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Has anyone seen this before? She just chatters all day long non stop, trying to tune it out. She goes from the early am until bedtime around 7, losing my mind and just want a little quiet.

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By the way, I realize this is a caregiver forum and I am a patient. I am a retired human services professional. For 35 years I wrote treatment programs for people with mental retardation and trained their caregivers.

I guess my history training caregivers is coming through again, as I feel the more you know about how we see the world the easier your job will become.

Or maybe it's just the FTD creating another chatterbox.

Y'all have a GREAT day and a blessed journey with your loved ones.
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One half of my diagnosis is FTD (the other half is LBD).
Historically I have been very stoic, patient, and quiet, speaking only when spoken to, even at social gatherings where I prefer to stand in a corner (my wife has always chastised me for being a 'stander') and observe what is going on.

In the past few days I have been astounded to find I'm becoming a chatterbox (along with a variety of other changes I have noticed taking place). Normally, at a doctor's appointment, I answer questions or defer to my wife (who knows the answers better than I do) and otherwise try to be cooperative and quiet. Yesterday I had an EEG and when the tech asked for some historical information I found myself unable to shut up! I know I told her 4000 times what she wanted to know. I even found it difficult to keep my mouth shut during the testing, when I was supposed to be quiet. I also find I am almost compulsively talking to my wife when she is reading, working on paperwork, or watching TV--completely and inappropriately interrupting and frequently obliterating her train of thought. I just can't seem to help myself.

Not me!!! Has to be the FTD!!!
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My wife is in late stages of FTD and she doesn't talk or move. She just stares at the TV. You will look back at the past stages and wish they were still with you.
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My mom started talking at night and would talk all night long and get out of bed. She is 100 years old and I was worried that she would fall. The doctor prescribed seroquel, but I was not comfortable to give her this. I started giving her 5 mg of melatonin when she went to bed and this did the trick. The talking and getting up stopped and she actually seems a lot calmer during the day and is not asking me the same questions over and over.
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Smeltzer: Seroquel-I had to correct you.
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We are in late stage ftd with my mom and we did go through a period of excessive talking. It does end eventually but we did not find peace until we got her on Resperadone and Paxil. It also calmed her and now we are finally able to almost enjoy these last years together. It is a blessing for my dad who was the target of her paranoid delusions and violent outbursts.
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@Smeltzer31970: If your mom has been officially diagnosed with FTD, I do hope she is talking nicely and not cursing and yelling and trying to grab you! Those are what I had to deal with for 5 plus years with my husband. The last few months of his life I was so physically and mentally broken I needed to put him in a care facility but trying to find one that will take an FTD resident was almost impossible. Finally found one out of town which meant I had to drive a distance almost daily because of the things he was doing and I was doing all I could to keep him from being kicked out! Like Edwardcaretaker said she will grow silent along with a number of other indications the FTD has progressed. The only way I could keep him in the facility was because I finally found a doctor (4th one) who would subscribe a seriously strong Rx (I can't recall name) and staff said they saw him smile for he first time after being on it and anti-anxiety Rx. My heart and prayers go out to you, just know, it is the hardest thing you will ever do but don't let it destroy your health and/or your relationships. That was my mistake, living inside the four walls of the home all those years because he needed 24/7 care, not even his son wanted anything to do with him so it was all on me. If I had it to do over, I would do it a lot differently.
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I'm going to research depakote, I read just enough to know you can't use it occassionally, there is a withdrawal effect. Or at least if you do, you need to know how to monitor it. Best of luck, keep us posted.
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We have already treated a UTI waiting for a repeat urine to see if it has cleared.
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Everyone, check your loved one for a UTI. That is something that makes people behave like that. Everyone reacts differently to this, but I almost lost my mother to UTIs. I think it robbed her of her sanity and put her into a state of dementia. She is much better now that we finally have them under control. Go to a urologist. Don't trust your PC to find it.
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I highly recommened asking her doctor or neurogist for depakote sprinkles. Its not an antipsychotic medication and not black labeled as is seraquel. It was a life saver for us. When I worked I even had students on it, it calms the brain, originally and still used for seizure control, but works on anyone who needs the brain wheels tuned down. It will make her sleep alot the first few weeks but then be great. I had mom on it about 2 years, then weaned her off when she didnt need it any longer. My friends wife was kicked out of daycare, given a 2 week notice, he put her on depakote and by the 2 week time period they said she could stay. He was livid, took her out anyway and got at home help. good luck
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Best answer is the anti-anxiety pills like Lorazapram 4 times a day. And movies on the TV. And love. Like I said previously, you will miss these talkie times when the complete non-verbal stage comes.
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I just lost my mom last week. She, too, talked nonstop, exhausting anyone who was with her for long periods. She had never been a big talker before. I never realized it could be due to dementia in a specific part of the brain. That explains it....Misslauri has a good idea about you getting a headset!
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It will pass and then they les and less then there will be no talking at all. You will miss this stage. My wife is at the end stages of FTD. I would love it very much if she would say something--anything.
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This has to be maddening. My mother in law has done this for years and I swear I want to shoot myself after spending the day with her. I can't imagine living with someone like this. Hopefully anti anxiety meds will help! Or maybe a headset with soothing music or relief.
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My dad doesn't have this diagnosis, but it's recently been advised by some here that we look into it. He's still living in his home alone, with a lot of help from family, mostly me, and I see some of what you're experiencing. He has an almost compulsive need to talk to everyone in sight. I can see people trying to move away from him as he goes on and on. He tells his personal business, like if he just was taken to the doctor, he loves to regal all with every detail. He's also demanding and rude. When I took him for groceries last week, he refused to let me return the motorized cart he used, insisted on leaving it in the parking lot. I told him it needed charging as it was alarming and there would be others who needed it. His reply "that's their problem" Totally unlike the father I used to have. (Yes, I know I should have done it anyway, was just tired of the fight by then, it'd been a long day) Okay, I'm clearly not answering with anything helpful, maybe just saying there's someone else who gets it.
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While this might seem extreme, have you considered a white noise machine? I use this all the time as my husband and I work different hours and he is up early talking on the phone and walking around the house. This, on high sound drowns out the noise. As long as she is within where you can see her, this might be an option and for $30, inexpensive one. Agree, that this is a very difficult one to deal with.
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All we have right now is seraquel, going to call her doctor in the morning. She has been sent home twice from daycare there must be something else we can try.
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The frontal lobe is responsible for impulse control and social filters among many other functions. I used to work in a hospital on the brain injury floor and we would all brace ourselves when we got word that someone with a frontal lobe injury was coming in. It can be very, very challenging to work with someone with frontal lobe damage.

Have you tried anti-anxiety medications (for your mom, I mean)? It must be exhausting for her to chatter all day long.
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