Mom with lewy body dementia

TideSoul

My mother is in the nursing home which she hates. She has terrible hallucinations of men with long white beards and no teeth who torture her every waking moment. She says they pull her hair out and spray powder in the air where she can't breathe. She says they make her hands and knees hurt. She has rheumatoid arthritis. She said they are on the TV and in front of her face when she tries to put on her make up. She cries and begs to go home. She took Risperdal before going to the nursing home and has recently been tested by the neuropsychologist but the nursing home doctor won't prescribe anything. What can I do to help my Mom?

Jo C.

I am sorry for what is happening and can imagine how upsetting and frustrating this must be for you to have to work around. You do have some power in this. Is the NH MD a geriatric specialist? Did he/she inform you as to why no medication will be prescribed to assist with the symptoms? You also have the option to have another geriatric specialist to see her in assessment.

Your mother of course is suffering secondary to a disease. There more than likely will be treatment that can in all probability lessen the negative symptom impact. That the NH MD will not assist in this matter must feel terrible if there was not an adequate explanation, another option would be that perhaps it may be helpful to have her seen by another specialist physician in consult, perhaps a Geriatrician who does go to that facility to see patients. That would give you another opinion and also see differences between the physicians and treatment approach. There may well be medications that can be used to assist with painful delusions which appear to be affecting her very quality of life. (Did the doctor say just why he/she would not prescribe such meds? There may possibly be an adequate reason for such a decision.)

It is perfectly fine to have another geriatric physician examine your mother to gain a second opinion; many of us have done just that. Of course that would be up to you and how you feel about obtaining another opinion. It is often asked for by patients and families , so it is nothing outside the norm and is not a negative. You are looking out for the care and quality of life you feel your mother needs.

Do you know what the neuropsychologist's exam and recommendation outcome was? You are permitted to read the MD and consultant's progress notes in the record, all you need do is ask to see the chart.

Let us know how things are going and I so hope you are able to gain some more solid input and hopefully helpful treatment as appropriate.

J.

Chammer

Per Tam Cummings, Nuplazid is the antipsychotic recommended for Lewy Body dementia. I would see if Dr is willing to prescribe a trial of it to see if it helps.

Check out lbda.org. It is the website for LB dementia association.