Brain Scan

[helennicole]

Hi

I have just registered but have been reading the forum for several months.

I am most concerned about my husband, aged 65 and retired from teaching. He has for some time been showing increasingly irrational and aggressive behaviour, mainly directed towards me.

He has lost all computer skills and has been unable to learn how to use a mobile phone.

I went to see his GP last year and she was qute dismissive towards me and seemed to think that all his problems were alcohol related.

He does drink a fair bit and I have been trying to monitor his intake and certainly his difficult behaviour is aggravated by alcohol but I still feel there is underlying dementia of some form.

I have an appointment for both of us to see another GP in the practice next week. He would probably perform satisfactorily in the 'memory test'. Would a brain scan show if there is dementia and can I request one?

Any advice most welcome.

HN

 

[Sandy]

Hi helennicole,

Welcome to Talking Point (TP).

As your husband is 65, if he were to be diagnosed with some form of dementia, he would be considered a younger person with dementia (YPWD).

It can be quite difficult to get an accurate diagnosis for a YPWD. Some members of TP have said that it took years to get the actual diagnosis of dementia.

When diagnosing dementia, the doctors will rely in a number of things: assessment tests for the person with suspected dementia (from the simple MMSE to more sophisticated neurological/psychological tests given by specialists), brain imaging studies and also observations made by friends and family regarding changes in behaviour.

The Alzheimer's Society has a very good factsheet on the process of diagnosis:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/426

There is also a specific factsheet on YPWD:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/440

Since you mentioned alcohol, it might be worth looking at this one form of dementia which is associated with excessive drinking:

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

Another form of dementia than affects younger people at higher rates is Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) which can also include personality changes:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/404

The best thing that you can do is to keep a diary of the changes that you have noted in your husband's behaviour.

What does your husband think by the way? Does he have any insight into the changes that you have noticed?

Take care,

 

[pete kelly]

Hi, My name is Pete.
My wife Susie who was 52 had a GP memory test which was not to bad, yet our GP wanted to make sure what the problem was ,Susie had a specialist come to our house and carry out the test,he was convinced there and then Susie had dementia, he then arranged for a series of test at two hospitals close to us ,she had a brain scan. and electrode memory test, and finally she had a radiological specialist test at Deriford hospital in Plymouth.

This meant Susie having to have Radio Active chemical injected into her vein, then had to lie perfectly still in this scanner for about half an hour, where they took 16 photo's of each side of the brain,
she was not allowed to go to sleep or open her eyes during this test. the photo's are scanned togeather which then conclusevly confirmed her diognosis,

Make sure your GP is on the ball as ours was and has been since then which was 5 years ago, she regularaly see's me as well to ensure I am coping ok, we can not thank our GP for her dedication, care,and understanding to both of us, plus the specialist keeps in touch ensuring we are both ok, in this respect we are very fortunate

good luck and keep in touch

 

[helennicole]

Thanks for your replies Sandy and Pete.

I really feel so alone in coping with my husbands aggression and difficult behaviour as I don't think any friends or family really understand what is happening.

hn

 

[melly]

Husbans aggression

Helen. Do not suffer this alone,request an appointment with a different GP, do you have any support from a close friend, it is so difficult coming to terms with the illness, yet once you have a clear diagnosis you can start to move foreward,in dealing with what the future holds for you both, do not leave it to long,as there is medication that might help in the early stages, it is not a cure though, I do hope you keep in contact with my dad Pete who wrote to you and let us know how you are getting on,

Best of luck,and will be thinking of you

 

[jc141265]

I agree with everyone else, that you should go ahead and seek further assistance and assessment from another doctor.

I would warn however not to pin all your hopes on a brain scan. A brain scan may not be conclusive in the early stages of dementia unfortunately, the only reason my father's doctor knew there was something wrong with Dad's brain from his brain scan was because it was just fortunate that he had had a brain scan some 10 years earlier after his sister had died from a brain tumour and as a result the doctor was able to compare the two scans and see that his brain had changed.

Perhaps it might be a good idea when you do see the next doctor, if they think your husband is performing 'normally' in any cognitive or memory tests to ask them to at least perform the tests, and keep them on record so that you too can be reassured that there is not continuing decline.

If the alcohol is contributing to a decline in cognitive abilities this is not an excuse for a doctor to dismiss the case, as permanent and worsening dementia can be caused by excessive alcohol intake.

Best of luck, if you need people to talk to about your fears, TP is always here.

 

[Bookworm]

The Alzheimer's Society has a very good factsheet on the process of diagnosis:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/426

There is also a specific factsheet on YPWD:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/440

Since you mentioned alcohol, it might be worth looking at this one form of dementia which is associated with excessive drinking:

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

Another form of dementia than affects younger people at higher rates is Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) which can also include personality changes:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/404

Thanks Sandy - even though I've been here nearly a year I hadn't seen all those fact sheets (or if I have I'd forgotten how clear and useful they are) & it helped seeing them, x

 

[Countryboy]

Hi Pete I had similar MRI scans at Department of Nuclear Medicine Derriford Hospital the first scan in Feb 2003 called:
Single Photon Emission Tomography-Brain HMPAO
the second scan March 2004 called: Brain-Cerebral Perfusion
these were arranged by my Consultant at the Mental Health Unit.
I saw my GP in Oct/Nov 1999 who sent me to the then memory clinic and that was the one and only time my illness was discussed with my GP I have visits with my Consultant who then writes to my GP in order to get my prescription of Aricept

 

[sah]

Hi.
My husband was diagnosed last year at 59 - also a teacher. Do be careful if they offer you a memory test and leave it at that. My husband had a second one this week-a year after all the initial diagnosis ones and it doesn't really show up the problems I see he has. He can sail through tests like this as -being an ex Head of English who was also responsible for all the CATs testing in the area-they are very familiar.

It also didn't help when the nurse left the three items he had to remember in full view-one of which was her glasses which she then put back on - and he used visual clues to remember them after he said he couldn't-so passed!I'm expecting his score to be high-and not reflecting what problems he has in day to day life.

I also have a colleague whose husband has gone downhill very quickly and is now in care-and that has been diagnosed as dimentia through long term alcohol. The cause should not matter-the outcome is what matters so your GP should certainly not dismiss this.

I would follow earlier advise and see another GP; contact the local AS -they will help. Once you have a clear idea of what you are dealing with, you can then plan/get proper advice.

Hugs coming your way.

Sah.xxx