Hey Bonnie! My Mom is on escitalopram and used to take buspirone for anxiety (that stage has passed, thank goodness!). Starting in the 1980s there was a lot of concern about nursing homes using antipsychotics and antidepressants as a way to “medically restrain” patients. The FDA put a lot of “black box” warnings on drugs that help people with dementia to be calm and avoid the instability that comes with the disease. But you should definitely talk to your PCP or neurologist, as these drugs can help both the person with dementia and the caregiver!

On THIS site, you will find that those behavior modifying meds greatly improve life for the patient AND caregiver!

My husband takes 20mg of Escitalopram every morning. Without this antidepressant we would have a poor quality of life. He's no longer easily agitated, pacing, and giving me the death stare (which was very scary to me)

Good morning everyone! My rule in introducing new or additional medications to your medicine cabinet is to contact your Physician for his advice before trying anything involving new meds being introduced to the mix you already have! I have been known to research things first and then I can ask better questions of the physician that I consult with. That way I can ask those questions of the doctor on the phone. Steve Egan

Thanks so much!