So my mother started off about a year ago with minor memory lost and anxiety in the evening. We looked it as getting older (71) and laughed about sundowners. As time has gone on she has gotten worse. About 4-5 months ago she called me in the middle of the night telling me there was a man in her house and she didn't know what to do. I immediately called my dads cell and he answered, turned out she was speaking about him and this is when we realized something wasn't right. The forgetting my father begin to increase quickly and more frequently. She has been getting angry, annoyed easily (her trigger) and very paranoid. Once she gets trigged she started to get confused. She has seen a neurologist, got a MRI and a EEG but they came back with no signs off Alzheimer's. She has a appointment with a neurology group to see if she qualifies for a trail, where she will get a Amyloid PET Scan. Her neurologist said this will help see better what is going on. So I pray she gets accepted. I guess the point of this message is to see if anyone has any information. Why is it happening so quickly, so often, why only my father, why is she seeing "people", how can she not know my dad that moment but know everyone else, talk to us like she about this "other person" like we know them? It so mind boggling.
There are medications that people with LBD (Lewy Body Dementia) should not take. So that should be ruled out or if the doctor does prescribe a medication for the anxiety it should be one that will be safe for her to take.
(Has LBD and or Parkinson's been ruled out as far as diagnosis goes?)
So Alzheimer's was "ruled out" But that is just 1 type of dementia.
I think the testing that will be done might help with a diagnosis but that remains to be seen. (and a person can have more than 1 type of dementia at the same time)
You do not mention if the doctor has prescribed anything for the anxiety and paranoia. I would think a medication to help with these symptoms would make her more comfortable as well as other household members.
Document any thing that you think might be of interest to the doctors and staff doing the testing. Even if it seems insignificant to you.
Keep us posted.
Hopefully your mothers doctors can figure out exactly what is going on, so you and your father can better educate yourselves on exactly what you're dealing with.