My husband has been on Aricept 5 mg. since June 18. I asked the doctor if he could stay on this dose as he seemed to be ok and he said increase at your discretion, if he seems worse, up it to 10 mg. the last few days my husband's actions have changed. Our son and family were over Sunday and my husband was for the most part very quiet and didn't join in. I felt sad and guilty for not paying him more attention but welcoming the joy of the grandchildren being there. Yesterday I don't think he said a complete sentence until well after lunch and seemed better by evening. My husband just came from the bedroom very confused, he thought we were being beaten up by the Japanese and went back to bed. I spent time out in the yard working and crying at the princess I felt. At other times I can cope with things but the alternate with sadness, crying and wondering how much he is suffering, or is it just me, and what to do about it. Sorry for the rambling, just had to put my feelings in writing. Does anyone out there have these same feelings and how do you handle it? Thanks listening. Should I increase aricept to 10 mg at this time. (I feel the doctors answer was, in effect, it probably isn't that crucial what dose, so go with the flow, no disrespect as I do like this doctor)
Life can really seem cruel at times but we must not let that cloud our memories of those many great moments which I'm sure you had during your 51 years. I'll always remember an older neighbor who you knew not much got in his way when he was younger telling me "Getting old ain't for sissy's". Not to make light of your difficult times but try to take the good with the bad and know there is a God in Heaven who understands and has a plan for all these things that we just don't get.
I'm not qualified to provide medical advice but I thought you may be interested in what I found since he has just started taking Aricept.
Initial dose: 5 mg orally once a day, in the evening prior to retiring
Mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease:
-Maintenance dose: 10 mg orally once a day, after the patient has been on an initial dose of 5 mg once a day for 4 to 6 weeks
God Bless
I've rambled too long but Alz/dem. is evil. It takes away the person you love and it takes away your life also. So many of us are going through this. You MUST keep your sense of humor. It's hard at first but at some point you will be able to laugh at some of things he's done or will do, not to mean but because we love them and want to remember something good. As I said before, stay on this site, write to us and you will have our support and all the information that we have learned. You might want to join a support group or look into a daycare center for him. Stay with him the first few times so he will get use to it or bring someone in to stay so you can get out and not just to get groceries. We support you and have your back. Good Luck and God Bless
Oh, one more thing......on another page we have been talking about coconut oil and the benefits for alz. You might try it to see if there is any change in your husband. Start small so there is no upset stomach. No taste and melts fast or there are pills.
I am so glad you wrote this I just had two very bad days with my husband. It is a combination of hearing loss, very slow processing, and memory loss. The result is really terrible communication between the two. Honestly, I thought I would lose my mind the other day. All daylong he was freaking me out with his misunderstandings of what i had said. Twice he understood the EXACT OPPOSITE of what i had said.
Sometimes i handle this well. Like when I calmly explained that we need to do a better job making sure that his hearing aids have fresh batteries and tips--of course, then he wants em to do it... Other time s I really want to kick myself, as in when I shake my head even slightly in despair when he asks me to repeat what was a large effort at explaining in the first place. Or, again, when he has completely misunderstood me. I am finding this scary!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want to make him feel bad or "less than" but I also do not want him to constantly thrust the responsibility for our communications.
Need sympathy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Salisbury: I am the one not hearing very well. Found an ad for a "personal amplifying device" for about $20 and decided to try it. Hangs over the ear with a bud that directs sound into the ear. It has an on-off switch and a volume control. With the cost of hearing aids in the thousands I thought it was worth the try. Big help - best with the volume control at or near lowest level. High volumes can distract and even hurt. Combined with short clearly spoken sentences spoken in a normal voice or at a pitch a little lower than normal the device could leave your husband only having to deal with the slower processing.
I now have a caregiver that gives me 10 hours a week courtesy of VA. And I recently had my first Respite vacation for 9 days, also courtesy of VA. Bill was in the Navy for two years back in the 50's. No war time service but I still receive a few benefits. The Respite was at the beginning of July. I feel like I need another vacation and it is not even a month since the last one. I just hope I can handle this in the good shape I am currently in. I am working at that every day.....to stay healthy myself. I am 70 and he is 80. He has nothing wrong with him besides Alzheimer's Disease. I pray this doesn't go on for another 8 years. I don't think I will last that long! Only God can give us the strength we need and the courage to go on.
He was a professional truck driver, still very good. But I have been "navigating" for a few years, his license has been suspended, last month. He is high functioning, but in the"moment" , doesn't remember a few minutes before so as you know it's " ground hog day" all the time. It wears you down, try to get a friend to come in, so you can get out, maybe get in a support group so you don't feel so alone, and they can validate your feelings. It's so very sad and wearing, and we miss them, the way they were. The books say the cognitive reasoning is last to go, so they can make sense in the moment, then forget how many children they have or even if they have grandchildren. You think you see your loved one as they were, then they are like a child. We do grieve for them and us. It's a terrible disease. Then how do you judge how much you can take? My problem lately is trying to get him in the shower, he'll go in and come out dressed. Very resistant to suggestion. Rather like a small child. And all the symptoms you all are dealing with. They are comfortable In familiar environment. But can be resistant to going anywhere. I totally sympathize... Remember caregivers can burn out and have serious health issues before the loved one passes. So don't let anyone judge you. When the time comes, consult your doctor and also counseler at an Altzimers care facility. To decide how long and when is the hardest decision. How long before our health.... What would we expect or want them to do for us. A waiting game....God Help us all
It took a long time to get to this point--more than 15 years (we've been married 62 years) so I shouldn't be concerned. However I know what it's doing to me, my health, my physical ability to handle his difficulties. I thank the stars for my daughter and a very close friend to help me with the problems involved with making such a transfer.
It's important that you maintain your health and call on family, close friends, whoever, to help you cope/handle the problem. Because he won't be able to do anything about it--and you know that.
I also need to remember to "keep it simple." When it is simple and we communicate, I can see that he is really happy. When it gets too complicated, he is depressed, I am frustrated ,and we both feel bad.
I am so sorry! So young! So sad for both of you.
I was just going to take the opportunity to complain that everything with my husband takes so long. A half hour to go into the grocery store and buy butter.
But you have stopped me cold. My husband is 82 and can buy butter in the grocery store. I am grateful and sending you, all of you, a hug.
He guesses what I'm thinking but doesn't ask. He makes decisions based on those guesses and assumptions. But he doesn't ask. And he's often wrong because he assumes the worst of me. We can't seem to have any important conversation, certainly none of personal depth because he isn't capable. Logic escapes him, though he thinks he's highly sensible. He's become an emotionally ruled person.
I lived through 6 years of hell with his Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde transitions taking just seconds. Emotional and verbal abuse endured because he had dementia and was not well. Now he's changed again and is much calmer and significantly less abusive. He's more normal and capable...so what gives? What's going on? And who am I married to?
Sometimes he's actually nice to me. And that makes me wary. I occasionally get PTSD symptoms when he comes up behind me and surprises me by suddenly speaking. What road am I traveling? I thank God I'm not traveling alone! I can trust God a lot more than my husband. And that's just plain sad.