DH was awake every hour or two, either for using the urinal, asking for something to eat, (yes, he does eat well during the day! No reason to need to eat at 3 am!), or calling out loudly for his (deceased) family members. He refused to take his 5pm Seroquel 25 mg. that has been helping to stop the "I want to go Home" agitation, but did have his 25 Mg. at 9pm. Does anybody have any medications suggestions? Try to increase the Seroquel? Add a sleeping pill to the current dose of Seroquel? The Seroquel pretty much relieves the psychotic behavior, but does not seem to do much to make him sleep. I will ask his nurse, of course, who is actually making a home visit this morning. But people on these forums often have better suggestions. Thanks in advance for any wise counsel.
Elizabeth, we have always struggled with getting my husband to sleep through the night and have tried just about everything with mixed results. It's a battle we still fight.
Some med strategies that we have used are increasing the Seroquel (crush it and put in applesauce or yogurt if he won't take it), adding Ativan or clonopin to night time meds, trazodone (many on this site had success with trazodone-we did not) or perhaps Neurontin. Typically doctors advise against using a sleeping pill because it can increase confusion, but I know some spouse's here have had good success with using a sleeping pill. I always add 10 mg of melatonin at night because it can't hurt and might work.
DH's geriatrician has told me the afternoon dose of Seroquel is as important and the night dose for helping to calm and induce sleep.
Elizabeth, I just started using 25 mg of Seroquel at night for my DH's sleeping and behavioral issues. I give him all his meds crushed in applesauce or yogurt. I was using trazodone, which did work, but since we just started using the Seroquel daily, his neuro didn't want him to take the trazodone. (Psychiatrist prescribes the Seroquel and trazodone, neuro the Aricept). Definitely consult with the nurse and good luck!
there probably comes a time where you don't ask or show them the meds just mix with some favorite food and get it in them. I don't think mine ever knew he got meds for behavior issues as it would have been another battle. and many of us found meds stuffed in chairs on floors (be careful of pets! and small kids) or stuffed anywhere once we turned our backs they took meds out of mouth! I was lucky my small dogs didn't find them tasty. like everything else they are unable to understand the need for the meds and we once again must make the choices to retain their compliancy and whats best for us both. divvi
I can't add much to the comments above. I was lucky that the Seroquel put DH to sleep for about 5 hours. We had to stop using it in the daytime because he'd sleep in his recliner till the middle of the afternoon then wake up and be as nasty and aggressive as ever. We switched to Abilify along with the antidepressant Celexa and saved the Seroquel for night. And yes I crushed the Seroquel in other food. Now he is off the Seroquel but he has Morphine drops that are supposed to go under the tongue but he won't open his mouth. Nurse said I could put it in his nightly Ice cream. He eats that right up.
Thanks, everyone. Regarding safety around children or pets--I always put DH's meds right into his mouth, and make sure they go down the hatch. Last year we started finding pills under the bed, in the couch cushions, or whatever…this with little children running around. That was the end of giving him the pills in the pill cup with a glass of liquid and going about my business.
My DH started on 25 mg Seroquel am and pm. When sun downing and angry behavior began dr upped meds to 50 mg am and pm.. We did it slowly 2 weeks upped am before upping pm. It has helped keep him calmer at night especially.
I give him his night meds an hr or so before bedtime. Thank goodness for now he sleeps all night.
Elizabeth We tried ambien he would get up an sleep walk with it. It alson cause him to stumble and fall when he did get up. We now have Trazadone. I ususall wake up when he uses the bathroom, the other night I must have been so tired I did not hear him. I woke up and he was fully dressed and sitting on the dark down stairs at 3:47 am. I do not think I have slept a home night in years. I may have to try some of these suggestions also. I did not want to try the seroguel but I think I will.
I, too was very hesitant about giving seroquel to my DH. But, sometimes a medication can make the difference between managing behavior and caregiver stress.
My DH has had no side effects . You may want to give it a try.
jackiem, the Seroquel has really been the magic bullet for us. I wouldn't be afraid to try it. Good news, everyone--last night DH only woke up twice--once when he had to use the urinal, and once to say he wanted something to eat. (At 3 am.) Bad me--I told him to wait til breakfast and to go back to sleep--and he did! Well, must jump in the shower as home aide and social worker are both on the way. What an indescribable feeling to get some sleep! Yay!
jackiem, I agree with Lorrie and Elizabeth, don't be afraid to use the Seroquel. My husband has been on it for almost 6 years for his bvFTD behaviors and we've had no bad side effects. Without it were we faced with the very real possibility of him being placed in a psychiatric hospital for the rest of his life because he was so aggressive.