Korsakoff Dementia

[Margaret 10]

How do you get a diagnosis of dementia korsakoff or otherwise while an individual is drinking ?

 

[Izzy]

Hi @Margaret 10 and welcome to the forum.

I have no experience of this myself but I wondered if the Society’s fact sheet woUtd be helpful -

Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD): what is it and who gets it?

Alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) is a brain disorder. It is caused by a person regularly drinking too much alcohol, or binge-drinking, over several years. There are different types of ARBD. People who get ARBD are generally aged between about 40 and 50.

www.alzheimers.org.uk

Have you discussed it with the GP?

 

[Long journey ahead]

Hi,

i am new to this forum so not to sure how this thing works, but my dad has recently been diagnosed with this form of dementia and he is still drinking. I haven’t really had many questions answered yet as to what will happen if he continues to drink? How fast will he basically go down hill if continues to drink? His memory is already deteriorating. Thanks I’m advance.

I think you are right, it does need to be made more aware that this does happen, even when I went to alcohol addiction centre for support this was never mentioned. The problem with getting it diagnosed is that the person has to be without alcohol for several weeks, tests are done at the begining and afterwards. My husband got his diagnosis because he had a bad fall and was in hospital for several weeks and had a brain scan. Even when I went to Al Anon they had never heard of this. Now he still drinks, even in the care home, but nowhere near as much as he was doing. So he has improved, not like the other residents in the home, who he see are detiorating. I am gradually starting to have a worry free and peaceful life!!

Hi Daze. My husband is 57 he has drank heavily most of his adult life. He was diagnosed with alcohol amnesia syndrome last may. It seems this is a very grey area. I love him and want to look after him but the pressure is so hard.
hope you don't mind me asking. How did the decision be made for your husband to go into ch?

 

[jennifer1967]

i think it could be inherited as well. my oldest sons father was alcoholic and drank vodka so i couldnt smell it. i was only 18yrs and naive but my money went, my hursing place went, no food abuse and hitting so left him as he was wanted by the police. my oldest son was alcoholic at 13yrs which is why it was genes as he never once saw his dad. it carried on for 10 yrs about and got to the stage he couldnt get out of bed without having a can first. he destroyed one family and nearly another but his now partner never gave up on him and he is now dry for a few years. he managed to hang on to the second family and has relationship with his first. it was hard and whose to say in the future his body wont be destroyed. hes only 34yrs now and a proper family man that im proud of. he was ill but managed to get better. i wouldnt judge anyones addiction be it alcohol, cigarettes[vascular dementia] or drugs.

 

[Long journey ahead]

Hi How do you get a diagnosis of dementia korsakoff or otherwise while an individual is drinking ?

hi Margaret. Your docter can refer to memory clinic for texts for korsakoff. That's how my husband got his

 

[Long journey ahead]

i think it could be inherited as well. my oldest sons father was alcoholic and drank vodka so i couldnt smell it. i was only 18yrs and naive but my money went, my hursing place went, no food abuse and hitting so left him as he was wanted by the police. my oldest son was alcoholic at 13yrs which is why it was genes as he never once saw his dad. it carried on for 10 yrs about and got to the stage he couldnt get out of bed without having a can first. he destroyed one family and nearly another but his now partner never gave up on him and he is now dry for a few years. he managed to hang on to the second family and has relationship with his first. it was hard and whose to say in the future his body wont be destroyed. hes only 34yrs now and a proper family man that im proud of. he was ill but managed to get better. i wouldnt judge anyones addiction be it alcohol, cigarettes[vascular dementia] or drugs.

Hi Jennifer my husband was diagnosed with korsakoff last may. Do you think this could turn into aggressive behaviour? He isn't aggressive at the moment

 

[jennifer1967]

that i dont know. and i wouldnt like to say. i think it depends how the person before the dementia

 

[yosser]

Hello Jennifer 67 let me get this right are you saying Vascular Dementia is addiction.

 

[jennifer1967]

no im saying that vascular dementia can be caused by smoking. cigarettes are the addiction not the dementia. usually strokes or ministrokes then vascular which can cause more strokes and heart attack. not always but its a factor

 

[Long journey ahead]

that i dont know. and i wouldnt like to say. i think it depends how the person before the dementia

He isn't aggressive quite the opposite . Very clingy

 

[yosser]

no im saying that vascular dementia can be caused by smoking. cigarettes are the addiction not the dementia. usually strokes or ministrokes then vascular which can cause more strokes and heart attack. not always but its a factor

Thats Okay then, it seems weird although I am on medication for Vascular Dementia. I still have seizure's once every nine months, with the effects of the last one lasting a week just before Christmas. Which is annoying as I would have got my driving licence back this April, as it would have a year since the last one. Instead I have another eleven months to go.

 

[jennifer1967]

Thats Okay then, it seems weird although I am on medication for Vascular Dementia. I still have seizure's once every nine months, with the effects of the last one lasting a week just before Christmas. Which is annoying as I would have got my driving licence back this April, as it would have a year since the last one. Instead I have another eleven months to go.

what do you have? my husband has vascular dementia[ he was a smoker and hes had mini strokes as well but there is no tablets for him

 

[yosser]

what do you have? my husband has vascular dementia[ he was a smoker and hes had mini strokes as well but there is no tablets for him

Jennifer 1967, tablets I take Lamotrigine Mylan 100 mg one a night.(Dispersible Tablets) dissolve or mix with water, the neurologist prescribed them for. Foot note: Do not stop taking this Medicine unless, your doctor tells you to. That means life for me!!!

 

[Long journey ahead]

My husband was diagnosed with korsakoff last may. He is gradually becoming more distant he won't stop drinking I want to care for him as long as I can. He has started getting aggressive when I talk about how he is. . I feel like I am walking on egg shells to avoid confrontation.