bedtime ritual

persevere

Anytime we lay down on the bed, whether for a nap, but especially at bedtime my DW is constantly up and down. She's at that stage where she continually paces and jabbers so I suppose this is an extension. But the bed thing - I can tell she's exhausted but she will spend an hour up and down up and down, in and out. Very agitated. She's on the common drugs - lexapro, serequol, etc. Anyone else experience this?

Belle60

Yes, my DH just started that as well. Up and down at bedtime. Tries to go to another bedroom to sleep and wants me to sleep in another room with him. I have to keep "collecting" him and putting him into bed. I was told by the nurse that Trazadone might help with it but I haven't tried it yet.

ronda b

Trazodone did help my DH

midge333

More seroquel may also help.

howhale

y dear wife did this also and it was exhausting. Because she had refused to take medications in any form or trick we tried, we (the hospice nurse) finally tried haldol injections. Started at low dosage and increased to find the best level. My wife accepted the every other week injection as her "flu shot" without issue and it helped calm her and reduce the nightly up and down. It was one case where her loss of short term memory helped as she never recalled that she had her "flu shot" already. Eventually as her condition progressed the up and down constantly overnight decline and stopped. It did become replaced with an early to bed time and up early around 5am but that was much better.

Scooterr

Hey there persevere, you may try a serequol and melatonin 3mg. cocktail (which works for my DW). 30 mins. before bed. We have also taken out naps during the day (I know for some dementia folks that's impossible but it works for us). Sometimes other meds. interact with with the serequol and melatonin and make the sleep process worse. Over a period of time (long time) its been a lot of trial and error until we found the right combination of meds. What works for one dementia individual may not necessarily work for the other. hang in there