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She is 85. We have had a sleep study, it was fine. We had cat scan, it was clear. All they want to do is give her another pill

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Hi martisaunt, So does your mom not have dementia? Does she have any other signs that all is not well with her thinking? Is she paranoid-thinking people are taking her things? Has her personality changed- has she become more hostile? Forgetful? If none of these things IS something attacking her face? just want to point out the obvious- check for spiders, ants.... You never know.
Maybe take her to a dermatologist? See if she has any skin issues? Have you changed detergents? Or soap? Maybe causing an itchy feeling.
Could she actually be feeling breathless and have some COPD or asthma issues? Altho I guess a sleep study would detect breathing issues. I am just tossing out a whole bunch of stuff just in case something sticks.
I have anxiety dreams. There are some classic ones that seem to be common- tornadoes , funky elevators that go sideways, teeth falling out, forgetting I took a class in college until the day of the final. I wonder if this is one type of those anxiety dreams. Did you google/bing " nightmares about something attacking my face"? You would be amazed at how many times I thought I was going through something really abnormal only to google it and find out there are a whole bunch of people going through the same thing! I won't go into details. ;)

Poor Mom. I hope you guys get some help! (((hugs))))
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My husband has Lewy Body Dementia which causes hallucinations, paranoia, aggression, combativeness....the hallucinations can be visual or auditory or sensual or all....he was convinced there were bugs in the bed, crawling on him, especially in his hair. Even took him to the doctor for an exam. His auditory hallucinations leads him to believe there are people in the other rooms of the house, trying to break in, ringing the door bell at 2am. He is on Clozapine which has helped. I don't like him taking all these pills, either, but there isn't any other way to control this behavior so we can both get some rest...even if I still only get 4 -5 hrs a night while he gets 10 or more. I am fortunate that my husband's neurologist is well versed in this little known disease and that his case manager is, too. It's tough to get an accurate diagnosis; takes a lot of testing and a lot of trials with different meds. Keep searching...you will find an answer and the help you need. It isn't easy. It isn't fun. It's tiring and heartbreaking and frustrating...but it is what needs to be done to keep your Mom safe and secure. Good luck.
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"Another pill" could be the difference between having this symptom and not...give it a chance.
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Speaking of meds, is it possible that an existing one is causing the hallucinations?
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Then try Melatonin which is a natural sleep aid, get some more exercise, do not sleep during the day, add apple cider vinegar plus honey (1 tblsp each) to a small glass at bedtime, and she will sleep soundly. That's what I do and I am a nurse.
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I thought I was the only one who had those dreams. I have had all except for the tornado dreams. I am a teacher and I always had the dream that the whole year is over and I have forgotten to teach Math. I have to make up the whole year in one week! Yikes! But ,yes, the teeth dream, and the college class dream, the teeth falling out, wow! And I had never heard of the applecider vinegar and honey sleep remedy either. I will remember this for the future if my husband falls into this category. I often see him getting up to look out of the curtains to see if it is light or not. He gets up if it is light out. Comes back if it is dark. Someone told me I am lucky he still knows that. He does not tell time but knows when it is time for the dogs to eat. They ask if they have to wait very long after 4PM. I do appreciate reading everyones remarks.
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Check her meds. Any new meds about that time? Check interactions with each other and with any conditions in her chemistry/body.

Another pill is NOT the answer and might be the problem in the first place.

That is where I would start.
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My father has Dementia and whenever he has problems like that we know to get him to the Dr. or Hospital to have him checked for a UTI. Since October, he has had 2 and we can tell because of the hallucinations
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Wamnane--aren't those teeth dreams horrible? Do you try to stick them back in? And, say to yourself--this time it is not a dream but real only to wake up in a sweat? I have an El. Ed. degree (but never had my own classroom) but could totally see your dream in my head about forgetting to teach math!!! It made me anxious just reading about it!!!

I am gonna try that apple cider vinegar and honey trick! I take melatonin every once in awhile but if I take it too much, I swear it makes me mean. IDK- I just get all whacked out and hyper if I take it too many days in a row. And my stomach aches. but I have stomach aches a lot. I try and stick to one a week. I have insomnia a lot.

I have heard that cherry juice is good for sleep. The all natural kind. It is almost like a syrup and not sweet at all. I could barely tolerate it. I have been eating bing cherries lately and , now that I think about it, have been sleeping better. Hmmmm.
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My mom had hallucinations that someone was in the house, that someone was iding in her closet etc. All the while I thought ..is this dementia? The doctor checked her urine to see if she had an infection and she didn't. Then after three months of slowing dealing with my sleepless nights because of her hallucinations..she had to be hospitalized due to breathing problems...pneumonia. I would suggest checking for an infection. Have tests done to ensure that she has no infections or are starting to get one. A pill doesn't solve everything. Just do what you can to get his under control without medication...and you will feel better too.
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Smileboss88, That is something! The last time dad had a UTI, he was treated with antibiotics at home. He was not getting better...but worse!! Took him to the hospital and he had Pnemonia with a pleural effusion!! He was hospitalized and then had to go to rehab for 2 months until he was strong enough to leave. I think the key is looking for any type of infection?
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I saw the suggestions re the cider vinegar/honey. May try that one myself. But don't give her Melotonin unless you check with a pharmacist first because it can interact with existing meds. @ferris1, I am not trying to insult you or say your advice is wrong. I just know I took it, didn't help -- then found out it interacted badly with my migraine meds.

I think HTP-5 is supposed to be good for anxiety/calmness (I take it as a vitamin regimen for my migraines, but it has been helping me sleep as well).. But again, check with a pharmacist (and I also find WebMD has a lot of information). My mother's son has always had something like your Mom -- thinking something is crawling on him -- since we were kids. I know no one wants to take a lot of pills, but if it stops her having that feeling, it may be worth it.
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Apple cider vinegar and honey is good for a lot of stuff. I use it when my sinus/allergy gets so bad that I have severe sinus headaches. In the morning, before heading off to work, I make a mix of it, pour it in the water bottle. I drink it throughout the day and I can feel my sinus pressure lessening.

As for father, he swears that the cherry-flavored water helped him to breathe better. Every time he finished drinking it, he felt better.
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Is your mother on an ovoid pain killer? Morphine and related pain-killers are notorious for causing a creepy, crawly feeling and scratching.
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