Regarding Trazadone. My husband is on Trazodone specifically at bedtime for sleep.
We started at 50 mg and now he is on 100mg. I give it to him right before he hits the bed. He falls into a deep sleep within 15 minutes, but wakes up at least once or twice in the middle of the night. Sometimes agitated and wanting to stay up. At that time ( between 2 and 4 AM) I give him Klonopin .125mg dissolvable ( that’s the lowest dose - tiny pill dissolves in his mouth-so easy) and usually he goes back to sleep.
It’s all a crapshoot. This is somewhat working for sleep now and I am not up all night with him.
But I do help direct him to the bathroom and watch him because with Trazadone he is a fall risk.
Regarding Sundowners - I think he is having that these days as he is more restless and agitated in the evening. What works best is me staying calm and watch TV with him. The other night I did it all wrong as I did not name his behavior sundowning and he was so irritating that I blew up and all that does it make it worse. I felt terrible. I went to bed listening to podcasts on Sundowners and had to forgive myself, hope he forgets ( he did 😉 and do better at night with him. If I stay calm he is calm.
He is not on any other prescription meds. Aricept made nighttime worse and honestly I never gave it much of a chance. Our neuropsychologists said if he had any behavioral side effects take him off.
My husband is on many supplements- some supposedly increase cognition, Ashewaganda in the morning may help with restlessness during the day.
I do start him with melatonin at 8 PM then his nighttime supplements which are theanine( good for calming and sleep, magnesium also calming, Vitamin D and cod liver oil caps.
NOTE- all of these are under his doctors care and recommendations so everyone’s needs and reactions are different and need to be monitored. We have his PCP, 2 neuropsychologists, and just had our neurology work up after waiting 2 years to see the neurologist. And with that he got a diagnosis from MCI to now Miderate Alzheimer’s.
Once he goes to Memory Care ( hopefully not for awhile) the routine will likely all change.
Bless you all as you traverse this challenging journey.
As the neurologist said. “ Everyone’s brain is like fingerprints- totally individual. “