Is weight loss typical with vascular dementia/alzheimers dementia?

MIL has begun journey of vascular dementia. Her main issue is CHF complicated by AFIB. In her case any gains or losses of more than 2 pounds a week are a concern for me due to possible fluid retention in lungs, abdomen and extremities. Getting her to eat can be a challenge for 2 reasons, oh I just don't have an appetite, now I need to figure out if this is a medical reason or a pouty fit, the other is her wanting to watch her figure (did I mention how vain she is?) To circumvent her fixation on what the scale says hospice nurse now measures her arm circumference. Between that and when she tells me she only wants 1/2 of something I give her over 3/4 or a double portion so when she only eats 1/2 she actually is eating a meal. She eats it and we're all good. In your case it sounds as if there's something else going on. Has he had any blood work done lately that can explain this? Overactive thyroid? Diabetes? Simple xray that may show something you may not want to know about but will help explain what is going on? Is he active or could this be a sign of muscle mass loss?

My mother has dementia and gains weight every month, like clockwork. She has the appetite of a football player in training, at 92 years old. It's not typical to lose weight with dementia, at least not until the very late stages where they forget to eat, or how to eat, etc. Your father has lost an awful lot of weight for no reason, which is never a good sign.

My father was diagnosed with a brain tumor after he'd fallen and broken a hip. The doctor recommended MRIs every 3 months, but dad HATED the first one, due to the loud noise and claustrophobic feel with the face cage, etc. So I decided not to put him thru any more tests, and if the tumor grew, it grew. I wanted him to enjoy whatever time he'd had left, and so he did. He wound up passing away 10 months later, quickly and pretty peacefully, and that was the only goal.

Sending you a big hug and a prayer for peace for you and your family. I know how hard all of this really is

thanks for replies. I think I will at least get a cologard test, just for my peace of mind that I did try something. But I also have been doing some reading about weight loss and dementia and found it is the process of dying of dementia. I think the body loses the ability to know what to do with food.

Although weight loss with dementia is common, it's usually a slow continuous loss as a person's appetite falters and he/she simply forgets to eat. My mother with MCI lost about 12 pounds the last year she lived in her own home and cared for my father with vascular dementia. When she moved into my home where she was under less stress and got back to eating three meals a day, her weight stabilized and hasn't varied by more than 1-2 pounds in any year.

Generally, with proper intake, which you state there currently is, and this kind of "wasting" you can be fairly certain that "something" is going on. I am hopeful that your PCP leveled with you that this is the case. I always remember the last time for my Dad in his mid 90s, losing weight and energy in much this way. His doc say "Al, you have something going on; we can test for it, but the tests aren't fun, and if we find something, what would you want to do about it". "Nothing", said my Dad. And they didn't put him through it. Good choice. Went sitting in his easy chair without time to even say "ouch". I am so sad for your worry, but I suspect the advice of your PCP is good. If you have a "need to know" mind you can request autopsy following death of the person you love. For me, if we live long enough our cells will morph into something "not good". I used to tease elderly patients who were up to laughing about it all that "If they look long enough and hard enough they WILL find something, if we are of a certain age". And sadly it is true. I am wishing your family peace and comfort.