Xanax and Dementia with Lewy Bodies

HELLO AGAIN,

IT HAS BEEN A WHILE SINCE I HAVE POSTED ANYTHING.  BEEN REALLY BUSY WITH DIFFERENT THINGS GOING ON WITH MOM.  YESTERDAY I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THE FACILITY THAT SHE IS IN AND THEY WANT TO PUT HER ON A DOUBLE DOSE OF XANAX BECAUSE SHE IS MORE ANXIOUS AND DEPRESSED AND IS BANGING ON THE DOOR TO GET OUT. SHE IS IN A SECURED FACILITY DUE TO HER WANDERING. SHE IS ALSO ON CELEXA FOR DEPRESSION.

SHE WAS FIRST ON ATIVAN 0.125MG FOR about 6 MONTHS NOW THEY HAVE HER ON XANAX .25MG ONE PER DAY. YESTERDAY THEY CALLED ME AND WANT TO INCREASE HER DOSAGE TO .25MG TWICE A DAY BECAUSE OF THE SHORT SPAN THAT IT STAYS IN YOUR SYSTEM. 

I HAVE READ SO MUCH ON THIS BECAUSE SHE IS NOW IN THE LATE MODERATE TO SEVERE STAGE.  I AM AFRAID THAT SHE WILL BE MORE LIGHTHEADED AND AM AFRAID OF FALLS.  SHE REFUSES TO USE A WALKER AND AT THIS LATE STAGE I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD BE ABLE TO TEACH HER AND SHE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE IT ALL IN.  SHE IS ALSO LEGALLY BLIND. WHEN I SAY THAT, SHE CAN SEE TO WALK BUT EVERYTHING IN A BLURR. 

I CALLED THE FACILITY LAST NIGHT AND TOLD THEM OF MY CONCERNS.  I REALLY DO NEED TO TALK TO THEM MORE about THIS.  ACTUALLY FROM WHAT I AM READING THE ELDERLY AND DEBILATED SHOULD ONLY BE TAKING 0.125 2 OR 3 TIMES A DAY. AS IT IS MY MOTHER HAS CHRONIC ATRIL FIBRILLATION AND HAS LOW BLOOD PRESSURE.  IF SHE CONTINUES ON THIS MEDICATION I AM AFRAID THAT I AM GOING TO GET A REALLY DISTURBING MESSAGE THAT SHE HAS FALLEN OR WORSE.

I AM LOOKING TO ALL OF YOU GOING THROUGH THIS TO PLEASE HELP ME AND LET ME HEAR FROM YOU about HOW YOU FEEL about THIS. 

IF MY MOM WERE TO GO HOME TO THE LORD, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANT IT TO BE BECAUSE OF SOME STUPID MEDICATION THAT CAUSED A CRITICAL REACTION OR BECAUSE OF A FALL BECAUSE SHE WAS TO GROGGY TO WALK AND FELL. SHE WOULD NEVER SURVIVE A SURGERY BECAUSE OF HER HEART CONDITION.

WELL, I AM GETTING READY NOW TO CALL THEM THEN I THINK I AM GOING TO GO DOWN THERE.  I AM EXTREMLY WORRIED.  I AM ON KLONOPIN SO I KNOW WHAT THESE BENZO'S CAN DO TO YOU.  ALTHOUGH SHE IS 86 AND HAS OTHER MEDICAL ISSUES WHERE I DO NOT, ONLY ANXIETY.

THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT, IT MEANS MORE TO ME THAN YOU KNOW.

HOPE

Hi Lynn,

Sorry about the caps, I didn't even realize it.

As far as the benzo's go, being on Klonopin myself for anxiety I have tried to ween my myself off and it is impossible.  But going through all of this with Mom, I feel that they are necessary for me at this time. I am on the minimal dosage actually less then that.

I see my Mom get agitated and I don't mind her being on something. But the Xanax is simply out of the question, period!!!  She is now back on the Ativan and take 0.25 mg in the morning and 0.25 at night.  So the dosage is low and that is fine with me.  But if they call me and say that they are going to up it because of more agitation, I am going to tell them to deal with it.  Xanax is just one of those that you have to keep raising because it does not stay in your system long enough. I was on that as well, and thank goodness I was able to switch without going through any withdrawl.

Also, when I get her made delivered to my home from the medicare mail order, I only take down enough for one month supply.  That way I keep track and if she were to run out sooner, then either they are going her more or else someone is stealing them. They have to be locked up in a separate cabinet within the medicine cabinet.

I do hope that you are feeling better now. There has been a lot of sickness going on.  Today I have to go in for an MRI of my neck.  I tend to get dizzy at times.  But, I also do not have a curve in my neck which you are suppose to and that can cause symptoms.

Oh yes, please forgive my ignorance but what is IMHO stand for?

Take care,

Hope