Confused now what exact diagnosis is!

[Hbick]

I can't stop thinking that the doc at the Memeory Clinic said last week that dad's CT scan showed signs of mini strokes (TIAs). He then said 'mild dementia' and he definately mentioned 'Alzheimer's'. I have looked at the different types of dementia on AS website and read about 'mixed dementia' (vascular dementia with Alzheimer's too). He has been prescribed Donepezil (Aricept) which AS factsheet said coud be prescribed if Alzheimer's was leading. Does the fact that CT scan showed TIAs definately mean vascular dementia? He doesn't fit any of the profile for strokes - although he had a fall a few weeks ago and ended up in hospital for a few days where confusion was dreadful. He couldn't remember falling or how he got home either. Now I'm confused!

 

[zeeeb]

has he been booked in for any further scans (MRI or SPECT?) from what I gather, the CT is the first, and least comprehensive, and they would then go onto probably a SPECT scan and a neuropsych appointment to get a fuller picture of exactly whats up.

Sounds like your diagnosis is not complete. Try not to stress until you get the final diagnosis, because my mum was told everything from menopause, stress, depression, parkinsons, before she got an alzheimers diagnosis.

It's not an easy, nor a short process, and it is stressful, i feel for you.

 

[jacque]

hi

my dad was also diagnoised with mild/moderate mixed dementia, consultant explained his scan showed the mini strokes. iconfused also, my dad hasnt drunk alchol and hasnt smoked in 37 yrs, always out walking good diet and was up til the last yr and half was swimming.not blood tests ecg etc showed anything wong pysicaly with him . my dad is 83,ii asked a friend who is a nurse i still havent an answer, sori. but i was told that dad dodnt r isint in any pain. i felt guilty that he was experiening these this and we didnt no, also dad wouldnt have been aware either, sori im no help , but im there where u are , xxxxxxx

 

[FifiMo]

Sometimes I think that with people who present with a mixture of symptoms that a specific diagnosis can be difficult. Some forms of dementia are more specific and have symptoms that allow a more definitive diagnosis. With my mother, for example, she started off with vascular dementia, then it was dementia with lewy bodies, then it was alzheimers, then it was mixed dementia. In our experience however, what is the most important thing is to get the diagnosis of dementia, irrespective of what type of dementia it is. It is this diagnosis that then opens up the support network, establishes the entitlement/need for a care package perhaps, medication, regular check ups and things like that. As you will see mentioned on here many times, the dementia path is very much a personal one with each person progressing in their own particular way and at their own particular pace. For this reason, from my experience, the priority is to focus on the issues that the person has at any particular time and if they need medical attention etc then address these things as they happen. It is nigh on impossible to predict what the future might bring and we found that this was the frustrating thing and that we spent a huge amount of energy pondering all the "what ifs". In the end up the family agreed that mum had "dementia" and that we'd just focus on what her needs were and i have to say that this took away a lot of the stress not only for us but also for mum as she wasn't getting trailed from pillar to post trying to get medical definitions for things which, in the bigger picture, just didn't really matter at the end of the day.

Others on here might not agree with how we approached things, and i'm just sharing our story to put a different perspective on things that might be of help to you.

Fiona
x

 

[strawberrywhip]

Fiona,
I couldn`t agree more, that was our experience, initially we were desperate for a definitive diagnosis, and to clarify the whys and wherefores, but ultimately we accepted the broad diagnosis of Dementia which then enabled us to start to put in place the care she needed, and for us to accept what was happening to her.

 

[Hbick]

Thanks everyone. I suppose as the doc said 'Dementia' and he is under the care of the Memory Clinic we shall just wait and see what they have to say when someone visits in a couple of weeks.

 

[SWMBO1950]

Hi

My mother has never had a scan. She has had several MMSE and now scores below 10 but I view these as merely a guide. The fact that she has the memory of a goldfish and is unable to do anything for herself is enough for me. I read up on dementia a lot and according to the 7 signs she is at number 6.

Fortunately she has no strange behaviour traits so that has to be a bonus.

I think you have to go with what works for you. My mum is however well cared for and to me that is all that matters.

Best Wishes with you Dad x

 

[Saffie]

My mother has never had a scan.

Neither did my husband. Vascular dementia was diagnosed on account of his history of long term diabetes and peripheral artery disease (no strokes) with possible Alzhemer's as well tho' this was mainly so that he could qualify for Aricept. Whether the aricept helped I doubt but he thought it did. I do think that the value of scans is more to rule out a diagnosis rather than to rule one in. As FifiMo says it is the 'Dementia' diagnosis that is important in the main and which opens some doors but even then not that many. The prescribing of Aricept does hinge on an Alzheimer's diagnosis but seeing that it doesn't show up on scans, again it is a case of ruling out other causes for which Aricept is of no value.

 

[cobden28]

From what I remember about my late mother-in-law, Eileen had had a series of TIA's which I understand NOW can be thecause of vascular dementia. I was at her hospital bedside when the diagnosis of vascular dementia was given; she had had this series of TIA's, but we were just not made aware of the importance of this.

Equally so I've had two TIA's myself but I am dementia-free. I'm 56.