108beads

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Well—could be any one of a number of things. Article clearly states (and I'll second) that this isn't a comprehensive checklist that points only to dementia.

I'm not going to say what else it might be, as there are so many possibilities. That could generate a raft of options for a total hypochondriac meltdown set of things to worry about.

I will add that partner's medical & psych team ran through a whole bunch of other options, and none of the obvious meds, counseling, physical tests seemed to help or point anywhere else.

It's a list to pursue seriously with healthcare providers, though.

 

TLDR: This list does not automatically mean someone has dementia—other causes may include drugs, stress, mental illness, or other medical conditions. Seek medical help before jumping to conclusions.

  1. Apathy: nothing is interesting.
  2. Affective dysregulation: sad, anxious, crabby.
  3. Lack of impulse control: frustrated, angry, irrationally stubborn, obsessive.
  4. Social inappropriateness: shockingly uninhibited or rude in words, deeds.
  5. Abnormal perceptions or thoughts: suspicious, hearing or seeing things that aren’t there.

I wish I’d had this article 10 years ago. 20/20 hindsight, my partner in her early 50s went through years of prodromal (beginning signs of) Alzheimer’s before receiving a diagnosis at age 61. The list is scary-accurate.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Been there, done that. I probably had Covid twice, but one seemed asymptomatic. (Fully vaxxed each time.) The first time, had only a household member with Covid and some low blood-oxygen readings. The second time, felt like a bad case of flu, tested positive.

Covid seemed to linger for a longer time than most other viral infections I've had. Low energy, draggy, for a good month or two after I was physically "recovered." That I needed to self-quarantine, and my inability to get basic ADLs (activities of daily living) done efficiently contributed to feelings of depression. There was probably also a physiological Covid-related component to my feeling overall "down" as well.

It will pass, eventually (fingers crossed). It just seemed to take longer than run-of-the-mill illnesses. Be gentle with yourself.

 

A very beautifully moving, articulate first-person piece by Greg O'Brien, a journalist with Alzheimer's.

I cannot give you a TLDR, because this piece offers the texture, the experience, of what it's like to live with Alzheimer's. He says, "when the brain fails: write and speak from the heart, the place of the soul."

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

And for heaven's sake, start an investment retirement account now. Yeah, I know, "but I'm not making enough, but there's that shiny thing in the (online) store window, but I'm never going to get old." Just allot one take-out coffee's worth of spare change per week. You can up the ante later. Let the miracle of compound interest do its thing.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Welcome to for-profit healthcare in America. It's no longer about your health. It's about their profits. (But—muh freedomz!)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

That you're posting here suggests you really don't want to take action. That's a good start.

I urge you to seek professional counseling to work on processing this horrible experience. It won't go away if you follow through with violent plans. While you may feel like it would release your from the "prison of your mind," I can assure you it will not. And you're more likely to find yourself if literal prison.

I was raped when I was 17. I've never said thst anywhere in print, and rarely speak about it in person. I'm 68 now. I recall the details vividly.

I'm saying it now to you so you know I am speaking from hard experience, not just blathering. Revenge will not release you. And: you will be shaped by the experience. You cannot change that. But far more importantly, you do not need to be defined by it.

I refuse to have my life defined by one stupid person's thoughtless, egregiously cruel act (or even several people, several acts). You are better than that, stronger than that. I refuse to give anyone that power. It's not about forgetting anything. It's about forging it through your own will into one event, among many, that make you who you are, and who you can be.

 

TLDR: Some studies on what causes Alzheimer’s disease are examining the link between the early presence of one of the hallmark chemical brain chemicals (plaques—or clumped buildup—of the protein beta-amyloid) and later development of the disease.

People 18 to 65 who experience high stress, anxiety and depression seem to have greater amounts of this marker protein, and statistically greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s in later years.

Does untreated mental illness tend to cause higher rates of Alzheimer’s? Does impending Alzheimer’s (accompanied by increased beta-amyloid) cause mental health issues? Can early intervention lessen the risk of developing Alzheimer's later? Is the connection mere coincidence?

The cause-and-effect connection is still unclear. (Caveat: No, if you’re depressed, this does not mean you’re headed for dementia-land.)

I can attest to my own experience with my partner, who was officially diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at age 61. She had about a decade’s worth of whack-a-doodle mental health issues prior to the diagnosis. None of the conventional therapies (drugs, counseling) seemed to work.

