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Real members of myALZteam have posted questions and answers that support our community guidelines, and should not be taken as medical advice. Looking for the latest medically reviewed content by doctors and experts? Visit our resource section.

Help With Sleeping

A myALZteam Member asked a question 💭
Castle Rock, CO

My mom is 74, diagnosed with Alzheimer's 4 years ago. Her symptoms are markedly worse when she isn't sleeping well and when her stress level is high. Sleep seems to be a constant problem for her. Her doctor prescribed a very small dose of Quetiapine 3 nights a week, but I feel like the medication might be making her confusion worse, and she seems to hallucinate sometimes, especially during the night, and I wonder if that is also caused by the Quetiapine.

Has anyone had a doctor recommend a… read more

May 24, 2021
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A myALZteam Member

Thank you so much, RobertED. We’ve had mixed results with melatonin, but it’s been quite a while since we last tried it, so I might suggest that. I appreciate your reply.

May 25, 2021
A myALZteam Member

Marnie, my wife takes a 5 mg (timed release) melatonin tablet before bed each night. My good friend LindyLou (a retired nurse, as I recall) recommended this treatment to someone else, but I have also had success with it. Melatonin, as I learned, is a hormone that is produced in a healthy brain and is used to regulate the sleep-wake cycle. A dementia patient may be deficient in this hormone, so a supplemental tablet helps. If this approach sounds useful, the next step should be to contact your mother’s doctor before beginning treatment. Melatonin does not require a prescription, but it’s still important to get your Mom’s doctor involved. Good luck.

May 24, 2021
A myALZteam Member

My husband does well with melatonin and trazadone.

June 1, 2021

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