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moonbeam Asked December 2012

What are the symtoms of dementia?

i wonder if my mom has it. she can't remember what day it is. i will tell her something over and over and she forgets everything i have said. she asked the other day if she had only been married once, she couldn't remember . she i 90 yrs. old.

srkenneth1 Jan 2013
Thank you jeannegibbs, I thought about doing that. Of course, he thinks he's fine and recently had a check-up. I have been thinking about letting our doctor know about the worrisome issues. I'll try and see if we can get some communication established. Thanks again.

capnhardass Jan 2013
@suzeeg,
dementia can cause poor bowel function . my mothers bowel function is so poor that shes been advised by doc to take 9 OTC stool softeners a day. even pharmacists only recommend about 2 a day so the problem must be pretty severe.. dementia is considered a fatal illness these days because the brain controls all body functions and one by one they begin underperforming..

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jeannegibbs Jan 2013
srkenneth1, What you describe is indeed something to be worried about. Can you get him to go to a doctor for a checkup? Alert the doctor ahead of time about the behaviors that worry you.

srkenneth1 Jan 2013
My husband is 64, Vietnam Veteran, recovering alcoholic-now 12 years sober. Thanks be to God. He has been starting to sleep till noon, he is glued to the TV for hours on end. If I ask a question about the show or movie he is watching, he has no clue, says he wasn't paying attention. This is not once or twice, but several times a week. He always asks what day it is, he asks the same questions up to 4 times in a row, often within a few hours. He forgets almost everything I tell him about where I am going, or about watching our grandson, or what we will have for supper. He has all but alienated himself from his family and really doesn't care to be around my family much anymore. He seems to be suspicious of everyone. He still drives and does several things perfectly normally, but I am getting increasingly worried.

susie379 Jan 2013
Moonbeam, these folks are right. Always get them checked out for a UTI first. But also get vitamin B-12 levels checked as a deficiency in this can also cause confusion. Ruling these out, get Mom tested for dementia.

MariesGame40 Jan 2013
In reading Soozeig answer, I feel she is really in a bad situation and needs some help with her situation.

tlhanger Jan 2013
Soozieg, that is dementia. I always wonder if veins or arteries in the head are clogged. Except for the bowels, that could be my mom. Lately, she seems to just depend on us more. She hated too at first, but she has lived with us 4 years now.

AmyGrace Jan 2013
My mother is 98 and her dementia really started about 8 years ago, but this past year has become noticeably worse week by week. It started with forgetting and repeating herself and denying things that are blatantly true. At this point, her dementia is full blown - she can't remember what is said 5 minutes ago; barely eats; can't run the washer, can opener, etc; refuses help; lies; accuses others of stealing her things; obsession with her bowels; complaining constantly about everything; depression (horrid to be around her - its like a dash of cold water in the face just listening to her).

tlhanger Jan 2013
Got my mom on this drug and it gave her bleeding ulcers. Didn't think it was that and started her on it again and she had them again. That is when her doctor said , it was most likely the Aricept. Quit it and she has been fine, except for the dementia, for 10 years. She only weighs 90 pounds.

NancyH Dec 2012
Looking back, if you can see that this has been coming on and not a sudden change in her behavior, then you're most likely right it is dementia. If it was sudden or odd for her normal behavior, then maybe I'd say she may have a UTI and get that checked out. But either way she needs to be seen by a doctor. The sooner she gets on Aricept or Namenda or something else, the better. Sorry.

jeannegibbs Dec 2012
If your mother has been married 4 or 5 times, forgetting the exact count might be understandable. Is that the case?

Short term memory loss and no orientation as to time or day can be early symptoms of dementia. Are you living with her? These symptoms are a little less concerning if she is not living alone.

Be patient with needing to repeat things to her. Keep an eye out for other symptoms that may develop.

A uti can cause some of symptoms of dementia, but I think it is most common to be hallucinations or delusions rather than memory issues. It is always a good idea to be aware of the possibility of a uti causing strange symptoms.

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