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I am wondering if it would help my husband who is 7 years into an Alzheimer's diagnosis. He sits in a chair 24/7. Yes, he even sleeps in it. He refuses to sleep in a bed. He only gets up to go to the bathroom. He seems to have no energy, or interest in doing anything. He doesn't sleep in the true sense of the word, just naps. His doctor put him on Melatonin. He got to the point where even the highest dosage would not help, which is where we are now. Since CBD is more "natural" than Chemical I thought I should at least check it out.

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My mother has dementia and has been on CBD for at least four months. She started on the oil drops under the tongue and saw some positive results with decreased confusion and reduced anxiety. She got tired of the taste and so I started the patches which you change after four days. She is doing well in them. They didn’t help her back pain as much as I had hoped so I did put her back on the Fentanyl patch. However, the CBD patch works with the Fentanyl to decrease the cognitive side effects and confusion.
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rocketjcat Jan 2019
All4ma, do you have to administer the cbd oil daily? How long do you think it took to see your results? I was just wondering if its immediately noticeable if a day is missed? I don’t know very much about the oil. Is there a particular strength or dosage you give? Thanks for any info.
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Thanks for your answer. Like rocketjcat I would like to know about strength and dosage. Did you start with the lowest strength? Does it help with sleep?
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I’m not understanding why the doctor put him on melatonin if he’s sleeping? And there have been studies where a lower dose of melatonin is actually more effective than a higher dose if falling to sleep is the outcome to be gained. Too high a dose promotes a sleep hangover.
From reading your post it sounds like you wish to decrease the sleeping and increase his energy and interest in life. Or am I misreading what you wrote? What is the change you wish to see? To sure st stage 7 what you hope to see.
Here are links to two articles. I personally would Discontinue the melatonin and see how he does.
www.alzdiscovery.org/cognitive-vitality/ratings/melatonin
www.touchneurology.com/articles/use-melatonin-promote-sleep-older-people-0
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I have to ask is your husband a Veteran? If so the VA can help and depending on where and when he served the help might be a little or it could be a LOT!
You mention in your profile that he does not get out of his chair even to eat. What would happen if you placed his meal on the table? Would that make him get up and sit at the table with you for breakfast, lunch and or dinner? One of three might be pretty good!
What was he like before the Alzheimer's? Did he do a lot or did he sit like he is now? If he was one to get up and go then I would imagine it is that he may be embarrassed that he might see someone and they will start talking to him and he would not be able to follow the conversation, would not recall who he is talking to or he will say the "wrong" thing. (I think this is why my Husband was non verbal for the last 7 years or so..or it could have been that part of the brain was effected)
If he was a "homebody" then he really has not changed and to expect a change is unrealistic.
Now to your question...CBD oil is not a miracle cure. You can try it. Personally I think it tastes a bit grassy. I think it is not going to harm anything to try it. But if you do PLEASE tell his doctor and make sure there will not be a problem with any other medications. You might have better luck with Medical Marijuana ask his doctor about that. (legal where you are)
As for the Melitonin the effects are negated if a light is turned on, so if he gets up to go to the bathroom and turns on a light it will no longer be effective, if he sleeps with the TV on it will not be effective. (I did not know this until I heard a nurse at a conference I attended)
You might want to ask his doctor about an antidepressant. This sounds like a big part of his problem. It might take a while to find the right dosage and or the right medication but it is a start.
Again, if he is a Veteran please check into what help is available through the VA and have you applied for Medicaid? (possibly for both of you)
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raspberryfarm Jan 2019
Thanks for your answer. My husband doesn't really sleep more than an hour at a time. It's really more like napping, than a really deep sleep. I didn't know about Melatonin being affected by light. That explains why it doesn't work on me. I have to keep getting up to check on him!

He is a veteran. We are in the process of trying to get VA help for him. I don't know how long it usually takes to get an answer, but it has been several months since we started applying.

He was a very outgoing person, loved to go places, loved people, never met a stranger.

I will talk with his neurologist about the CBD oil. Thanks again for your input.
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Wonderful results! CBD also comes in gummies. Taste is great & results are miraculous. Sleeps soundly with no "hang over" effect.
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I have Mother taking CBD, and it has helped with her shot term memory, quality of sleep, an anxiety.
I suggest, though, that you research whatever brand you are thinking of purchasing. Not all products are what they claim to be. Some are cut with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or some are just hemp oil and no CBD. Some use chemical extraction. There's a lot of information out there, but there's also a lot of misinformation.
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raspberryfarm Jan 2019
Thanks for answering. What brand CBD are you using?
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I use CBD. I take it mid morning. It doesn't make me sleepy, but I do sleep so much better. I fall asleep quickly and night and wake up refreshed. It is like my cycles have been reset properly and I feel less anxiety in general.

Dosing is not consistent or regulated. Good advice is to start low and try it for a week before going higher. I take 7.5mg usually. I've taken up to 15mg to see if there was a difference, but I think 7.5mg is fine for me. People who are trying to treat pain might take 25mg or more.

I did a lot of comparing and considering before I decided. I don't know if brand suggestions are allowed here. so I'll just say:

Look for purity. The list of ingredients should be short.
Look for 'full spectrum'.
Look for third-party lab test reports that are disclosed upfront by the brand and can be read online.
Look at product reviews from sites that detail their rankings.
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Harpcat Jan 2019
May I ask what brand you are using? Thanks!
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The CBD oil you do administer daily. You can work up to a few times per day. It’s drops under the tongue. I used pure organic CBD and the bottle says 1 dropper full has 16.7 mg. I noticed a difference on the second day of use. I actually took it myself first for one week to “test it out”. It was calming to me but I didn’t feel goofy. I think the effects just wear off if you miss a dose.
With the patches, I sometimes forget to change in on the fourth day but mom seems less herself and that tips me off to check when the next patch is due. It’s not a huge effect, just subtle. I hope this helps.
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