Mom is on the drug Haldol for outcries for about a month. Now she doesn't want to eat or feed herself. What do I do?

Dear Please,

I am so sorry that you've been through so much. The idea that the hospital nurse told you that your mom had passed away and had the wrong person - I just don't know what to say! There are no words. I know that these things happen, but it's horrid that they do.

As far as your mom's current care, considering your mom's ill health, if you feel that she's being cared for fairly well I don't know that I'd change her nursing home status. The problem could be Haldol. Haldol is an extremely powerful drug and while there are times when it's useful, when they gave it to my dad it was a disaster. I've heard from others with similar stories.

I think if I were you I'd talk with the doctor and ask if there is another medication that could be tried. Haldol may be contributing to your mom's lack of appetite, her falls and even her bladder infections.

Now your dad also broke his hip. Just know that you can't make this all "okay" for either of them. Do what you can to show support but don't accept full responsibility.

It sounds as though your sister is helping to some degree. Talk with her about how much you two can do for your parents and what you need to leave to the experts.

Sadly, there are situations that we can only try to make better, but we can't fix them. You've got it coming from both sides. Do what you can but don't beat yourself up over it. Please let us know how you are doing.
Carol

Please, you are having a very rough time. Your post sounds desperate, and I don't blame you. The hospital incident was an absolute disgrace. I applaud your forbearance in not accepting financial compensation, but in your place I'd still have put in a written complaint if only to make sure the right person gets spanked and it never happens again, to you or anyone else.

Carol's advice is very good: I would certainly agree that your best first step must be to book and have a thorough, detailed discussion about your mother's care plan and her doctors' realistic expectations for the short and mid-term future.

I also completely agree that you and your sister would both find it helpful to work together on this. Is your sister nearer your mother's NH? Does she have any legal responsibility for your mother's care, such as POA? If the two of you are not happy with the NH, even if you don't have legal authority to make decisions you can still see what alternatives are available for your mother. There's absolutely nothing to stop you finding out what's possible. What were these 'outcries' that made sedation necessary? I would certainly want clear explanations about the necessity to continue sedation if I were you.

A note of reassurance: the horrific-looking injuries that very frail, elderly people sustain when they fall seem, at least, to be not nearly as painful as they look. One time when I took her to see her doctor, I was hanging my head in shame while my mother seemed cheerfully unaware that she looked like a road traffic accident victim - all from one nose-dive onto her bedroom floor.

I can understand your worries about your mother's appetite, too. Strangely, my mother always has 'room' for dessert - even when otherwise she can't manage a thing. But there could be other foods that would tempt your mother's appetite besides ice cream. Again, there's nothing to stop you giving the NH a list of your mother's favourite dishes and snacks, and asking nicely if they can see what they can rustle up for her.

But step one, united front with your sister. Step two, full conference with those in charge of your mother's care. Step three, repeat the above for your father. One thing at a time. There is only one of you, and you cannot do everything and be everywhere. Deep breath. Good luck x

Unfortunately Haldol, which is an old school anti-psychotic, does cause a loss of appetite. In addition to loss of appetite it can also cause nausea, vomiting, digestive issues, and headache...I wouldn't want to eat either!!

If the Haldol is working for its intended purpose, which I assume is possibly agitation, aggressiveness, hallucinations, then you may not want to attempt a new medication. But, you could switch to one of the newer anti-psychotics such as Seroquel (if the doctor thinks it will help) that have fewer side effects. The problem is, they may not work for the intended purpose...which would be to decrease agitation, hallucinations etc...

Medicating an elder is such a hard task. It can take many many tries before you find the right drug (or drug combination) and the right dosage. I think if her loss of appetite is this severe it may be useful to try something else.

I also wanted to say shame on the hospital for making such a horrible error...do they REALLY tell family members OVER THE PHONE that someone has passed...even if they did pass? This seems very cruel. Even more so that they made such a terrible error. Additionally they shared the status of ANOTHER patient with you, possibly violating HIPPA? Really horrifying. I hope you will be reporting the issue to the hospital administrator. Even though they take good care of your mom...these errors should not be swept under the rug. In the future, the error could be far more severe and could hurt a patient.

I wish you peace.

Angel

I agree with Carol. Although Haldol is less expensive than the newer antipsychotic drugs, talk to her doctor for switching to one that is better tolerated by your mother. Good Luck!

Haldol is a antipsychtic drug with a long list of side effects given as a drug of choice in the 80's for schizophrenics. I will admit I am NOT a doctor, but it is beyond me why any medical person would prescribe this drug. I have written before, about a nanny cam I used when my mom was in a memory care unit. It is the, SVAT Alarm Clock Hidden Camera purchased through website Brickhousesecurity I was able to see that the staff was not making the bed checks as they said they did and even caught an aid going through a duffle bag I had on mom's bed when I came to visit. If you are in a state where you can purchase this, I've been told marijuana lollipops will increase appetite.Good Luck!!

