Alcohol induced dementia-Sub Cortical

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
Hi does anyone have a diagnosis of subcortical dementia, not an alzheimers dementia but induced by alcohol abuse?

This is the diagnosis that my dad has been given, I have searched the internet but not found much. I have spoken to a lady who's info I found from Alcohol concern/Picks Disease site.

My dad was diagnosed in October and his decline has been rapid. The things that have happened are: he gave up washing and shaving, he used to go out but now can't understand how to use buses, he can't cook or even make cups of tea, he spits his tablets down the toilet, he can't understand how to get dressed, he needs to have complete instructions as to how to do anything, he stays in bed all day, he is a bit incontinent, he can be aggressive one minute and compliant the next, he hallucinates badly during the night, he wanders during the night, he can only engage with you for a very short period of time; sometimes only a few minutes. The list goes on.

The mental health team are working with him, at first they said they would work intensively with him for 6 weeks to try and engage him. This hasn't really worked apart from the fact that they have a male carer who comes in every morning and showers and shaves him, except I have had just had a call to say a new man went in and my dad refused to get up and speak to him. If a women is sent he won't let them in the house.

My dad spent a week in respite, he came home Thursday. His home was not so good, it was difficult to know what to do for the best. I was glad that he was in a safe environment and that there were staff on duty in a locked environment. However, he still didn't engage, only once did they manage to get him to the lounge and eat with the others. I had to take him home because it was only booked for a week, his social worker went on compassionate leave whilst he was in there and the SW manager was on holiday so no-one was around to agree extra funding. My dad said he wanted to go home so I had to take him. However, because of his confusion he didn't realise what home is, he quickly forgets any thing that you think is normal. He wandered around his house as if it was a brand new environment.

The hard thing about this dementia is that the alcohol abuse, over all the years I can remember, has created bad family relationships, he was very violent and abusive to my mum, my 2 brothers and 2 sisters and myself when we were growing up. The only reason I got involved in his care was because my mum was at home with him and I have been caring for her, she has heart failure and vascular dementia. She has been sent to a nursing home now but I am left entangled in his care. One of my brothers and one of my sisters are not interested in helping him and the the other two are supportive to me rather them him. As a human I don't want him to be living in such a state.

I suppose I am looking for some understanding of this situation. Although, my mum has quite progressed vascular dementia her symptons and support tactics are not even remotely the same as my dads.

Thanks for reading!
Heather
 

Skye

Registered User
Aug 29, 2006
17,000
0
SW Scotland
Oh dear, Heather, that sounds a dreadful situation for you, especially as the rest of the family are unwilling to help.

It's outside my experience, I'm afraid, I just wanted you to know that I care.

I don't know if you've found this factsheen on alcohol-induced dementia, but I hope you will find it helpful.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/438

I hope someone else with practical experience will be able to advise you. It's a noble thing you're doing, taking this on.

Love and respect,
 

Margarita

Registered User
Feb 17, 2006
10,824
0
london
Hi does anyone have a diagnosis of subcortical dementia, not an alzheimers dementia but induced by alcohol abuse?

My brother was told he has Korsakoff's syndrome as he also drank a lot. It confusing the symptom for me , because he also has another mental illness . But he has 24/7 support.


What is Korsakoff’s syndrome?

Korsakoff's syndrome is a brain disorder usually associated with heavy alcohol consumption over a long period. Historically it has also been called 'Korsakoff's psychosis', although this can be confusing, as there are no true psychotic symptoms in the medical sense. Sometimes it is referred to as 'alcohol amnestic syndrome' − 'amnestic' meaning loss of memory − although in rare cases alcohol is not the cause. Although Korsakoff's syndrome is not strictly speaking a dementia, people with the condition experience loss of short-term memory. This factsheet outlines the causes, symptoms and treatment of the syndrome.


http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?categoryID=200171&documentID=98
 
Last edited:

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
Thanks for info

Thanks for the fact sheet, I have been sent a copy of this one but it is good to know others have good info to hand.

Having read about Korsakoff's syndrome I know that my dad suffers a lot of this stuff but it isn't what he has been diagnosed with. I was hoping to speak to his SW this week to clarify this point but he is now unavailable, it is so annoying when they have another life outside of my family situation!

Thanks for responding will keep plugging away to try and get to the bottom of this nightmare xx
 

citybythesea

Registered User
Mar 23, 2008
632
0
57
coast of texas
Heather, I am glad to hear that you at least have support from your siblings for you, if not for him. My question is. ... Did this rapid decline start when your mother was no longer around for him? Perhaps he is distressed over her not being around and this is plunging him deeper into this problem. Depression has a way of escalating everything.


Hope everything gets straightened out for you soon.

HUGS

Nancy
 

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
Thanks

Thanks for your support Nancy, my dad was going down hill before my mum went into hospital but it has got worse since she was in.

Since he came out of respite his confusion and wandering has been so much worse. He has also stopped eating and drinking. I called his GP out yesterday and there are signs of his not eating and he has a urine infection. I spoke to the mental health team who visited him today. They decided that he needed to be admitted to the dementia unit at the local mental health ward. He agreed with them that he would go. They asked me to take him because they wanted him to go voluntarily rather to get guardianship over him. It was actually very distressing, the ward looked nice and the staff were great but it was distressing to see the levels of dementia behaviour. He kept asking me to take him home. We have been advised not to visit for a day or so will have some breathing space.

