Constant delusions

sisyoung

My DH has mod/severe Alz and VD. His psychiatrist has been slowly reducing all his antipsychotic drugs till now he is only on Gabapentin (originally started by his neurologist for limb movement disorder), Olanzapine 2.5 mg once a day, and 5 mg Donepezil. He was on Alprazolam  0.25 mg till he ran out Sat., and it was not refilled.  He is not violent,  but has been the President for the last 5 days and today totally refused to dress until I let him put on a suit.  He is constantly trying to get out of the house because someone is waiting outside to fly home back to Washington. Has anyone had any success with treating the delusions? 

jmlarue

If I was in your shoes, I'd be on the phone to 911. If docs want to tinker with his psych meds, he would be better served by in-patient care in a psych unit. Just my opinion. Frankly, I resent it when his doctors play mad scientist with meds and expect me to take DH home and cope with the insanity. They'd run away screaming if they had to deal with it.

towhee

Please contact your doctor and let them know what is going on. He might need to come off the last medication more slowly. You can work with and around delusions sometimes but you need to be safe. Your doctor needs to be responding quickly to you during this process and be aware of your limits and well being as well.

Scooterr

jmlarue wrote:

If I was in your shoes, I'd be on the phone to 911. If docs want to tinker with his psych meds, he would be better served by in-patient care in a psych unit. Just my opinion. Frankly, I resent it when his doctors play mad scientist with meds and expect me to take DH home and cope with the insanity. They'd run away screaming if they had to deal with it.

Total agree jmlarue. With some of the med's they started on my DW I thought they're going to kill her. I learned real quick to trust my instinct when they started with the psych med's. 

Rick4407

A lot of people here, including myself, have had good luck with Seroquel for delusions.  Google does not list any of the drugs mentioned as for delusions.  As others have mentioned, you really need to be in touch with your neurologist.  Good luck, Rick

ImMaggieMae

I agree with jmlarue and scooterr. That sounds like a scary combination of drugs.

Ernie123

I can add my experience as a possible help to you. My DW, who now lives in care, has issues with paranoia and delusions that occasionally have been severe and led to her being placed in care three years ago as I could not deal with it alone in our home. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2012. When the paranoia grew serious three years ago she often perceived me as an intruder and would try to force me from our house, sometimes quite violently.  Medications have helped relieve her of the more extreme emotional  reactions but the meds don’t make the paranoid delusions go away, the meds just help her stay calm and not react to the bizarre thoughts she gets. Key to dealing with her issues was being assessed and treated by a geriatric psychiatrist. He has adjusted her medications several times as her condition has progressed. Every patient is different, and what works with one won’t necessarily work with another. Anecdotal evidence that we share here about which meds work, is just that: one patient’s story. Having said that, my wife is currently taking 10mg. Escitalopram daily for anxiety, and 7.5 mg AM, 5mg. PM Olanzapine for paranoia and delusional agitation. She was originally on Risperidone but it was not too effective with her. The switch to Olanzapine over a year ago was amazing, within days smiles and calm. She started on just 5 mg daily but it has been increased to the current level as her agitation and paranoia just keeps getting worse. My experience is to expect good days and bad days. The staff say that is often the case. But I can’t imagine how agitated and fearful she would be without the medication. She is in Stage 6. The staff say as she progresses she will likely slide into a calmer place and maybe the meds can be cut back.

Dio

DH's delusions/aggressions have landed him in the ER 3 times with the police putting in a 5150 hold request. But he's been rejected by hospital/psych unit to keep him on a 5150 hold (up to 72 hrs) with the mere mention of dementia. Not sure what the law is in other states; we're in California.