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[honeybun]

It's on its way.

The early tests seem to suggest its 86% accurate and will eventually lead to more effective treatment.

Would you have it done, in effect warning you perhaps decades in advance that you were going to develop this terrible condition.

Personally I would rather not know unless there was an effective treatment.

It would be like having a black cloud over you watching for every little sign.


Honeyb
x

[Joyce]

Been wondering about this today. My mum, her sister & their father all had it. Thing is some folk do find out in early stages like Terry Pratchett, Prunella Scales. Might give me a chance to fulfill a "Bucket List." The odds are against me if I'm honest. The thought of going that way do scare me though.

[Ju Ju]

Fulfil your bucket list now! What's stopping you?

[Dancinggirl]

The thing is they need to identify people early so they can try drugs to see what works. In many ways we are the guinea pig generation with all these new treatments coming through and the ageing population.
Dementia is horrible and particularly tough on those around the sufferer - having seen my poor mother-in-law go through it I'm afraid it really scares me. She had vascular dementia which is not Alzheimer's but still pretty bad.
There needs to be preventative treatments.
DG x

[honeybun]

You are so right Ju Ju.

We should all grab life and just live it but sometimes commitments make it really hard.
At the moment I don't even have a bucket, never mind a list 


Honeyb
x

[CLKD]

I would be tested.  If only for DH to be aware and be able to make arrangements with which I am happy to consider for the future.

[honeybun]

I'm really not sure whether my mother has dementia or its simply being so very old. She is 92 in a few weeks. I suspect that she has. I do know she would fail any test that they offered as she is so bad a remembering or retaining information. Sometimes a conversation with her is like wading through treacle. Other times she seems a bit sharper.

I would not me or hubby tested. I would spend the rest of my time watching both of us for signs.

Would you want to have your hubby tested CLKD because you just speak about yourself. I would trust my hubby and kids to make the best decisions about my care because I know they would do the best they could. I would not want to be a burden to anyone though.


Honeyb
x

[CLKD]

That would be his choice.  I am forgetful already and my brain feels muggy most of the while, like my brain needs to sleep  and we have the thread/s on here about brain fog etc.. 

I think some of my problem is lack of stimulation, i.e. proper exercise …….. this next 3 weeks we're in front of the Tour  ……. but if you ask me who won yesterday  ……..

[Ju Ju]

I worry about my parents. Dad 89 and Mum 87. Recently I've had some strange conversations with both of them. Some could be amusing, except.......

[honeybun]

I know what you mean Ju Ju. We are past the amusing stage now and are on the "will she set the house on fire" stage.

She can remember events from 60 years ago but this morning or last week or even the beginning of a phone conversation is a different matter. It's so damned hard o. many levels. Frustrating and sad to loose my mum....She went years ago. Hard work in trying to keep her safe as she lives alone. Also hard work explaining things, very simple things.

Would she have wanted to know years ago that her memory would go. Nope....She is blissfully ignorant to the whole businesses.


Honeyb
x

[Ju Ju]

 I miss my sister, who died 12 years ago. We would have shared the burden. Also my sister got on better with my Mum than me. They are exhausting to be around. My children avoid spending too much time with them. My Dad has kept a firm eye on my mum. There is a notice in the bathroom to remind mum to turn the taps off. She has set the kitchen on fire and they have taken precautions to avoid this. No more frying. Trouble is my Mum seems to need to be in control. She won't agree to having a cleaner and I will not do it. I can't cope with her hovering around telling me how to do it. She took over as I used the toaster the other day and managed to turn it off! As I pointed out I am 60 and have along association with toasters! You have to try and see the funny side! Do you think personality traits become magnified?

[honeybun]

Yes most definitely.
I am sure you have read the difficulties that I have with my mother so I won't go over old ground. Suffice to say she was never an easy woman.
I believe we all have the ability to filter what comes out of our mouths. What you think is not always what you say. As my mother has got older the filter has gone. It's not funny at all.
She was also very manipulative, playing one off another and then sitting back watching the action. You have to be very smart to do that and she does not have that ability anymore.

