My therapist thinks that I should get tested for dementia

I think if we are honest quite a few of us, but not all of us, have an area(or more) where our cognition isn’t that good .
For me it’s using my intelligence in practical day to day situations where my high verbal intelligence is very much a secondary factor .
It would take interacting with me in the right situation to see that that was the case .

1 Like

You are right @CoCo, dementia starts off slow usually then gets gradually worse.
Because it runs rampant in my family, my therapist wanted to play it safe.
She’s not a moron @DNA and you are completely out of line.

I’m 55 @CoCo.
Early onset does exist @DNA

2 Likes

Hey, if you want to add another label onto yourself; be my guest.

I’m just trying to add a sense of comfort to the situation.

This is not my goal

If your therapist suggests to get tested for dementia; and you say that it runs in your family, then you should definitely get yourself tested.

But I’m telling you @Wave, you do not have dementia, and it probably wont hit you for another decade, if it does at all.

2 Likes

Thanks for the reassurance @DNA

1 Like

My stepdaughter’s family has a history of earlyish dementia . My wife was 67 , and her mother was about the same age when it struck her. Technically it’s not early onset <65 , but it was still quite early .

1 Like

67 is still on the young side to get dementia.
I personally would rather be dead than to go through hell with dementia.

It’s a devastating way to live.

Agreed @Wave. I hope it’s a false alarm and just your meds or something like that. Let us know how it goes. Best of luck to you!

2 Likes

My step daughter and one of my granddaughters do private care for several people with dementia. It can be a hard job, and is poorly paid.
There usually comes a time when help provided in their own home isn’t enough, and moving the person into a care home becomes necessary .

I don’t know exactly how old you are Wave, but reaching a certain age, and adding anxiety to the mix , can make you hypersensitive to any perceived changes in cognition. This especially true if there is a family history of dementia .

Reversible causes of memory loss

Many medical problems can cause memory loss or other dementia-like symptoms. Most of these conditions can be treated. Your doctor can screen you for conditions that cause reversible memory impairment.

Possible causes of reversible memory loss include:

  • Medications. Certain medications or a combination of medications can cause forgetfulness or confusion.
  • Minor head trauma or injury. A head injury from a fall or accident — even if you don’t lose consciousness — can cause memory problems.
  • Emotional disorders. Stress, anxiety or depression can cause forgetfulness, confusion, difficulty concentrating and other problems that disrupt daily activities.
  • Alcoholism. Chronic alcoholism can seriously impair mental abilities. Alcohol can also cause memory loss by interacting with medications.
  • Vitamin B-12 deficiency. Vitamin B-12 helps maintain healthy nerve cells and red blood cells. A vitamin B-12 deficiency — common in older adults — can cause memory problems.
  • Hypothyroidism. An underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) can result in forgetfulness and other thinking problems.
  • Brain diseases. A tumor or infection in the brain can cause memory problems or other dementia-like symptoms.

When to see your doctor

If you’re concerned about memory loss, see your doctor. There are tests to determine the degree of memory impairment and diagnose the cause.

Your doctor is likely to ask you questions. It’s good to have a family member or friend along to answer some questions based on observations. Questions might include:

  • When did your memory problems begin?
  • What medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements, do you take and in what doses?
  • Have you recently started a new drug?
  • What tasks do you find difficult?
  • What have you done to cope with memory problems?
  • How much alcohol do you drink?
  • Have you recently been in an accident, fallen or injured your head?
  • Have you recently been sick?
  • Do you feel sad, depressed or anxious?
  • Have you recently had a major loss, a major change or stressful event in your life?
1 Like

Thanks for the important info @firemonkey

oh go go please, doas today we have good meds of treatments for that
crossing fingers

1 Like

Thank you @ola :slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.