OK...took my 50 year old DH to the clinic and the nurse, PA and doc all saw what I was talking about, but he scored a 26 on his MMSE! They did recommend an MRI followed by a visit to a neurologist but my husband is really mad! He would not agree to get an MRI much less the neurologist so we are in the battle now!I guess I need encouragement to keep pressing him to get one despite how mad he is. What do you all think? I am relieved the professionals saw what I see but not sure what to think about the MMSE. Confused...HELP!
My husband said in the very beginning that he did not want to do a lot of doctor appointments so we never did. He just went to his primary care doctor every three months for his checkups, and when he needed something for aggression the primary care doctor gave him an anxiety pill that was great. We just lived out the disease , I think my husband had more peace in his life, and I think it was better for him that he wasn't always reminded that he had that disease. Everyone is different, but that worked for us.
My husband with FTD scored high on the MMSE test for 3 years, however, his memory kept getting worse every year. Over the past 7 years my husband has had 5 MRI, 2 PET Scan, CT Scans, Numerous Blood test, Lumbar Puncture, Tilt Test just to name a few. With no diagnoses, until last July when he had the 2nd PET Scan, that is when Frontal Temporal Dementia was diagnosed. I would try to continue getting your husband to at least go to the Neurologist.
Marise I've got two questions. Is that a 26 out of 30 or a 26 out of 50? And did you get a diagnosis of dementia?
Basically if the family doctor is willing to prescribe and your husband doesn't want to go to a bunch of doctors or do a bunch of tests, you might just want to let it go.
We went to a neurologist who works with dementia, but once it was obvious that there was no more he could do for my husband, we (the family doctor and I) decided that he would only go back if there was a reason to go back.
Wow, hmmmmmmm, I understand what joyce is saying but I have to say that because of your Dh's age, you really need to get him to go thru with it. For one thing, getting disability (if he is diagnosed) will bring in a monthly income as well as insurance coverage which the coverage was the most important to me cause my Dh kept getting denied because of the Post Polio. I know this flipping sucks but I think you need to keep up the good work. What if you told him that he had to do this for the insurance, cause aren't you trying to get it? That little lie might work, If and when he is diagnosed with any one of the dementia's you will find that we have to tell little lie's more than we care to but most times it avoids a lot of hassle. Then if all else fails, beg him to do it for your future stability. Cause honestly this disease can destroy you financially. I basically know that at some point I will be a bag lady, cause even the basic's of AD life require so much dollar wise, not to mention the cost of medicine, doctor appt's, help that you don't expect such as when something needs repair around the house and he can't comprehend how to repair it any more , daycare when the time comes, emergency trips to the hospital, loss of income his and yours because at some point you find it very hard to work though there are people here who continue to work (God Bless) because I don't know how they do it. There is so much that needs to be prepared for when you are the ages that we are. It's just added pressure I know but it's facts. Sorry, you have to go thru it. Rk
I can only answer about the MMSE. I hate that test. It does not measure the problems my husband has, except for the short term memory. He always scores 26 or 27. It doesn't target reasoning, judgment, irritability, slow processing (it can take him forever and 2 or 3 tries to give an answer, but because it is correct, he gets credit for it.).
Everyone is different, but I'm one who would want the testing and definitive diagnosis. I agree with Rk - if he is not working and eligible for SS disability, you could have the doctor tell him he needs the test or SS won't give him the money. Which is true. But maybe he'll take the news from the doctor better than from you.
My husband has FTD and his last MMSE was 26. He usually does pretty good on the test except for remembering the three words. He was diagnosed after an MRI showed atrophy and a thorough neuropsychological testing was done. That test showed the deficits he had. I would really try to get him diagnosed so you can appy for SSDI so you would have an income coming in. My husband was diagnosed at the age of 58 with problems a couple of years before that. I'm 50.
It sounds like you've got FTD going on there or at least the majority of the vascular or AD damage in the frontal lobe. Sid doesn't sound like the classic AD presentation. Mine has vascular damage in the frontal lobe only and you described him almost exactly in your description of Sid.
You might try telling him that you need the testing so that if it is something simple ...he can be treated...and back to living his normal life. I believe there are some other things that can mock ALZ but they are cureable. I have problems in that area also...even though he has been DX in 2002. Good Luck...Ann
Grannywhiskers, you have come up with the main reason to do all the testing. Sometimes it isn't a real dementia, but something that can be treated. And a neurologist will have the "checklist".
Grannywhiskers and Starling, In another post by Marise several of us discussed the very same reasons. Don't know if she was able to get that across to him though! Can you imagine what a wonderful thing it would be if his issues were cureable? Hopefully he will give in and get some answers. I to had to deal with Dh's denial, yet he still went ahead and went just to get some answers. I can remember the day the Nero Doc gave us the Pet scan results, Dh looked at me and said well you got your answer! I was a little stunned that he thought it was me who needed the answer, I wanted one, not exactly the one we got, but I wanted an answer. It was as though he had, nor wanted anything to do with the whole darn thing. Rk
Your husband needs to see a very well-qualified neuro, preferably at a research center or memory disorder clinic that has extensive experience diagnosing early-onset dementias. Otherwise, you may waste all that time and energy getting your husband to the doctor, but not get a good diagnosis.
MMSE was developed for, and tested against, Alzheimer's. It is NOT reliable for other disorders that cause dementia.