MCI or dementia?

Haha she will pretend to hate anyone you bring in, it's attention-seeking manipulation. It's OK to stay with friends to recharge your batteries, and it's cheaper than a psychiatrist. The siblings will be in denial at first. For example, my husband told me that his mother could drive just fine. He agreed to let her drive to a picnic, and when he got out of the car, his eyes were wide in shock.

I can relate too. I got Mom a geriatrician as no one would take me seriously as to her mental state. When she came out of rehab and had visiting nurses, I told them about her behavior and wanted her tested but kept being told t give her time to adjust to moving back in with me and my husband but I knew it was more. Her behavior scared me. She was seeing people in her room, hearing her two sons arguing in the hallway, (one died 24 years ago and the other one was on the west coast!), could not remember how to use the toilet or her walker etc. I found out after blood work and urine test the rehab was giving her too high a dose of thyroid meds( which I called them on!) and she had a UTI. Two weeks later she is doing better and not talking crazy(much). We get her re tested in October so we'll see how she does on the psych evaluation this time as she failed quite badly on the last one. Keep calling the doctor and if the family doesn't listen, tell them to butt out. You're doing your best so feel good about it and share share share on here. We listen!

Thanks! you see its all the other stuff that shes doing not washing,leaving front door open,cant manage finances,not really watching tv not taking in information,not cooking,shopping,not washing her hair,dosnt get dressed,set cooker on fire,clutter everywhere, no emotions,manic about things that need to be done,repeating herself over and over,BUT memory very sharp?? Im just so confused and dont think this is MCI I just hope the scans show something? Its so frustrating and its seems even the docs find this difficult to diagnose. I understand slight confusion but its the dangerous things shes doing?

Yes shes a VERY intelligent woman and scores 29/30 my friends mum had als and also scored quite high with memory? Yes she has suffered from depression for years shes also diabetic and has never looked after herself. Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to vascular dementia. She has had a brain scan but we havnt heard from the geriatrician yet? her personal care is just awful she smells of urine and is incontinent she also has a colostomy and leaves her bags around the house OR she will throw them out the bedroom window into the garden lucky her room is at the back!! Its so frustrating not knowing but something is not right. Ive just been googling and its actually hard to diagnose dementia they ususally go by behaviour more than tests as her memory seems to be ok she does talk alot about the past theres days when shes "normal" then days when shes nuts??
I am so stressed until the doc gets back to me and a family who are not listening and say its depression?

My heart goes out to you!! When you know something is wrong and family doesn't want to get on board it is frustrating. Hopefully the geriatric specialist will have some answers for you. Maybe a neurologist or neuro/psych evaluation. My mom failed the memory test with the neurologist, she didn't even know her dob. We already knew mom had Alzheimer's but we needed the neurologist evaluation to determine her competency so we could activate the DPOA. Your situation is tough and until you get a diagnoses and the right medications you are left in the lurches of trying figure it out. I have read on here where other posters said their parent scored high on the memory tests...it may depend on the type of dementia..idk. Just keep talking to the dr.'s about all that she is doing, there has to be an answer for you and please take care of yourself too. Let us know what you find out from the geriatric dr. Hugs to you!!

My mums doc is useless ive been telling him for 2 yrs shes not right and he said its just depression when she set a chair on fire she said she maybe looking for attention??????????? NOW ive had to pay to go to see a specialist geriatrician and hes on the ball just waiting for him to get back to me unfortunetly his clinic is only every tuesday. Feeling bad just had a row with mum as im sorry but i cannot stand when she eats her food with no teeth it makes me physically sick BUT she went upstairs and got her teeth am finding myself getting more frustrated as WHY dosnt she wear her teeth? Why dosnt she wear her hearing aid?
sorry am drained today and just hate this illness its such a hard demanding role its just never ending always doing something to bug you!

Off now to the kitchen (my haven) to smoke as the tv is so loud I could scream this is her house and she dosnt care what I say as she knows ive nowhere to go.

Thanks for responding i am sure its dementia just need the dr on my side now so I can tackle the siblings!

Youre so right about her good days when she goes to doc she washes dresses up wears makeup and is ALERT and competent IT DRIVES ME MAD! i come out of the docs sometimes feeling that maybe its me im mad because noone si seeing what I see so stressful and frustrating.

I am lucky to have 2 good friends that I run to when things get too much i stay with them 2 nights a week if i didnt i think i would go mad.

I love my mum and try to do whats right BUT she does nothing but moan all day we have a new carer and again mam hates her and thinks shes useless? here we go again theres times when you want to scream and say you know what look after yourself youre never happy and run!! If only that was so easy.

Hugs to you all

Thanks and you are so right my mum calculates dates like the last time he asked what date it was she counted back as my sisters bday had just passed a few days before! When she came out she was chuffed that AGAIN ive gotten away with it have to say it broke my heart even when the geriatrician said "i think you are showing signs of MCI" she didnt even register and just smiled at him? I just cannot imagine what her little world must be like I try and imagine how would I feel if someone told me I was losing my mind? My friends mum when she was told she had als laughed and told her family that it was aload of rubbish was in complete denial then never mentioned it again. Its just so sad when you get angry with them then when ive clamed down I cry for her and feel so sorry for her she didnt deserve this shes been ill all her life why her? then you pull yourself together and get on with it. I know its dementia but i will get a blow when its confirmed then we can start to grieve.

Oh that little smirk is her blocking out what she doesn't want to hear. I guarantee she will deny he said that and tell everyone she is fine. That's the devious four-year old inside coming out.

You say her memory is sharp. She is smart and clever, but if she is setting the cooker on fire, it's because her short term memory is NOT sharp. She doesn't remember that she started cooking something. Repeating the same thing over and over is IMO the classic symptom of dementia, because she FORGOT that she already said it.

I really feel for you.

My husband can tell you all about military tactics in WWII, or what the address was of every house he ever lived in, but he can't remember that he has a shopping list in his pocket, and he can't figure out that he should look in his pocket to see if there's a list there. He's a mixture of smart and dumb, which is typical.

Thanks guys such a relief to know im not going crazy she is always on her best behaviour when other people are around! My sister and aunt were here and have now gone back. She was upbeat shuffling around cleaning?? cooking bread??? now shes back on the couch smelly in pjs and glued to tv?? go figure.x