Lewy Bodys, VRS Physical illness ?

[Norrms]

Lewy Bodys verses Physical illness ?

Since i have been out of hospital , Elaine have been chatting about how very quickly i became ill with a very bad chest infection, and how serous it was (I never think its that serious but i wouldn't would i ?) One thing we did talk about , and i have just been asked about this by a dear friend, is how was my Lewy Body`s whilst i was in hospital? Well, i had asked Elaine this just yesterday as my memory is not what it was and it has certainly raised a few questions?
Apparently my hallucinations were rife and a lot worse, and yet my night times were quite settled (i have had two really bad nights since coming home where i am fighting, screaming, shouting, and i am ashamed to say, swearing , and you all know how i feel about swearing !! So it does make me ask WHY ??
For what its worth, in my humble opinion, i think when the body and mind knows its seriously ill, it shuts down and conserves energy in certain departments. The mind is such an incredibly complex machine, we are not advanced enough to have all the answers at the moment but i am sure we will one day. So my questions are
Were my hallucinations part or my Lewy Body`s dementia and heightened because of my illness ?
or
Were they more prominent because of possibly high temperature?
Why were my nights more settled ?
Was it because i was so ill, the body just shut down?
or
is there something in the medication they were giving me for the chest infection that quietened the Lewy Bodys down without knowingly doing so?
( There have been many examples in the past of anti depression tablets being used for cancer treatment etc !)
My answer as a mere layperson is i really dont know, and wouldn't have a clue where to start, but certainly food for thought me thinks. i know its not down to sheer tiredness and exhaustion as i do suffer from that more than i like to admit to, but the Lewy Body dementia demon still visits when this happens, WHO KNOWS ??
Maybe this is one for the academics and researchers to look at ??
Thoughts please ??
Please share xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Sue J]

Hi Norms

I find your post very interesting but unable to formulate reply tonight but will come back to it. I know I have Lewy body symptoms - still no diagnosis but know it has a physical cause, in my experience and opinion it is one illness.

I will write more soon hopefully, your expression helps me to voice too, thank you.
Take care
Sue

 

[Onlyme]

Any kind of infection makes the brain go haywire. I have had some really high temperatures over the years and have had some dreadful 'dreams'. Once I was free of infection I wasn't sure what was real and what my mind had made up. I thought a family member had had a baby and when I found they were still pregnant it really confused me.

So far I don't have dementia but who knows the future.

 

[Norrms]

Thank you xxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Northern75]

Hi Norrms,

I found your post very interesting and the point you raise about the power of the mind certainly poses a lot to think about. I'm sorry to hear you've been having these problems. My dad was diagnosed with Lewy Body last week and it explained so much about his sudden changes in behaviour and loss of mobility. I've never seen dad angry or swearing (although my mother says she has at night), but, like you, he has experienced changes in temperature. It has been pretty extreme - before he went into hospital, dad and I spent three days turning the fire on and off, the heating up and down, taking his jumper on and off and opening and closing doors. He would complain about being too cold and within a minute would then be saying he was boiling. The consultant (who was brilliant with dad - the first time in months he'd felt properly cared for and assessed, rather than having his symptoms guessed at) made a really interesting comment - he said that dad's feelings of extreme temperature changes are a perception, and a part of the hallucinations he's experiencing. Might this be the same for you?

Sending all warm wishes

 

[Northern75]

Sorry - I should have been more clear. I realise you had a temperature due to illness, but have you experienced other fluctuations in temperature along with the hallucinations?

 

[Norrms]

yes i have hallucinations on a regular basis unfortunatly, and seem to be happening more lately xxxxxxx

 

[Northern75]

Hi Norrms, I'm sorry to hear about the hallucinations - I hope they are not distressing for you. Dad always seems aware that they're hallucinations and not real, and was only disturbed by them when the doctors put him on an anti-depressant called Mirtazapine (big mistake - they had a terrible effect). I hope you're finding ways to manage them

 

[Norrms]

Thank You , yes we like to think we manage them as well as we can, thank you for your kindnessxxxxxxxxx

 

[TinaT]

For me Norman it is the great variety of permanent symptoms and the varying speeds of permanent physical and mental deterioration which perplexes me in the disease called Lewy Body dementia.

From initial diagnosis to, in many cases, very rapid, severe, permanent incapacity in both physical and mental abilities, not caused by any underlying disease needs investigation in my humble opinion.

xxTinaT