Family Worries

[Dog5Body4U]

Hi All
I must admit I am becoming increasingly worried about my wife as she has several members of her family who have Alzheimers and vascular dementia including her auntis uncles and her mother and I know my wife is woried she may be the next in the family to get it but I don't know what to do to help he I don't know if there is a particular age that this evil disease starts to attack or if there is some way of finding out if you have a chance of being one of the many

 

[Delphie]

Hi Dog5

As far as I know, the genetic component is quite small (if that's the right way to put it) with Alzheimer's and vascular dementia. With Alzheimer's it tends to be the early onset type that carries a slightly increased chance of being passed on and with vascular dementia there are some inherited conditions that increase its risk.

Easier said than done, but it's best not to worry too much about things we can't do anything about. Stress is a known risk factor for all kinds of stuff!

My advice to your wife would be lead as healthy a lifestyle as she can and to put in place things like PoA and a living will. And I say that because it's what we should all be doing, regardless of what our genes have in store for us.

 

[Dog5Body4U]

Stress

Thanks for the reply but as for my wife not stressing that is neve going to happen she is the only person I know who worries about everyone in fact I nearly caught a blinded Jackdaw the oher day (I think some magpie had been attacking it and pecked out it's eye's) but it flew off into the sky and ever since I told my wife she has been on the lookout for it she is the kind of person who believes the best about people and is always willing to help anyone (you know the type everyone else calls them easy meat) and never asks for anything in return
she stresses even more if ever there is nothing to stress about because that means the world is about to fall to pieces
all my wife ever wanted was to be loved by her mum and family but that has never happened so far & now her mum don't always even see her as her daughter which is slowly destroying my wife and I know she is panicking about having the disease

which is why I was wondering if anyone knew how old you had to be for it to start eating you away because my wife is nearing 50 and freaking out

 

[Delphie]

It can start at any time. I think the youngest ever Alzheimer's suffered was 20 something, but any under the age of 65 comes under the early onset umbrella. It's more common over 65, for sure.

Would talking to a GP or even a specialist help? Genetic tests and counselling might be offered and the outcome might be some peace of mind.

 

[LadyA]

At your wife's age, she's quite likely to be going through hormonal changes too, and they can have an impact on how we handle stress, how volatile moods are and also can be responsible for lack of concentration and forgetfulness! More than one woman has been worried that she was developing Alzheimer's disease, when in fact it was menopause.

 

[Dog5Body4U]

At your wife's age, she's quite likely to be going through hormonal changes too, and they can have an impact on how we handle stress, how volatile moods are and also can be responsible for lack of concentration and forgetfulness! More than one woman has been worried that she was developing Alzheimer's disease, when in fact it was menopause.

Thanks for your ideas I can hope nothing bad will happen to my wife but our doctor has said he will do some tests to put my wife's mind at rest

 

[Selinacroft]

100% agree with lady A-please don't panic far more likely to be menopause