New to the forum

[Dolly Dimple]

Hello, I'm new to this so hope I am in the right place.
Can any one help (don't know if this should be two threads so if I'm wrong sorry)
I have been persueded to take Mum for memory assessment and the first thing the lady there told Mum was that she had either altzheimers or vascular dementia. I was a little taken aback as she had not had a conversation with Mum at that point- could she tell from the blood test?
My second more general question is what is the difference between the terms dementia and altzheimers as both are bandied about and I'm confused?
Apologies for poor spelling, thanks in advance

 

[jaymor]

Hi Dolly,

I have answered your other post and have just come across this one.

Blood tests are part of a diagnosis and usually go along with scans, my husband had an MRI scan as well as blood tests. He also had a memory test carried out by a CPN.

An easy way to explain the differences is,

Dementia is the umbrella that all the different kinds of dementia shelter under. So someone can have dementia but it is diagnosed as Alzheimer's, the most common, then there is vascular, Lewy Bodies, Korsokof, etc. there are many more too. Sometimes there can be a mixture of two forms of dementia.

You need the diagnosis so that help can be given, support and medication. Not everyone has medication, but some of the troublesome symptoms can be helped with medication and it might take a time to find what is right for the individual.

Please use the forum and get the support you want,

Jay

 

[Dolly Dimple]

Thank you for your reply, I'm sorry it took so long to get back. That makes things a little clearer & I suppose once we have the scan results (soon) there will be a way forward. Just feeling a little glum as I'm losing the Mum I know but I realise from the posts I have seen on the forum that its not just me- time to "man-up" I guess, lots of very strong members here I will try to emulate

 

[Saffie]

Alzheimer's is usually diagnosed by all the other possible causes of dementia being ruled out after scans etc, as it doesn't show up on most scans used by the NHS. Whereas, Vascular dementia, the second most common kind, and other causes can usually be detected by the scans.

I would imagine the lady who said that your mother had Alzheimer's or vascular demetia said so because they are the two most common causes of dementia. I really cannot see that either could have been diagnosed by a blood test. However, a blood test can show conditions which can cause mental confusion, such as a lack if B12 or thyroid problems etc.

Sometimes a person's medical history can guide the consultant towards a diagnosis without the need for a scan and my husband was diagnosed with Vascular dementia as he had a history of long-term diabetes and Peripheral Vascular disease. Someone who had a history of strokes would doubtless be diagnosed similarly. He wasn't given a scan even though the consultant thought that there might be some Alzheimer's contributing too so prescribed Aricept for a while.

The only real difference that a diagnosis of Alzheimer's will make is that medication can be prescribed for it for a while whereas there is no medication for Vascular dementia.

 

[CJW]

Hello Dolly,
Looks like you are doing everything right and a proper diagnosis will help with medication. It also means you will get into the system and accessing the help you will need should be easier. Is your mother aware of the situation? Do you have financial and health and welfare Power of Attorney in place? If not you need to do this while your mother is capable of agreeing to it, as soon as possible. Be strong and take care...