I am back(1)

French

Hi my friends,

The last weeks, I continued to come and read some posts, and then read less and less. In fact it was because I was trying to live again a normal life.

But, Alzheimer is still here, everyday.

The last weeks it has been worse and worse (agitation, depression). I discovered they did some changes in the medication , asked the prescriptions and send them to the French neurologist. She told me that some of these medications are increasing confusion and agitation and told me to ask to stop them and come back to the initial treatment. What I did. We had a 14 day respite with no incident. But he was always complaining about stomach aches and they did nothing.

Easter weekend he had spasms, felt and injured his head. He was sent to the hospital. There, they did scanners. They also wanted to do a rmi but couldn’t because he wasn’t quiet. The scheduled another with anesthesia. But I asked why they absolutely wanted a mri. I was told it was because they were thinking that my partner hasn’t Alzheimer but was bipolar !!!! I stopped everything, forbid the mri. Again they changed the medication and now he is agitated. This week, one night , he broke 2 doors. The caregiver called me, she was crying and asking me to bring he back in France because he is not well medically cared. Again The neurologist was seen, but he doesn't want to change medication  without a psychiatrist being consulted.

I will fight to Tunisia (with my mother) on Tuesday. I will assess the situation and see the doctors.

But I am preparing his coming back, what is not easy. I don’t like to act in emergency. I am always anticipating. So this is something very difficult for me. The only thing I know is that he won’t come back home. It isn’t possible for us. 

No MCF will accept him with such troubles, even the one where he was well cared in November ( they told me, and in any case they have no place). He will have to spend time in the hospital to adjust his medication and behavior.

So when I will be back I will have to do a MCF tour.

 I intend to organize the repatriation end of may or beginning of June. Not easy because I should travel for my work in this period.

M1

French I am so sorry...but I am glad to hear from you, I've been concerned.

I suppose it is possible he has bipolar AND dementia.  Seems like a moot point, frankly--but i think you are right, he will need hospitalization to regulate things before he can go to memory care.  And I agree with you about the MRI--I don't see how it would help, none of these things will necessarily show up anatomically.

Please post when you can.  

Since you have his powers of attorney, it makes no sense to me that they could change his medications without letting you know.  But the same happens here.  Ridiculous.

toolbeltexpert

French so sorry things have become more difficult for you. I am think of you often in my prayers

Jo C.

Hello Dear French, I was thinking of you last night and here you are this morning;  I am sorry that your Partner is having such difficulties and getting him home for adquate care is now your priority.  Despite the work it will take to do that, you are very wise in making that decision.  Hopefully, it may be that once he is in the care of the French specialists, he will do better. 

Such a busy time for you and so much to do, I send warmest of thoughts that all will happen soon and with as little trouble as possible.

Please let us know how you and he are doing, you are certainly being thought of,

J.

Ed1937

French, I don't have anything more to add, but just wanted to let you know we're here anytime we can help.

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Joydean

Wishing the best for you and your partner! So very sorry they started messing with his meds and making things harder for him and for you. 

Memphisdee

Dear French, so sorry about your situation. My husband also has bipolar and Alz. He is in an Assisted Living facility in USA. He is starting to adjust to his situation. He stopped taking his meds for 5 days. He went into hospital for two day. He didn’t qualify for a  Geri psych hospital so we went to a facility where I had had him assessed before emergency room.  So far so good. I wish the same for you!

French

@memphisdee, was your husband diagnosed after Alzheimer ?

This puzzles me. I wonder how the could think he is bipolar. He has agitation and depressed moments in the day, but not really long phases and when the medication was back to the one we had before, everything went well.

Jo C.

French, it is highly unlikely that your Partner has actual Bipolar Disorder to be diagnosed at such a late date.  You will know with certainty what is happening when you get him back to France.

It is likely that such a diagnosis was simply applied to your Partner due to his behavioral changes with dementia.  I would not be too concerned about such a late diagnosis of BPD at this point.

Management of all of this will be much easier once he is back home and is placed.  I am sending best wishes for all to go well as you move to make that happen.

J.

ButterflyWings

French- as always, you are making the best of your choices. It sounds like the honeymoon is over regarding some positive time in Tunisia. At this point, repatriation and stabilization in France en route to appropriate long term placement certainly seems needed. 

I’m sorry it interferes with a travel time for your work, but this will be the last major trip to coordinate his care. You tried it which was wise. It provided a lengthy respite and important transition from in home care, which had become unmanageable. 

I seem to recall Tunisia was what your partner wanted to do next, having tried other options at the time.  But since the management is taking matters into their own hands with changing his meds with negative results, it seems clear you have no alternative but to implement an exit strategy. 

Sending you well wishes! Safe travels. 

abc123

Dear French, Thank you for making time to post and let us know how he and you are both doing. I am sorry to hear about the problems with his medicines. I agree with the others, I also think you always make the wisest choices for his care. I wish you and your mother well and hope the trip goes as safe as possible. Good luck to you.

Buggsroo

French,

I am so sorry things didn’t work out too well in Tunisia. I doubt whether your partner has bipolar disease, it probably is the progression of his dementia, like other people here have stated. I hope you can get things sorted in France and your life can get back to normal or some form of normal.