DH is on the Exelon patch and Namenda. He does not do much. He sleeps good. Takes 2/3 naps a day. Really doesn't work at all around here. Just sort of wanders around, helps empty the dishwasher, takes out the garbage, helps make the bed, carries folded clothes upstairs. That kind of thing.
His biggest complaint is his fatigue. It's only 3 o'clock. We went to lunch with friends. That's it. He says he is just worn out. He fell asleep.
Question: Does any of your DO's suffer from this kind of fatigue. Could it be the meds? Suggestions??
has he has recent blood tests to check bvitamin levels? i give b12 complex 2/wk for appetite and energy.-some meds also cause drowsiness. check his meds on the rx insert to see. divvi
Yes, we are dealing with extreme fatigue. Today we met with the surgeon that would remove his gallbladder if that is our decision and something the surgeon said he would normally recommend to someone presenting this way. However, he would only do it under general anesthesia - which is the major problem with AD. Lucky for us, this surgeon is caring for his 96 year old Mother (in his home) who has Alzheimer's, so he understands some of the issues. We are doing a second round of antibiotics now to give us time to decide how to procede. HOWEVER, he feels the extreme fatigue we are reporting is not from the gallbladder, so another appointment is made for the GP to see if he can get an explanation for that.
frand, it's the general anesthesias that are administered by inhalation that are the problem. Generals administered intravenously do NOT appear to poze a hazard to AD patients.
Mawzy, both of those drugs can cause fatigue in some patients.
Mawzy-I think sometimes they become fatigued just trying to reason things out. It can be boredom or not knowing what to do next. Sunshyne is correct about the meds causing fatigue. Sometimes that can be a good thing.
My husband takes cat naps and sleeps from 9 at night until 6 or 7 in the morning. That is a lot of sleeping. I think it is just the disease. It tires them out.
frand-speak to the anesthesiologist to make sure he/she understands to need to avoid general anesthesia. That was the final insult to my husband's dying brain.
Sunshine, thanks for the clarification on the anesthesia - because I wasn't going to let my DH have any if he ever needed it. Now I know he can have it intravenously. I appreciate the heads up!
My husband was sleeping all night, and napping three or four times a day - for over 6 months. Now, he dozes all night long, waking up for an hour or two and then dozing again. He only takes a couple of one hour naps during the day now. I don't think he's getting enough sleep. He has to be up and moving a lot of the time. I think whether they sleep a lot or don't sleep enough are part of the different symptoms - he hasn't had any change of medication that would account for the changes.
DW seems to be more fatigued lately. She often says "my get up and go has got up and went". I don't think this has anything to do with the medications (Exelon and Namenda) since she was on them for a couple of years before the fatigue started. I think it is just part of the AD process.
Mary, I think that "sleep disturbance" is the overall symptom, and it can go many different ways. It fits if it isn't an up in the daytime, down in the night kind of pattern.
My DH can still communicate pretty coherently by writing. We email across the room! He says his condition is like living in an evil fog. He does tasks VERY slowly. His fine motor is deteriorating and typing along with it. He says the effort of 'getting through the fog' to do daily tasks is exhausting. Sometimes he's too tired to do anything but watch TV by afternoon. He does not nap in the daytime, but notice if I sleep in, now he does too most of the time. He used to be up at 6 a.m. 7 days a week.