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DreamsEnd

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Joined
Jan 24, 2014
Messages
449
Reason
Lost a loved one
Diagnosis
01/2014
Country
US
State
AZ
City
Cottonwood
I think my guy is having hot flashes. At night it's: go to sleep with French door wide open (low 50's at night) ceiling fan directly over him on high and sheet only just to his waist. Then it's cover him up to shoulder with sheet. Then it's add light blanket. Then it's turn off fan. Then it's turn on fan. Then it's remove blanket. Then it's he's cold put blanket back on. Shut the door. This is 6-8 times a night and he's on his super comfortable rotating mattress that only took 4 months to get from the VA.

All these are get up situations for me. He's on Baclofen, Primipexole, 5 MGS of Valium, and 1 10 mg of Ambien at bedtime.

Anyone else doing this?

Thanks,
Sherry
 
Yes. I know exactly what you mean, Sherry.

Everybody generates more or less heat as we dream and go through stages of sleep.

Normally, people move around when we sleep. We regulate our body temperature by curling up, sticking out a leg, moving the blanket--all while we're asleep. Of course, if you can't move around...

If I were religious, I'd say bless you for your patience and dedication, Sherry. --Mike
 
Mike,
Thanks, I hadn't thought much about that so I really appreciate you pointing it out. I adjust all night and self regulate. I'll explain what you said to him and it will make us both feel better!

Just an aside, his first night on the new mattress last week he slept for 11 hours straight with just two blanket adjustments as I recall. I was hoping it would continue but alas his body just can't handle the temperature variations.
I'm not religious either but appreciate your blessing anyway. ��
Sherry
 
Been there, done that.
Try for light blanket layer the Berkshire Blanket Polartec one -- adjusts better to temp, not pricey and very light. For sheets, pima worked best, sometimes light flannel. That's a lot of sedation and maybe paradoxically too much (too much interferes w/ sleep cycles). Maybe try backing off the valium, for one. It is more short-acting and may bring him in and out of phase.

Would keep fan on (for the not moving thing) and a low voltage heated mattress pad worked for us, but maybe not w/ your rotating mattress. Sum total is I think moisture balance is as important as temp.
 
Oh man Sherry. don't give my pals any ideas...
 
>Then it's cover him up to shoulder with sheet. Then it's add light blanket. Then it's turn off fan. Then it's turn on fan. Then it's remove blanket. Then it's he's cold put blanket back on.

:)

i can relate.
 
Sherry, what mattress did the VA provide? We're getting closer and I'm getting the impression that we should go in with a specific request. I've seen a lot of positive comments about the probed. I'd love to know what you are using.
 
yes i too would like to know what mattress you all have from VA as i am getting closer to that need. thanks chally
 
Is a bit more than a mattress but we've previously seen that the VA provides the Pro-Bed.
 
That's what I get for mentioning night temperatures. Last night it was suction every hour and several times, every 15 minutes! Only 2 temperature changes. Good thing I got trained on the suction machine last week because that was a first.

Originally the VA gave him a vertical 4-tube rotation mattress but he hated it because in would roll him into a "trough" where on channel deflated and held him there for 15-20 minutes wit no ability to modify time. His shoulders, arms and hips would hurt being on them that long. I believe the mattress was made by a guy named Slobata, out of Phoenix who is the inventor and evidently had a contract with the Prescott VA. After 4 months of my increasing complaining and begging as he was either in his power chair or electric recliner. Every day new butt sores would start from sitting 24-hours a day but an amazing cream our home health care nurse gave us called Calazime ( no prescription needed) would clear spots same day.
The current mattress on his VA supplied Inverness adjustable bed which we both love is a Sunflower Medical Comfort Turn mattress is awesome. It has a power inflate mode, and he has option of 4 settings; static, left turn, right turn, and full 40-degree rotation plus a air fairness setting and a Fowler setting so when head of bed is elevated extra air goes to the bottom area in the bend mode. I can also adjust the time of the cycles (we think that is a huge benefit and it looks like the the one mentioned here does not have that feature) and he currently sleeps (��) with the rotation setting at three minutes per side and the fowler setting on as well. The air tubes on this one are horizontal rather than vertical. I tried it out before I put him in it and it was way more comfortable.

Interesting the DME company that delivered and installed the new mattress took the first one back. Hope it works for another vet.

I was actually able to use the Hoyer lift by myself to get him out the last two mornings!

Sherry
 
Whoops - Max, sorry you are experiencing same.

Laurie, I've tried three different lightweight blankets, one a woven spread, very light, one a polar ted and last week I got one of those expensive NASA temperature regulator blankets. None are more comfortable than the other.

Sherry
 
You might look to the pillow, also. We changed those out a lot. At times, a Roho pillow was most comfortable and other times various foams. The last pillow was an Isotonic with a shelf for strong neck support that we placed just off his subluxated shoulders.
 
Try wearing socks. We lose heat and cold through our feet. You may be surprised.
Patrick
 
I'm going through all that. It's not ALS in my case though. But, pre-menopause! Looking forward to getting down with the curse. lol
 
Tim also has temperature changes, but not that frequent. He has the probed and it is programmable to turn right, back, left,,,,,,right,left,,,,,,,,,right, back,,,,,,etc. with what ever amount of time works best. When we had an accident and Tim hurt his left shoulder we did just back 15 min. and right side 20min. When it improved we set it for left side 10 degrees for 5 min, to right side at 20 degrees for 20 min.
As far as suctioning, we have been using atropine drops at bedtime which dry up his secretions and he lays with his head and back up at around 30 degrees, and not usually on his back at all anymore. It is rare that he needs to wake me to put on or take off a blanket, but I have a quilted mattress cover over his mattress, as well as a doubled cotton flannel sheet under his body which helps to prevent sweating. Hope this helps.

Paulette
 
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