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Originally posted by: Nipper
I don't know for sure, but I think it is just part of one of the stages. My DH was diagnosed 12 years ago and only within the last 3 years does he show signs of this. Even if we have company and my attention is on someone (even children) else, he wants me 100%. I can't even go to the bathroom with a call "where are you"?
Try to take it in stride and use humor whenever you can. It truly does help.
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Originally posted by: sf
My husband was exactly in this state for almost a full year. Medications helped reduce the symptoms and his paranoia to make things more manageable. Before he was stabilized he threw a rock at one car and a bat at another as he thought the drivers were coming to hurt him. It was heartbreaking to see my kind gentle husband in this state. He's back to his sweet self, but it took almost a year of trying different medications and levels to get him there. I ws told the changes are caused by changing brain chemistry. Talk to his neurologist, there is a solution but it may take time. Good luck.
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Joined: 1/14/2015
Posts: 40463
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Originally posted by: ZicatelaVic
My husband was diagnosed with AD over 3 years ago and is probably functioning between stages 4 and 5. He´s been on Namenda for 3 years and just started Aricept 30 days ago. I just don´t understand this extreme anxiety and paranoia and wanted to know if anyone else was experiencing this with their partner (and it´s not new as a result of the Aricept - it´s been going on for at least a year). My husband just panics if I´m not around. He calls me excessively on the phone if I´m in town on errands to make sure I haven´t had a car wreck and that I´m okay. Sometimes he even makes up a problem to get me to come home. While we´re here at the house, continually follows me from room to room asking me what I´m doing, etc.- just checking on me. He´s also so paranoid about loosing one of the animals and is constantly counting dogs and cats to see if they´re missing then flies into a panic when one is missing (usually the animal is under the bed sleeping.......) When we go out to dinner,he follows me to the bathroom to make sure I´m okay. I´m at my wits end with this constant anxiety and paranoia of his. Any suggestions?
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Originally posted by: ZicatelaVic
I read in another post that this type of behavior is called shadowing but couldn´t find anything when I searched the Alz. website. Does anyone have an article or know where I might get more info on this? Thanks.
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Originally posted by: JAB
quote: Originally posted by ZicatelaVic:
I read in another post that this type of behavior is called shadowing but couldn´t find anything when I searched the Alz. website. Does anyone have an article or know where I might get more info on this? Thanks.
Shadowing isn't studied or discussed very often per se. It is typically lumped into "agitation" behaviors. The "non-aggressive physical behaviors" such as pacing, wandering, repetitive body motions, hoarding or shadowing are thought to represent ways for a dementia patient to communication boredom, fear, confusion, search for safety or inability to verbalize a request for help or a feeling of pain.
Non-drug interventions that appear to be effective are generally person-centered care approaches. See, e.g.:
http://alzheimers.boomja.com/A...gitation-268557.html
(It's pretty good, once you get past the generalized handwaving in the beginning.)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2803044/
http://alzheimers.boomja.com/A...xperience-59731.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01...lth/01care.html?_r=2
Shadowing often accompanies sundowning, so some sundowning articles address it, e.g.:
http://www.alzla.org/dementia/sundowning.html
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Originally posted by: So Sad
My husband also had terrible paranoia and rages, the Neurologist tried a few medications that didn't work and finally when I thought I could stand no more the doctor tried
Abilify and after about 2 weeks it started helping.
DH does still follow me and he does not like to stay alone, still has some paranoia, but it is nothing like before.
I hope your Neurologist can find a medication that helps you, the fits and paranoia are so hard to get through.
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Originally posted by: RevSasha
Anxiety attacks were the way my DH was diagnosed with dementia. He would become violent and saying things that he would never have dreamed of saying before. He was put immediately on Seroquel and has been on it since. This was 5 years ago. Once in a while he needs additional help with Xanax. We recently were in a car accident which has stirred up his anxiety, but nothing like we experienced earlier.
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Originally posted by: Cathy J. M.
ZicatelaVic, it may be time to stop leaving your husband alone even when you go out for very short errands. At stage 4-5 that seems about the right time to think of him as needing 24/7 care. Consider a day center, or someone to come stay with him for a few hours at a time. This will give you peace of mind when you need time to yourself, and give him the good stimulation of interaction with other people.
When you say he's paranoid, the examples you've given seem more just anxiety and fear. Remember that when someone with Alzheimer's starts losing memory and clear thinking, it's extremely frightening. And there's a huge feeling of loss: lost memories, lost clarity, lost abilities -- plus a sense of doom that more loss is on the way.
I think many people with AD can deal with the fear of loss more easily by obsessing about losing an object (such as a wallet) or a beloved pet -- or the caregiver -- than facing the fear of losing one's mind head on. Who can blame anyone for not wanting to face that?
So the main thing I'd advise is to realize what a fearful situation your husband is now in -- and take every chance you find to reassure him. Empathize with his fears -- if you act as if he's being silly or stupid to be afraid of something, that will make him even more scared. But also reassure him -- with your words, gestures, the way you touch him -- everything.
Of course you're in a scary situation too, and need reassurance. A few couples find that they can comfort each other throughout much of the course of this illness -- but I'd advise you to rely on finding comfort and support elsewhere -- from a counselor, religious mentor, AD support group, good friend -- whoever will encourage you to express your feelings full out, and accept however you feel without judgment.
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Originally posted by: Cheryle Gardiner
juneann,
I don't have the answers to your questions, but someone will be along soon who can help you.
In the meantime, use the FIND feature at the top of the page to search on "spitting" and "picking" and I'm sure you'll find that others have had these problems, too. You may find helpful information there.
In the meantime, as your signature says, "hold on." We all know what you're going through and people are very helpful and compassionate here.
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Originally posted by: jfkoc
June Ann...if you will start a new thread you will get more post responses!!!
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Originally posted by: juneann
I noticed that nobody has beenon here sinceJuly23 but maybe somebody will help me out. My DH has done the following for 6 years but for the last 6 months he is spitting which is driving me crazy. He spits on floors furniture, table all the time. I don't know what to do. He is on Seroquel that help with when he thought I was somebody else. He has been on Seroquel for 5 years. It was increased to 150mg a month ago to help with sleeping.
He also pulls at himself a lot. Ithought that was a way to tell me he had to use the toilet. I don't know this either. So many things goes with this illness. I wish I could cope better.
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Originally posted by: Lorita
June Ann,
My husband has recently started the spitting thing, too. He spits in the wastepaper basket, at least I hope he does, most of the time. I don't know why he started this. He smokes cigars and maybe it's just spitting out tobacco pieces but sometimes he does it when he's not smoking. It bothers me, too, but I try not to say anything so as to not get him agitated. He also carries around 6-8 cigarette lighters all the time. He has four "special ones" and if he loses one of them he can't rest until he finds it. He lost three of them the other day and hunted all over the house for them but didn't find them. Later that evening we got into the jeep that we use to check cattle and he had left them in there the evening before, thank goodness. He was happy after that. I try to convince him to carry one and put the others somewhere safe but to no avail. He also panics if he can't find our little dog. He's always asking where he is if he doesn't seem him. I guess these are thingsi that are tangible and makes him feel better to have them close by.
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