My husband talks constantly.Have any of you noticed this with your ad spouse? If so,is this common? Hubby has never been bashful,however never this talkative.If he's telling a story to someone and can't remember parts of it,he just makes up as he goes along.He is in about stage 3.
Oh boy, Ann, you've hit one of my biggest pet peeves. Sid was a retail sales manager his whole life, so he had the "gift of gab" to begin with. But one of the first times I noticed something wasn't quite "right" with him was when he met someone new and ...........................................YIKES! He never took a breath. On and on and on and on - like the "off" switch was broken. It happens so much now that I have to give him a hand signal to "shut it off".
I haven't read much in the AD literature about it. I'll ask my social worker about it at the next support group meeting.
My husband is between stage 2-3 I think. He has always been super talkative for most of our marriage, but to OTHER people rather than me. With me he's always been much less talkative. I always said he never met a stranger. But he does that now too. He talks a lot, especially when other people are around or even on the phone. He sometimes just makes it up as he goes along. He never seems confused when he does it either. I think that is a big reason many of my family members don't believe me about the AD.
Bill seldom talks and when he is around strangers he never says a word. He is at the beginning of stage 7 and is having trouble coming up with the right words so I think that is why he doesn't say anything around people he doesn't know. Right now people he doesn't know is just about everybody.
He just ask if I know where Momma is. The only people he talks about are those who have been gone for years.
Now I know the constant talking seems like it is related to the AD.I've done a lot of reading on AD,however this subject is never mentioned.My guess is that it can go either way,talking all the time or not so much.If I say anything about it,he just says you never want me to talk.He doesn't hear what other people are saying and interups them often.Others have only been told he has "memory problems"I can't help but think they know more.I don't mention it because it would seem like a betrayal.
Yes, My LO never talked to many; very quiet and somewhat unsociable. Now he thinks he knows everyone in spite of us living away from where we did and talks their head off. In moderate AD and even though its somewhat embarassing and aggravating, I sort of enjoy seeing him happy doing something. He talks alot to me in car. As I am driving he is telling me where we are in reference to if we turn here for this and this way for that, most wrong. Sometimes I correct him but alot of times I just agree. But that makes driving very stressful. But thinking back, not nearly as bad as when he goes into rages of anger and wants out of the car. Lord, help us. Thanks for sharing, PAT
In the early years my husband had bouts of never-ending talking. Sometimes I had to stop him with 'honey, take a breath' while everyone else sat politely listening. He could go on and on about things that were not true and convince others to take action. He convined a niece who is a lawyer to do something about some legal matters that didn't even exist. It just all sounded so perfect and he was always the type of man people would listen to and ask advice, so they'd listen and I'd have to call later and say it was all made up. No wonder others don't believe us!
Faith&Hope Talking, laughing - yes. He used to be very quiet, reserved, bashful, talked only in a few words at the time. Now he will talk to anyone about anything - I mean anything. I had to stop telling him anything about my personal issues as I would hear them back from strangers. He makes up the pieces as he goes along - he will "correct" me and interrupt if I happen to be saying something. We go to church, all of our friends are church people. Cursing was never an issue in our home, but he swears OFTEN when telling his stories. I have to keep nudging him in the ribs, and I don't think he gets my point. It is embarrassing - he only has MCI and not to many people know. He says he has always cursed, but if he did, no one in our family ever heard him. I think it is because the damage that he has is in the part of the brain controls inhibition. But, most things are very funny, even when they aren't. Lots and Lots of laughing. I am grateful that he is so happy, but it isn't the man that I have known for 40 years.
PS to Pat We also have had rage events - and the times in the car when he is demanding to get out on the highway have been stressful. I just keep driving and act like I don't hear him. I did think that if I ever had to do that, I would call 911 as I want him to be safe - and when he is like that, I can't do anything with him.