We know she had a hereditary predisposition (her father and 2 aunts had some form of dementia). We know she had a childhood that caused anxiety and depression. Perhaps it was a snowball effect—the biochemistry of mental health issues poking and prodding the genetic component into action. Or perhaps the mental health and Alzheimer's symptoms merely overlapped.

Some further reading on current research into links among beta-amyloid, mental illness and Alzheimer’s:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8534102/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25629787/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34877794/

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

An occasional thought that flits by, dissipates quickly, likely not an issue. But by definition, "intrusive" means a thought that nags, disrupts, is unwelcome in frequency, intensity. It would be worth finding a therapist to get to the reason, the source—and to find better ways to defuse or address these thoughts. They aren't there "for no reason at all." With a clearer sense of the reason, you can seek better ways to address the root cause.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can't do tech very well, but give me needle, thread, and I can mend! Nobody does that anymore, either.

 

There’s a test for that: the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale. You can look up that term online for more information. I’ve linked to one source that has a decent, short explanation, and the complete scale itself. Other sites can offer more in-depth perspective.

You may need to adjust some of the items for your specific circumstances. Note that the scale indicates that even “good” stuff in our lives (as well as, duh, “bad” stuff) can contribute to overall feelings of being off-kilter, out of it, not quite firing on all cylinders.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It sounds like you may be feeling very self-conscious about interactions. It took me a long time to learn, but much of the time (I've come to realize), "they ain't studying on me." Like—other people aren't scrutinizing me or judging me as much as I think they are.

Plenty of people are so wrapped up up in their own heads that they aren't paying you any attention, perhaps not realizing how you are reading their responses to you.

Maybe it's just me getting older, but "when I am an old woman, I shall wear purple." If others think I'm dressed weird or acting oddly—what of it? I don't need (and can't have) everyone's approval. Sure—there are limits; I don't want to endanger myself or others, or provoke hostility. I don't want to be mean to anyone.

If you make overtures of friendship and kindness and are turned away, that says a lot more about others than it does about you.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

There are a number of resources pinned on this community for those in need of extra help.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Much love, sympathy, condolences. I know this was very hard for & on you. Thank you for sharing the update; we are honored.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I'm so glad you took the time to update! It sounds like, although it was an unpleasant experience, you made good use of it by figuring out what was behind the feelings, what was motivating your downward spiral, and what you can do to help yourself get back on track.

I know it's easier said than done, and something I struggle with too—but don't let the perfect become the enemy of the good. As in, maybe you'll try and not get it absolutely perfect. But doing a "good enough" job is sometimes (often?) better than doing nothing at all. We all make mistakes, even with the best of intentions and effort. But the only real "failure" is screwing up, and not learning anything from it. I think it was Einstein who said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results."

Thank you for asking how I'm doing! Well—muddling through. Sitting in a nursing home with my partner who has Alzheimer's, where I visit her every day. Not what I wanted for my retirement. I try to look for good things, small things. She still knows who I am, and we still love each other. I'm comfortable financially. I'm going to see my friends in church tomorrow; hopefully, the meditation class I'll be teaching will go over well. Trying to get motivated to mow the yard!

Be well, my friend, and take good care of yourself. We all have ups and downs; give yourself what you need to pick yourself up again.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Absolutely! Toasted, with ketchup!

 

This article concerns one of the part-owners (19% share) of the skilled nursing facility my partner with Alzheimer's is in. His name is Ephram Lahasky. The place is Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Nursing Center at Williamsville, NY. (I call it the Roach Motel.)

The article notes that he owns a similarly-named nursing home conglomerate in western Pennsylvania. That conglomerate is trying to sell off properties.

In a nutshell, the conglomerate has cheated workers, patients and Medicare/Medicaid. It's trying to sell off properties before a judgment is rendered in the lawsuits, so it won't be liable. These are allegations only, not established fact—but yeah, where there's smoke…

Beware placing anyone in a nursing home where this guy is among the owners. Many nursing homes are a shady exercises in profiteering.

 

“Why Neurologists Are Calling Quest Rapid Alzheimer’s Test ‘an Absolute Catastrophe’”

TLDR by a real person:

Quest Diagnostics has released its Quest AD-Detect™ blood test for $400.

Problems:

  1. The test has a high rate of false positives—29% false positives.

  2. Tests are easy to misinterpret. They only tell you if you MIGHT get Alzheimer’s… with a 29% false positive rate.

  3. The test looks for beta-amyloid proteins, one hallmark of Alzheimer’s. But the buildup of these proteins hasn’t been studied in a large enough cross-section of the population to lead to any conclusions.

