RE: Re: Hubby now on Seroquel

January 9, 2008

Hi gang: After a trip to the neurologist on the 21st of Dec. , a hectic

and wild holiday season, we are settling in to a normal routine again. The

doctor suggested that we take Ray off Namenda--he was taking 2 a day so we

dropped off gradually, taking one a day for a week and then dropping all

together. If the hallucinations continued, I was to fill the Seroquel

prescription (25 mg. 1 X a day) but only give him 1/2 a day at bedtime so

perhaps we could get some sleep. It was a rough couple of weeks but I used

Tylenol PM (for both of us) to get through it and on Jan. 4th started giving

him the 1/2 Seroquel. He sleeps better but sometimes wakes up early

morning. This morning he woke at 2:30 and while he did not sleep good the

rest of the night, he was not rambuctious or having his panic attacks. He

stayed in bed and quiet mostly so I could continue dozing at least. So we

are better off than before when he was up and down all night long.

Seroquel reads like a terrible drug but the doc says LBD patients have

fairly good luck using it for hallucinations. What are your experiences with

Seroquel? The instructions say I should step it up to a full tablet after

a week. It seems like he is less aware and seems to know nothing anymore.

_ As long as I am getting a little rest, I hesitate to up the dose for fear

of it going the other way or making him dopier. _

The other thing happening is that the Social Worker from Public Health

asked for a meeting with my children and myself to discuss our situation.

These are kids who drop everything and come if I need them. When I need

rest, they come and stay all night with Dad. They take him whenever I need

them to. They are doing a great job supporting us. He told us that he is

concerned about my safety and he doesn't think it will be too long before we

have to place Ray in a nursing home. I am not ready for that and of course,

he can't make us do it. But I will fill out the applications to get our

name on a list at the ones in our area. (We don't have many choices) The

Public Health nurse has upped my Home Health Aide time giving me one more

day a week, totaling 4 days --some days it is 1 hour, one and 1/2 or 2

hours. So it gives me a good break each day. One day a week I have been

taking or sending him to Adult Day Care which he hates. So, instead for

now, I am having a private pay gal come in and stay here with him on that

day and see how that goes. The social worker and the kids want me to still

send him to Day Care and do the private pay too giving me two whole days a

week. I appreciate all the help and the advice but not sure I need it all.

I am sure if the aide is here and I am here, Ray is not going to want her

doing things for him. I guess I can get out and do things on days she is

here and then stay home and get work done when he goes to day care. Most

days I get absolutely nothing done in the house or paperwork etc.

Thanks for being there to listen to my blah, blah blah and if you have any

comments, feel free. Thanks, Leona ,_._,___

January 9, 2008

HI Leona,

My mom was on seroquel because the hallucinations were getting worse (seemed to

help somewhat with the anxiety but not always) and she did go down hill but I'm

not sure if it was the seroquel or the disease. She couldn't tolerate a large

dose either - 1 pill in a divided dose. Its so hard to know what is the meds

and what is the disease but I know you'll keep an eye out.

I'd encourage you to keep the daycare and the in-home care person. Heck, keep as

much help as you can get. You are important too and deserve a break with time

to do things just for you.

Courage

January 9, 2008

Leona,

My Mom pretended to not like day care either. I made her go and they said she

did find and had a good time until I showed up and then you would think they

were killing her.

What I like about it was they had a showering program. And a wonderful shower

lady. I laughed when they asked if I wanted her in the program.. I said, " sure

if you can get her to shower. " Well, she went 3 days a week and took a shower

every day she was there without a word. (She had to walk down steps at my house

to get to the shower.)

When she got nasty with me about going, I told we both needed to do other

things. She needed her own " friends " and I had to go to work. And she kept

getting on the Senior bus that took her and went almost every time without

problem.

There are just some boundaries you need to make for yourself and it doesn't hurt

them and they sleep better when they are active.

Hugs,

Donna R

Caregave for Mom (after I brought her from WI to MI) for 3 years and 4th year in

a nh.

She was almost 89 when she died in '02. No dx other than mine.