What I have noticed is that my husband has difficulty paying attention when someone else is talking. He can't process things quickly enough and seems to be formulating in his mind what he is going to say. He will interrupt and proceed with his own story which may or may not be related to what the other person was talking about. He tends to be very quiet in a group of people and has told me many times he feels stupid that he can't contribute as his words " won't come out." It becomes tempting to refuse invitations to social functions because of this.
faith & hope, I know what you mean uncontrollable sometimes and so mean....One day, we were on the interstate coming home from getting groceries and he was in one of his rages over nothing (or I thought it was). He screamed and fussed and wanted out Finally we got on smaller highway 2 miles from our house. He told me he wanted out the car again and at that point I knew he meant it; he opened the door so I stopped, he got out. Happened to be in front of a convenient store ( which I heard later he told cashier I threw him out of car). He went in and I went home crying. I told my daughter in law, she picked him up (acting like she happened to go there for bread.) This AD is nothing nice but what's a person to do except grin, bear it and have faith that GOD will give us strength. Thanks for sharing, Pat
INGE Your husband sounds alot like mine.I was wondering what stage your husband is in.could you share? Oh those stories--I'm always uneasy never knowing what's coming next.I think my husband is mid-stage.It's a tough go already.Hubby will not take any meds,he says a person never knows what the side effects could do to you.I find it hard to reason with him.
In reference to the interruping - Sid does it all of the time to me - he says if he doesn't say what is on his mind right that second, he will forget it. He does not interrupt other people- he just lets the thought slide away. I am assuming that is because he still understands it is rude to interrupt, unless it's your wife, then I guess he thinks it's okay.
As for socializing - Sid is most comfortable socializing with our small group of friends from our support group. He knows everyone understands, and he won't be judged.
My dh is a talker, he was a state trooper, so he will talk to any one and tells them he has ( then looks at me to fill in the blank). I have noticed in the car his constant talking. Tells me about every sign 35 miles an hour, are you going too fast, etc. he slams his hands on the dash when a red light or stop sign is coming, to brace himself. Yells, hit that car or hit that pothole. It used to be stressful, but, I'm getting used to it, don't jump so bad now. Didn't realize it was part of ad. What next. Bonnie
bjblyghtnin, Mine talks rarely. He is very apathetic and withdrawn sitting in the other room away from me. When he is out in public he will strike up a conversation with a stranger and anyone who will listen. He confabulates stories and whispering to them and looking at me from a far...they smile. Lord only knows what bizarre things he maybe telling.
Bonnie, I had to drive my DH to his retreat today, and since he seems to have forgotten he has a GPS, he was paying attention to the signs instead of the GPS. I noticed today that he was giving me directions on where to turn (even though I knew where I was going) and when I went around a curve he was holding on for dear life. I am so accustomed to him telling me what the GPS says (which I usually ignore) that I guess I never really noticed his back seat driving, and I guess I also learned to tune it out a long time ago. Lullie, My dH very rarely talks to me, but lately we have had a number of different neighbors come and sit with him while I went on doctor's appointments (for myself) or to church. According to the feedback I am getting, he is quite the conversationalist, but a lot of what he says is confabulation. I'm glad I'm not around to hear what he is telling our neighbors! :-)
I had to laugh when I read your comment on back seat driving, bqd. Our daughter was home for a week and one day she said "The only thing worse than a back seat driver is a back seat driver with Alzheimer's." Bless them, they are trying so hard to help.
My D. was a person who never met a stranger, could talk to anyone, very outgoing, personable & cheerful. Notice I said "was"! He can still put on quite a performance with others (although I've noticed it's mainly saying "yeah, yeah, that's right" or laughing - I don't think he has a clue what they're talking about). We barely speak around here & actually, I'm okay with that. It wears me out to answer the same questions over & over, there's really no real conversation, & his hearing isn't great anymore, which just adds more to the mix. I've been really perturbed with him the last couple of days, anyway, so it's not likely I'm going to say anything positive right now!
Marche Loved what you daughter said about nothing worse than a backseat driver with alzheimers. I had to laugh. We must laugh to keep from crying. Even before dx he has ask me over and over and over. What's your name? I didn't connect it then and would say puddintain. Now he is starting to say, Your name is Bonnie isn't it? I'm wondering if he is afraid he's losing my name. We need Sunshine tomorrow Bonnie