What to do after GP visit

Singerwood

Registered User
Jan 25, 2016
2
0
north worcestershire
My doctor was concerned that my husband may have VD - my father was recently diagnosed. I attended the gp surgery with my husband for the "test" - to be honest the questions were so easy you'd have to be in quite late stages not to be able to answer them! I recently read an article detailing 15 signs of early dementia, and my husband has them all, yet the gp says he's alright. If my father had been diagnosed earlier, perhaps he might have been helped with drugs. I'm concerned that my husband might benefit from drug treatment - he's much older than me - 85 - so if the dementia could be slowed down we might have longer together. My husband had a minor stroke 12 months ago. I'm not sure where to go now. Any advice from anyone would be welcome.
 

chick1962

Registered User
Apr 3, 2014
11,282
0
near Folkestone
Good morning singerwood . My husband has mixed dementia , Alzheimers and Vascular . Sadly there are no medications for vascular other then the normal blood thinners, statins and so fourth. If you are unsure of diagnoses you can always get a second opinion or asked to be transferred to Mental Health . My OH is 66 and has had vascular dementia after stroke in 2013 . He has some problems but we have a lot of lovely and good days . I am 53 also much younger then my lovely hubs . Being diagnosed is always such a shock but try and take it day by day . There are admiral nurses, carer support and groups you could get in contact with to support you both . Xx


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lin1

Registered User
Jan 14, 2010
9,350
0
East Kent
Hello Singerwood.
I am sorry to hear about your concerns about your Husband.
I agree that finding out what is wrong early is always best.

If your Husband is still under the stroke clinic I would let them know what is happening with your Husband.
I would also keep a diary of what is happening and things you've noticed then hand this to them and the GP.

Has the GP done any blood tests to rule out other causes of the symptoms your are seeing, if not IMO they should have , you're probably already aware that other things like being low in certain things can mimic Dementia symptoms as can Depression .

If all else fails I would see another GP either at the practice change practices.

I am sure others will be along later with more helpful advise.
Please let us know how you get on
 
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Lawson58

Registered User
Aug 1, 2014
4,332
0
Victoria, Australia
HI Singerwood,

I am surprised that a GP would make a diagnosis based solely on the tests that are given in the surgery. OH always scores well on the test but his eventual diagnosis was based on a combination of scans and extensive neuropsychological testing as well as information given by me and a whole battery of other tests to eliminate other ailments.

My OH still plays bridge (sort of) but cannot use a mobile phone, drive a car, remember his PIN for his debit card, remember where to find a dinner plate etc etc.

So if you are not happy with how things have been done, ask for a second opinion. It is a good idea for you to keep a note of his behaviours and things that concern you and provide this at your next consultation.
 

ShelleyLee77

Registered User
Jan 29, 2016
2
0
Advice please

Hi, I'm new here and wondered if any of you can help. I took my husband to see our GP yesterday because we are really worried about him. He has taken the herbal tablets Gingko Biloba as long as I've known him (over 10 yrs) and on the occasions he has run out his memory gets bad really quickly. Now he is still taking it and forgetting conversations we've had within a day or two, going in the wrong direction when out driving and he's really slow when it comes to adding up basic sums. He's never been good at maths but he has slowed down so much. The dr was a young newly qualified dr who discounted dementia because he said he's too young (54), asked him things like "what is this object" with pens etc....he is making mistakes at work because he forgets to do things and I am so worried. The Gp just said come back in a month if it's no better- I'm going to go crazy in a month! What would you do? Would you rule out dementia?
Thank you for any advice you can give.
 

Beate

Registered User
May 21, 2014
12,179
0
London
54 isn't too early for early-onset dementia. I don't know whether you husband has got that, but you are clearly worried, so don't wait another month and get an appointment with another doctor. It could be stress or a vitamin deficiency, but unless someone runs some tests you won't know.
 

john51

Registered User
Apr 26, 2014
292
0
Dunstable, Bedfordshire
Hi
Unfortunately the medical profession still views dementia as an older persons problem. Many doctors don't realise there are over 16000 of us with a diagnosis of dementia under 65. I got my diagnosis at 51.
Unfortunately you may have to push and be prepared to make a nuisance of yourself until you are taken seriously. Every patient has a right to a second opinion. Could your husband ask for an appointment with a different possibly more experienced GO.
Let all of us on tp
Know how things go
John
 

Auntie Mame

Registered User
Jan 24, 2016
11
0
Doctors

Singerwood, ShelleyLee77 and John 51 -- I took my other half for a visit with a young doctor a year and a half ago, and early/slow onset is so difficult to see unfolding before your eyes! Here in Canada getting to see a doctor takes months, if you don't have an assigned one already. We have moved, and the process must start all over again.

Singerwood, I had the same problem. The doctor seemed amused. Now my husband at the time was 63. The doctor quickly found some kind of perfunctory oral Alzheimer's test on line, with 10 questions, and as my husband had no difficulty with that, he said to me, smiling: "He doesn't have any problem. Come back in ten years."

I was in shock. After my husband was in the hallway, I went back in with an explanation sheet I quickly wrote out, and handed it to the doctor saying this is a very serious problem. No interest. A professional stare.

My OH has also taken herbs for years, and now coconut oil. Things with his memory are getting worse, but it is slow.

I have had a couple of health concerns myself. We relocated to New Brunswick, Canada. I cannot get a doctor assigned to us yet. I have had my own health issues, which are being neglected. This is the story I hear also from friends in other parts of Canada. I constantly need to go to the bathroom, and have several accidents a day, because my bladder is being pressed by a uterus full of fibroids, one large one calcified. This has finally been diagnosed, but I got the CAT-scan proof myself from a hospital's medical records, because I never heard back, after two months, from the clinician (walk-in clinic) with the results.

Another doctor told me I may need a puffer because my lungs are bad - from pollution, I suppose, as I have never smoked, but my lungs look like I smoke three packs a day, per another doctor at Emergency, where I went when I had trouble breathing. That was four months ago, and the specialist to whom I was referred in "the big city" has never contacted me, as there is a waiting list.

Naturally, going in for an operation is out-of-the-question, as my OH cannot be trusted to take care of the dogs or himself for longer than a day or two.

I realize this Forum is a wonderful, wonderful place. We are not alone, though many of us are like airliners, flying around and around close to an airport where we cannot safely land, running out of gas.