Alzheimer's?

Karl38

My wife has been diagnosed with dementia, probably Alzheimer's. We have been down this road for about 6 years now. Her memory is very bad but otherwise she has not changed. We lead a fairly normal life with me directing all of her activities. Is it possible she has something other than Alzheimer's? Anyone else having this experience?

BPS

My wife went about 5 years after diagnoses with what seemed like mostly only memory issues. Other things were happening, but they seemed like small things, things that we tried to explain away. Little things kept adding up and, finally I realized how much things had changed. It was slow enough for a long time that it seemed like no big deal, but it was and is. I am sorry to say.

trottingalong

I agree with @BPS. I often questioned if my DH really did have it? We would have long periods of everything appearing to be fine, although he would tell me he felt “foggy.” Fast forward six years or so and we have moved into an obvious “he definitely has it” stage. Because everything progressed slowly, I didn’t really recognize all the small, incremental changes that occurred over all these years. Little by little I did more and more and more. And now it’s obvious he could not function alone.

SDianeL

Sorry about her diagnosis. This is the place for info and support. Dementia is the overriding disease with Alzheimer’s being a form of Dementia. Many people progress more slowly depending on which part of the brain is affected. I kept a list of my DH behaviors to communicate to his doctors. It also helped me see the progression. She could be stable for years & then rapidly progress or she could slowly decline. No way to know. Look for the Alzheimer’s Stages Chart and it might help you get more of an idea what stage she’s really in.

Carl46

I assume your doctors did brain imaging (CT etc.) to rule out other possible causes such as brain tumor or stroke. If those are not the cause of her problem, then I'm afraid Alzheimer's disease is probably the culprit.

My wife was diagnosed with AD in 2017, and we were warned of possible personality changes. None appeared until this year, when she became agitated and angry. This has improved with medication, and she actually behaves much like the loving young woman I married in 1967. But she is very easily confused. I have to help her dress, or she will have both socks on one foot and her shoes on the wrong feet. She can't sew, use a telephone, read a book, cook, or start her car. Sometimes she can find the bathroom in her own house, and sometimes there are "so many doors." I have no hope that her condition will not progressively and unpredictably worsen for the rest of her life.

Life with AD is like being on a one-way staircase, leading down. At unpredictable times we find ourselves one more step nearer the bottom.

I'm sorry you are here with us, and that I don't have any more cheerful answer for you.

jscott

I'm in exactly the same spot. My DW is doing so well, diagnosed 3 years ago, I have a tough time accepting that she has this disease. But, I know that there are subtle changes happening and they break my heart. I pray God brings us a miracle but also pray that I can care for her with all the love in my heart for whatever comes. I fear the future but am doing my best to take advantage of today.

Belle60

I also experience that same thing. Sometimes the changes are so subtle you don't even know they happened until you can look back. I ask family members and friends that dont see him frequently if they see changes. When you are in the middle of it day in and day out you kind of get use to the behaviors and make the necessary adjustments without even thinking about it.

bwanasil

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/71102/alzheimers

I went through the same thing with my DW. It started about 6 years ago when I noticed subtle changes in her . I thought it was just an “age factor “ as she was 65 then . Gradually things started getting worse although my 3 kids who do not live at home disagreed with me . I did not need a doctor to give me the bad news after he did a very short “ memory test.

fmb

DH was diagnosed with ALZ a little over a year ago. He was already in Stage 6 (per Tam Cummings chart). In retrospect, I can see executive function issues and then increasing memory issues going back 10 years. I was providing so much scaffolding for him that I was unaware of, having been told that his problems were just due to old age (he is 93). The diagnosis was a severe blow for me. I was truly the frog who was being slowly boiled alive. Coming to this discussion board and learning about the stages of ALZ made me realize just how bad things were. He is now is late Stage 7, and our journey will be ending in the near future.

Tam Cumming DBAT:

https://us.v-cdn.net/6037576/uploads/M85FKA0SKDC0/dbat.pdf

trottingalong

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/227543#Comment_227543

you said it so well

AlzWife2023

My DH used to say he felt “foggy” in the mornings when he woke up often and he seemed distressed & disoriented because of it then we got our diagnosis.

AlzWife2023

It’s crazy to read someone else’s post & have to check to see if I’ve written it! Sorry to say I know exactly what you’re going through except my DH is 81.

AlzWife2023

ditto

Another day...

My husband is 57. He has FTD. I think he has had it since my second child was born but it was slow and gradual. Beginning of pandemic, hr had a huge change. I had three small kids. He continues to decline. Sometimes I don't realize how much each year because I'm too close to situation. Others notice more than I.