Is the progression of Vascular Dementia the same as Alzhiemers? - Alzheimer's Disease & Dementia Message Board

joannita · 03-12-2007, 04:35 PM

My dh has multiple health issues; Conjestive Heart Failure, kidney problems,out of control diabetes,overweight, aphasia, irregular heat beat, very bad knees, etc. He has had at least three strokes that we know of. He behaveslike stage 6 Alzheimer's but never had the issues of money or hiding stuff; I think he is having TIAS. I wish I had a crystal ball...

raffcons · 03-21-2007, 06:20 PM

Joannita --
Have just gone over this with my husband's doctors. They have told me that vascular dementia (multi-infarct dementia) progresses in a very specific manner. Your loved one will have a noticeable drop in cognitive function, then remain plateaued at that level for some time before you see another noticeable drop. So vas. dem. progresses in almost a "stairstep" fashion.
Alzheimer's generally progresses in a more linear, or "slide" fashion. Dementia with Lewy Bodies seems to progress in an "up and down" fashion as well as having symptoms unique from those of vascular and Alzheimer's. Hope that helps.
Renata

joannita · 03-21-2007, 08:35 PM

Thank you. How many of these drops may occur?

gdschillins · 05-23-2007, 06:10 PM

my mom's drops happen every 2 or three weeks. She has a great mindset in that time although there are things that her mind only works because of the dementia. Then in about 2 or 3 weeks she just one day wakes up and begins to forget things. My mom went from being fine one day to not knowing who her fmaily was or herself. then a few weeks later she was remember who everyone was and what happend here and there. Then another drop occured a little while later and she had no short term memory at all. Within 6 hours she couldn't remember anything. Then a few weeks later she started doing really good and once again out of the blue she started forgetting to go to the bathroom and searching for words to say. Then she went through another time that was acually the best time she's had so far where she seemed to be fine until about 3 or 4 days ago she came out crying that my daughter took her makeup case and I shouldn't be going through her room taking her stuff and putting them other places. SO we go back and forth. It seems that each time we go back it's a different phase. I know that one day the backs will come faster and theforths will come less.
Your lucky though, the in between stages are really anoying!
God speed.
christi