Comments on: Sundowner’s Syndrome http://sundownerfacts.com a resource for Sundowners Syndrome Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:44:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Tammy http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7246 Tammy Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:44:47 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7246 Ron, I am so sorry to hear about your wife and her family. Very scary and sad. If nothing else, read The 36 Hour Day book, which I believe shows as recommended if you scroll down to the bottom of the page. It will help you deal with how she acts toward you. There are things you can say that will help, as well as make the situation worse, so you want to educate yourself as much as possible now. I hope she changes her mind soon about getting more help, but if she doesn't you have to do what you need to do to keep your own sanity too. I hope it doesn't get completely unmanageable, but if it does, you will need to make some tough decisions about living arrangements. I had to do this for my dad when his dementia and sundowners caused him to become violent and combative. We took him out of his home this April and placed him in assisted living, then he got too hard for them to deal with. We placed him in a heavier duty assisted living, then he attacked a caregiver. We finally found a skilled nursing home that would take a violent big man (very difficult to place, no one wants to risk it). He's been there since June and is now in hospice mode. They have his meds managed and can handle his combativeness. It's been hard, but I was left with no choice. I hope it doesn't go this way for you. Trust in God, He will open the doors for you if you ask for His help. Best of luck to you. Ron, I am so sorry to hear about your wife and her family. Very scary and sad. If nothing else, read The 36 Hour Day book, which I believe shows as recommended if you scroll down to the bottom of the page. It will help you deal with how she acts toward you. There are things you can say that will help, as well as make the situation worse, so you want to educate yourself as much as possible now. I hope she changes her mind soon about getting more help, but if she doesn’t you have to do what you need to do to keep your own sanity too. I hope it doesn’t get completely unmanageable, but if it does, you will need to make some tough decisions about living arrangements. I had to do this for my dad when his dementia and sundowners caused him to become violent and combative. We took him out of his home this April and placed him in assisted living, then he got too hard for them to deal with. We placed him in a heavier duty assisted living, then he attacked a caregiver. We finally found a skilled nursing home that would take a violent big man (very difficult to place, no one wants to risk it). He’s been there since June and is now in hospice mode. They have his meds managed and can handle his combativeness. It’s been hard, but I was left with no choice. I hope it doesn’t go this way for you. Trust in God, He will open the doors for you if you ask for His help. Best of luck to you.

]]> By: Brenda http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7242 Brenda Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:55:49 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7242 Ron, This website was the biggest help to me, because it is available 24/7. Sometimes I and some others would be on here at 3 a.m. venting. You are not alone. Even though my 95 year old mother-in-law passed in May, the memory---and the guilt---is still very fresh. In hind sight I think she would have lived longer staying at home. (she was in a good nursing home for 6 weeks before she died) But after years of progressive illnesses, she was very hard to care for, and I and my husband were exhausted. IF YOU CAN, get as much help as you can. Sitters, family, neighbors, home health, anyone who will give you the chance to get away and freshen your perspective. You will need to find a way to some peace. I found the love I had for her, which I thought had compleletely been destroyed, has returned and I find myself remembering some of the good times. But I hit bottom pretty hard before that happened. Maybe this will not happen to you--feeling desperate and nowhere to turn--but if it does, it will pass and when you can bear no more, a solution will come to you. We all cope as best we can and I have seen incredible strength--I have an 87 year old friend who cares for her 85 year old sister--with all the love and tenderness after 10 years that she had the first year of care. She is a strong angel, and was the person I strived to be like, and fell short. God bless you and other caregivers--forgive yourself and your wife--she really doesn't know what she is doing. Google alzheimer's support--I think there is one in Wheeling-- too far from you? Ron,
This website was the biggest help to me, because it is available 24/7. Sometimes I and some others would be on here at 3 a.m. venting. You are not alone. Even though my 95 year old mother-in-law passed in May, the memory—and the guilt—is still very fresh. In hind sight I think she would have lived longer staying at home. (she was in a good nursing home for 6 weeks before she died) But after years of progressive illnesses, she was very hard to care for, and I and my husband were exhausted. IF YOU CAN, get as much help as you can. Sitters, family, neighbors, home health, anyone who will give you the chance to get away and freshen your perspective. You will need to find a way to some peace. I found the love I had for her, which I thought had compleletely been destroyed, has returned and I find myself remembering some of the good times. But I hit bottom pretty hard before that happened. Maybe this will not happen to you–feeling desperate and nowhere to turn–but if it does, it will pass and when you can bear no more, a solution will come to you. We all cope as best we can and I have seen incredible strength–I have an 87 year old friend who cares for her 85 year old sister–with all the love and tenderness after 10 years that she had the first year of care. She is a strong angel, and was the person I strived to be like, and fell short. God bless you and other caregivers–forgive yourself and your wife–she really doesn’t know what she is doing. Google alzheimer’s support–I think there is one in Wheeling– too far from you?

