Length between appointments

southerngal41

My mom is in the back end of the moderate stage. Since she's been seeing her neurologist (maybe 3 years), the length between appointments is 6 months. Is this typical/normal? Thanks. Hugs to you all.

H1235

My mom saw her neurologist every 6 months until she moved to AL. She has a variety of other ailments and saw the pcp much more often. The pcp was not very comfortable treating her problems with anger, so the neurologist stepped in for that. When we moved her to AL she changed doctors to the one at the facility. This doctor was more willing to work with us to treat the anger and so she just stopped seeing the neurologist. I asked the neurologist if there was a point to follow up visits and she said it was just up to the family. I found mom would listen to the neurologist better than us. (Her pcp was clueless when it came to dementia) Early on when she was upset that we didn’t want her to shower when she was home alone, the neurologist supported us and so she finally agreed. Her neurologist never did any additional testing to track her progression. I think everyones situation is a a bit different.

harshedbuzz

@southerngal41

There is no typical/normal when it comes to dementia.

Dad saw his neurologist at 6 month intervals the first year and then yearly after that. The neurologist was a big gun at a memory center who is often quoted in articles around this topic. He was great at the diagnostics but didn't have much to offer beyond that. Dad's psychoactive medications were written by his geri psych with appointments every 3 months to check in. TBH, once dad had a firm diagnosis. The appointments were inconvenient and upsetting.

My friend's mom didn't even see a neurologist. Her PCP did the testing to rule out treatable conditions and oversaw her care until the end.

Unless a PWD is using one of the newer infusion medications, once or twice a year seems sufficient once the evaluation is completed.

HB

Quilting brings calm

Once we got into the neurologist’s office, we saw a NP. Every six months like clockwork. Until I decided nothing was getting done. A 10 minute test that the NP kept saying mom improved on every visit. She’d listen to mom for a while, watch her walk with the walker, and tell her to come back in six months. Wouldn’t believe me when I’d say mom had declined. I finally asked her PCP to take over her ‘memory’ medication this spring.

She did see residents at the psychiatric clinic for better anxiety and depression medication for a couple years. They were medication only - no therapy. Wouldn’t prescribe Seroquel. Therapy would not have helped as she wouldn’t have remembered the session the next day. She saw a new resident every second visit or so, no continuity of care. PCP took those meds over this spring too.