I remember about 4-5 years ago that my dh began forgetting conversations and getting anxious in unfamiliar surroundings and becoming pretty reclusive. I thought he just wasn't listening to me, but now I realize that he just totally forgot the conversation. As I look back I remember many signs that I ignored until they were so obvious (here, honey, take over the finances) that I had to get him checked out. Then, getting him to agree to go to the doctor was a big hassle and took a while to accomplish.
How many of you had similar experiences with your spouses? I'm just wondering how long he has actually had this disease?
My story is exactly the same as yours. At first you think they just aren't paying attention or have become antisocial. Looking back, there were so many hints that I missed, starting about 6 years ago. Not being able to 'track' conversations became very noticeable about 4 years ago. He's recently moved from Stage 5 to early 6 and the decline is noticeable rapid at this point.
There is a big discussion about this on these boards. I just brought it to the top for you. I just noticed that Bluedaze brought to the top another discussion on the same topic.
A little over 7 years ago I noticed that my DH was having problems inputing information in his computer for work. Well his boss noticed it also, but did he check to see if there were any problems? NO. My DH was the kind of guy who always got high scores on his reviews, but this was a new boss who didn't bother trying to find out if anything was wrong. Consequently my DH lost his job. However thank God that he worked for the frederal gov't for 28 years & was eligible for his pension. He tried working part time jobs for a while, but it was clear that he was going down hill. I mentioned this to our family Dr. & he had his nurse give "us" the clock drawing test & sure enough he couldn't do it. He put the numbers outside of the circle & he didn't know where to put the hands. The Dr. suggested that he see a neurologist but DH absolutely refused. I was at my wits end when my children stepped in & did a sorta intervention. We all had lunch at my daughter's house & after lunch with the grandkids playing in the other room my oldest son started by saying, "Dad, we need to talk to you about something." & before he could continue my DH said (angrily),"I know what you want to talk about, she (meaning me) says that there's something wrong with me." My son difused the situation by saying, "Dad, we are all adults here & we just want to talk to you & Mom didn't have anything to do with this." Then my children (3 of the 4 & my sil) gently told him that they were concerned becausr they have noticed that his memory isn't as good as it used to be & they all cited specific situations. I was so proud of them. So after all was said my son said that they wanted him to see the neurologist. DH said, "Well I'll take this all into consideration!" So #1 son said, "No Dad, Mom is going to make an appointment & you're going." So he went (kicking & screaming....not really, but not happy!) & the diagnosis was early dementia. We went back for a few follow up appointments, but he refuses to go back. He is progressing so I'm convinced it's the ALZ dementia. (sorry this is so long!)
Around Christmas of 2003, I noticed DH losing lots of things. Had never happened before. He noticed it too and would get so frustrated. In Feb. we met his son (neurologist) and wife in FL for vacation. It was a terrible trip - he lost his wallet, lost his glasses, misplaced a bag, etc. When we got there I took his son aside and just asked him to observe his Dad carefully. That's all I said. We were there a few days and his son took me aside and said he has dementia - no doubt about it. Then we all sat down and his son talked to us and told his Dad he should see his doctor when we returned home and to mention Aricept to the doctor. We continued the trip from hell, to see my son - and it was awful. After several tests, he was DX'd April 1, 2003 with ALZ. DH was very accepting of the DX and never denied it. He KNEW something was wrong - although he did not want to hear the word ALZ. Now, however, he will tell anyone he meets he has it! I do believe Aricept kept him from sliding downward quickly. It's been 7 years now and he still does pretty well - sometimes! LOL
I think I first suspected about 8 years ago. His father had AD as well as his uncle.I really had a pretty good idea but every time I brought up that he was forgetting things, he got angry. It's been dx over 4 years ago and he still doesn't really know he has AD. Either that or he is in complete denial.
My situation is totally different. I often thought my husband wasn't listening to me, but that had happened to a lesser degree throughout our marriage. I also knew he was forgetful, but that didn't seem unusual either. He was the one who got concerned because of his memory. He went to his doctor and asked me to come. The doctor suggested he go to a neuropsychologist, and he went willingly. After the first round of tests, he was diagnosed with MCI (January 2008). He then saw a neurologist, and he was put on aricept and, after about three months, on namenda. DH began telling people immediately. He was retested in January 2009 and was told it was still MCI. The doctor said he didn't need to come back unless there was a change, but DH asked to go back in a year. He was diagnosed with probably Alzheimer's in January 2010. He is still telling people. However, he also still thinks the main problem is his memory.
My husband doesn't have alzheimers but FTD. I noticed a change in his personallity in 2005 and put it off to chemotherapy and radiation treatments he had in 2004 for bladder cancer. In the beginning he didn't have memory problems just personality changes (which usually come first with FTD) which caused him to be short tempered and childlike at times. During this time I called him jokingly my "goofball" not realizing that there was an actual health reason for his changes. He started having trouble with his memory in 2007 but the tests all came back normal. In July 2008, he was sent home from work confused and told he had to see the company psychologist. This is when I found out he had lost all of his abstract thinking capabilities and his neurologist sent him for an MRI which showed the atrophy of the frontal lobes.Further testing by a neuropsychologist pointed toward FTD also. During this time he would tell anyone who would listen that his brain was shrinking. Now, he has no clue there is something wrong with him. I have been lucky that he is very agreeable to anything I ask of him. Some stubborness and lots of obsessive behavior, but no aggression towards me or anyone else. Now he is losing his language skills and cannot hold a conversation. He mixes up words and stutters now. It sad to see....
I think I noticed changes a long time ago, probably around 8 or 9 years ago. We'd be going on a trip and he couldn't seem to remember what I said when I would tell him we would have to get off the highway or turn a corner. He'd get us both excited because he go right past the exit, etc. and then he would be screaming at me because I didn't tell him sooner! He couldn't remember which side the utensils belonged on the table. Even the grandkids would look at me as if to say, Why is he asking that? He asked how to do every little thing, all this time working and driving and seemingly not have problems with those. It never, ever dawned on me he could have a problem. It wasn't until he was diagnosed with a heart problem that I thought those problems could be related to his heart. Then, after his heart surgery, for a couple of weeks, he was having vivid hallucinations and wouldn't let the doctors do their work without me by his side helping them. Now, I believe, that helped bring his dementia to the forefront.