H
 

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
did I mention breathing space??

well, I have just had a call from the ward that my dad had fallen, cut his head and was going for a brain scan! He has been really agitated so I know he is annoyed at me. He has been wandering and banging windows to let him out. Thankfully, they said I didn't need to do anything they would sort it out but the anxious wait is not good. I am off to se my mum in her home, don't think I will mention it to her though.

Just as I thought I was getting some respite!!!!
 

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
an update

Just to let you know that my dad has taken a turn for the worse. The nurse in the mental health unit spoke to me today to say his kidneys are failing as he isnt really drinking. They are going to try and sedate him tonight so that they can put a drip up over night. Then she started asking me what we thought about resuscitation and active care. This was a real shock to me, my mind is set that I don't want active treatment for him, he is never going to be any better and his quality of life is bad now so what would be the point of treatment?

It is a weird place we find ourselves in, I have cared for my terminally ill mum, with vascular dementia for three years and now my dad may actually die before her.

I don't know whether I am coming or going!!
Hx
 

jenniferpa

Registered User
Jun 27, 2006
39,442
0
Oh dear Heather.

For what it's worth, I think you're making the correct decision. It's really a question, I think, if what is being done or proposed will extend life or extend the process of dying. If the latter most of us would choose the option that avoided that.

Take care
 

Scottie45

Registered User
Jan 25, 2009
1,409
0
CoAntrim
Dear Heather777

So sorry to hear what is happening with your dad,this is just to let you know my thoughts and prayers are with you.Please take care Marian x
 

Vonny

Registered User
Feb 3, 2009
4,584
0
Telford
Dear Heather,

My heart goes out to you. I'm the widow of an alcoholic so I know a little of what you and your family must have been through and what a turmoil you must be in now. In my case it all happened very quickly at the end. From reading your post of your dad's symptoms I now wonder if my husband was also suffering from alcohol induced dementia while still alive. He clearly had mental health problems which he wouldn't acknowledge until the last few months before his death. He too had a fall and was air lifted to the North Staffs hospital which specialises in brain problems. The doctor told me and my sister-in-law that there was < 1% chance of him surviving an op and even less than that of him making a meaningful recovery as besides the haemorrage his kidneys were failing, like your dad's. We opted to switch off life support. It was an easy decision at the time, it was only afterwards that the doubt set it if we'd done the right thing and I spent 3 years beating myself up. Please don't you do the same. Prolonging his life would have only prolonged his and our agonies.

Sending you big hugs and best wishes

Vonny xxx
 

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
Thanks

Thanks for your responses, it is just good to have a place to write about the rubbish situation I find myself in. My dad was sedated but pulled the drip out last night, they are going to try again but who knows? They have said that they would normally send them into the main hospital to be treated but think he is beyond that. It is a bad time today in it all. My mum is also so unwell with all of her health issues. I have attempted to work today but my mind is all over the place. I keep thinking should my mum go and see him, but she seems to ill to move. When you ask her she says yes but she doesn't even realise what I asked her ten minutes later.

I feel very frustrated it about the whole thing today!!! Oops maybe it isn't good to be posting in this frame of mind, sorry :eek:
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,444
0
Kent
Dear Hazel

Oops maybe it isn't good to be posting in this frame of mind, sorry
Please do not apologize for posting in whatever frame of mind. No-one expects you to be dancing with joy with all you are worrying about.

I doubt it would help either of your parents to see each other at the moment. They both sound too poorly to even be aware of each other.

And you are trying so hard to make things right.

Look after yourself . You are also in a bad place just now.
 

Heather777

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
267
0
Bristol
another update

Hi all, things appear to moving at a fast pace with my dad. Yesterday I was told that my dads kidney function had worsened and they were going to take him into the local hospital for fluids. I did say I wasnt happy about this because their care of my mums dementia a few weeks before was terrible. In the end they had a big team meeting and said that they weren't going to send him.

It appears that they can't do anything else for him. Even if they get fluids in his dementia will still mean he won't eat and drink and so this situation will keep occurring. We have decided to make him comfortable and have said that they don't think he has got longer than two weeks left.

I had to tell my mum yesterday, I was surprised how upset she got. I am taking her in to see him today to say her goodbyes. Another tough day ahead.
Heather
 

Grannie G

Volunteer Moderator
Apr 3, 2006
81,444
0
Kent
I`m so sorry to hear this.
I hope you will be strong enough to get through it without it taking too much toll on you.
 

Vonny

Registered User
Feb 3, 2009
4,584
0
Telford
Dear Heather, so sorry to hear the news about your dad.

You'll bave to be strong for your mum, it won't be pleasant but she needs you. We're all here for you :)

Hugs and best wishes to you all

Vonny xxx
 

tillygirl

Registered User
Jan 7, 2009
211
0
Tyneside
Dear Heather,

Even though you knew that your Dad's health was declining rapidly this must have been quite a shock to hear. I am so sorry for you and your Mum. It is good that you have each other for strength in the time ahead.

Tilly
 

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