Klonopin and Seroquel. Your mileage may vary.

Del takes 100 MG of Seroquel and 50 mg of Trazodone (which is an anti-anxiety medication that has a 'sleeper' effect.) It is not enough. Haven't spoken to the doc yet (my bad) but I have been goving him 300 mg of Neurontin which was perscribed for him some time ago and we had the piolls around. That lets him sleep for 12 hours with one time up for changing out of his wet pull-ups. How I wish Del would tolerate a condom catheter. We tried so hard, but he pulls it off in the night. Pee all over so I don't try anymore.

Del is doing a 12 piece puzzle that he could do a week ago. Today he cannot figure it out.

But he did get the punchline to a naughty joke one of our former renters sent us in an email this morning. I read it to him and he laughed. You could see that he enjoyed it. It was kind of funny and not too naughty.

Smiles, Nan

Actually, trazodone is an antidepressant but is sometimes used for sleep.

I personally take trazadone as a sleep aid. I do not have dementia (but do an amazingly accurate impersonation sometimes.)

I think that goes with the territory, Jeanne!

Yes, trazodone is and antidepressant but, and I quote, "Trazodone is also sometimes used to treat insomnia and schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions); anxiety (excessive worry). Trazodone is also sometimes used to control abnormal, uncontrollable movements that may be experienced as side effects of other medications." Note: anxiety (excessive worry.)

It is rarely used as an antidepressant because of it's sleeper quality and its short half-life. By the time you wake up from it, the effects have pretty much worn off. That's why it's a good sleep aid but a poor antidepressant.

Smiles, Nan

Nan, that is just what my psychiatrist told me. (She probably looked it up on the internet, too, eh?) If you need an antidepressant and a sleep aid, you'd probably be given a different antidepressant to accompany the trazodone -- one for day and one for night.

Maybe 50 mg isn't enough trazodone for Del. My dr suggested 50 to 100 and I settled at 75. I suppose you'll discuss that when you talk to the doctor. (I think the dosing for depression is more like 400. If 50 to 100 is effective for insomnia, I can't imagine getting through the day with 400 in me!)

Does it frustrate Del when he can't do a puzzle he could do earlier, or does he even remember?

No, Jeanne, Del doesn't seem to know that he could do the puzzle before. He works so hard at it and he doesn't give up easily. That may be why it's difficult to re-direct him. When he wants to so something he REALLY wants to do it.

We had a good day today. Had workers here this morning fixing the drywall that Del went through when he last fell and also the holes left from replacing the baseboard heating system with a ducted heat pump/furnace system. Del did a lot of watching the men work. He found it VERY interesting. Out for ice cream this afternoon.

Smiles, Nan

Nan, sounds like a good day, indeed. Derek had a good day today, too.

Good days are a blessing. Nan

The other day our Neuro suggested Ibuprofen for Fran's severe night time pain which was keeping both of us up at night. For 3 nights I gave him one 200 mg of the Ibuprofen and he has slept through the night with no side effects. Bernie

From personal experience, I'd say that even moderate pain can keep me awake. Makes sense that treating the pain improves the sleep. It is easy to overlook the obvious. Thanks for the reminder!