I have just been told yesterday that I have quite advanced Alzheimer's after a lumber punch procedure at my local hospital. If I am lucky I could live another five to ten years... I am just 65 yrs old. I knew I have a problem ie confusion and forgetfulness but I am shocked by the early death diagnosis. I had asked to be assessed by the NHS memory clinic two year ago as my husband and I believed that something had changed and I had a memory problem, the memory clinic did a face to face question and answer type assessment and told us my memory was in a normal range, and there was nothing to worry about, memory naturally declines as you get older.
I was assessed ( a paper question and answer form and a short interview by two specialist nurses .After their assessment I was told I have a very slight cognitive impairment which was normal at my age.
Both me and my husband and eventually my GP believed it was more than that. My GP eventually referred me to the to hospital to see a specialist . He listened carefully to us and organised a urgent lumber punch ,which confirmed i did indeed have quite advanced Alzheimer's.
If I had been diagnosed earlier could they have slowed down the Alzheimer's in any way or would it have made no difference ?
I would be interested to year your responses, thank you.
I was assessed ( a paper question and answer form and a short interview by two specialist nurses .After their assessment I was told I have a very slight cognitive impairment which was normal at my age.
Both me and my husband and eventually my GP believed it was more than that. My GP eventually referred me to the to hospital to see a specialist . He listened carefully to us and organised a urgent lumber punch ,which confirmed i did indeed have quite advanced Alzheimer's.
If I had been diagnosed earlier could they have slowed down the Alzheimer's in any way or would it have made no difference ?
I would be interested to year your responses, thank you.