My mother has been diagnosed as having 'small vessel disease' following a CT scan in March, after referral by her GP who was worried by possible memory. She scored 25/30 in the Mini Mental STate EXamination in March.
Over the last few weeks, a range of 'new syptoms' have been noticed - delusional episodes (which pass quickly), swollen painful hands, slight incontinence and depression. Close friends (she lives alone some 100 miles from me) alerted me to their concerns so I went to visit. A follow visit to the referring pyschologist saw her score 26/30 in the memory test. How legimitate is for me to be concerned as to whther we are witnessing:
* symptoms of a TIA, which may fade away or respond to treatment (these all started some weeks after the scan, btw)
* after effects of a stroke that has given a 'step' into vascular dementia?
It may help to add that she neglected to take blood pressure and blood thinning tablets between Nov 2004 and June 2005 (now under control and being taken as prescribed).
Any advice would be welcome. It's only after returning home yesterday after a bewildering two weeks visiting her GP and the referral pyschiatriast that I have discovered that delusion episodes, swollen hands and depression could be TIA symptoms, and I did not have an opportunity to mention this realisation to either doctor.
She seems deluded almost only ever first thing in the morning, and not every day. Otherwise she's fine, although she has no explanation for the 'attacks' (She's conscious they may be happening, and is inwardedly stressed.)
Social Services visited her after I'd left last Friday for an assessment, and will be monitoring her rom time to time (this occured as I mentioned the delusional episodes to the psychiatrist in confidence: her current diagnosis appears to be depression (which has some legitimate causes) and memory loss. Mum accepts some memory loss and is exploring memory aids for around the home.
Over the last few weeks, a range of 'new syptoms' have been noticed - delusional episodes (which pass quickly), swollen painful hands, slight incontinence and depression. Close friends (she lives alone some 100 miles from me) alerted me to their concerns so I went to visit. A follow visit to the referring pyschologist saw her score 26/30 in the memory test. How legimitate is for me to be concerned as to whther we are witnessing:
* symptoms of a TIA, which may fade away or respond to treatment (these all started some weeks after the scan, btw)
* after effects of a stroke that has given a 'step' into vascular dementia?
It may help to add that she neglected to take blood pressure and blood thinning tablets between Nov 2004 and June 2005 (now under control and being taken as prescribed).
Any advice would be welcome. It's only after returning home yesterday after a bewildering two weeks visiting her GP and the referral pyschiatriast that I have discovered that delusion episodes, swollen hands and depression could be TIA symptoms, and I did not have an opportunity to mention this realisation to either doctor.
She seems deluded almost only ever first thing in the morning, and not every day. Otherwise she's fine, although she has no explanation for the 'attacks' (She's conscious they may be happening, and is inwardedly stressed.)
Social Services visited her after I'd left last Friday for an assessment, and will be monitoring her rom time to time (this occured as I mentioned the delusional episodes to the psychiatrist in confidence: her current diagnosis appears to be depression (which has some legitimate causes) and memory loss. Mum accepts some memory loss and is exploring memory aids for around the home.