Memory Loss - When to Worry and What to Do

Mirabilis

Mirabilis

Member
Location
South Florida
My mother is nearly 80 years old. Since last year, I have noticed little things like, she will tell you an anecdote and not even 5 minutes later she will tell it to you again. Then the following day she will repeat it like it is the first time. Is this Dementia? Alzheimer's? I can't tell.

I used to argue with her thinking that she was lying about things until I realized she forgets things. I asked her to take the word test (you give her a list of 12 items, wait for 10 minutes then ask her to list the items) and she did not remember any item on the list.

She forgets things so much that she is now worried about it but we are not sure how to approach seeing a physician. Does she ask to be referred to a Specialist? or is this the inevitable? Any advice on this from your experience will help.
 

I was just sitting here thinking about altzeimers, even looked up a site with 10 warning signs.

I am perplexed because I see these thing a lot, but how does a person know it's Altzeimers and not just "old age" setting in? I think it can be a habit to, one I have gotten into at times. It's easier to ask a question, then think about it for myself, or maybe just to make conversation I can't think of anything new, so I rehash something. It's a lot easier to ask a question of someone you think knows the answer, or will look it up on google for example, than have to think for yourself. Is there such a thing as being "too lazy to think?"

I know Altzeimers is a real disease, I am just wondering where you draw the line, or where it actually becomes a disease. I know kinda weird way to go about talking about it. Hope some feedback helps. Denise
 
Now that you mention "too lazy to think" I remember offering my parents some computer lessons. Mom said right away that her mind had way to much information to hold any more and refused to own a computer or learn anything about them. Dad (84) on the other hand, owns a computer, signed up for Facebook and added friends, subscribed to Youtube so he can add comments, plays DVDs, Skypes (webcam attached!) with long distance relatives and googles information. His memory is just fine.
 

You can check out the following link to WebMD which poses a couple of thoughts on the subject. http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/early-warning-signs-when-to-call-the-doctor-about-alzheimers?page=2

My Dad had Alzheimer's and it didn't dawn on me until maybe a year or even more as I did not pick up on my mother's telling me that he was calling everything "cookies". In my Mom's case, her memory loss appeared suddenly after a surgery she had when she was 88. Her brain did not handle the anesthesia well considering there was a need for a second surgery as she was breaking the stitches because she was struggling so violently. Neither my sister nor I gave it much thought until she remembered a surgery she had 10 years prior where my mother could not handle the heavy-duty pain killer drugs.


She has been diagnosed with Alzheimers because of other conditions including her diabetes. I'm not convinced it is specifically Alzheimer's, but it is most definitely a form of dementia.
 
Mirabilis said:
Now that you mention "too lazy to think" I remember offering my parents some computer lessons. Mom said right away that her mind had way to much information to hold any more and refused to own a computer or learn anything about them. Dad (84) on the other hand, owns a computer, signed up for Facebook and added friends, subscribed to Youtube so he can add comments, plays DVDs, Skypes (webcam attached!) with long distance relatives and googles information. His memory is just fine.
Click to expand...

Exactly, wasn't that long ago I started hearing/reading about "brain exercise". It makes perfect sense that a brain needs to be used/exercised. I hear and yes, I've said it too, "I don't want to think about it" or, I just want to do mindless, meaningless things. I agree our brains need rest, especially if all we are doing is worrying. But the elderly that seem the most "sharp" to me are so active. Like my 91 year old friend Alice. But I do understand Altzeimers IS a disease. I'm just trying to differentiate between that and having a lazy, inactive mind. And, by being lazy, does that bring Altzeimers on. I guess what I need to ask is what causes Altzeimers, do they know, anyone know the answer to that? I could google but it's easier to ask you guys, LOL!! Denise
 
No one knows what brings Alzheimer's on as yet and it appears there are many conditions associated with it that make it even harder to determine. The latest that I've read is that they are testing a blood test that appears to have a 90% accuracy rate to determine if you are prone to the disease. They don't feel they are ready to release it yet and are still testing it.
 
Mirabilis said:
My mother is nearly 80 years old. Since last year, I have noticed little things like, she will tell you an anecdote and not even 5 minutes later she will tell it to you again. Then the following day she will repeat it like it is the first time. Is this Dementia? Alzheimer's? I can't tell. I used to argue with her thinking that she was lying about things until I realized she forgets things. I asked her to take the word test (you give her a list of 12 items, wait for 10 minutes then ask her to list the items) and she did not remember any item on the list. She forgets things so much that she is now worried about it but we are not sure how to approach seeing a physician. Does she ask to be referred to a Specialist? or is this the inevitable? Any advice on this from your experience will help.
Click to expand...


