Dementia

[denisenicholls]

What are the signs of Dementia?

[Hidden]

This long term memory loss LIKE forgetting who you family members are THEN this short term LIKE getting up to make tea then you forget what you was about to do.

Repetitive actions was biggy that caused my dad to suffer mental brake down then he had a stroke

[Gambit62]

there are a lot of symptoms of dementia - memory is part of it but there are a lot of things that can cause similar symptoms.

Have you ever had blood tests done to check your B12 levels - B12 deficiency tends to manifest very slowly and for some people psychiatric problems (which can be misdiagnosed as bi-polar) manifest long before the symptoms GP associate with B12 deficiency - like macrocytic anaemia.

This is a link to the symptoms of B12 deficiency

pernicious-anaemia-society....

There is also a forum on HU that deals with the most common cause of B12 deficiency and so is a good place to go if you need help with getting B12 deficiency diagnosed or treated properly.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc

[Gambit62 in reply to Gambit62]

other conditions that can lead to dementia like symptoms are Thyroid, diabetes and a whole raft of other conditions, so it is important to have blood tests done to rule everything else out

[Hidden]

Hi denisenicholls,

Quite often people believe that the only sign of dementia is memory loss or that if you have memory loss it must be dementia, but it's much more complicated than that.

But if you, or someone you know is struggling with confusion and remembering things, that's a good starting point to seek professional help from a GP who can organize proper testing, starting with a memory check during a routine appointment.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Csllendersgal, my mum hets confused and has short term memory loss and is and she has been in hospital for a week. They took all her bloods, ECG, CT scan y ou name it mum has had the lot and all the results came back normal . However she is starting to drink better now but not eating enough. She has to have "high protein" similar to yoghurts and "multivitamin drinks" to build her strenth up but she only has couple of sips then says she's had enough. . At least she is ataying awake longer hours now and the nurses transfer her from bed to chair and she sits there a few hours. It takes two nurses to transfer her or stand her up and she is having physio in there. Mum said she is feeling slightly better, and she no longer feels she has the flu. In the meantime my dad is liasing wirh tge social services to get the equipment she will need at home when she is discharged.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Paula191,

That's really troubling for you and I think sometimes you just have to trust your instincts as to what is wrong when all the tests seem to be saying nothing is physically wrong. Of course confusion can set in with all sorts of illnesses, but you and your dad know your mum best, and because of that, your suspicions in the long term might well prove to be right.

It's really good though that your dad is preparing at home for your mum's return and that you are concerned and interested in her welfare.

The very best of luck going forward, and do come back and give us an update on how she's doing, some time in the future.

Very best wishes to all of you.

[FredaE]

There are many different types of dementia - all with different symptoms.Forgetting what you were going to do and people's names maybe dementia or they may be the sort of thing we all do. If you are worried you need a visit to your GP and an assessment.

[Rienij70]

My husband has vascular dementia. He started after he had an operation and stroke. Couldn’t sleep became aggressive than his short term memory went. But not all the time. And each day was different. He was very suspicious of me. Thinking I was going to put him into a home etc. Our GP at the time was marvellous he put him on medication to calm him down and help him sleep at night. He was tested in a memory clinic, had a scan and was diagnosed with Parkinism and vascular dementia. So I think it is different for each person. The aggression is now less thanks to his meds. Although his memory is a lot worse. Hope this helps. Take care. Rienij