So yes her personality traits are magnified but not in a good way.


Honeyb
x

[Joyce]

I'm quite scared TBH. Think brother may be going slightly doolally. He's a bit older than me. Just occasionally he seems to have lost the plot, maybe nothing. I hope so for his sake.

[Dancinggirl]

There is the small extra risk of developing dementia if one starts HRT over the age of 60!!!!  I find this risk rather baffling as I'm not sure how they can judge this. Even the breast cancer risk must be very difficult to truly gage as there seem to be so many other aspects (e.g. lifestyle, stress etc.) that need to be factored into the mix when assessing risks. Also genetics plays such an important part with all health issues and I think many of us already worry about dementia if we have a genetic relative with this illness.  I do wonder if the effects of oestrogen deficiency, which I believe results in a greater furring up of the arteries (hence more heart and vascular problems), could contribute to vascular dementia?.
On this site we talk a lot about "quality of Life" and "balance". Modern medicine offers so many choices regarding, testing, treatments etc.  Now the medical professions want us all on statins - I really worry about this as it's known that these can bring really nasty side effects - where is the quality of life in that?.
We are made to feel guilty if we don't keep to a healthy diet and exercise programme yet I have recently known of 3 ladies who have just gone through full breast cancer treatment and all 3 have been slim, fit healthy individuals who didn't take HRT - each had been though very stressful times!!!!  We are blithely told to avoid stress !!!! This is the toughest thing to control and often impossible to avoid!  What about the the very real stress of coping with menopause symptoms? Lack of sleep must be so bad for us (a very common meno symptom) and I do wonder if this would be an important factor in the onset of dementia?
With a test for Alzheimers, each individual will cope with this in a different way but are we going to see pressure over this as well?.  We are now basically forced to have breast screening which I personally find really stressful as it hangs over me while I wait for results.  One of the 3 ladies I mentioned before is a close friend and she had had a mammogram and given the all clear only months before discovering an abnormality so I'm afraid I now have little faith in this screening.
Since coming off HRT 9 months ago I have noticed a very real decline in many cognitive and physical aspects of my life - my balance is wrong somehow - the lack of sleep and energy is alarming - I am having to write lists and notes to myself all the time - the good old 'brain fog' we all complain about. 
I find it very strange that doctors are quick to put us on drugs such as ADs which are far from natural to our bodies(and bring some nasty side affects as well) and yet natural hormones like oestrogen are still deemed far more risky! Perhaps the development of better treatment for balancing our hormones (not just oestrogen and progesterone) is not lucrative enough for the chemical companies? Knowing the decline in hormone production is very much part of the ageing process, surely maintaining hormone balance would ensure a healthy life for longer - as we say "quality of like is vital".
There is absolutely no doubt we need far greater monitoring of the risks and benefits over the long term in relation to hormone replacement and this needs to be done at the frontline with our GPs. If GPs were kept better informed about the management of the menopause a more objective picture would emerge. I really wonder if testing all hormone levels in our body and then implementing appropriate treatment might prevent many degenerative conditions that cost the NHS very dear including heart disease, osteoporosis and possibly dementia?
DG x

[CLKD]

Well said Dancing-girl  :thank you:

What isn't said very often is how screwed results from Drug Companies often are  in that only 'positive' results are given to the Press but any that aren't what the Research expects or which could mean that a drug isn't approved, aren't offered up.  This should STOP Pronto!

ADs can help but have such awful side-effects  …… been there many times.  But once I found a drug which helps ease the depression I have stuck to it.  Even though I feel tired most of the while, often sluggish, can only do a few chores at a time before needing to rest  - could be a number of issues here, ADs, BBs, lack of general exercise, hormones ………..

Statins - I won't take them as I don't require them.  It's like the annual 'flu jab, GPs get paid for those which is why they 'press' for them - but my MinL was very very ill each time so after 3 years she refused.

I don't know how much interaction takes place between Drug Companies, Pharmacies and GP Surgeries