]]> By: ron corbut http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7237 ron corbut Wed, 08 Sep 2010 14:53:43 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7237 My wife's family on her mother's side has a history of Alzheimer's disease. Aunts, uncles, brothers have all contracted the disease, some at a very young age. Her older brother, 65, has been in a nursing home for 2 yrs. My wife is now 52 and is beginning to show symptoms of degeneration in the form of fogetfulness and Sundowners syndrome. I can deal with the forgetfulness, but dealing with the personality changes due to Sundowners is becoming unbearable. I try to keep in mind that her mean spirit is a function of the oncoming disease, but it's not easy to keep things in perspective when you are being verbally attacked. The following morning, she says she doesn't remember acting that way, but that is little consolation to me who has to put up with it. I don't know what to do. She is becoming less of a wife and more like a child. She is on medication, but it does little to prevent the episodes of Sundowners. Her psychiatrist will not speak to me due to privacy issues. It appears as though she is just a pill dispenser. My wife is not very cooperative as far as wanting to do something else about this. She is afraid of what is coming and would rather hide her head in the sand. I need a support group where i can not only vent, but learn about ways to better handle the situation. Anyone aware of any support groups in N.E. Ohio? Ron My wife’s family on her mother’s side has a history of Alzheimer’s disease. Aunts, uncles, brothers have all contracted the disease, some at a very young age. Her older brother, 65, has been in a nursing home for 2 yrs. My wife is now 52 and is beginning to show symptoms of degeneration in the form of fogetfulness and Sundowners syndrome. I can deal with the forgetfulness, but dealing with the personality changes due to Sundowners is becoming unbearable. I try to keep in mind that her mean spirit is a function of the oncoming disease, but it’s not easy to keep things in perspective when you are being verbally attacked. The following morning, she says she doesn’t remember acting that way, but that is little consolation to me who has to put up with it.

I don’t know what to do. She is becoming less of a wife and more like a child. She is on medication, but it does little to prevent the episodes of Sundowners. Her psychiatrist will not speak to me due to privacy issues. It appears as though she is just a pill dispenser. My wife is not very cooperative as far as wanting to do something else about this. She is afraid of what is coming and would rather hide her head in the sand.

I need a support group where i can not only vent, but learn about ways to better handle the situation. Anyone aware of any support groups in N.E. Ohio?

