how many types

[jonorton]

Hi
Can someone please tell me how many types of alzheimers there are,our Doctor at memory clinic was not specific of my wifes diagnoses.
Regards.
Keith

 

[BeckyJan]

Alzheimer's Disease is just one type of dementia. This factsheet gives details on the various types of dementia (not sure it covers all though).

I hope it helps.

 

[Noorza]

Hi
Can someone please tell me how many types of alzheimers there are,our Doctor at memory clinic was not specific of my wifes diagnoses.
Regards.
Keith

They can't be Keith until the person has passed and they can look at their brain. They can point towards a certain cause. Mum has had 5 heart attacks and a stroke, so it is likely it is vascular, senile has also been diagnosed. They can track certain symptoms so vascular can be described as going down in steps, where it can drop then level out for a while before it drops again. Other dementia can be a slow or rapid decline.

There are no certainties.

 

[LYN T]

I've heard this before about a diagnosis only being given at a postmortum.However in my Husbands case he had a brain scan and it was clear as day he had Alzheimers (moderate at that stage) so I don't know what to believe.

Take care

Lyn T

 

[stanleypj]

I can understand your frustration. People report a range of diagnoses, from the very specific and detailed to the blandest - which your wife seems to have had.

As everybody is different, there may well be as many different kinds of dementia as there are people with dementia.

Personally, I would try not to get too hung up on the label they choose to give you - they might be wrong. In the twelve years it took to diagnose my wife's dementia we were given all kinds of possible even probable diagnoses - none of them really made any difference in terms of treatment, though several drugs that might have helped were tried and they didn't.

By all means write and ask the clinic to be more specific. But ultimately it comes down to what your wife can still do and what she can't, and you probably know more about these things than them.

TP can help greatly by suggesting ways of helping your wife that might work.

 

[Saffie]

Usually Alzheimer's Disease is said to be the cause because scans rule out other causes.

 

[seaurchin]

Hi Keith, I'm sorry to learn of your wife's illness. I hope you find this forum as helpful as I have. My husband had a SPECT scan and we were told he had either Alzheimer's or Frontal Lobe Dementia. As time has passed this has been narrowed to an Alzheimer's diagnosis. I think it can be difficult for the drs to ascertain the exact type of dementia at times for reasons previously explained. I find now that for us it doesn't really matter what the specific title of my husband's dementia is but it's more about how well and happy we can keep him. I hope you find this of some help to you. Kindest wishes Sea

 

[jonorton]

Hi All.
Thank you all for the replies you have given,it has at least given us some ideas to go forward with,we are hoping that once my wife has had this gall bladder operation,it will at least be something out of the way and she may be able to concentrate,on the other
problem,thanks once again,will be in touch.
Keith.