Finally ... to the GP

[Grable]

Finally, my husband realised what a strain I was under and, although he doesn't actually believe there's anything much wrong, he agreed to visit the GP. There, he underwent the '6 point memory test'. He could count down from 20 as fast as anybody and the months backwards were no challenge. He knew the year, the time - but not the month - and the address he got almost right. He's now got to have a urine and a blood test.
The doctor took on board what I said about him not believing we still live in the house where we've been for decades and that he believes we're living in a place which is something like a hotel and which I've driven us to.
His suspicion is that hubby may not have dementia, but chronic delusion. Has anybody come across that before? What comes next?

 

[canary]

hello @Grable

I have no idea whether your husband has chronic delusion or not, but one thing I do know is that the short memory tests done at the GPs surgery are not an accurate assessment of dementia. There are many people who have had dementia diagnosed who can nevertheless ace this easy memory test.

Unfortunately, GPs have strict guidelines about when they can refer to the memory clinic and if you pass their test, they dont refer you. See if you can push for a brain scan, which might help in the diagnosis.

 

[Lawson58]

Finally, my husband realised what a strain I was under and, although he doesn't actually believe there's anything much wrong, he agreed to visit the GP. There, he underwent the '6 point memory test'. He could count down from 20 as fast as anybody and the months backwards were no challenge. He knew the year, the time - but not the month - and the address he got almost right. He's now got to have a urine and a blood test.
The doctor took on board what I said about him not believing we still live in the house where we've been for decades and that he believes we're living in a place which is something like a hotel and which I've driven us to.
His suspicion is that hubby may not have dementia, but chronic delusion. Has anybody come across that before? What comes next?

I agree with @canary about the short term memory tests given at GP’s. My husband sailed through the longer tests very well until about 18 months ago but his short term memory was never the problem anyway. His biggest memory problem was that he couldn’t remember the first 20+ years of his life.

A detailed outline of all your husband’s behaviour might convince your GP that your husband needs proper investigation.

 

[Cardinal]

My husband has almost no short term memory but easily passed the mini memory test multiple times. He was eventually diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. When my husband was finally sent to a memory clinic he scored a zero on the short term memory part of the test even though he passed the mini memory test at the GP.

I live in another country so am unable to help with your husband’s diagnosis but just wanted to let you know that just because someone passes the mini memory test doesn’t mean they don’t have dementia.

 

[jugglingmum]

My mum passed the mini test at the GPS when she could no longer cook drive or manage anything financial. She'd turned her electricity off as she didn't like the dials going round.

She could still do the cryptic crossword in the telegraph.

She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and a year later at her annual review, despite further deterioration she passed it again. The mental health nurse said he didn't consider it fit for purpose.

Please persevere. Mum was diagnosed based on my description of her.

 

[Grable]

Thank you all for your support. The GP is definitely sympathetic. The blood tests have come back showing anaemia. That's being pursued, but so is a referral to the mental health services.
OH has problems working out what day it is - and whether things happened today, yesterday or last week - but the main problem is that he really doesn't believe we're at home. He keep losing things - the latest being his wallet - because he hides them from 'the other people' who are living in this place. Of course, there are no other people here; it's our house, where we live on our own unless we happen to have visitors staying.

 

[Moyra C]

Thank you all for your support. The GP is definitely sympathetic. The blood tests have come back showing anaemia. That's being pursued, but so is a referral to the mental health services.
OH has problems working out what day it is - and whether things happened today, yesterday or last week - but the main problem is that he really doesn't believe we're at home. He keep losing things - the latest being his wallet - because he hides them from 'the other people' who are living in this place. Of course, there are no other people here; it's our house, where we live on our own unless we happen to have visitors staying.

My hubby scored 80 in Gp memory test. We seen three different GPs over the space of a year. They were taking on board that he was changing but kept saying he scored too high to refer to memory clinic.
He started having hallucinations about the neighbour next door. And there were other things he was doing that was bizarre. I eventually got him to see one of the GPs he knew from years ago with his diabetes. When he saw him he was lovely with him and could clearly see the change in hubby.
Referral to adult psychiatrist and memory service were done from this appointment.
Keep pushing you know him best.

 

[Newanne]

I've been trying for 2y to get hubby to see doctor with no luck. He is getting worse but very slowly. Short term memory is terrible. Last week I rang doctors in tears and they agreed to call him in for a health check. Today was the day. He wouldn't let me go with him so off he went. I was shaking and trying to work out how to react when he came home. So in he walked, happy as Larry. I asked with a smile, "well are you going to live another week?" Yep he said all was well. He had memory test which he passed, (he said 🙄) when I asked if the doctor had asked about his memory he said, oh yes but I told him only when I don't concentrate I tend to forget occasionally but it's not an issue. 😱😱😱. Well that's that. I'm living with a stranger who can't do anything, whose short term memory has gone. (but apparently it's not an issue 😩😩)

 

[canary]

Im sorry @Newanne , but honestly not surprised.
Most people with dementia are not able to understand their own symptoms and think they have nothing wrong with them (its a symptom of dementia called anosognosia), so they tell the doctor that they dont have any problems. Its also possible that he is not actually telling you the truth about what happened either. I discovered this the hard way when OH was telling his neurologist one thing and then telling me that she said something completely different!

I would send a follow-up letter to the GP explaining your concerns and mentioning what your hubby told you happened in the consultation.

 

[Grable]

I feel for you, NewAnne! r

We saw the psychiatrist yesterday. My husband scored 84 on the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Test - apparently 82 is the cut-off for a dementia diagnosis. However, he did start talking about the things he's deluded about - and that must have been obvious to the professional. She's ordered a CAT scan.
Interestingly, she seems to think that his delusions may have occurred because of the 'insult' to his brain of an episode of ketoacidosis and, just a few months later, Covid.
The latest is that he sometimes thinks I'm not me - sometimes I'm his sister (deceased), at others I'm a cousin of mine. He starts telling me things that I already know. At the moment, a quizzical look from me sets him right, but I wonder how long that will last.

The biggest problem currently is the way he backs me into a corner with his questions about when we are going 'home'. I'm trying not to correct him, but he pushes and pushes for a date when we'll pack the car and take all our stuff home. At that point, I can't think of anything to say but 'we are home' - and that gets him angry.

Thoughts and ideas are always welcome.