Ron

]]> By: Tammy http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7230 Tammy Tue, 07 Sep 2010 21:08:03 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7230 Wally, I am very sorry to hear about your son. 40 seems way too young to have to be going through all this. All I can contribute is that my dad (72) was a super heavy drinker and drug user from the 1960's through early 1990's. He also developed Parkinson's. He also had a stroke in 2008. I think the dementia was creeping in before the stroke, but it became more noticeable after it. This April we had to place him in skilled nursing because he progressed to a violent combative state. The first I heard of the sundowner's was when they told me he had it in rehab after his stroke. He would become angry, paranoid, vulgar, agitated, combative, remove all his clothes, etc in the afternoons and evenings. The man never exhibited a racist bone in his body, until this kicked in. Then everyone was suspect that wasn't caucasian. He would have times when he thought he was the sheriff and would need to incarcerate people he was living with, asking them for their i.d., etc. It is awful to go through, and scary to deal with at first. I suggest you read the book The 36 Hour Day. It will tell you everything you need to know in dealing with someone with dementia, delirium, all that. Good luck. Wally, I am very sorry to hear about your son. 40 seems way too young to have to be going through all this. All I can contribute is that my dad (72) was a super heavy drinker and drug user from the 1960′s through early 1990′s. He also developed Parkinson’s. He also had a stroke in 2008. I think the dementia was creeping in before the stroke, but it became more noticeable after it. This April we had to place him in skilled nursing because he progressed to a violent combative state. The first I heard of the sundowner’s was when they told me he had it in rehab after his stroke. He would become angry, paranoid, vulgar, agitated, combative, remove all his clothes, etc in the afternoons and evenings. The man never exhibited a racist bone in his body, until this kicked in. Then everyone was suspect that wasn’t caucasian. He would have times when he thought he was the sheriff and would need to incarcerate people he was living with, asking them for their i.d., etc. It is awful to go through, and scary to deal with at first. I suggest you read the book The 36 Hour Day. It will tell you everything you need to know in dealing with someone with dementia, delirium, all that. Good luck.

]]> By: WallyK http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7228 WallyK Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:11:14 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7228 Hello, new to this site. My 40 yr old son, 6'2", avg wt., college grad, handsome, recently (3weeks) became a non-drinker, past few yrs was a heavy drinker, has been experiencing symptoms similiar as those described as sundowners syndrome. In the morning he's the nicest guy you ever wanted to have coffee with and is pleasant and articulate through noon until late afternoon/early evening. At that time he begins to get anxious, somewhat irritated, volume increases, eyes become somewhat glassy/dilated. (We originally attributed this behavior to sneaking drinks but are now doubtful). In conversations regarding symptoms, he reveals that his mind starts racing and attempting to cover a myriad of subjects. A recent conversation concerned the many head injuries he has sustained over his lifetime as a result of normal childhood play and other activities. Recently he experienced 2 seizuzures with convulsions which were attributed to alochol withdrawal. The last seizure resulted in a fall that caused a consussion with associated vomiting. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Hello, new to this site. My 40 yr old son, 6’2″, avg wt., college grad, handsome, recently (3weeks) became a non-drinker, past few yrs was a heavy drinker, has been experiencing symptoms similiar as those described as sundowners syndrome. In the morning he’s the nicest guy you ever wanted to have coffee with and is pleasant and articulate through noon until late afternoon/early evening. At that time he begins to get anxious, somewhat irritated, volume increases, eyes become somewhat glassy/dilated. (We originally attributed this behavior to sneaking drinks but are now doubtful). In conversations regarding symptoms, he reveals that his mind starts racing and attempting to cover a myriad of subjects. A recent conversation concerned the many head injuries he has sustained over his lifetime as a result of normal childhood play and other activities. Recently he experienced 2 seizuzures with convulsions which were attributed to alochol withdrawal. The last seizure resulted in a fall that caused a consussion with associated vomiting. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

]]> By: Barbara http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7206 Barbara Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:19:27 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7206 Sounds like she could also have some brain damage from the falls....possibly subdural hematomas, possibly hydrocephalus. Both very serious. She should get a CT scan of the head. Falling and not being able to stand up straight are classic symptoms. Sounds like she could also have some brain damage from the falls….possibly subdural hematomas, possibly hydrocephalus. Both very serious. She should get a CT scan of the head. Falling and not being able to stand up straight are classic symptoms.

