Worried about doctor wanting to put her on it.
Hi.......Ativan has been causing severe memory loss. Doctors cannot get her off of it as the withdrawls were so intense for an 84 year old blind woman. She broke a bone in her back and gave her tramadol as it is non-addicting. She took one pill for one week..great for helping her move, but cause terrible nightmares and paranoia. Took her off that. Now the psychiatrist is seeing her decline wants to take her off ativan slowly by putting her on seraquel... I just read about it and am freaking out! It sounds terrible......any experiences??
Care has to be take with prescribing any thing for the elderly because less than optimal functioning of worn out kidneys and liver can effect the elimination of any medication. It is also necessary to be aware of interactions with other drugs, foods and herbal supplements. The pharmacist is an excellent sourse of advice and usually has more time than your Dr. Always make all drs aware of all the medications that a patient is taking. A clearly typed list carried on the person saves a lot of time and confusion. Write the trade and generic names the strength of pill the dose and times taken and the reason for taking. Fast treatment in an emergency can be life saving.
It takes trial and error with anybody, but especially those with dementia, to find the right combination of medications. If it doesnt help her, they will takenher off of it, gradually, just as they are with the Ativan. While the increased risks are a bit scary, my Mom would rather die suddenly than the continuous downward spiral of dementia. Give it a try and see if it helps her. They don't like feeling agitated and uncomfortable. Seroquel in our case has been a lifesaver!
Drs do not even agree she has dementia...it may all be medicine related and if they could figure out how to get her off ativan without putting her through months of terrible withdrawl like before, we might know more.
but her memory and paranoia have increased in two weeks...so internist wants her in ER for more tests....but she was not up to going today....
I am thinking maybe cat scan???
thank you for all the support!!
Others in my caregiver group found it did nothing for their loved ones. A few people had side effects and stopped it.
As far as I know, if it isn't working and you stop it there are no permanent effects.
To put the dose in perspective a little, a friend with bi-polar disorder and frequent anxiety attacks takes 800 mg per day. My husband started at 25 and maxed out at 100 mg.
This is a strong drug. It should not be prescribed willy-nilly. But it sounds like your loved one's doctor is proceeding cautiously. One drug at a time, start low, monitor results, slowing increase dose if that is warranted.
to hear from you! We love you!