When is it no longer beneficial to be taking medication for Dementia?
My mom never wanted to take her medications. Some of this was due to her paranoia however some days she would be fully focused and would express her humiliation and embarrassments of this disease. Now four years later she resides in memory care and more often than not she is in her own world. Other than the dementia her health is pretty good for an 84 year old. Recently upon reviewing moms care plan with the staff it was mentioned that occasionally mom would strongly flat out refuse her medications. So in light of her medical directive which refuses any life sustaining efforts did I want them to continue the dementia medications Galantamine and Namenda. I am so torn by this decision part of me feels it is wrong to not give her the meds on the other hand I remember how she felt so humiliated during her earlier stages. I know if she were able to see how her life is lived now or herself she would not like it. At this point are the meds only prolonging her misery? Is she really getting any benefit from taking the medication?
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Please do not feel guilty about your mom's meds. And, please remember you have done nothing wrong.
My husband has had Alzheimer's for over 10 years. The first 6 years he was on several meds including Namenda. Nothing resulted from these meds. My husband's condition continued to decline. His doctor finally indicated the meds were not doing any good "only making the pharmaceutical companies wealthy." So he was taken off of all Alzheimer meds, but continued his b/p and heart meds. His doctor also mentioned it was his medical experience that perhaps the only Alzheimer patients meds would help is if taken immediately upon detection. If not, it was likened to 'chasing a horse after the gate was left opened.' Sort of like a placebo...take the meds to soothe the caregiver into thinking it would slow or cure the disease of their love one while emptying out their pocketbook. I saw absolutely no change whatsoever after these meds were discontinued. NOTHING. Perhaps it helps someone...there isn't any proof out there (as far as I know) where these drugs are beneficial. The health field readily admits there is no known cause for Alzheimer's---only speculation and theory, so how could they know what slows or improves it! Commonsense, says; they do not. I suggest that labels on bottles are read thoroughly. Disclaimers are printed for a reason that...'there is no evidence the meds prevents or slows the disease...' Duh! Hope my husband's doctor and other medical personnel I have talked to are wrong, however, for my family, it just did not happen. "Hope in a jar" for 6 years was all that was given. Perhaps that is enough for those struggling each day. Sometimes hope is all we have left, however, it does make me bitter at times when I feel those threads of human fragility and weakness are being taken advantage of.
Good luck, God bless you. God bless all caregivers.
The way to find out if they are helping any is to stop them and see what happens. Stop ONE at a time, so you can judge the effects. If there is no change, then discontinuing the drug seems appropriate. Do this with her doctor's guidance.
We stopped Aricept when my husband went on Hospice care. Amazingly, he was till getting benefit from it, so we added it back in.
Your mom doesn't like taking pills. The pills are expensive. The pills are intended for moderate ALZ. You are wise to question whether it is worth continuing them.
I am - bizarrely - quoting verbatim from the advertisement on this very page for the manufacturers of Namenda.
The question is whether your mother's medications are doing her any good. Doesn't sound likely, does it? I think Jeanne's advice - to halt the drugs in turn, under medical supervision, and review the changes if any after a set period - is exactly right.
Your husband has dementia...what will effect him more or cause his death first...dementia or a cancer that he may or may not have already. (cancer cells can be undetectable when very small making accurate diagnosis impossible)
I think his safety and for his peace of mind and yours an anti-anxiety medication would possibly help.
As to the wandering there are many way to track someone. There are chips that can be placed in the clothing or even a cell phone can be used to track someone. My husband had a wristband tracker system called CareTrack through our local County Mental Health Department.
Please let the police know that your husband has dementia and that he wanders. This way they will be quick to respond if you report him missing.
You can provide a current photo, detailed description this way they have the info if needed. Also let the fire department know so they can possibly tailor a response knowing that your husband might not respond if they call out in an emergency
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