  4. Symptoms that look a lot like Alzheimer’s can be caused by a wide range of other things. If you misinterpret the test as meaning you have Alzheimer’s, you could miss some other serious conditions.

 

The Dutch “dementia village,” De Hogeweyk, discussed in a paper delivered at the annual meeting of the Society of Architectural Historians:

https://www.e-flux.com/architecture/treatment/410336/deception-and-design-the-rise-of-the-dementia-village/

An Al Jazeera video on a care home in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai:

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/101-east/2020/5/1/thailands-last-resort/

 

I don’t want to claim that meditation is the answer to every mental health problem. But it’s helped me, and I sometimes recommend trying it, particularly mindfulness. (And you can do mindfulness seated and at rest, or walking, or any number of routine activities—just not driving, please!).

I’ve heard a number of people say “But I just can’t still my thoughts! My mind is racing, and I give up feeling more defeated than ever!”

Mindfulness is not about forcing your mind to stop thinking. Rather, it’s about becoming aware of what you’re thinking… and then letting the thought go.

I’ve linked an article I found recently that explains it really well. TLDR (though it’s worth reading in full): A Tibetan Buddhist monk, chosen as the reincarnation of a revered predecessor, absolutely loathed being a monk as a teenager. He was angry, snarly, irritated, and a great vexation to his teachers. Angry thoughts constantly interrupted his meditation practice (and everyone around him).

One teacher gave him some advice: when you meditate, don’t be like a dog; be like a lion.


“When you throw a stone at a dog, what does he do?” he asked.

“The dog chases the stone,” I replied.

He said that was exactly what I was doing, acting like a dog—chasing each thought that came at me…

“When you throw a stone at a lion,” he continued, “the lion doesn’t care about the stone at all. Instead, it immediately turns to see who is throwing the stone. Now think about it: if someone is throwing stones at a lion, what happens next when the lion turns to look?”

“The person throwing the stone either runs away or gets eaten,” I said.

“Right you are,” said my teacher. “Either way, no more stones!… Instead of chasing the anger, grabbing it, and holding on, just be aware. Just be very gently aware of the anger instead of getting involved. Don’t reject it, but don’t dwell on it either. Just turn your attention to look gently at the thought. At that moment of turning inward to just observe, the thought will dissolve. At that moment, just exhale and rest.”

2
Aphasia (www.beingpatient.com)
 

TLDR (by a real person!):

Aphasia is the inability to put one’s thoughts into the right words—you know what you want to say, but brain damage (traumatic brain injury, tumors, dementia, etc.) derail conversations. It can be isolating and maddeningly frustrating.

How to talk to someone with aphasia

  1. Acknowledge capacity. People with aphasia remain smart, capable—but there’s a short-circuit in expressing thoughts.

  2. Partner up. It takes two to talk. With a few strategies, you can ease the way for satifying conversations. Keys: • Speak normally—tone, volume. • Acknowledge stumbling blocks with respect, rather than ignoring them. • Write down (or repeat) key words to keep chat on track. • Draw, or use gestures; point; use more body language. • Use yes/no questions to confirm understanding. • Sum up main points at intervals.

  3. Respect the human right to communicate. Written or spoken language is a hardwired need.

  4. Ensure accessibility. Make sure speed, loudness, complexity of information (etc.) allow for comprehension, participation.

  5. Include people in conversations and events. Don’t leave people out because you assume they might feel uncomfortable. Offer choices and they will tell you.

 

"Researchers at the Francis Crick Institute and UCL have shown that hundreds of proteins and mRNA molecules are found in the wrong place in nerve cells affected by Motor Neuron Disease (MND), also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).…

[N]ew research published today in Neuron shows that the problem is much broader. This 'mislocalization' affects many more proteins than first thought, especially those involved in RNA binding. The mislocalization extends to mRNAs too, molecules that deliver instructions to make proteins from the DNA in the nucleus."

 

Dementia / Alzheimer's Medication Class Action

"A $56 Million Class Action Settlement has been settled with pharmaceutical companies that manufacture and market certain Alzheimer's disease medications. The class action lawsuit alleged that pharma companies including Actavis, Merz, Teva, Dr. Reddy's, and Wockhardt conspired intentionally to keep generic versions of Alzheimer's medication off the shelves in order to drive up the cost of Namenda Alzheimer's medication. In the United States, the generic version of Namenda Alzheimer's disease drug is also known as Memantine."

Page contains a link to join the class action suit.

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