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It started in October when he left the house twice living out a dream (in one dream walking 4 blocks to find his car which was in the garage and 2nd one getting into his car to drive to a clinic and speak to a nurse who disappeared after the power went out). In both scenarios he was awake, but completely in denial when I disagreed on what was going on with him. Two days later he was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia which doctors blamed for the two incidents.
Fast forward to today and he still has these dreams that he thinks are real. He told me the other day while we were working on putting together Christmas cards for the mail that my brother had called and told him he "did something he had never done before," and spent $100k. He ordered a new truck and my dad could not remember what my brother had told him he spent the other half on. I told him I thought that sounded like one of his dreams and he agreed to call my brother and together we spoke with him and of course this never happened. The level of detail he can recall is crazy!!
One morning he asked me "if the girls had spent the night?" I asked him what girls because all I have are boys in my house - him, my husband, my son and me. He went into this elaborate story about these girls who were over and how loud they were etc... I said no, no one slept here last night that was a girl but me. He seems confused still when I tell him it was a dream.
He naps most of the day and he is very animated. I will watch him go from having a conversation with the family to asleep in seconds. His arms will move, he might put his hand over his mouth, sometimes he leans forward in his chair and moves his mouth like he is talking. This goes on all day every day. Last night he fell asleep like this and he woke up and looked at my brother and said, "where did they put all the bacon?" When we inquired he said, "Everyone was in the store buying bacon, but they never left the store with it. Where is all the bacon?" This event from wake to sleep to asking this question was probably around 4-5 minutes.
I am providing some different scenarios here, because I don't understand what is going on with him. I have googled many things and it doesn't appear as a symptom for dementia or Alzheimer's. I have told his GP about it and he sent him to a sleep doctor who dx him with severe sleep apnea which we already knew.
I am very worried he is going to act one of these out again. What is going on with him?

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Ask his doctor about Lewy Body Dementia..Mom started her LBD with vivid hallucinations, hearing voices in the night, heard singing in her head, and body movements..jerking arms/hands. She then started with uncontrollable BP, bad depression, body temperature issues and poor decision making. No math skills {had been an accountant} and no longer could use her cell phone. She hides her possessions when she has a bad episode of confusion. Took 2 years to get her doctor to listen to us. I have educated mom on LBD and she now can separate the dreams, paranoia etc and reason a lot of it out.
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My father started doing the same thing and was diagnosed with Lewy Bodies Syndrome, or sudden onset dementia. We were told not to try to dismiss his delusions. They are very real to him, and it only makes things worse to try to deny them. We try working around them by saying " oh, that person left", and then changing the subject. Redirection and acceptance are the two keys in dealing with dad. I would discuss this with his doctor. LBS is caused by plaques in the brain similar to Alzheimer. The symptoms are different though, including the sudden onset and the delusions. Good luck. I hope it is something else.
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Babs75 Jan 2023
This is the exact same situation with my dad. And some of his stories are pretty wild.
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Thinking dreams are real is a form of delusions/hallucinations that occurs with some dementia patients. Early in my father’s illness he thought that his dreams were real and would wake my poor mother up so that she could help him with whatever he believed to be happening.
As the dementia progressed, he moved on and does not appear to have that issue; however, he now believes that anything that occurs on television is real. We are now very selective with what we allow him to watch because he is angered by anyone who argues or says/does anything remotely negative to a female or child.
As far as me dealing with his delusions, I have found that trying to tell him that his delusions are not real or trying to rationalize with him only angers him and makes it worse. I have had to accept that his delusions are real to him. So basically I have learned to go along with his delusions as long as such does not cause harm or create further problems. It is not easy and is a constant learning experience. For example, he believes that the actors on television are in the house and will ask if we need to feed them, where they will sleep, or where they are at after we have turned off the television (particularly for little children). I generally tell him “oh, they went home” or “they are eating with their parents.” He is usually satisfied with those answers. I know that some will say that I am lying to him but I am actually not in his reality plus it causes no harm and it eases his mind.
I have read this sentiment many times…… you can’t change the person so you need to learn to change yourself.
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RonHochhauser Jan 2023
In your post you said "I have read this sentiment many times…… you can’t change the person so you need to learn to change yourself." So true in adjusting to stuff you can't change! Read a book describing "life" in a concentration camp and the Survivors accepted their lot in that life as their Survivor's Method to cope daily. They changed themselves. Such an unbelievable terrible time.
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Get door/window alarms. Check his medication - they could be interacting with each other. Have a physical, test for UTI.
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I would ask for Dad to have a sleep test. With Dementia dreams and TV do become part of their reality. The mind can no longer differentiate between them.

Pneumonia can cause confusion for a while. Your Dad could still have it. I would call his PCP.
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againx100 Jan 2023
Yes, with dementia, I think everything basically gets put into one big pot and they can no longer differentiate between dreams, reality, thoughts, memories, etc. It all seems the same.
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Google "Narcolepsy"; it can be that your father is suffering from Narcolepsy in addition to, or because of, severe sleep apnea and leaving it untreated, which is causing him to have 'delusional confusion of dreaming & reality'.

There is also a relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and vivid dreaming, so it's likely the two are tied in together. But I'd explore the Narcolepsy relationship especially if dad keeps dropping off to sleep constantly.

Good luck!
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My mother had vivid dreams due to her Parkinson’s disease meds. Have you looked up the side effects of any medications that he is taking?

My mother was trying to walk out of the front door in the middle of the night.

Mom took Sinemet for her Parkinson’s disease. She also had dementia and hospice prescribed Ativan and Seroquel. These drugs helped to keep her calm.
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Get a pcp focused on elders or seek out an aging care facility if you have that in your area. At this stage it seems less about sleep apnea specialist and more about dementia and safety. my dad has dementia also dreams and ‘plays’ in that altered state. my husband and I play along. He will orient well and often realize its confusion or bridge it to today. We no longer flinch, care, try to redirect, etc.
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Great answer from "Ohwow323". That will rule out everything else to narrow it down to Dementia.
My mom started believing that the people on TV (News, TV shows, etc.) were talking to her and could see her. That was one of her first signs of dementia.
I also purchased this door lock when the wandering started (link): Amazon.com: Improved Childproof Door Lever Lock (2 Pack) Prevents Toddlers From Opening Doors. Easy One Hand Operation for Adults. Durable ABS with 3M Adhesive Backing. Simple Install, No Tools Needed (White, 2) : Baby
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Sounds like my mom. She was diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia. Right before she was diagnosed, she dreamed someone was breaking in her house and she actually got her pistol out and shot a hole in the wall.
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NeedHelpWithMom Jan 2023
Oh. my gosh. That’s wild!

My friend’s dad placed his wife in a facility when she chased him around the house with a kitchen knife in her hand. She thought that he was an intruder. It’s so sad and extremely frightening.
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