CBD was extremely helpful to my mother in her last months, but we were advised/prescribed and directed in it by hospice doctors and nurses. No mainstream provider had suggested it until she was in hospice.

CBD significantly eased anxiety, and improved sleep and appetite - which then in turn helped everything else.

So it can be great - but you do need a doctor who understands and supports it. Good luck, it sounds like a really tough situation for you (and your parent).

400 mg magnesium glycinate (make sure it is glycinate.)

For awhile we gave 1 200 mg at 4:00 pm (to help with anxiety) and the other one 1t 6:00 pm with dinner.

When anxiety was not such a problem we gave both pills at 6:00 pm.

This helped with anxiety and sleep.

You could also give one at morning and one at evening.

This really, really helped.

My grandma was helped by CBD for a while.
Once she got worse, the most effective thing was Droperidol but it's only available by injection and it has a black box warning, so she only got it when hospitalized with UTIs. I wish the FDA would allow it in a form she could have taken continuously. Even if it eventually had cardiac side effects, I would have rather her live less time but calmer. By the end she had a terrible quality of life. OP, I hope CBD is helpful.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! So the doctor didn’t want to do the antipsychotics (either typical or atypical) because they’re on the Beers list. But maybe he’s being too cautious.

I read the side effects of these meds for dementia patients—-hastening decline or worsening CNS involvement leading to premature death—and while I get it, the suffering my parent is displaying seems awful.

I am the poster who initially suggested antipsychotics. It’s tough. My dad fell a lot, but we still tried an anti anxiety drug that can cause falls and it definitely improved quality of life and his interactions.

Did the doctor recommend cbd? If not, what else is being suggested? I might try a second opinion with another person who works with this age group and dementia. I found doctors often disagreed with and contradicted eachother.

Its tough. Keep us posted.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! So the doctor didn’t want to do the antipsychotics (either typical or atypical) because they’re on the Beers list. But maybe he’s being too cautious.

I read the side effects of these meds for dementia patients—-hastening decline or worsening CNS involvement leading to premature death—and while I get it, the suffering my parent is displaying seems awful.

As an individual currently caring for a family member with ALZ, why would you lament the acceleration of the disease? This is the end. It's over. Are you wanting to prolong their suffering for your own emotional wants?

I actually fully agree with that trade off and I do not see much downside from the side effects, considering the current circumstances. I understand that my parent is suffering and hastening their decline may be the kindest thing I can do. However, not everyone is comfortable with it. And I can’t get my parent’s doctor to prescribe them.

Also, please don’t be unkind. This is the hardest thing I have ever done.

Anonymous wrote:Thank you! So the doctor didn’t want to do the antipsychotics (either typical or atypical) because they’re on the Beers list. But maybe he’s being too cautious.

I read the side effects of these meds for dementia patients—-hastening decline or worsening CNS involvement leading to premature death—and while I get it, the suffering my parent is displaying seems awful.

As an individual currently caring for a family member with ALZ, why would you lament the acceleration of the disease? This is the end. It's over. Are you wanting to prolong their suffering for your own emotional wants?

My brother tried it with my parent and it made symptoms much worse. It was horrifying.

Thank you! So the doctor didn’t want to do the antipsychotics (either typical or atypical) because they’re on the Beers list. But maybe he’s being too cautious.

I read the side effects of these meds for dementia patients—-hastening decline or worsening CNS involvement leading to premature death—and while I get it, the suffering my parent is displaying seems awful.

Have you asked about antipsychotics and atypical psychoanalytic? They are sometimes used for extreme anxiety with dementia.

Has anyone gotten any good information from providers or dispensaries on this? My parent has extreme anxiety/terror that seems refractory to both lifestyle (doing their favorite things, addressing discomfort and pain, distraction, making sure to be calm and soothing) and medication (SSRI, mementadine, no benzos at the urging of our dr). I’m really desperate to ease their mind if possible. Does anyone have experience with this? I asked the provider and they said that we could try it but they can’t give any advice on it.

We’re also dealing with sleep disturbances that are likely related to behavior, but can’t seem to fix that either.