My husband found that if he took a quick cold shower it shocked him out of the panic attack. He learned to do that from another Parkinson's patient in our support group.
My husband says a warm shower helps a little with his dystonia. However, I discourage it when he wants to shower at 2:00am, because he makes such a mess and I have to clean it up. I suppose I should be more flexible . . . but it's hard when I'm losing sleep to help him move around.
My husband was always mobile, His Parkinson's affected him more cognitively. But, the cold shower worked well. I had to quit sleeping with him in the same bed many years earlier because he always had REM sleep disorder which is an early symptom of Parkinson's. He lived to be 80 and already had it at the age of 20.
I was the caregiver for my husband who passed away with Parkinson's and, we think, Lewy body dementia. We were married for 58 years. I'd be happy to give any info on what I learned. I was successful in handling his sun downing.
I was the caregiver for my husband who passed away with Parkinson's and, we think, Lewy body dementia. We were married for 58 years. I'd be happy to give any info on what I learned. I was successful in handling his sun downing.
@raebaby how generous of you to offer to help others! I’m sure that you will have lots of information that will be invaluable to others. I know the years of Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia had to be tough on you.
How are you doing now that your husband is gone after 58 years together?
@raebaby how generous of you to offer to help others! I’m sure that you will have lots of information that will be invaluable to others. I know the years of Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia had to be tough on you.
How are you doing now that your husband is gone after 58 years together?
I am doing fine after losing him. He was so unhappy , I miss him; he was a very good man and father. I have mostly happy days; I've been lucky to have a wonderful life, family and friends.
I was the caregiver for my husband who passed away with Parkinson's and, we think, Lewy body dementia. We were married for 58 years. I'd be happy to give any info on what I learned. I was successful in handling his sun downing.
The Sundowner Syndrome is a nightly problem that I have to really be patient with. At least, it keeps he busy. Currently, I am having problems with my wife's hallucinations. This goes on for about 2 to 4 hours each night and if I am not careful with what I say, she gets very angry. It usually involves impossible happenings in and around the lake behind our house and she wants to call the police or HOA to report it.
The Sundowner Syndrome is a nightly problem that I have to really be patient with. At least, it keeps he busy. Currently, I am having problems with my wife's hallucinations. This goes on for about 2 to 4 hours each night and if I am not careful with what I say, she gets very angry. It usually involves impossible happenings in and around the lake behind our house and she wants to call the police or HOA to report it.
Good day, @shirlpat My wife's hallucinations were tough for me to manage through as well. It is a tough aspect to deal with for sure. I have to admit I lied a lot in those times agreeing with about what she smelled, saw, heard, etc. and making a lot of fake phone calls to whomever she thought needed to know of the situation. The hardest for us was when I'd be in bed next to her and she'd be sure I was standing at her side of the bed talking with her. I recall a few times rolling out of bed and crawling on the floor so I could get around the bed and stand up where she was sure I was.
This stage lasted only a little over a year for us so I hope it will pass for you, too.
I solved my husband's sundowning by giving him 10 mg of melatonin at 4 pm and another 10 mg at 9-10 pm. He was wandering off, ended up in the dirt and had to go to the emergency room with hypothermia. He had to have the melatonin before the sun went down. He had awful hallucinations. He would see 250 people pushing our travel trailer around. I had to go to the court house to get proof our house hadn't been stolen by investors. I'd have to look up just what medications he was given for the hallucinations and paranoia, but they did work. He liked arguing with me, it released serotonin, which in turn calmed him down. If you want to email me privately I could give you my address as it sounds like you are having a lot of the awful problems I had to deal with. The last year was the worst, but he didn't have to go into a home.
I solved my husband's sundowning by giving him 10 mg of melatonin at 4 pm and another 10 mg at 9-10 pm. He was wandering off, ended up in the dirt and had to go to the emergency room with hypothermia. He had to have the melatonin before the sun went down. He had awful hallucinations. He would see 250 people pushing our travel trailer around. I had to go to the court house to get proof our house hadn't been stolen by investors. I'd have to look up just what medications he was given for the hallucinations and paranoia, but they did work. He liked arguing with me, it released serotonin, which in turn calmed him down. If you want to email me privately I could give you my address as it sounds like you are having a lot of the awful problems I had to deal with. The last year was the worst, but he didn't have to go into a home.
I noticed your post about using Melatonin twice a day to help your husband's Sundowning problems. How is he doing? Is the Melatonin still working well?
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My husband says a warm shower helps a little with his dystonia. However, I discourage it when he wants to shower at 2:00am, because he makes such a mess and I have to clean it up. I suppose I should be more flexible . . . but it's hard when I'm losing sleep to help him move around.
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1 ReactionMy husband was always mobile, His Parkinson's affected him more cognitively. But, the cold shower worked well. I had to quit sleeping with him in the same bed many years earlier because he always had REM sleep disorder which is an early symptom of Parkinson's. He lived to be 80 and already had it at the age of 20.
I was the caregiver for my husband who passed away with Parkinson's and, we think, Lewy body dementia. We were married for 58 years. I'd be happy to give any info on what I learned. I was successful in handling his sun downing.
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
3 Reactions@raebaby how generous of you to offer to help others! I’m sure that you will have lots of information that will be invaluable to others. I know the years of Parkinson’s and Lewy body dementia had to be tough on you.
How are you doing now that your husband is gone after 58 years together?
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Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsI am doing fine after losing him. He was so unhappy , I miss him; he was a very good man and father. I have mostly happy days; I've been lucky to have a wonderful life, family and friends.
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThe Sundowner Syndrome is a nightly problem that I have to really be patient with. At least, it keeps he busy. Currently, I am having problems with my wife's hallucinations. This goes on for about 2 to 4 hours each night and if I am not careful with what I say, she gets very angry. It usually involves impossible happenings in and around the lake behind our house and she wants to call the police or HOA to report it.
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionGood day, @shirlpat My wife's hallucinations were tough for me to manage through as well. It is a tough aspect to deal with for sure. I have to admit I lied a lot in those times agreeing with about what she smelled, saw, heard, etc. and making a lot of fake phone calls to whomever she thought needed to know of the situation. The hardest for us was when I'd be in bed next to her and she'd be sure I was standing at her side of the bed talking with her. I recall a few times rolling out of bed and crawling on the floor so I could get around the bed and stand up where she was sure I was.
This stage lasted only a little over a year for us so I hope it will pass for you, too.
Strength, Courage, & Peace
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3 ReactionsI solved my husband's sundowning by giving him 10 mg of melatonin at 4 pm and another 10 mg at 9-10 pm. He was wandering off, ended up in the dirt and had to go to the emergency room with hypothermia. He had to have the melatonin before the sun went down. He had awful hallucinations. He would see 250 people pushing our travel trailer around. I had to go to the court house to get proof our house hadn't been stolen by investors. I'd have to look up just what medications he was given for the hallucinations and paranoia, but they did work. He liked arguing with me, it released serotonin, which in turn calmed him down. If you want to email me privately I could give you my address as it sounds like you are having a lot of the awful problems I had to deal with. The last year was the worst, but he didn't have to go into a home.
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2 ReactionsHello @raebaby
I noticed your post about using Melatonin twice a day to help your husband's Sundowning problems. How is he doing? Is the Melatonin still working well?
My husband died with Parkinson's Disease, but he didn't have any more sundowning incidents.