She needs testing to determine just what is happening. Not sure how it works there in your area though. I've been in the UK for a decade now and we would go to our GP who would then refer us to a consultant (specialist).

Some info anyway:

[h=2]About dementia[/h]10 Early Signs and Symptoms of Alzheimer's
Find out what how typical age-related memory loss compares to early signs of Alzheimer's and other dementias.
Learn the signs.


Dementia is not a specific disease. It's an overall term that describes a wide range of symptomsassociated with a decline in memory or other thinking skills severe enough to reduce a person's ability to perform everyday activities.Alzheimer's disease accounts for 60 to 80 percent of cases. Vascular dementia, which occurs after a stroke, is the second most common dementia type. But there are many other conditions that can cause symptoms of dementia, including some that are reversible, such as thyroid problems and vitamin deficiencies.
Dementia is often incorrectly referred to as "senility" or "senile dementia," which reflects the formerly widespread but incorrect belief that serious mental decline is a normal part of aging.
Learn more: Common Types of Dementia, What is Alzheimer's?
[h=2]Memory loss and other symptoms of dementia[/h]
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Many people have memory loss issues — this does not mean they have Alzheimer's or another dementia
There are many different causes of memory problems. If you or a loved one is experiencing troubling symptoms, visit a doctor to learn the reason. Some causes of dementia-like symptoms can be reversed.

Learn more: Visiting Your Doctor
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While symptoms of dementia can vary greatly, at least two of the following core mental functions must be significantly impaired to be considered dementia:

  • Memory
  • Communication and language
  • Ability to focus and pay attention
  • Reasoning and judgment
  • Visual perception
People with dementia may have problems with short-term memory, keeping track of a purse or wallet, paying bills, planning and preparing meals, remembering appointments or traveling out of the neighborhood.
Many dementias are progressive, meaning symptoms start out slowly and gradually get worse. If you or a loved one is experiencing memory difficulties or other changes in thinking skills, don't ignore them. See a doctor soon to determine the cause. Professional evaluation may detect a treatable condition. And even if symptoms suggest dementia, early diagnosis allows a person to get the maximum benefit from available treatments and provides an opportunity to volunteer for clinical trials or studies. It also provides time to plan for the future.
Learn more: 10 Warning Signs, 7 Stages of Alzheimer's
Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter
Receive helpful tips on managing symptoms of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Subscribe now

[h=2]Causes[/h]
Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells. This damage interferes with the ability of brain cells to communicate with each other. When brain cells cannot communicate normally, thinking, behavior and feelings can be affected.
The brain has many distinct regions, each of which is responsible for different functions (for example, memory, judgment and movement). When cells in a particular region are damaged, that region cannot carry out its functions normally.
Take our interactive Brain Tour.
Different types of dementia are associated with particular types of brain cell damage in particular regions of the brain. For example, in Alzheimer's disease, high levels of certain proteins inside and outside brain cells make it hard for brain cells to stay healthy and to communicate with each other. The brain region called the hippocampus is the center of learning and memory in the brain, and the brain cells in this region are often the first to be damaged. That's why memory loss is often one of the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer's.
While most changes in the brain that cause dementia are permanent and worsen over time, thinking and memory problems caused by the following conditions may improve when the condition is treated or addressed:

  • Depression
  • Medication side effects
  • Excess use of alcohol
  • Thyroid problems
  • Vitamin deficiencies
[h=2]Diagnosis of dementia[/h]
subpage_dementia_diagnosis.jpg
There is no one test to determine if someone has dementia. Doctors diagnose Alzheimer's and other types of dementia based on a careful medical history, a physical examination, laboratory tests, and the characteristic changes in thinking, day-to-day function and behavior associated with each type. Doctors can determine that a person has dementia with a high level of certainty. But it's harder to determine the exact type of dementia because the symptoms and brain changes of different dementias can overlap. In some cases, a doctor may diagnose "dementia" and not specify a type. If this occurs it may be necessary to see a specialist such as a neurologist or gero-psychologist.
Learn more: Memory Tests
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Dementia help and support are available
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with dementia, you are not alone. The Alzheimer's Association is one of the most trusted resources for information, education, referral and support.
Call our 24/7 Helpline: 800.272.3900
Visit our online Alzheimer’s and Dementia Caregiver Center
Locate a support group in your community
Visit our Virtual Library
[h=2]Dementia treatment and care[/h]Treatment of dementia depends on its cause. In the case of most progressive dementias, including Alzheimer's disease, there is no cure and no treatment that slows or stops its progression. But there are drug treatments that may temporarily improve symptoms. The same medications used to treat Alzheimer's are among the drugs sometimes prescribed to help with symptoms of other types of dementias. Non-drug therapies can also alleviate some symptoms of dementia.
Ultimately, the path to effective new treatments for dementia is through increased research funding and increased participation in clinical studies. Right now, at least 50,000 volunteers are urgently needed to participate in more than 100 actively enrolling clinical studies and trials about Alzheimer's and related dementias.
Learn more: Medications for Memory Loss, Alternative Treatments for Alzheimer's
[h=2]Dementia risk and prevention[/h]Some risk factors for dementia, such as age and genetics, cannot be changed. But researchers continue to explore the impact of other risk factors on brain health and prevention of dementia. Some of the most active areas of research in risk reduction and prevention include cardiovascular factors, physical fitness, and diet.
Cardiovascular risk factors: Your brain is nourished by one of your body's richest networks of blood vessels. Anything that damages blood vessels anywhere in your body can damage blood vessels in your brain, depriving brain cells of vital food and oxygen. Blood vessel changes in the brain are linked to vascular dementia. They often are present along with changes caused by other types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. These changes may interact to cause faster decline or make impairments more severe. You can help protect your brain with some of the same strategies that protect your heart – don't smoke; take steps to keep your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar within recommended limits; and maintain a healthy weight.
Physical exercise: Regular physical exercise may help lower the risk of some types of dementia. Evidence suggests exercise may directly benefit brain cells by increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain.
Diet: What you eat may have its greatest impact on brain health through its effect on heart health. The best current evidence suggests that heart-healthy eating patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, also may help protect the brain. A Mediterranean diet includes relatively little red meat and emphasizes whole grains, fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish, and nuts, olive oil and other healthy fats.
Learn more: Brain Health
 
LogicsHere said:
No one knows what brings Alzheimer's on as yet and it appears there are many conditions associated with it that make it even harder to determine. The latest that I've read is that they are testing a blood test that appears to have a 90% accuracy rate to determine if you are prone to the disease. They don't feel they are ready to release it yet and are still testing it.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this Logics:)
 
I never had that good of a memory even when I was younger, but with Alzheimer's in my family, I'm very concerned about avoiding it in my future old age. I sometimes ask my husband first if I told him something already, so I don't repeat something he already heard. I think a lot of us might mention something twice, not remembering for sure if we already said it in the past. If there was any confusion about where I was, or what I was doing somewhere, that would be a big red flag. My aunt was just walking close to her house in the neighborhood, and had no idea where she lived. Here's just a bit about AD, and an old puzzle that Ozarkgal posted here on the forum awhile back...

http://www.natmedtalk.com/wiki/Alzheimer's_Disease
http://www.brl.ntt.co.jp/people/hara/fly.swf
 
Sorry to see your mum is suffering with memory problems, unfortunately memory loss can also be a side affect of taking Statin drugs, not to say that your Mum is taking,Statins.
 
Memory loss is a rare side effect of statins....don't panic, everybody.
muscle weakness etc is more common, as mentioned on a different thread.

It needs to be talked over with a doctor.
 
I have seen that movie twice, it's a real tear jerker.
I have a lot of memory loss which i am inclined to put down to not sleeping well, simple things i forget like the name of a film star or the name of a product, made me feel a bit better the other day when my 42 year old daughter couldn't remember the name of something:cool1:
 
I'm just thinking here, but I doubt that if I were given a list of 12 items and were asked to name them all after 10 minutes that I could do it either, even at 56.

Heck, I couldn't do it at 46 or 26, either - my brain just isn't wired that way.

We always have to be careful about the tests that we take and the way they are interpreted - all too often erroneous conclusions are drawn, whether by laymen or professionals.

When I go to the store and ask my room-mate if she needs anything, if it's anything more than two or three items I have to write it down; otherwise, it just disappears before I get to the store.

Certainly I'm an advocate of keeping the brain active as we age - there's really no excuse except stubbornness and unwillingness to do otherwise.
 
My sister, now aged 84, and diagnosed with Alzheimer's is in a nursing home. It all started a couple of years ago when she would phone me and we would have a conversation. She would phone me again a week later, and we would have exactly the same conversation. I knew something was wrong, so I pointed it out to my niece, who was her physical carer at the time.

After several tests, the diagnosis was made. She was in second stage of the Alzheimer's disease.

Since then she has deteriorated to the point where she no longer recognises her husband - as her husband - he is a lovely man. She thinks that her sons are her brothers and that her grandson is her son.

She does not recognise any of her brothers or sisters as her siblings.

She is doing OK in a nursing home environment, though she will get up and make remarks like "I have to get meat for breakfast". Or she will say things like she's frightened and is worried about her babies.

Her reality has slipped away to her youth.

It is a very real and invidious disease.
 
All the information that Gael provided you in her reply is very accurate.

