Can anyone give me some advice please

elizabethsdaugh

Registered User
May 2, 2015
12
0
Hi

I have been trying to get mum a diagnosis for almost 12 months now and I'm not getting very far. So far we have attended 3 memory clinic appointments and her consultant has assessed mum as having a mild cognitive impairment, but mum's GP does not agree, he thinks mum has vascular dementia on the back of a TIA.

I have no idea what is wrong, but something is and mild cognitive impairment does not seem to be a reasonable assessment of mum's condition, but then everything I've read about vascular dementia says it progresses in steps, with periods of stability then followed by a decline. I don't see this in mum. I see a steady and speedy decline.

The change in mum since Christmas is scary. She cannot retain any sort of current information. She cannot remember what she did in the morning by the afternoon and now she is imagining things which are not true and she's doubling people up, like there is my brother in law and the other bloke (also my brother in law) and all her friends are doubled up, eg there is the "real" Julie the Julie double who lives by the actual person.

What worries me is that mum might have some sort of mixed dementia and that by not treating any Alzheimers element to her illness she is slipping away from us faster than need be if medication could slow things.

I may be asking the impossible here as I know there is no blue print when it comes to dementia, but could anyone who is caring for a person with a mixed dementia say if my mum's deterioration sounds like something they have experienced and if so is the person is they care for on any medication for Alzheimers?

I just keep remembering that advert about getting help asap and think I'm failing mum because I may not be getting her the help she needs.
 

curtainsgalore

Registered User
Nov 2, 2014
46
0
You don't say whether your Mother has had a brain scan. When my mum had her scan and blood tests the results was that she had mixed dementia. You could see blockages in the blood vessels that was the vascular dementia and shrinkage from the sides of the brain that was alziemers. It does sound like mixed dementia with the sudden decline,the alziemers society website has so much information about the types, treatments etc. and so many people here on Talking Point with a wealth of information.
Unfortunately for my Mum the only treatment was Mementane for already advanced alziemers. Push your Mums doctor for a scan and blood tests as the sooner she could get onto some medication the better, they don't work for everyone but it's worth a try.
You'll also know what you are up against and can start thinking about the future, POA ,social worker assessments,carers etc if any of this is relevant. Good luck and you're not alone
Christine
 

elizabethsdaugh

Registered User
May 2, 2015
12
0
Hi curtainsgalore

Thank you for such a fast response!

Mum had a scan around Easter, but the consultant cannot find it, he just keeps promising he'll locate the scan. I don't have much faith in his abilities.
 

Kjn

Registered User
Jul 27, 2013
5,833
0
Surely there must be a duplicate scan copy in his notes:confused:?
Anyway , perhaps could you push for another scan off the back of consultant having 'lost ' the other.
My dad has mixed dementia vasc/alz diagnosed 08. He is also on memantine but whether it's helping is another matter.
 

elizabethsdaugh

Registered User
May 2, 2015
12
0
Surely there must be a duplicate scan copy in his notes:confused:?
Anyway , perhaps could you push for another scan off the back of consultant having 'lost ' the other.
My dad has mixed dementia vasc/alz diagnosed 08. He is also on memantine but whether it's helping is another matter.

You'd think there would be something! During the last 2 appointments he has desperately hunted for the scan on his pc to no avail. You are right I will have to push for another otherwise it looks like we'll never get a proper diagnosis.
 

Tin

Registered User
May 18, 2014
4,820
0
UK
When mum had a scan and we were waiting to hear from memory clinic doctor, I talked to mum's gp really wanted a diagnosis, of course he was a bit guarded but eventually pulled up her scan on his computer and told me what he thought. Is it possible your mum's gp has results in his software?
 

irishmanc

Registered User
Jan 14, 2015
64
0
Manchester
Hi, sorry to hear your story. My Mum also has vascular dementia and has a history of TIAs. It's completely unacceptable for them to not be able to access her scans. It's hard to be insistent sometimes when you are dealing with the emotional side of the illness of a loved one but it sounds like you are going to have to insist on a new scan as it's really the only way to move forward with your situation.
 

Spiro

Registered User
Mar 11, 2012
534
0
but then everything I've read about vascular dementia says it progresses in steps, with periods of stability then followed by a decline. I don't see this in mum. I see a steady and speedy decline.

Have you looked at the latest AS factsheet on vascular dementia? It can be a slow decline - the factsheet was reviewed in November 2014.

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/402
 

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