Dementia Support Group

Wow !You gals are great on info. Found all the posts very interesting. I agree with any head trauma. My mom who has dementia had brain surgery over 20 years ago for a non cancerous tumor. Along with family history of demenita.She is not a drinker of alcohol. I had a friends father who one day fell out of bed and forgot how to walk. It can come on that fast. Little strokes in the brain. He was a very heavy drinker.

Personally, I don't drink, my dad died of alcoholism and he had no dementia, I guess what I'm saying is it is probably better to live a healthy life, eat right, etc but even then sometimes dementia happens.
As far as hallucinations, my husband starting having them a couple of months ago and he was already on Namenda and Aricept so his doctor added Zyprxa. For some Zyprexa is bad but it has been working for my husband. Another thing about this terrible illness is it is so difficult to treat, what happens to one doesn't happen to another and what works on one doesn't work on another.

I work with my husband's doctor's, I call them when there is a change or write them a note, we 'tweek' his meds occasionally until something works.

I agree, there are so many factors involved, and it is impossible to say THIS is the cause or THAT is the cause.

My husband had an identical twin brother. He was a heavy drinker.
He remained mentally sharp until his death from pancreatic cancer.

My husband ( a pretty big drinker) started developing dementia
symptoms in his late 60's.

I don't think alcohol causes dementia in everyone who abuses it, but believe it can be a contributing factor in some people.

I've seen enough damage from alcohol abuse in so many ( my sister drank herself to death at 53), that I am a VERY light social
drinker... I might drink a 6 pack of beer - a year :-)

Judy

Another probnlem I ahave is my husband doesnt want to take meds, and definitely not more meds. He confabulates quite a bit, he talks almost contantly, reads aloud. It is about to get to me.

is it possible to smash meds into something he will drink or eat?

I have tried. that in the past and it worked. We were on a cruise this summer and he was soooooooo anxious and confused. I t is more difficult on a daily basis.