Dementia

[midcan5]

One aunt who was a brilliant woman suffered from depression and was on one of the drugs mentioned in articles below for many years. In her seventies she started to talk nonsense and would re-imagine and make up history. She lived with mom during those years. It was sad to watch. Thought I'd share this information.

'These commonly prescribed medications may increase your risk of dementia, study finds'

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...dy/1551165001/

https://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/new...ementia-risk#1

https://www.medicinenet.com/antichol...able_in_the_us


"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint." Mark Twain

[ThatOwlWoman]

Thank you for posting this. I read the actual study and cannot find a list of the drugs referenced, which is kind of a flaw in the reporting. I'm concerned that ppl taking meds for depression, COPD, Parkinsons, etc. may become alarmed and quit taking them w/o consulting their physician first.

[Iolo/Penderyn]

I don't know anything about the drugs, but I do know about dementia. Death is easier to handle. The Mother of one of my Wife's friends was dependent upon her daughter but did not know who she was and told her she didn't like her. The friend gave up work to look after this hostile ghost. It terrifies me more than Trumpf!

[Jack]

I don't know anything about the drugs, but I do know about dementia. Death is easier to handle. The Mother of one of my Wife's friends was dependent upon her daughter but did not know who she was and told her she didn't like her. The friend gave up work to look after this hostile ghost. It terrifies me more than Trumpf!

The Police notified my Brother that our Dad was knocking on doors in the middle of the night looking for a girl named 'Sally'. They told my Brother 'he was responsible' for our Dad. Our Dad was in his Nineties, lived alone, and would make coffee in the morning using a Percolator on a gas stove. A couple of times he would forget about the coffee. My Brother eventually put him in a 'Home'.
Makes you wonder about having an 'Exit' plan.

[Mason Michaels]

I'm surprised benzodiazepines aren't on that list.
In the last year the government sent out a directive strongly suggesting PCP stop prescribing Benzos and opiates at the same time.
And long-term users of benzodiazepines should be tapered off.
Benzos should only be prescribed for no more than a few weeks.
Millions have been on them for decades and now are having a hard time getting off.
I was prescribed the lowest dose as needed for 25 years,I tapered off in a few months.
But most in the support group I belonged to were taking multiple doses a days everyday.
Most from 16 to 32 times as much as I was prescribed,constantly up dosing on doctors orders as they stopped working at current dose.
It's America's hidden drug disaster ,overshadowed by the opiate crisis.

[ThatOwlWoman]

Ah, here is a list of anticholinergetic meds:

https://www.theseniorlist.com/medica...inergic-drugs/

[ThatOwlWoman]

I'm surprised benzodiazepines aren't on that list.
In the last year the government sent out a directive strongly suggesting PCP stop prescribing Benzos and opiates at the same time.
And long-term users of benzodiazepines should be tapered off.
Benzos should only be prescribed for no more than a few weeks.
Millions have been on them for decades and now are having a hard time getting off.
I was prescribed the lowest dose as needed for 25 years,I tapered off in a few months.
But most in the support group I belonged to were taking multiple doses a days everyday.
Most from 16 to 32 times as much as I was prescribed,constantly up dosing on doctors orders as they stopped working at current dose.
It's America's hidden drug disaster ,overshadowed by the opiate crisis.

The benzos are fairly strongly linked to dementia as well:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6325366/

[PoliTalker]

Saw a special about a special mock town that was created for Alzheimer's patients.

Totally retro to the late 50's and early 60's. Everything in the 'town' was from that era.

Patients are taken there and it stirs their memories, allows them to relax and feel at home, buoys their spirits, stimulates them, gets them talking, telling stories.

A wonderful idea.

[Aimée]

I don't know anything about the drugs, but I do know about dementia. Death is easier to handle. The Mother of one of my Wife's friends was dependent upon her daughter but did not know who she was and told her she didn't like her. The friend gave up work to look after this hostile ghost. It terrifies me more than Trumpf!

My mother had dementia, and she became physically and mentally abusive. My thoughts are with your wife's friend. I have been down that road.

[ThatOwlWoman]

My mother had dementia, and she became physically and mentally abusive. My thoughts are with your wife's friend. I have been down that road.

Mr. Owl's mom's dementia took that form as well. Many Alzheimers patients are docile and often withdrawn and depressed. Lewy Body Dementia ppl have hallucinations, aggression, and usually behave totally differently than they were before falling ill. That's what his mama had. I'm sorry you had to go through that with your mom.

