My Partner suffers with Spinal Stenosis and is often in excruciating pain on a daily basis. It has taken over his life (he's 80 years old).
He drinks quite a lot of alcohol and has done for the last 30 years, but is not an alcoholic.
My concern is that his character and personality is changing. He becomes easily irritated and impatient when once he was quite a calm and reasonable person. He also finds it difficult to focus on what he's doing. More worryingly, he will forget something I've told him only hours previously, and, when certain things are pointed out to him - he will grasp the wrong end of the stick and miss the point that's being made
On the plus side, he's very well versed in world politics - knows the names of obscure leaders in various countries, and is still able to work as a technical consultant for the oil industry, giving vital information for the safe functioning of high pressure equipment, although he's sometimes slow in finding the right words to express himself - but his calculations are always accurate and technically sound.
My question is - should I be worried and talk to his doctor? I know that severe pain can really affect the way a person functions, but I don't want to just put his behaviour down to that and possibly miss some important signs of possible dementia? I know nothing about the disease... I don't expect anyone to diagnose - just a hint as to what I should possibly look out for or what I should do next.
He drinks quite a lot of alcohol and has done for the last 30 years, but is not an alcoholic.
My concern is that his character and personality is changing. He becomes easily irritated and impatient when once he was quite a calm and reasonable person. He also finds it difficult to focus on what he's doing. More worryingly, he will forget something I've told him only hours previously, and, when certain things are pointed out to him - he will grasp the wrong end of the stick and miss the point that's being made
On the plus side, he's very well versed in world politics - knows the names of obscure leaders in various countries, and is still able to work as a technical consultant for the oil industry, giving vital information for the safe functioning of high pressure equipment, although he's sometimes slow in finding the right words to express himself - but his calculations are always accurate and technically sound.
My question is - should I be worried and talk to his doctor? I know that severe pain can really affect the way a person functions, but I don't want to just put his behaviour down to that and possibly miss some important signs of possible dementia? I know nothing about the disease... I don't expect anyone to diagnose - just a hint as to what I should possibly look out for or what I should do next.
