Medications and dementia

[Bets541]

Hello,

I am a 59 yr old female with several disabilties,one being a continuous small bowel obstruction from which I nearly died after surgery resection a year ago. I also now have Vascular Dementia from having a stroke in 2002...and was NOT referred to therapy in spite of testing showing several  Higher Function deficits. This has really worsened in recent months. I have had  an enormous amount of stress, separation from abusive husband, deaths in my immediate family and recently moving to an unfamiliar congested area where I am now petrified to drive.

My question: My doctor has me on fentanyl patches 150mcg every 72 hrs for the chronic abdominal pain PLUS two benzos for anxiety. Does anyone on here have any experiences such as mine and do you think the benzos could be significantly contributing to my recent confusion...ie. getting lost driving and being unable to organize and so many of the other functions that are controlled by the frontal lobes of the brain where my stroke occured? How can I tell and how addictive is clonazapam? I've never taken it before this past summer. Should I be taking both it and alprazolam--though I take them an hour or so apart--three times a day. They are both 0.5mg.

I am really concerned as I have lost so much of my ability to function and so many of my daily living skills.

I am JUST now starting in Cognitive Therapy Rehab. My therapist thinks we can work on getting back some of my skills and/or find ways to compensate by using certain strategies. Does anyone have experience with this or can you point me in a direction of such a Forum for this? I looked but could not find one.

I would greatly appreiciate any help of any kind from anyone knowledgeable about such as I have written. I also take Remeron antidepressant (mirtazapine is the generic I take). I stay fatigued and can barely have a life due to all the above. Also take atenolol for heart arrythmias and Tricor for high cholesterol/triglycerides. Baby aspirin reginment for the the prevention of another stroke. ( I am allergic to such as Plavix). My right carotid artery blocked off completely when the stroke happened. Left carotid is also blocked to about 60 %. Yes, I am a real mess : (  and I think living under massive duress in an abusive marriage for 15 years did the majority of this; the rest is hereditary I suppose and diet, etc. though he is not abusive to me since I've gotten so much worse. I am totally LOST in my new surroundings. Depressed, impatient, etc.

I  am not divorced now, only Legally Separated since I needed this to keep his military health and other insurance benefits. I wanted a divorce. As it is however, he is all I have and I still see him since I have become so ill. However he is 74 and has  a heart problem, otherwise in good health and works 40 hrs a week now. He is retired Navy and only recently took the full-time job. I do get more in spousal maintenance but the stress and the results have not been worth it.

Sorry for the tangent. I reiterate my questions above; I really need to know about taking the benzo's given the dementia I have. I am not sure I have the "right" doctor prescribing all my meds....

Thanks so much and hoping for a response. Feel free to email me if you think you can help me.

Bets

[dyblue]

  hi your post really hit homewith me my dad is in the same boat as you.  Benzos do screw up memory I read a book called Addiction by prescrition the benzo made this women crazy doctor diagnosed her bipolar and an alcoholic It was the freaking benzo wean off slowly thet are very dangerous much more then oppiates  .lESS ISMORE WHEN IT COMES TO DRUGS BENZOS CAN CAUSE MORE ANXIETY AND EVERYTHING LOOKS GREY AND LIFE IS DULL.  AWFUL GARBAGE WORSE THING FOR THE MIND THE BOOK FREAKED ME OUT  GOOD LUCK  YOU'LL BE FINE WEAN SLOW AND DOCTORS DON'T KNOW EVERYTHING SPECALLY ABOUT DRUGS  YOUR LISTENING TO YOUR BODY SMART LADY  YOU KNOW WHATS GOING ON AS FAR A OPIATES GO IF TYOUR IN PAIN YOU NEED THEM.

[changedwoman]

Please read my comment (changedwoman). I feel terrible reading your post... like I'm looking in the mirror. Too many coincidences... lost my mother and 36 y.o. nephew this year, have bowel problems after resection, abusive FAMILY, and on and on....
I've been doing some research on SUPPLEMENTS. Dear Bets, here in the USA, supps are the LAST THING the doc suggests and they are what we need. As a matter of fact I think I will post a list of supps we should ALL take (I turned 60 in June so the dosages will be all in the safe range for us ALL). It's only because I've been thru the mill with doctors' mistakes for years and illnesses and had to do my own research. I know you have problems since your stroke but you can get so much better on natural things. As for the things you are taking.... you should ask the pharmacist about your questions and/or read all the reading material you get with each drug.. especially the warnings and drug interactions.
Please come back here on Friday and look for my next post... I will title it "SUPPLEMENTS" and hope that everyone reads it and does their own research to see what I'm writing about. I have a very small income so I'm saving to get all of the things on my list but it's a bit expensive for me right now but WORTH every penny.
I'm sorry I can't advise you on the drugs you take as I do not take them and am not at all familiar with them.
Be good to yourself.