Make sure she has a doctor NOT connected to the facility. That way the meds are for your mother (and now father) not for staff convenience. I like the idea of a nanny cam, even just to see that they are doing a good job. It might also give her MD an idea of what her issues are. There are some nutritional puddings, and protein bars, but you need to be sure she is well hydrated. (I use sugar free flavor drops in a sports bottle with my dad.

Now that dad is in trouble, maybe your sister is primary for your mom, and you for your dad. Find a home near you for him. You can each be the secondary person on each of their POAs. Have the hospital that is taking care of your dad help locating appropriate placement. Also it either your parents are on medicaid with limited resources which should cover care, or have resources an you need to contact an elder attorney to see how to protect their assets.

That drug is known to have many NEGATIVE side effects especially to people who have mental conditions I HATE it personnely, I have seen numerous people on it , teenagers and elders and never ever seen improvement!

All the antipsychotics can cayuse drug-induced Parkinsonism and are also linked to dyskinesias, dystonias, and akathisia as motor effects. The former is the most common and can make swallowing very difficult (dysphagia). If that class of drug is really, really necessary - and sometimes it is - then sure, try others besides Haldol, makes sure Haldol or any other drug is at the lowest effective dosage, and at the very least try having some Cogentin (benztropine - if anticholiergic side effects can be tolerated), Artane, or Sinemet added. Another option is switching from a true antipsychotic to something like buspirone, which has a lot lower incidence of side effects. Some psych docs turn up their noses at it, but we often see it work well for agitation for our patients with brain injury.

This can be a real rock and hard place situation. There are problems with almost all medications, and they just have to be weighed against the problems without medications; if any non-medication approaches could work, that should be tried too, whether in addition or instead.

Haldol is an old school drug and is very powerful and over time. I have seen elderly patients. Being affected terribly. It can cause more agitation. I have seen strange mouth movement. They can walk differently which they call the Haldol shovel. I took care of my mother at home. She was on hospice care. I tried Haldol one night. What a terrible night I had, never gave it to her again even though Hospice asked me to. I refused. After that episode, as soon as I saw her starting to get agitated. I would give her Ativan. But, my mother was bed bound. I would not give it to a mobile person. The UTI's I would ask what organism is coming back on the. Urine and Culture test. If the organism is E-Coli. That is poor hygiene given by the staff. They are washing back to front. When they should was front to back. A nurse calling you and telling you your mother passed. That information should go to the hospital administration. I have never saw a nurse pass on the death of a patient. I am use to a physician doing it as he/she has to fill out the death certificate if it is off hours. Medical Records would type it up but, the physician still signs it. The multiple falls are inexcusable and multiple bruising. I would call Public Health of your state and have an investigation done. I would also pull my mother out of the nursing home and find a better one. It may be a good idea if your mother doesn't like the food to bring some in and put her name on it and put it in the fridge. The staff can heat it up and give it to her. Cookies etc put into a plastic container with her name on it. I wish you the best of luck! Your mother deserve better

my mom ended up on haldol the last 3 months of life. the monthly injections were fine tuned with daily oral haldol and adjusted at the caregiver and hospiss nurses disgression. i think it worked quite well .

Contact 1-800-222-1222 (the American Association of Poison Control Centers), your local poison control center, or emergency room immediately. Symptoms may include agitation; muscle rigidity, tremor, or weakness; rapid or irregular pulse; slow or shallow breathing; unusual drowsiness or deep sleep; very dry mouth.

My dad was given Haldol after brain surgery and it had terrible side effects including paranoia. It may be helpful for some but it's a very powerful drug with many side effects. I'd tell the doctor that you want her off of that drug and see what else may help your mother. If you get no cooperation, flowgo had an excellent suggestion, as well. If it's an emergency get her to ER.

Please update us on how she does.
Carol

If she is in the emergency room make sure that they do not give her iv or injection of haldol and other sedatives especially by way of iv or injection. I would ask them about everything that they are giving her. If she needs to stay never leave her side so they don't end up giving her more sedatives. If the medical staff are not helping or cooperating with you then I would talk to an ombudsmen or call 911, if it is a real emergency.

My mom suffered from an overdoses of haldol and or ativan or both. We took her to the ER and they wanted her to stay in the hospital.They ended up giving her more haldol and adivan and she got so much worse.

I would look for these and other symptoms to make sure they are not making her worse with more sedatives.If a person has neuroleptic malignant syndrome (sedative sensitivity) then they develope all kinds of medical problems while taking sedatives.


Haldol Side Effects
Generic Name: haloperidol


Overview
Side Effects
Dosage
Interactions
Professional
More
Note: This page contains information about the side effects of haloperidol. Some of the dosage forms included on this document may not apply to the brand name Haldol.

Not all side effects for Haldol may be reported. You should always consult a doctor or healthcare professional for medical advice. Side effects can be reported to the FDA here.

