Hallucinations

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sunandsea

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Lost a loved one
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This is a new development for my PALS. Curious if this is common with FTD or something I should be concerned with? He insisted last night that someone came into the room and threw something on the floor and left. I was upstairs at the time. He is often worried that someone is looking through our back windows at night but never thought someone had actually come inside.
Like he doesn't have enough to deal with, he has to have this as well?
 
Just read some prior posts and realize this happens. Sorry - should have taken time to search before posting.
 
Don't apologise - you are swamped and you are welcome to ask anything!

Now that you have read some other posts about this you can see that it can have a few causes from brain issues, breathing issues to medication reactions.

Tell us a little more so we can work with you?
Is he on bipap or any med additions/changes recently?
 
Thanks, Tillie. I've been reading this afternoon (PAL is sleeping) and can see that it's not uncommon. He is on a bipap and using it more than he used to. He'll keep it on much of the night and then will use it again when sleeping during the day. His hallucination came after not having it on for a few hours so maybe related? It took awhile for him to explain to me why he was upset but I was surprised he wasn't more upset by someone coming into the room where I was. I know there's no "making sense" of much of this and what is normal behavior isn't to be expected.
No new medications. He's on an antidepressant (Lexapro) as well as clonazepam to help him sleep and Aricept to help with memory issues. Other drugs include riluzole and meds for high blood pressure, asthma.
I really think his dementia is so much further along than has been recognized for some time. His doctors now see it.
It's probably helpful that he can't get up and move on his own. I'm sure we would see a new level of problems if he could.
Thanks for any words of advice. I know you went through something similar with your husband.
 
disclaimer - this is an educated guess sunandsea

The hallucinations may well be breathing related and if you continue to observe and note triggers etc it will help you manage things.

The lack of caring about someone being there, particularly with you in the room, no empathy that you could have been in danger were someone to have truly broken in. That may well be the dementia aspect.

Someone without FTD may (and only may) have gone into a panic that you were in danger and reacted with a lot of fear.

So much we don't know, but guesses can help us cope and put strategies in place. eg if he hallucinates you may be able to get the bipap straight back on him.

I so agree that it is good that he isn't mobile now with these developments xxx
 
Just a tiny input.

I normally sleep only 3-4 hours a night and I sometimes go without sleep for a couple nights in a row. Sometimes I'll have a hallucination when I'm in a stupor. Last week a big man in blue clothes was standing in my living room, and then went away, poof. My reaction: nothing. When I hallucinate, I just accept them.

My shrink says there are different kinds of hallucinations with different causes, so my experience may have no relevance to anyone else's.
 
I get night time hallucinations on occasion too. Last night it was a giant pink spider running up the blinds. I was very concerned when I first started getting them, but my doctor says hypnogogic and hypnopompic hallucinations are quite normal. It's a form of sleep disturbance that results in visual, tactile or auditory hallucinations. I am hoping this may be the case with your PALS, as I'm sure you must be very worried about what these visions may indicate.

Best

Fiona
 
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Thanks, everyone, for the thoughts and words of experience. Tillie, I've grown to expect the lack of empathy and didn't mean to say the room where I was but meant where he was. But you are right, someone without dementia probably would be concerned for the safety of loved ones nearby - and he didn't appear to be. Nor was he overly concerned about his own safety. Yet he worries someone is watching him from outside. I really wish I knew what he was thinking.
Glad you have both been reassured about your experiences, Mike and Fiona.
I guess we wait and see how often and under what circumstances it happens here. And I'll keep the bipap close by.
 
Sorry, Fiona, not accepting your spider or Mike, your blue guy as the same as S&S's husband. You know they're hallucinations.

S&S, your husband's absolute conviction without fear or insight reminds me more of ICU psychosis and morphine-induced delusions, which I have seen more than once. I would have his CO2 and BiPAP settings checked, though certainly this can be florid FTD as well. If I'm remembering correctly, Katie's husband exhibited similar symptoms.
 
I experienced hallucinations when I was put on the Scopolamine patch. The pharmacist said it it is a common side effect in older patients. I immediately removed it and now control it with pineapple juice and suction. Hallucinations are not fun.
Bill
 
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