Hello everyone, did anyone see Casualty last night and hear the `off the cuff` remark by a doc about a woman who had dementia and Afib. The comment was something like "yes, dementia is common in people with AF" Wow, something else with a `link` to Afib. I googled - of course - quite a bit from America re the above. I spent the rest of the evening asking my hubby if I am more forgetful since my AF diagnosis; am I slower with stuff now that before....... etc etc
Hay ho
Pat
".....We're doomed..............we're all doomed!....."
What a snide and unpleasant little comment. Quite uncalled for! Do hope my children weren't watching. Anyway, it was an actor who made the remark, not a real doctor, so I think I'll ignore the insult, even though there was a reference along the same lines on the forum not so long ago ...
Yes, I watched Casualty and heard the comment re dementia. Have just looked it up on the internet now and there's quite a bit there. Because I want to, I am going to say I don't believe any of it. How often do experts get things wrong! Fingers crossed.
My particular congenital heart condition is apparently common in people who have Down's syndrome. I haven't got Down's syndrome.
Oh dear my mum had AF and no Dementia My dad had Dementia and no AF not looking to good then. Que Sera Sera.
I'm guessing that good anticoagulation control would help in the dementia stakes but who knows. My grandma almost certainly had uncontrolled A.F. and after many T.I.A.s eventually had a stroke at 85 and died but she was as bright as a button to the end. My husband's father had nothing wrong with his heart but developed vascular dementia at 65 and died at 70. Not a cheerful subject I know but just shows it may be the luck of the draw and after all we all have to die someday. Have a good night
I'm off to watch casualty now as I missed it last night. X
suspect the link might be sometimes age related rather than AF related!!
I read a couple of recent articles but did not post them since what can we do except worry; so I did not think there was much benefit to that.
I understand that medical programs on TV are vetted for accuracy of any such comments. This must be obvious surely as you wouldn't knowingly give people such information if it were wrong.
There has been recent comment that AF may increase the likely hood of dementia in some people. I suspect as others may have suggested that this is due to multiple mini strokes in those patients who are not anticoagulated , for which read undiagnosed or those for whom doctors have decreed Anticoagulation is not needed. Another good reason to be on the stuff in my view. Even during this weekend's visit from noro virus the one thing I was determined to keep down was my warfarin. LOL Good way to,lose weight mind.
Hope that clears up quickly Bob. JanR
I'm not actually saying the comment is inaccurate, Bob, just that, in jest, I'd like the nasty implications of the comment not to sink in too much. Atrial fibrillation = dementia is hardly what we want the world to think.
I'm suddenly minded to make a complaint to the BBC or whoever
Sorry to hear you were struck down.
I have found my short term memory has suffered more than I was expecting through just age over my AF period, may be due to poor sleep pattern though. I am countering this by taking up new hobbies, using loads of post-it stickers and hanky knots!
Yes know that problem well but we are all getting older anyway.
Just because there is a link, does not mean that one causes the other.
Dementia is also linked with a deficiency in Vit D.......... And about 10,000 other conditions.
Why is there an increase in both AF and Dementia - because we suddenly have an inverted pyramid of older people in the population. Never in history have we ever had such a high percentage of people living into old age, in fact old age has had to be redefined in the last decade. Why is that? Because we have been so successful at treating people who in other ages would have died,
Stress and worry is more likely to cause you harm than anything. Eat well, live well and enjoy life!
I've seen that said before but who knows... I've given up watching Casualty, hubby got very bored with it and given this latest episode, I'm glad he didn't see it because he'd only worry. I seem to also remember having read somewhere that being overweight protects you against dementia so maybe I shouldn't be trying to lose those pounds 
I never did watch it. I see enough sorrow in the world without watching it for "entertainment"!
Save me a doughnut! x
Yes it shocked and frightened me as I don't need that!!! Added risk as already prevalent in my family, when I too read up it seems to say if you regally have INR of 3 or above (which I don't) thank God
Best wishes
I don't think enough research has been done on AF and Dementia.
