Addenbrookes Assessment

[judith preece]

I have just received a letter from my consultant saying that I scored 87 out of 100 for the test

why do they want me to have an ECG and cat scan

I have temporal lobe epilepsy which is not controlled

Thanks

 

[nitram]

There are several Addenbrooke's tests.
A score of 87 is marginal in most, 88 is usually the cut of point.
Interpretation has to take into account scores in the various sections.

As you have epilepsy they want to do a CAT scan to examine your brain for any damage or scarring.

The information obtained from the ECG may also show abnormalities symptomatic of your epilepsy.

Most clinicians are happy to explain the purpose of any tests, you have to understand them in layperson's terms to be able to give informed consent for them to be performed.

 

[oldman1952]

ACE R and me

I have just received a letter from my consultant saying that I scored 87 out of 100 for the test

why do they want me to have an ECG and cat scan

I have temporal lobe epilepsy which is not controlled

Thanks

Hello Judith and nitram, for a few years now my mental cognitive changes have been slow but very marked. I am an ex RMN and have specialised in care of the older person.

When I say my cognitive abilities have been getting worse, because I can remember a charge nurse that just did not understand my out of the box thinking. This was about 12 years ago and she kept going on about my poor handovers and not passing on important information to the next shift.

For the past 2 years my memory has deteriorated drastically and as I am retired I do HEART START courses as an instructor. Some courses it really flows and I never miss any thing out, however some days I have severe problems initiating speech. I can see words going down a big, big tunnel and never to return.

My GP sent me to the memory clinic and I was seen by the CPN, who conducted the Addenbrook's ACE R test on me. Wait for this I scored 79 (OUCH!!!) 86 is the cut off point for people with considerable cognitive changes suggesting FTL dementia. If I scored 79 I am severely mentally impaired. I am going for a CT scan in a few days time and have quite a few more assessments to go through. I am also having bad physical symptoms akin to motor neurone disease. I just can't wait for the scan results!

Judith you say that you have fronotemporal epilepsy that is not controlled. You most probably have some degree of frontal lobe atrophy (shrinkage) of your brain cells. Each time you have a TC fit you loose some more neurones and the brain continues to shrink.

The ECG helps the doctors to treat your epilepsy and the CT scan shows the neurologist how much the brain has shrunk if at all. So Judith you just go for it because it is better to know than being kept in the dark. Best regards Peter.

 

[judith preece]

There are several Addenbrooke's tests.
A score of 87 is marginal in most, 88 is usually the cut of point.
Interpretation has to take into account scores in the various sections.

As you have epilepsy they want to do a CAT scan to examine your brain for any damage or scarring.

The information obtained from the ECG may also show abnormalities symptomatic of your epilepsy.

Most clinicians are happy to explain the purpose of any tests, you have to understand them in layperson's terms to be able to give informed consent for them to be performed.

Thank you for this information I am due to have a ct scan today

 

[judith preece]

Hello Judith and nitram, for a few years now my mental cognitive changes have been slow but very marked. I am an ex RMN and have specialised in care of the older person.

When I say my cognitive abilities have been getting worse, because I can remember a charge nurse that just did not understand my out of the box thinking. This was about 12 years ago and she kept going on about my poor handovers and not passing on important information to the next shift.

For the past 2 years my memory has deteriorated drastically and as I am retired I do HEART START courses as an instructor. Some courses it really flows and I never miss any thing out, however some days I have severe problems initiating speech. I can see words going down a big, big tunnel and never to return.

My GP sent me to the memory clinic and I was seen by the CPN, who conducted the Addenbrook's ACE R test on me. Wait for this I scored 79 (OUCH!!!) 86 is the cut off point for people with considerable cognitive changes suggesting FTL dementia. If I scored 79 I am severely mentally impaired. I am going for a CT scan in a few days time and have quite a few more assessments to go through. I am also having bad physical symptoms akin to motor neurone disease. I just can't wait for the scan results!

Judith you say that you have fronotemporal epilepsy that is not controlled. You most probably have some degree of frontal lobe atrophy (shrinkage) of your brain cells. Each time you have a TC fit you loose some more neurones and the brain continues to shrink.

The ECG helps the doctors to treat your epilepsy and the CT scan shows the neurologist how much the brain has shrunk if at all. So Judith you just go for it because it is better to know than being kept in the dark. Best regards Peter.

Thank you Peter for all this information and reassurance.

I am due to have a ct scan today and ecg later this coming week.

I hope everything goes well for you with your tests

Take care x

 

[Cat27]

I hope the scan goes well.

 

[judith preece]

I hope the scan goes well.

Thank you

 

[oldman1952]

Hi Judith, it is now a year after the CT scan and I was forgotten about by the team that should have been looking after me and my problems. I got a letter from a new psychiatrist last month and went to see her. She was quite mystified about the inefficiency of the last doctor. She said that she was going to show the CT scan and all the other information to a senior consultant and get back to me. I received a call in the week and I got slightly confused to who she was talking about because a few days earlier I had gone to outpatients memory clinic with a friend. I thought she was talking about him, but she wasn't she was speaking about me. (oops) She told me that the other consultant had reviewed the evidence and he concluded that I have a diagnosis of early onset dementia. I knew there was something wrong but did anyone listen to me? NO. I am now going to start a trial medication that helps cognitive functioning and mental planning. Take care. Peter.

 

[Shedrech]

my gosh oldman1952
what an omission to make - really glad your current consultant is on the ball
I hope you get all the support you need
good luck with the trial medication - do let us know how it goes for you
best wishes

 

[oldman1952]

my gosh oldman1952
what an omission to make - really glad your current consultant is on the ball
I hope you get all the support you need
good luck with the trial medication - do let us know how it goes for you
best wishes

Hi Judith, on looking back some 15 or so years ago my wife and I were talking about things that happened at that time. We lost so many friends because of my behaviour towards them. Nonsensically accusing them of stealing things from me and being very rude and acting in a disinhibited way towards them. I also had problems with dysphasia, unable to finish or start a conversation, it made me look stupid. After re-reading the diagnosis from the consultant a year ago again, he was considering Fronotemporal dementia and Frontal version of Alzheimer's type dementia. That would fit nicely into the box for the problems I was having then. My physical health has really suffered badly in those years. I also suffer from dysphagia and have been seen by several ENT specialists without diagnosis. However I have been diagnosed by the speech and language therapist. I wonder if you have any thoughts regarding our thoughts about being diagnosed at a very late stage of the disease and what is the prognosis now if it was diagnosed 15 years top late. By the way I was a mental health nurse in elderly assessment and diagnosis.

 

[oldman1952]

I have just received a letter from my consultant saying that I scored 87 out of 100 for the test

why do they want me to have an ECG and cat scan

I have temporal lobe epilepsy which is not controlled

Thanks

Hi Judith, did I tell you that I also took the assessment but the new Ace111 and I scored 77. Regarding my last thread to you, my CPN stated there was this new medication that could slow down the progression of the disease quite dramatically. I nearly fell off my chair laughing. I got the prescription and took it to my pharmacy and collected it. It was ARICEPT one of the oldest acetyl-cholinergic-esterase going. I think someone should get there head in some psychco-pharmaceutical books for their next NMC review.