Talking with others in early stage dementia

I've diagnosed last fall and I'm still adjusting. No driving, weird dreams,a few nightmares

Hi, I was diagnosed in 2021 with amnestic mci then dementia . I am in the early stages of dementia and it’s moving slowly. Thank G-D!!!!!

I am on Aricept. I have been doing the neurocognitive testing yearly since that time.

Please let me know if I can answer any questions, if I remember!!

Welcome Nanette!!

Deborah

This is my first time on here. I was diagnosed with Vascular Dementia Three months ago.
I'm scared to death, confused, worried all day f the time, s cond guessing EVERYTHING, and I cry all of the time. The one thing I do know is I can't just sit here and watch my 🧬 fe go away. My precious memori s, my beautiful family.... I just don't know how to fight back. Or try to make the transition easier on my kids...
What do I do?

Welcome to this online support group, tlmead. It is scary to get a dementia diagnosis. You feel alone. But there are steps you can take to ease your journey. Being proactive can help. Please keep posting and communicating with the members.

Iris

Welcome avballester. You are on our online support group. I believe that peer support is vital for PWDs. The Alzheimer's Association provides free counseling from a Care Consultant, who can answer questions and give guidance. They are skilled in family dynamics.

Some local chapters offer a Memory Club, which is an in-person support group for PWD.

You might be directed towards a local therapist. But be certain of what you are asking of a therapist. Most of them are unaware of the nuances of a dementia diagnosis.

Please feel free to post often, and to keep us updated on how you are doing.

Iris

Any suggestions?

So yesterday I got my diagnosis of mild to moderate Alzheimers. (M72) with underlying conditions, HBP, high cholesterol, history of heart problems. The diagnosis was made upon the results of a PET scan, read by a highly acclaimed radiologist. My next step is to take the cognitive test, written and verbal, which I took 2 years ago. Based on those results I may have several more options.
My wife and adult children have been informed and are absorbing the news. They were all aware of my condition. I am taking Memantine and Donepezil which are both helping me. We are meeting with our estate attorney and financial advisor in September. I’m not going to become a financial or emotional burden to anyone. When I begin to lose my memories I will cease to be me, and will not continue on that journey. The only unknown is the fact that there’s no timeline for my progression of my loss of memory. Some I may go 10 years without getting demonstrably worse, others have the door shut on them within mere months. While I hope for the former I dread the latter.
I am hopeful that some of you that are experiencing this same situation will have some insight and help to guide me through this process. I have done all the testing over the past several years, and am recognizing this disease. I have open and honest with not only my family but also friends. My first thoughts are to begin hand written journal to document my experiences. Have any of you done that? If so, what are the positive and negatives. If not, why not? We, my wife and I have been slowly declutter Ing our house. We have been here 22 years and will remain until it becomes untenable. Anyway, I look forward to making new friends to share this with, god bless.

Hello-it is early and you definitely need to take time to mourn the loss of what you thought your life was going to be. Be gentle with yourself and feel your feelings. Then make sure that you do whatever you can to be as healthy as possible. The disease may be slowed with new healthy habits. Think about what you enjoy and can still do and love yourself by doing something that feeds your mind, body and soul. It has been a year and a half since my diagnosis of young onset Alzheimer’s. I have an amazing support group and that helps too. Sending hugs and good energy.