Hopefully this may help someone

[tbsmum]

A few months ago I was at my wit's end and took great comfort from the advice I received here. My husband was behaving really irrationally and our doctor was sure it was dementia. He had a memory test but refused to have a CT scan.

After about a month things settled down - I'd read that in the early stages symptoms can come and go but was surprised that after 4 months he was still cheerful and calm. Then he kicked off again for no apparent reason and I wracked my brain to think of any similarities between the 2 episodes.

Then it dawned on me. For around 3 years we had both been taking a daily vitamin+mineral tablet. About 10 days before the first episode he stopped taking them, saying they didn't do anything for him and he was taking more than enough tablets (he has COPD). Eventually he started taking them again and after a few days all was calm. The second episode was a repeat - he stopped them because he'd read in the papers that they were a waste of money. Then 10 days later he was irrational and very bad-tempered again. Once I'd made the connection I tried to convince him to take them and was almost at the stage of crushing them up and putting them in his dinner when luckily he agreed to take them. A week later - peace restored.

His memory is rubbish and he does have some confusion but he is happy in himself and a pleasure to live with again. If this can help just one person it'll have been worth posting.

 

[Casbow]

A few months ago I was at my wit's end and took great comfort from the advice I received here. My husband was behaving really irrationally and our doctor was sure it was dementia. He had a memory test but refused to have a CT scan.

After about a month things settled down - I'd read that in the early stages symptoms can come and go but was surprised that after 4 months he was still cheerful and calm. Then he kicked off again for no apparent reason and I wracked my brain to think of any similarities between the 2 episodes.

Then it dawned on me. For around 3 years we had both been taking a daily vitamin+mineral tablet. About 10 days before the first episode he stopped taking them, saying they didn't do anything for him and he was taking more than enough tablets (he has COPD). Eventually he started taking them again and after a few days all was calm. The second episode was a repeat - he stopped them because he'd read in the papers that they were a waste of money. Then 10 days later he was irrational and very bad-tempered again. Once I'd made the connection I tried to convince him to take them and was almost at the stage of crushing them up and putting them in his dinner when luckily he agreed to take them. A week later - peace restored.

His memory is rubbish and he does have some confusion but he is happy in himself and a pleasure to live with again. If this can help just one person it'll have been worth posting.

As long as it helps you that is good. Maybe there is a connection. Maybe some would like to try the vitamin and minerals tablets. All these things are worth a try. My husband is in a nursing home so I think its a bit late for him. My best wishes that this works for you.xx

 

[karaokePete]

A vitamin supplement is unlikely to help with dementia.

However, things like a B12 vitamin deficiency can cause dementia like symptoms. Indeed, it's the norm to be checked for this when one first presents to a GP. Was your husband checked by way of blood tests? It could be that a specific deficiency needs to be addressed and that is why the supplement helps.

 

[Pipeth]

My OH is to have vitimin B12 injections and is now taking vitamin B complex pills advised by neurologist recently.

 

[PalSal]

My OH had B12 injections in the early days. It didnt hurt, but it was not a cure. Perhaps it slowed things down. Some days I think our efforts to slow things down was a good thing, I other days I am not so sure, I have not prolonged the agony. Who knows.

 

[Starbright]

My OH had B12 injections in the early days. It didnt hurt, but it was not a cure. Perhaps it slowed things down. Some days I think our efforts to slow things down was a good thing, I other days I am not so sure, I have not prolonged the agony. Who knows.[/QUOTE

I too am not so sure ..but I suppose we will never know , so we just carry on doing our best .
Kind regards ...A