CHE Standards

Joann Said:

Q's for any 1 got a good information about familial Alzheimer's disease?

We Answered:

I am very interested in Alzheimer's and at 66 I could worry myself silly if I allowed it. My great grandfather, my grandfather, and my daddy all had Alzheimer's. There is a hereditary link to the disease. Researchers are working hard to find out more about it and I just saw on TV that they are developing better ways of catching it early. However, it's one of those things that at this time can't be stopped, can't be cured and is an awful thing. It is harder for the caregiver than for the patient as the person with Alzheimer's loses the ability to think clearly and reason and eventually they aren't even aware they have it. Since there's really no way to prevent it, I have tried to NOT WORRY about it. However, I do take time every day to exercise my brain. I play lots of puzzle games on the net; I do jigsaw puzzles, word games, and read a lot of news articles. I research new and interesting things all the time to keep my thinking skills sharp. I read a lot, crochet from new patterns and try new recipes. I spend time every day with my family and friends. I am writing a book about my life to keep my memory active. All these things help keep my brain active and surely can't hurt. I'm hoping it helps. I am a licensed Alzheimer's caregiver and it's a bit funny that my focus now that I'm disabled is to prevent getting the disease myself.

Loretta Said:

A patient that has Alzheimer's disease was lied to by a doctor to protect the patient. What do you think?

We Answered:

i understand that she justified her decision to lie to the patient in order to prevent him from killing himself, but lying to a patient still sounds illegal to me, however justified. more importantly though, it sounds like this patient should receive some counseling of some kind.

Marie Said:

How are Cases of Alzheimer's disease confirmed?

We Answered:

Alzhiemer's Disease is diagnosed by some tests performed by the doctor that involve memory function. there are several stages and the first is Dementia. short term memory is affected but long term is still intact. they will access by the kinds of questions asked and signs and symptoms, acording to the level of severity.

Rachel Said:

Can anybody make a diagnosis for the following symptoms experienced by a 72 –year old man?

We Answered:

Hmmm well it sounds like he has OCD and he has regressed to his younger days... If he is like this more than half the time I would say he does not suffer from being bipolar because bipolar is nothing more than being down and depressed then having bouts of manic behavior like grandure and spending money he does not have, doing dangerous things because he feels like he can without being hurt...

I dont know for sure but it seems as though he should see someone else and have a second opinion.

Harold Said:

Aricept as a treatment for Alzheimer's, does it help anybody?

We Answered:

First of all, my heart goes out to you. My mother suffered from Alzheimer's also. My mother was also an intelligent woman who began showing signs of forgetfulness at first. It was soon diagnosed as dementia. She too was prescribed Aricept. In my mother's experience it did not seem to help at all either. She was on it for about 4 years. I too probably read every book available about Alzheimer's Disease. What I also learned was that stressful events (whether family issues, living situations, health issues or simply changes in their daily routine) seem to accelerate the progression of the disease. I also strongly believe that there are hereditary factors involved, as my grandmother displayed similar symptoms when I was a child (but back then it was called senility).
Multi-infarct dementia, also known as vascular dementia such as you describe, is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer disease in the elderly. The term refers to a group of syndromes caused by different mechanisms all resulting in vascular lesions in the brain. Early detection and accurate diagnosis are important, as vascular dementia is at least partially preventable. This type of demetia is related to strokes and often goes unnoticed in it's early stages. I believe that my mother also had this type of demenia because she later suffered from more apperant strokes. Did your mother show signs of "mini" strokes in the years proceeding her diagnsis?
After the onset of my mom's diagnosis she lived for another 5-6 years. Her experience was progressive. She went from being very physically abled yet unable recall recent events along with difficulty in following instructions to becoming bedridden and unable to eat on her own. Eventually, she no longer recognized family and friends including me, with whom she lived with. During the last 6 month's of her life she could no longer talk.
Whatever the cause or reasoning behind such a scary and heartbreaking disease, I do hope that science can someday find a cure or even better treatment of the disease. It really is a devistating illness, not only to the person experiencing it but also to their family and friends.
Take care.

Benjamin Said:

What is the criteria for a "official" diagnosis? Does it have to be a disease?

We Answered:

If you are unhappy with one diagnosis- consult other doctors.
When it comes to health you are your own best advocate.
GOOD LUCK.