For the Consumer
Applies to haloperidol: oral solution, oral tablet

Other dosage forms:

intramuscular oil, intramuscular solution, intramuscular suspension
In addition to its needed effects, some unwanted effects may be caused by haloperidol (the active ingredient contained in Haldol). In the event that any of these side effects do occur, they may require medical attention.

You should check with your doctor immediately if any of these side effects occur when taking haloperidol:

More common
Difficulty with speaking or swallowing
inability to move the eyes
loss of balance control
mask-like face
muscle spasms, especially of the neck and back
restlessness or need to keep moving (severe)
shuffling walk
stiffness of the arms and legs
trembling and shaking of the fingers and hands
twisting movements of the body
weakness of the arms and legs
Less common
Decreased thirst
difficulty in urination
dizziness, light headedness, or fainting
hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)
lip smacking or puckering
puffing of the cheeks
rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue
skin rash
uncontrolled chewing movements
uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs
Rare
Confusion
convulsions (seizures)
difficult or fast breathing
fast heartbeat or irregular pulse
fever (high)
high or low blood pressure
hot, dry skin, or lack of sweating
increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid
increased sweating
loss of bladder control
muscle stiffness (severe)
muscle weakness
sore throat and fever
uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual facial expressions or body positions
unusual tiredness or weakness
unusually pale skin
yellow eyes or skin
Incidence not known
Continuing nausea or vomiting
increase in the frequency of seizures
loss of appetite
swelling of the face
tiredness and weakness
If any of the following symptoms of overdose occur while taking haloperidol, get emergency help immediately:

Symptoms of overdose
Difficulty with breathing (severe)
dizziness (severe)
drowsiness (severe)
muscle trembling, jerking, stiffness, or uncontrolled movements (severe)
unusual tiredness or weakness (severe)
Some of the side effects that can occur with haloperidol may not need medical attention. As your body adjusts to the medicine during treatment these side effects may go away. Your health care professional may also be able to tell you about ways to reduce or prevent some of these side effects. If any of the following side effects continue, are bothersome or if you have any questions about them, check with your health care professional:

More common
Blurred vision
changes in menstrual period
constipation
dryness of the mouth
swelling or pain in the breasts (in females)
unusual secretion of milk
weight gain
Less common
Decreased sexual ability
drowsiness
increased sensitivity of the skin to sun (skin rash, itching, redness or other discoloration of skin, or severe sunburn)
nausea or vomiting

They are snowing her. Haldol is an old time drug. I do not like giving it to the elderly. It causes more harm than good. There is better Phych medicine today. Does she walk or wheelchair bound? I would have the doctor stop it. My mother would get severe agitation from Haldol.

I'm confused. Are these recent posts in response to the original post in April, 2014? Or is there a new question in here somewhere?

The facility should have a policy of double checks, even triple checks, before a family member is notified about a death. I hope the director was made aware. Many people would pursue legal action. You may want to look into it. The emotional distress must have been horrific.

Now that they straightened out the problem, their care of your mother and communication with you about her care should NOW be impeccable. I would expect that she is a top priority at this point. If that is not the case, then I would have serious concern over their ability and mindset.

Do you know why the doctor has prescribed Haldol? Maybe, a new doctor is in order. My loved one was given this drug when in the hospital when she experienced a terrifying hallucination. It knocked her out ad she slept nonstop for almost 24 hours. She was placed on Cymbalta and it seemed to work much better with all her problems. I would explore that with her physician and see what might be a better option.

My loved one had a lot of falls, not on Haldol, but due to extreme loss of balance and weak legs. She just wasn't able to keep walking and went into a wheelchair. That was the solution and she hasn't had any falls since then.

I hope things improve for you and your mom.

Haldol is very hard to regulate, sounds like shes on to heavy of a dose, but if you get to little she might start reverting to a childish state of mind, like raiding frig, eat cake or pie with her hands or god forbid she trys to cook ans start fire or burn herself, my neighbors mother inlaw went through same thing if they went anywhere I had to babysit her, talk to her doc see what he suggest

My Mom was put on Haldol and I was not advised but I noticed and so did her sister, that she was so sedated that she could not eat. She would just hold the pureed food in her mouth and I would have to keep saying swallow. She is in a nursing home. She was so sedated that she could utter a few words but then fell asleep. 1 mg in a.m. and 1 mg in evening and she was also taking other antipsychotic drugs at the same time. I became so concerned after 3 weeks that I asked what her meds were and when she answered Haldol (my mother is bedridden & 84), I said take her off of it now. I had seen the "black box warnings for elderly" when I looked this up online at just about all drug sites. Within 2 days, she was eating and talking about old times. She will still yell out sometimes but if you ask her a question, she will answer you. She would have gotten so weak, I feel sure this would have been her demise. They said maybe they should have reduced it. Well, why didn't they? So, she is still on Depakote which she was taking when they gave her the Haldol and also on Nudexta. They removed the Nudexta and the Haldol at my insistence. She can now tell me if she is hurting. She was like a zombie. That is my recent experience with my elderly mother being put on Haldol.