2 nights later he did it again and then our son caught him wandering around the house getting his coat and a towel and realized he was sleepwalking!!!! Stopped those pills. I'd love to find something that really does work.
I am surprised a doctor recommended Advil pm for a dementia patient. It has the same active ingredient as Benedryl (diphenhydramine?) which can cause problems--i.e., increased confusion. It is a cheap ingredient and is used in many OTC sleep and allergy meds and should not be given to those with dementia.
I have been to countless conferences where the memory disorder neurologists who speak are adamant against any of the PM medications (Advil, Tylenol, etc.) for dementia patients.
i am using ativan lowest dose. it does make them sleepy but i use only at bedtime as needed. i think som eof the day meds may be making your husband sleepy during the day. when its the meds making them sleep its a catch 22 keeping them awake during the day so they sleep at night. i try to keep DH up during the day with only a light nap early in the day. try sugar aka candy. :) it makes them somewhat hyper.:)
Divvi--your candy suggestion made me smile--I know you recommend it for multiple uses! I agree, chocoholic that I am. I just gave DH a Hershey's Kiss.
My research online indicated that circadian rhythm of the body is affected by lack of sunlight. Has anyone tried one of the special lights for SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?
HELP! Someone please come here with a 100% success story of keeping spouse asleep at night! Nothing has worked so far. Haven't tried a sadlight, though. Takes all meds in a.m.; only eye drops at night.
This comes at a great time...Just started tylenol pm on Monday for pain and sleep problems......well, night one, I was up at 3am with her, and she could not sleep. Last night, she woke me up at 4am.......and tonight, the tylenol PM goes into the garbage can......I am convinced that they are of no value to a dementia patient....
Everyone please remember that when we try something, what works on one of our spouses may not work on another. We have to try them all until we hit on what will work.
With mine, what worked (and still works) was Ambien - and his first reactions I posted here in an earlier discussion in July 2009, and the doctor told me after the first couple of days to give it a little time and I did, and it worked. Afte a few days, he began to sleep for four hours, then six, then seven and then eight!! It took a while to build to that level, but I have not been sleep deprived in some time. It is WONDERFUL to get a full, worry-free night's sleep! No more wandering, getting up and dressed, trying to leave the house, etc. This drug may not help with your spouses, but it does mine. I went back and edited by earlier comments on an older discussion, adding the footnote to correct my recommendation! I hadn't realized it was there.
With DHs med list our choices are limited and all we tried, worked in reverse. Hospice was aboard for a while and some rearrangement of his meds and some changes we made helped. His last meds of the day are a Vicodin, a Buspiron (15 mg), and 2 mg. Ativan. Sometimes that was enouig. When it stopped working more than a few days in a row, I could add an aditional Vicodin and 1 Ativan--at least 1.5 hours after the others. That doesn't always works, but I found another OTC choice that works at least half the time I use it. I added 1-3 "sleep aids" AKA TicTacs. They help him get to sleep. Lately his sundowning has gotten unmanageable, and his Dr. Rxd Seroquel XR 150. Takes about 6 hours before it kicks in. We've moved it back to about 3 pm. Even so, we used his "sleep aid" tonight. Whatever works.
ok, two days of a new routine, and two good nights of sleep! We have given my hb 6 cups of coffee (4 at breakfast, 2 at lunch). I have told the aides to have him "help" fold blankets, make the bed, straighten toss pillows, anything that keeps him up and moving. Keep him with us all day instead of in front of TV, engage in conversations (to the extent possible), etc. Keeping more lights on in the room when we watch TV. Played soft music at night and brighter light in bedroom. I think the problem here was too much daytime dozing. If I see him close his eyes, I start talking to him. More work this way, but worth it!
yay marilyn. it must be his meds making him sleepy during the day then. keep the caffeine rolling! and dont forget sporadic choc to go with it.:) happy to hear sleep at night is back. divvi
I love all you guys! This is such a learning support group! When my DH was dx’d with high blood pressure our PCP recommended no caffeine. So I buy no caffeine Coke & Pepsi (& DH drinks a lot of soda, or pop, depending upon which area of the country you are in!) Anyway, right now DH either sleeps through the night or only wakes up once & then will come back to bed when I tell him to. So now I know that when he starts getting up more at night I will just give him more caffeine during the day so he doesn’t nap so much. Then after 6PM I can give him the no caffeine drinks. Thanks for all the good advice!
Here's a funny addendum--this afternoon I was online and caught dh starting to doze. I wanted to wake him up, and when I spoke it startled him a little--he was awake but didn't recognize me. He is soooo cagey, though--still has those social skills at late Stage 6. He greeted me like a long-lost friend, asked how my Mom and Dad are (my Mom passed 7 yrs ago); started to talk about the old days; told me I was looking great, etc. Just like you would do if you ran into an old friend somewhere! I had to laugh.
marilyninMD, you have a wonderful attitude. I've got to learn from this. If my DH didn't know me, I'd probably cry or come here to get some sympathy. If we can learn to laugh instead of crying, we're way ahead.
Dazed--I look at it this way: I knew, at some point, he probably wouldn't recognize me. It's nothing personal, it's a symptom of the disease. I prepared myself emotionally, in advance, so that when it happened it wouldn't be so traumatic. He does know me sometimes, it goes off and on, and I know it has nothing to do with how much he loved/loves me. Let's face it, by the time they start to talk to the image n the mirror, they don't even recognize themselves!