My mother has been unwell for a couple of months, the most obvious symptom is that her memory has gone. She can't remember if she's been out unless she looks in her diary. She sleeps most of the day, has stopped going out on her own or with friends, and will only go to do food shopping if my dad is with her. She's stopped going to the hairdresser (she used to go every week), and she can't hold a conversation any more. It was my birthday yesterday, and I was so thrilled that she remembered to phone me, but she couldn't seem to get off the phone quick enough and didn't even ask how my children were, and she loves her grandkids very much.
I live quite a distance from my parents and am having to rely on updates from my sister. She has told me that mum is on anti-depressants, and that blood tests have come back negative. My sister is planning on taking mum back to the doctor's in a couple of weeks time if she's no better, and insist on a second opinion - not that the doctor has really given an opinion, other than there doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with her.
I asked my sister if she thought mum had dementia or alzheimers, and she said that it definitely wasn't either of those as they don't come on so suddenly, which is how mum's deterioration has happened, it was almost overnight.
I was wondering if this is true or not? And if dementia/alzheimers only manifests itself slowly over time, does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong with my mother? She'll be 80 yrs old this year.
Thank you in advance for your help
I live quite a distance from my parents and am having to rely on updates from my sister. She has told me that mum is on anti-depressants, and that blood tests have come back negative. My sister is planning on taking mum back to the doctor's in a couple of weeks time if she's no better, and insist on a second opinion - not that the doctor has really given an opinion, other than there doesn't seem to be anything physically wrong with her.
I asked my sister if she thought mum had dementia or alzheimers, and she said that it definitely wasn't either of those as they don't come on so suddenly, which is how mum's deterioration has happened, it was almost overnight.
I was wondering if this is true or not? And if dementia/alzheimers only manifests itself slowly over time, does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong with my mother? She'll be 80 yrs old this year.
Thank you in advance for your help