diagnosis(5)

Ann without an E

Hi, all - my mom was just diagnosed with Alzheimer's based on short-term memory loss and a questionnaire/quiz administered by her family doctor.  Is this enough for a correct diagnosis?

jfkoc

Sorry, no. A diagnosis involves the dismissal of things that can cause the behavior you are observing. It could be a vitamin deficiency or a thyroid problem which are both treatable.

Your family Dr really should know this.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/alzheimers-disease/in-depth/alzheimers/art-20048075

Fad marie

As jfkoc says, typically you need a more formal diagnosis than just with a primary care physician.  My mom went to a neuropsychologist for dx, and then we went to a memory center at a hospital to get further testing to rule out other (treatable) causes of memory loss like vitamin deficiency, etc.

Iris L.

Many medications that are prescribed for older adults cause memory loss as a side effect.  Check all meds for memory side effects.  

Iris

harshedbuzz

I'm of two minds on this.

If you are talking about a very elderly person (90+, say) whose long term PCP (who knows them well) and has checked/ruled out medication side effects/drug interactions and done the bloodwork to rule out possible vitamin and hormone deficiencies. My friend made this cchoice with her 93 year old mom.

In other circumstances, I think it's critical to see a neurologist- preferably one at a memory center with neuropsychology, social work and geriatric psychiatry easily accessible in one place. Dad was seen at a teaching hospital memory center where he was given a range of pen and paper tests, a CT scan and later a PET scan to narrow down his diagnosis.

My dad, then 81, had mixed dementia. Alzheimer's and Wernicke-Korsakoff's. The latter is caused by a Thiamine deficiency; once it was treated his memory and cognition improved for a period of time. 

HB