Getting to the doctor

bcwaldner

My wife has dementia. I took her to a neurologist and we both had brain MRI's. He scheduled both of us for a computer test and my wife refused to take it. I did. My tests were basically to try to get her there. She refuses to go to the neurologist and has not been diagnosed but it is obvious she is getting worse. Any suggestions as to how I can get her there or even get her to some diagnostic center?

Karen711

Hi bcwaldner- Welcome! Sorry you’ve had to find your way here.

I’m confused about what you said. You say you took her to the neurologist and you both had an mri, but also that she refuses to go to the neurologist? Did the neurologist who ordered the mri not make at least a preliminary diagnosis?

I told my wife I was worried about her general health and losing her words on occasion. I asked her to please go to see our pcp so I wouldn’t worry anymore. I asked her as a favor to me, because she said it was bs and didn’t want to go. I had to ask a lot over a long period of time. The pcp already knew what was going on (we’d talked a few times about it). Finally she agreed, though pretty mad about it. After a short conversation, our doctor referred her to a neurologist specializing in dementia. She didn’t want to go to that either, in fact was very angry (and scared) but I kept framing it that it would be doing me a favor and ease my concerns, which were probably over nothing (I told her, though I knew better). She finally went and after a fairly long interview and exam was diagnosed with AD. She had follow-up mri and genetic testing but refused to go to the follow-up meeting with neurologist so I went to that alone. My wife has anosognosia and no or little awareness of her dementia. In fact she will get very angry at any suggestion of it. I suggest you avoid naming the exact reason you want her to go and just keep saying you love her and you’re worried about her health generally. It may eventually work.
I wish you luck!

Karen

charley0419

I feel for you my wife still 2 yrs into this still has anosognosia, hates going to Nurologist I have to tell her day of appointment.they dislike Nurologist as never has any good thing to say.

bcwaldner

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/236534#Comment_236534

https://alzconnected.org/discussion/comment/236534#Comment_236534

The MRI did not give a diagnosis and the neurologist suggested the computer test and after that she simply refused. I have asked her to go to him for me. My kids have asked her to go and she simply refuses.

bcwaldner

I have asked her to go for me so that we can help her. My kids have also asked her to go. We are going to our internist this week and I am going to ask him to encourage her to seek help.