I worked in a nursing home and people who had dementia would be forgetful about their most recent events. For example they may have difficulty remembering what they had eaten for breakfast that day. However they were very able to recall events from their life, years prior, in great detail. For example a crystal clear memory of the time they spent in the military or raising their children. They know who they are. They know where they are. They can look at a clock and tell you the time. In the medical profession they use the term 'the patient is alert to person, place and time'. It is common for this forgetfulness to happen to the elderly.

Alzheimer's patients were different. They had difficulty doing simple tasks. Found looking at a clock and telling the time difficult. They can be confused about what ordinary objects are. For example they may be looking at a magazine, see a photo of food and then try to pick it up off the page to eat it. They have trouble with words and expressing themselves verbally. For them, it's an overall decline in their cognitive abilities. Our duty was to help them be as healthy as possible. Whenever an Alzheimer's patient suffered an illness, they would almost surely suffer a further decline mentally once they recovered. If they remained healthy, they could stay at one particular stage of their disease for years.

It would be best to speak to your mother's physician about your concerns.
 
i_am_Lois said:
All the information that Gael provided you in her reply is very accurate.

I worked in a nursing home and people who had dementia would be forgetful about their most recent events. For example they may have difficulty remembering what they had eaten for breakfast that day. However they were very able to recall events from their life, years prior, in great detail. For example a crystal clear memory of the time they spent in the military or raising their children. They know who they are. They know where they are. They can look at a clock and tell you the time. In the medical profession they use the term 'the patient is alert to person, place and time'. It is common for this forgetfulness to happen to the elderly.

Alzheimer's patients were different. They had difficulty doing simple tasks. Found looking at a clock and telling the time difficult. They can be confused about what ordinary objects are. For example they may be looking at a magazine, see a photo of food and then try to pick it up off the page to eat it. They have trouble with words and expressing themselves verbally. For them, it's an overall decline in their cognitive abilities. Our duty was to help them be as healthy as possible. Whenever an Alzheimer's patient suffered an illness, they would almost surely suffer a further decline mentally once they recovered. If they remained healthy, they could stay at one particular stage of their disease for years.

It would be best to speak to your mother's physician about your concerns.
Click to expand...

That should be helpful to her, Lois. You speak from firsthand observation and experience.
 
Thank you for the link Logics. I just read it thoroughly and it addresses many of my concerns. Especially the part about going to the appointment with her so I can give the doctor some examples of what has been going on.
 
nan said:
Sorry to see your mum is suffering with memory problems, unfortunately memory loss can also be a side affect of taking Statin drugs, not to say that your Mum is taking,Statins.
Click to expand...

As a matter of fact she has suffered of high cholesterol levels for many years, in spite of excellent diet and fitness, and took statins for years until she had side effects.
 
grannyjo said:
My sister, now aged 84, and diagnosed with Alzheimer's is in a nursing home. It all started a couple of years ago when she would phone me and we would have a conversation. She would phone me again a week later, and we would have exactly the same conversation. I knew something was wrong, so I pointed it out to my niece, who was her physical carer at the time.

After several tests, the diagnosis was made. She was in second stage of the Alzheimer's disease.

Since then she has deteriorated to the point where she no longer recognises her husband - as her husband - he is a lovely man. She thinks that her sons are her brothers and that her grandson is her son.

She does not recognise any of her brothers or sisters as her siblings.

She is doing OK in a nursing home environment, though she will get up and make remarks like "I have to get meat for breakfast". Or she will say things like she's frightened and is worried about her babies.

Her reality has slipped away to her youth.

It is a very real and invidious disease.
Click to expand...

Well this is sounding awfully familiar to me. I appreciate sharing your experience - it is exactly what I was looking for. Mom is in that stage of telling the story over and over. I hear about this all the time but I never imagined I would one day have to worry about it.
 
Before concerning any drug use the safe way first B complex to help open blood veins and also omega 3 fatty acids to stop any blood clots from forming. Last of all what is the brain made of 75% cholesterol and the part that is affected by memory loss is 100% cholesterol so if your doctor has recommended statin or a cholesterol districted diet than tell your doctor he is responsible and you want your money back. Eat lots of eggs and your cholesterol will get in the healthy range of 220 -270 this is from a study done at the University of California with 300,000 people.
There is 4 main types of dementia 1 is senile dementia which is plugging and free radical damage in the veins 2 is Korsakoff’s Syndrome which is mistaken for Alzheimers by doctors and is a vitamin B1 deficiency 3 Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome which is Korsakoff syndrome and another problem 4 is Alzheimers which can only be diagnosis at death so any doctor saying a person has Alzheimers and still alive he is guessing in different studies large dose of vitamin E has shown memory to improve dramatically
If you throw in selenium and rebuild your cholesterol level. No one knows just how far back a person can come.
 

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