There are care homes throughout this country and I am sure most countries in the world that are specifically for the care of the unfortunate people with dementia. Surely if this link is to be believed it would be fairly obvious and more that 1 in 10 of the residents would have AF. If that was the case would it not be seen as an "epidemic"that flag up the need for more research.
I have not read (by briefly googling) that there is any major research projects underway so I am sceptical about the link.
I also think the BBC should justify where they got the facts from as it can no doubt cause unnecessary worry to us and our families - that if we bother to watch this "entertainment".
Sometimes it seems there is some health scare story every week - but that the Victor Meldrew coming out in me again!
I was a bit flippant to start with but the more I've thought about this, the crosser I've become with the BBC!
It's not nice to remind those of us who knew, to enlighten those who didn't, and spread a word that, gospel truth or exaggeration, could perhaps have been more tactfully stated.
I have written and hope they get inundated with similar protests.
OK I didn't see it as I never watch it but are we not being a bit over sensitive here. There are worse things on TV news all the time. Just because we have AF shouldn't make us intolerant and so eager to shout foul. Making a fuss will just focus more people to what you apparently want to hide. I hate football but it is on TV. Hate cricket as well since I was hit in the face with a bat years ago but I don't complain that it is on TV. Maybe i'm the one out of step but surely there are worse things to complain about. All the bloody politicians for a start!
Expecting the parcel bombs from Wednesday then. LOL
Bob
Well, how wise you are, Bob. I haven't posted my letter as there was no collection today. It was nice writing it and perhaps best to shred....
I used to do that all the time. Very good for the temper and always chucked away the next day.
Along with all the discarded drafts. Unfortunately today I have also binned an image I had scanned, having spent an hour and a half touching up the blemishes. It was far too big and I'll start again scanning it at lower resolution. Family photo circa 1906 in case anyone is wondering. I've done about 150 and have many more still to go, if dementia doesn't get me first.
Don't you hate it when that happens. I once deleted two pages of magazine article I had just written.
I used to have Photoshop 5 I think it was and spent ages removing somebody from a photo I didn't want them in. They made the car look untidy. Completely forgot the shadow so we had a ghost in the picture.
How lucky to have such photos. Were they glass plate? My neighbour has some glass plate negatives from Brooklands in the 20s. I have some sepia prints of Grandad in uniform for WW1 and a lovely photo of my late Mother in her wedding dress in 1938 on the wall in my office right now..
No, they aren't glass, but quite a few date back before 1900. We have two wedding pics with all the guests taken in 1910 and 1913. Wonderful photos with big hats and huge bouquets. Correction of scratches and age spots is time consuming, but worth the effort. Nice to have them on your wall - keeps them scratch free!
I saw the programme too and felt that the comment would have been better left out. We are all different and respond differently to our AF problems. I think Bob is spot on with his comment on anticoagulation and TIA's and would urge people to keep taking anticoagulants whenever advised and to query whether they are needed if the medic has not indicated so. They say that we women can multi-task but I found that when I was in AF I couldn't. I felt at times it was taking over me completely to the extent I often asked the family if dementia was setting in. It became a family joke. I found that being gentle with myself helped and taking a greater interest in hobbies and life in general and being as physically active as possible. And, as Bob says, we are getting older. The old hard drive in the brain is bound to crash sometimes - especially under the stress of AF.
Yes, you are so right. We just want to get on and enjoy the life we have and not moan - but now and again something triggers (like the BBC programme) and the door is open and all the negatives seem to flood in. But I trust in God each day to bring life when I feel weary and reading the experiences of others on this site helps you know there are others. So, I`m now off the the Burney Breast Clinic for my new prosthetic booby, then for a cappuccino with my friend..... Hey ho
Pat
Constant afib
Blood pressure meds & afib
AF and Dementia linked ? ( dr Sanjay report) 
AFIB Fatigue?
Breakthrough Afib episodes while on Flecainide 
