Could you answer this for my mother?

[tracey2775]

My gran has all the typical symptoms of Alzheimer's, memory loss, going back to her childhood, not knowing who people are and wondering around in the night. But she has never been diagnosed by a doctor. The thing is, her speech is terrible. No-one can understand a word she is saying, even though its obvious she's not talking any sence. Now my mother wants to know, is this another common symptom as we dont know anyone else who has this problem?

[camachinist]

If your grandmother has had difficulties since young, she very well could have had a brain disease her entire life, or at least a serious brain chemistry imbalance.

IMO, the best way to know for sure what's going on is to have her evalutated by an AD center. Many university medical programs operate such research centers. The folks at UCSF who analyzed and are following my mom's case have been fantastic.

Your grandmother will, if assessed, go through many tests of her cognition and memory, as well as the family providing a comprehensive family history. She will also usually receive extensive blood tests, a CAT scan and MRI scan of her brain, among other physical tests. The purpose is to rule out other physical causes for the symptoms you describe.

IME, there is no casual way (something I could tell you here) to diagnose AD/dementia. As such a diagnosis often leaves the patient to be considered legally incompetent, it is something which should be taken on in a serious, thorough fashion.

The local Alzheimer's association in your city or state can give you more information. Best of luck and be sure to let us know if you need more help or information.

Pat

Edited to add that I'm not clear of the procedures in the UK, which may differ from those here in the US, but similar resources should be available. If you are unable to find them online, let us know.

[Bettyhere]

Originally Posted by tracey2775

My gran has all the typical symptoms of Alzheimer's, memory loss, going back to her childhood, not knowing who people are and wondering around in the night. But she has never been diagnosed by a doctor. The thing is, her speech is terrible. No-one can understand a word she is saying, even though its obvious she's not talking any sence. Now my mother wants to know, is this another common symptom as we dont know anyone else who has this problem?

Yes, garbled speech is very often a symptom of AD. You've got to get her to a doctor, those of us in cyberspace can't make a disgnosis, and it could be something else.

[gizmolove]

(going back to her childhood)?

Surely you're not saying that your grandmother has had AD symptoms sence childhood? The symptoms of AD do not occure until at least the mid 40ies and even that is very young for this disease; and, usually some other form of dementia (not Alzheimer's). Most symptoms of confusion and memory do not occure until the 60's.

(But she has never been diagnosed by a doctor.)?

Only a qualified doctor, preferably a specilist can diagnose Alzheimer's disease. And this is very importent as only then can she be put on medications that can be effective in controling this disease and it's symptoms.

(no one can understand a word she is saying)?
This is a very vague symptom. And, it would depend upon so many things that are hard to go into fully in this forum. How long has this been going on? Is it a from a disease of the brain, or an injury, or a chemical imbalance? Only a good doctor will be able to diagnose this for you and your mother. The right diagnosis and medications may help. However, it is important for your mother to understand (with a brain damaged patient), weather the problem is physical, mental or emotional. Sometimes with brain damage or disfunction, you have to be a detective to truely understand what is happening and what someone with this type of impairment really means. (Did she ever speak another launguage?)

My mother, (who did have Alzheimer's), at one time woke up screaming in the middle of the night with hands full of hair in her hand and begging me to help her pull her hair out. I consulted with the doctor and raised her anti-phycotic medication the next day, which did helped. But, the more I understood about the brain damage that Alzheimer's victums go thru, the more I realised that the problem that my mom was having with that episode was not phycotic; but rather, the brain damage from her disease which made it impossiable for her to tell me that her "head itched". Then, once I really started to understand my mothers disease and the limitations that that was giving her, I realised that I had to be an ever vidulant detective to determine what was wrong, as she had long sense lost the ability to tell me.

No one here would or should advise medically for your grandmother as Betty has said. If you do not get her to a proper doctor for an accurate diagnoses and medication, I'm afraid that you are basically just spinning your wheels with this.

And if she has had this from childhood, It is probably something else anyway, and not Alzheimer's disease. Either way, it would be a shame not to attend to this problem with a proper evaluation, as medications either way, do help. But the first thing is that you have to at least know what you are treating. Not only for the right medications to be prescribed but also to research and understand better what is really causing your grandmother this kind of problem(s).

Hope this helps you and your mom,
Gizmo

[tracey2775]

Originally Posted by gizmolove

(going back to her childhood)?

Surely you're not saying that your grandmother has had AD symptoms sence childhood?

No, what i mean is, she's going back to her childhood years thinking she still lives in a house she onced lived in when she was 19, she thinks my mum is still around 10 years old and bad things that happened to her when she was married, she thinks happened that day. Thats what i mean by going back to her childhood years. Sorry for the confusion. Apparently going back like this is a very common symptom.