My mom seems to be having more hallucinations, delusional behavior and at times, paranoia. I know this is part of the disease but not sure if more medication is the answer. Neuro suggested Seroquel--which I am familiar with from working inpatient treatment programs. I just am not sure we should go down that road...but the line may have been drawn as she is now stating that my step-son has set up cameras in our living room to watch her, etc. She does live with us full time...and I don't want to move her to ALF...but this may be the time. Thoughts on adding this medication?
How would you know if your mother could benefit from it or not? Alas, there is no way to determine that in advance. You'd have to try it and see.
If you decide to try it, ask the doctor what benefits you can expect to see if it works. Ask how long it should be before these benefits show up. And then monitor the results carefully. Ask to have it discontinued if you don't see a benefit is a reasonable length of time.
I thought there was a new drug recently approved for paranoia in Parkinson's. Did I get that wrong?
I hope that find a med or treatment that has an acceptable risk level for you and helps keep your husband out of terror and from harming himself or anyone else.
There ARE things worse than sudden death.
Harming or killing a loved one springs to mind.
Important information
Never take Seroquel in larger amounts, or for longer than recommended by your doctor. High doses or long-term use can cause a serious movement disorder that may not be reversible. Symptoms of this disorder include tremors or other uncontrollable muscle movements.
Stop using Seroquel and call your doctor at once if you have the following symptoms: very stiff (rigid) muscles, high fever, sweating, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, tremors, uncontrolled muscle movements, feeling light-headed, blurred vision, eye pain, increased thirst and urination, excessive hunger, fruity breath odor, weakness, nausea and vomiting.
Seroquel is not approved for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. It may increase the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related conditions.
--------------------------------------
That said, you will have to weigh the risks against the benefits for your mom.
It didn't seem to do anything for my mother (95 yrs.-stage 6 Alz.)
Rather than keep increasing the dosage we switched her to risperdal which has allowed her to stay feisty but more approachable
The good news with Seroquel is that it doesn't take long to see the benefits. It's not like antidepressants.
See All Answers