I know this does not make sense,but my DH will fall so sound asleep in the daytime sometimes that it is like trying to wake the dead!!! You call yell-scream his name-make looooud noises-put cold water on him,and after a while he will rally-but won't open his eyes,just mumbles confused stuff for awhile .Then after about 45 minutes he just sort of comes out of it!!! The dr. did not seem too concerned about this since it has happened several times.Said sounded like "night terrors" But it sure is a TERROR to me when it happens.Had another one today so I am "little " upset!!!! Sorry for the venting but the cat just does not seem to understand!!!!
That would scare me as well. That happened once after I gave my DH his first Seroquel. I felt like I had poisoned him! Since it seems to be a pattern and he comes out of it I'd tend not to get too excited. Have you tried "painful" stimuli like rubbing the bottom of his feet with your knuckles or pinch him?
sure glad I am not alone here. As for painful stimuli-yes- I am ashamed to say the first time it happened I slapped his cheeks,thankfully he does not remember!! I am beginning to agree Kadee that it is a part of the disease.But after this happens he is exhausted and SO AM I .
I would agree with Kadee, it seems to be a "normal" thing for you DH's disease to manifest itself now if his "normal" became different then I might be telling his dr.
I did tell his dr. yesterday-he did not seem too concerned,just said watch him to make sure he does not start to sleep walk-- I am just so tired and everything scare me into tears! Just feel so isolated and lost dealing with this diseae.
bak, That is one reason to continue posting here. Almost everything that my husband has experienced, another spouse on the forum has come to answer that it has happened to their loved one. I remember the first time I heard my husband talking to the mirror, I would have freaked out, had I not read that divvi's husband had done that also.
has he had an increase or a change in meds recently that may be the culprit? sometimes with new meds or changes in doses the body takes its time to adjust to the new doses and sleep is a part of adjustment. or could be the dose hes on is too high? otherwise if nothing has changed it could just be the wear and tear of the disease on the body needing extra profound sleep. i think there does come a stage that most of us have seen an increase in sleep and most chock it up to the progression of the disease. divvi
Bak, why are you trying to wake him up? Over and over I read about people concerned because their husbands sleep so much. Just like babies, they just DO. They may sleep 18-20 hours a day, or doze on and off during that time. I just let him sleep...especially after he was so far along in his disease. Our culture seems to relate sleeping all the time to laziness... I think,...and that's why some of us feel like it's necessary to wake them by 8 in the morning. As long as they sleep through the night, let them sleep in the day. It's respite time for you.
I notice my husband does not sleep much during the day...maybe a cat nap now and then...but at 8 or 8:30 he goes to bed. I don't as it is way way too early for me..but when I do go in, sometimes he is so dead asleep I go over and check before to make sure he is alive...then other times he is such a light sleeper that any little creaky noise will wake him up.. Never dull that is for sure.
Bak....I have been through that several times with my DH. Scared the bejezus out of me. Once after I finally got him woke up and told him to go to bed (he was taking his nightly nap before bed!) he walked into the laundry room and peed on the floor. I finally got him into bed and then laughed my rear off. It wasn't funny but for some reason (after cleaning up the pee) it cracked me up! Now I just watch during the day to make sure his chest is rising and falling as he sleeps in his recliner. For the first 30 minutes after he wakes up from a nap he is very confused but usually he comes out of it after a bit. His sleeping is respite for me.
Wish my DH would sleep either day or night, if he would sleep sometime, I could bring him home from the NH full time instead of only two nights a week. Has anyone experienced their LO not sleeping either day or night and then reverting to normal (or as normal as anyone with Alz. can be )sleep pattern ?
I think I mentioned on another post, that I brought my husband home from ALF on March 12th due to financial reasons. While at the ALF he would sundown from around 5:00 p.m. till sometimes 3:00 a.m. which worked for them...they had staff that could allow that. The first 2 nights he was home he was up until 4:00 a.m. I tried keeping him awake during the day, but, if he wants to sleep there is no keeping him awake. I knew I could not be the caregiver I wanted to be with no sleep. I called his doctor, explained what was going on, she prescribed Trazadone 50 mg. & if that didn't work I could give him 100 mg. 50 didn't work...he now takes 100 mg around 7:00 so far he is normally asleep at around 8:00 or 8:30 and so far has slept all night. I sometimes hear him jabbering, but he is not awake.
its good to hear the trazodone is doing the job kadee, just imagine too how THEY must feel with no sleep and pacing etc.. such a shame. glad you both are getting some rest divvi
Trazadone, has been a blessing. I hate it sometimes that I need to give him sleeping aides, however, divvi, you are correct they must feel some effects from not sleeping & constantly pacing.
My husband does the same thing your husband does. His sleep is so deep that he is comatose, and one minute later, he opens his eyes (or 10 minutes or 30 minutes or any length of time). He did this in stage 6 and is doing it more in stage 7. As long as they are breathing, that is what counts. There is not a need to wake them unless the house is on fire. <grin>
We can't control what AD does to their brain, other than if they can't sleep or are agitated. As someone already said, you wouldn't wake a sleeping baby, would you? And that is what our spouses are: youngsters, teens, or toddlers, and then when they reach the bedridden state, they are babies.
There really is no reason to be concerned. My husband has been doing this for two years....
My husband is on Ambien at night so he sleeps through the night, because I have to work during the day. I'm glad that Trazadone works for your husband. I know where you are coming from! As someone said long ago, pharmacology is our friend!
During the early part of stage 6, my husband went through periods where he would sleep for what seemed like 24 hours or more and then be awake for 24 or longer. Thank goodness that didn't last too long!
Siem (stage 6) sleeps at least 12 hours a night, from 8 to 8 and only gets up then because I pull the cover off him and gradually wake him up. On days when there is nothing he needs to get up for, I let him sleep till 12 or later. By that time he and the bed are very wet. I used to get dressed out in the hall to avoid waking him when I go to bed, but I now know there is no way he's going to wake up. He sleeps so soundly in one position that I have to watch out for bed sores (he has had one) and his skin is scored red where the pyjama sleeve has got twisted or something on his upper arm. He goes to sleep on his back but later on curls into an almost fetal position on his left side (with his head on my pillow, often). Now I've been putting him to bed in a sleeveless undershirt. He doesn't take sleeping medicine, but I sometimes wonder if the Risperidone encourages this heavy sleeping. I'm not complaining. I have evenings to myself and I get up early to have a cup of coffee alone at my computer before I have to get him up.
Jeannette, I know everyone is different, however, my husband is also on Risperidone, and does not sleep at night without medication. I consider you lucky.
My DH isn't on sleep meds BUT 4 of the 5 pills he takes says they can cause drowsiness. Aricept, Namenda, Seroquel and Sertraline the other pill is a low dose for BP. He takes a Namenda and a Seroquel about 7.30 in the evening and is usually in bed by 8.30 and sleeps about 12 hours. He also takes a nap in the afternoon.