]]> By: Mike http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-7130 Mike Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:47:39 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-7130 Just wanted to say thanks for all the informative posts. I just learned yesterday that my grandmother, who suffers from a progressing parkinsons disease, is suffering also from sundowner syndrome. I was informed Friday she was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a heart attack, her second one. I believe some of the symptoms described here we related to the parkinsons. The hospital staff had called us to come back to the hospital as my grandmother was uncontrollable, kicking-cursing and hitting the staff trying to calm her from ripping out her IV's. She is never like this and I was upset and suprised to hear this. She claimed the nursing staff were conspiring to kill her and it is hard to see her like that, scary even. I hope the diagnosis can be treated on top of the parkinsons disease treatments as mixing medications is always risky. Thanks again for the posts Just wanted to say thanks for all the informative posts. I just learned yesterday that my grandmother, who suffers from a progressing parkinsons disease, is suffering also from sundowner syndrome. I was informed Friday she was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with a heart attack, her second one. I believe some of the symptoms described here we related to the parkinsons. The hospital staff had called us to come back to the hospital as my grandmother was uncontrollable, kicking-cursing and hitting the staff trying to calm her from ripping out her IV’s. She is never like this and I was upset and suprised to hear this. She claimed the nursing staff were conspiring to kill her and it is hard to see her like that, scary even. I hope the diagnosis can be treated on top of the parkinsons disease treatments as mixing medications is always risky. Thanks again for the posts

]]> By: Lynda http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-6870 Lynda Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:36:25 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-6870 lactulose pulls amonia.. from the body.. sorry.. haha.. sometimes we are not perfect... and its ok.. lactulose pulls amonia.. from the body.. sorry.. haha.. sometimes we are not perfect… and its ok..

]]> By: Lynda http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-6869 Lynda Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:33:08 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-6869 medicines.... the right ones work wonders... HALDOL.. granny was screaming all night and day.. night terrors all day.. i was crying she was crying.. drugs.. hospice came in and saw what was happening, and said.. HALDOL.. given correctly for 3 days i started to see a difference... it was easier.. then LACUTLOSE.. pulls nitrogen from the system.. and she was almost sain again. if you have hospice ask about these two.. and she gets morphine for pain, her skin hurt every time i touched her.. so she still talks but can answer questions again.. get the right meds.. good luck.. lynda medicines…. the right ones work wonders… HALDOL.. granny was screaming all night and day.. night terrors all day.. i was crying she was crying.. drugs.. hospice came in and saw what was happening, and said.. HALDOL.. given correctly for 3 days i started to see a difference… it was easier.. then LACUTLOSE.. pulls nitrogen from the system.. and she was almost sain again. if you have hospice ask about these two.. and she gets morphine for pain, her skin hurt every time i touched her.. so she still talks but can answer questions again.. get the right meds.. good luck.. lynda

]]> By: Tammy http://sundownerfacts.com/sundowners-syndrome/comment-page-4#comment-6860 Tammy Sun, 18 Jul 2010 20:47:44 +0000 http://www.sundownerfacts.com/?page_id=34#comment-6860 Donna, my dad is in the same situation, with the dementia part. He is in California. After he got violent, he was evicted from 2 places. We had a really hard time finding a place that would take him. I would recommend you contact A Place for Mom (www.aplaceformom.com) and get a representative helping you (it's free to you, as the facility pays them). They are experts on finding people in your husband's situation places to be cared for long term or short. Ativan doesn't work on my dad. They seem to use a combination of Haldol, Cymbalta and restraints when needed. It's very sad. We got him into hospice too, at the one skilled nursing facility in California who would take him. It is several hours from where he had lived for the last 30 years, so no one he knows lives near. He wants to die (he doesn't have a terminal diagnosis, other than the dementia). He also is weak during the day, but can hop up from the floor to the bed and back at night somehow. Best of luck to you! Donna, my dad is in the same situation, with the dementia part. He is in California. After he got violent, he was evicted from 2 places. We had a really hard time finding a place that would take him. I would recommend you contact A Place for Mom (www.aplaceformom.com) and get a representative helping you (it’s free to you, as the facility pays them). They are experts on finding people in your husband’s situation places to be cared for long term or short. Ativan doesn’t work on my dad. They seem to use a combination of Haldol, Cymbalta and restraints when needed. It’s very sad. We got him into hospice too, at the one skilled nursing facility in California who would take him. It is several hours from where he had lived for the last 30 years, so no one he knows lives near. He wants to die (he doesn’t have a terminal diagnosis, other than the dementia). He also is weak during the day, but can hop up from the floor to the bed and back at night somehow. Best of luck to you!

]]>