My mom has been paranoid, agitated, accusatory, etc. out of the blue for the last three weeks. She is not on any meds other than cardiac, high blood pressure pills and occassionally a very low dose of valium 2mgs. (yesterday she had 5mgs of valium to go through an MRI). She suddenly had a completely "normal" day yesterday, being the mom I have always known and love. I don't think it was the valium because she wasn't just calm, she was a completely different person and it began before she even took the pill. Is this typical of dementia or alz? I am so shocked and just praying that she could stay this way.
If her dementia is already so advanced that she doesn't recognise you, how is she coping day to day? Where does she think she is?
dementia!! My husband even said honey, you are getting awful forgetful here lately! Which really scares me and I've been on my toes ever since!!
We have a few good days and then we have a few bad days. It is so sad! Today is one of the bad days when she tells me she has already eaten and already changed her depends and already done this and that. That is when it makes me feel like I am going nuts! She will hold the paper for hours and hours and go over the same story over and over and never move the paper and then tell me she has read the whole paper and can't tell me a thing she has read. Today is one of those days.
I have been on 20 mg of Prozac for the past year and it has really helped. So it started getting tougher and I started taking 40 mg which has really helped. I always thought it was an awful thing to do, but I have actually felt better, with no side effects. So it gets tougher, try it because it really does help and don't be ashamed. People don't need to know you take it to help yourself. I go from day to day praying that each day will get better all the way around and some days they are answered and some days I find myself asking why, which I know I shouldn't. My amazing husband helps out so much, but it scares me that some day he may not be able to handle it anymore either. He doesn't show any signs of it, but I always have that thought in the back of my mind because I always wonder how much more I can take. Dementia and AlZ is so hard for the person and everyone involved in the caretaking and family. Wishing you the best. Thank heavens for this site!