Why Rollercoaster Ride

Gthoma

Does anyone know why this is such a Rollercoaster ride? One day is really really good. The next is equally bad?  Seems like I get one or a few good days followed by 5 or 6 really awful days. I keep looking for some external marker (food, drink, fresh air, what have you). I'm at a loss.

Has anyone studied possible linkage between bipolar disorder and alz?

Thanks.

LadyTexan

I am not aware of any studies.

In our experience, the rollercoaster can change many times in the same day, both for me and for DH. For example, yesterday, DH was mild mannered. I was on edge because it has been a stressful week. Later in the day, DH spoke on the phone with some of his dear friends from childhood. Now DH wants to take a trip to Galveston to see his friends. Instead of being excited and thinking YAY! Beach vacation!, I was resentful thinking what a hassle and expense it will be travelling with DH. I was fretful and tired just thinking about it. Then at bedtime as I watched DH talk about his friends and going to see them, I was overcome with love and joy that he could have such a happy heart.

There are certainly some things that set DH off to pout or be in a foul mood or become agitated. Examples include:

• If DH does not take his meds as prescribed.
• If DH does not eat well or eat on schedule.
• If DH has unpleasant bowel issues such as diarrhea or constipation.
• If I am on edge, snarky, short tempered, or inpatient.
• If DH is uncomfortable or in pain.
• If DH is overstimulated by noise or people.
• If the TV is on the blink.

There are also things that set me off to be anxious and ill tempered or become severely depressed. For example:

• If I have any expectations, at all, of DH or others.
• If I think about how unfair life is.
• If I compare ourselves to others and their situations.
• If I become overly tired, thirsty or hungry.
• If I do not take my meds as prescribed.
• If the weather is dreary and rainy.
• If I am overstimulated by noise or people.

My lists are not scientific. These are just trends I noticed in our experience.

Of the two of us, I am the one with diagnosed bipolar disorder and, according to some docs, chronic, difficult to treat depression. My mental illness is managed by medication and monitoring by healthcare professionals. Healthy choices by me are also required.

Again, I am not aware of any studies, this is just our experience.

Doityourselfer

All I know from my experience dealing with my husband's EOAD is that each moment of the day is extremely unpredictable.  He could be smiling one minute and cursing at me the next minute with no trigger.  In the very beginning of this nightmare, he had good days and bad days.  Now I describe (log) the days as okay, bad or very bad.  He could be agitated a brief part of the day, a couple of hours or most of the day.  Sometimes the better he sleeps the better mood he is in.  This Alzheimer's life is very unpredictable and unnerving.

harshedbuzz

Gthoma-

Bi-polar disorder is rampant on my dad's side of the family. His sister, her son, my sister and her younger daughter all have/had a formal diagnosis. I suspect his dad had it as well and one of my niece's kids is in the process of being diagnosed with it at 14. I suspect my dad was unidentified and untreated; his geripsych agreed based on dad's behavior prior to the onset of dementia but could not diagnose because of late stage mixed dementia.

That said, the geripsych took that into consideration when prescribing medication to help dad's hallucinations, mood and anxiety which manifested in aggression. To my knowledge, only one of the family members with bi-polar developed dementia aside from my dad. Many of the had issues with addiction and died at younger ages; dad and his sister made it past 80, but his dad died at 23, my sister at 33, and my nephew at 55 (he died from a form of ARD).

ElaineD

There IS a link between Bipolar disease and Alzheimer's:

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28476640/

If you Google Bipolar disease and Alzheimer's pubmed you will find all of the research documents.

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30930738/

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24200543/

elained

Gthoma

thank you!

Gthoma

thank you!