[MAGA MAN]

I've been visiting my Dad at his home in Florida for about 30 years, and often see and talk to his neighbor, John. Last time I was there John introduced himself to me then asked me where I was from, and I told him. Then he told me about a two-minute story about my home town. Then he looked away at his house, then at his dog, then at me, and asked me where I was from, and the story repeated at least three times until I made up an excuse to get going.

** wondering how long before this thread gets political **

[Aimée]

Mr. Owl's mom's dementia took that form as well. Many Alzheimers patients are docile and often withdrawn and depressed. Lewy Body Dementia ppl have hallucinations, aggression, and usually behave totally differently than they were before falling ill. That's what his mama had. I'm sorry you had to go through that with your mom.

Thank you. Yes, I believe that's what she had, too. It was very hard, and I do feel guilty for not being able to take care of her as long as I would have liked. It was really difficult because Matt was pretty young, and we weren't getting very many services for his Autism yet. It's no surprise that I have needed therapy. LOL!

[RB 60]

My father developed dementia in his early 80's. Some days he thought my mother was his sister, other days he thought she was his "new girlfriend." He would tell her how bad his "ex wife" was and that she left him for another man. He would go looking for him, saying he seen him in the back yard. That's when I took his few remaining firearms from their home. My mother asked that I leave one handgun (one of his favorites) and she'd hide it from him. He would keep asking her about it (he forgot about the others) and she told him I had it. One day she found it lying on her bed, still loaded, I guess to let her know it was still there.
I think one of the worst things for her was the fact that he never forgot who I was, that, and the fact she couldn't leave him alone for more than an hour or so in the last year of his life. She cared for him in their home until he had a stroke (he died less than a week later with both of us at his side from a second one).
She is now 92, lives alone in a retirement apartment building, still drives, takes care of all her finances and is still active in many things. Oh, and did I mention has stage 4 bone cancer (although the last test a few weeks ago confirmed it had shrunk a bit)?
Yesterday I called her just before dinner and told her I was coming down later and taking her out for a milk shake. I cleaned up the Cobra (not the first time she was in it) and went down to pick her up, helped her get in and we went for a long drive through the back country roads and stopped at a nice ice cream shop. When we got back, she said she had a great time. I told her we'd be doing it again soon.
I hope she never develops dementia, I don't think I could take what she took caring for my father.

[ThatOwlWoman]

My father developed dementia in his early 80's. Some days he thought my mother was his sister, other days he thought she was his "new girlfriend." He would tell her how bad his "ex wife" was and that she left him for another man. He would go looking for him, saying he seen him in the back yard. That's when I took his few remaining firearms from their home. My mother asked that I leave one handgun (one of his favorites) and she'd hide it from him. He would keep asking her about it (he forgot about the others) and she told him I had it. One day she found it lying on her bed, still loaded, I guess to let her know it was still there.
I think one of the worst things for her was the fact that he never forgot who I was, that, and the fact she couldn't leave him alone for more than an hour or so in the last year of his life. She cared for him in their home until he had a stroke (he died less than a week later with both of us at his side from a second one).
She is now 92, lives alone in a retirement apartment building, still drives, takes care of all her finances and is still active in many things. Oh, and did I mention has stage 4 bone cancer (although the last test a few weeks ago confirmed it had shrunk a bit)?
Yesterday I called her just before dinner and told her I was coming down later and taking her out for a milk shake. I cleaned up the Cobra (not the first time she was in it) and went down to pick her up, helped her get in and we went for a long drive through the back country roads and stopped at a nice ice cream shop. When we got back, she said she had a great time. I told her we'd be doing it again soon.
I hope she never develops dementia, I don't think I could take what she took caring for my father.

I am so sorry to hear about your dad, and your mom's cancer. If it's any comfort to you, if she hasn't developed it by now chances are good that she won't. She's probably on some medications for pain for the cancer? Sometimes in the elderly those types of drugs can cause a dementia-like condition that goes away once they're withdrawn. Does her apt. complex include a physician on staff, or does she have her own?

You're such a good son. Bless your heart and (((hugs))).

[RB 60]

She has a cancer specialist that treats her. For the last 2 years, she went monthly to the hospital for treatments and is on a daily oral medication, but nothing very strong (Tramadol) for pain (she rarely takes it). After her last Dr. visit (no Dr. in her apartment complex), she only goes every 3 months now. Other than what would be normal for someone her age, her mind is sharp. A few months ago, she pulled the muscles in both her knees at swimming exercise class, was using a walker and went to PT for 3 weeks. She is now walking better than I am!
Oh, did I mention she beat breast cancer 25-30 yrs. ago? She had to have one removed though.