My DH is on Aricept (2 years) and Namenda (6 months). His dementia has not been named as the symptoms are so varied. Docs say it is not AZ, or FTD, but they don't really know what it is. Anyhow, for the past 3 months he has been turning to the wall to talk to me. He turns right and I am on his left. Last night he came out of the bathroom to kiss me goodnight and went to an empty child's chair that we have by the TV and leaned down and kissed the air and told me goodnight. I watched this from my chair which is about 15 ft away, and told him that if he wanted to kiss me goodnight he would have to come to where I really was. No argument from him. I immediately messaged his doctor and the response from HIM was that it was really strange and he didn't really know what to say. This is our family doctor, not his neurologist whom I despise. DH is also being treated for Parkinson's, but the dementia came first. Our doc said he could do more scans but it wouldn't really make a difference as he has dementia and no matter what it was, he still has dementia. He is never mean or extremely hateful to me. Convincing him when he is to take his pills is about the worst part. I quit my job this week so i could be here with him morR0m e,,,,suggessrions
Speaking of kissing, I had a weird experience recently. Background: one noticeable symptom has been my husband's shifts in affection. Some days I am in the "dog house" with him for no apparent reason. He gives me the cold shoulder and even though he's always liked hugs and kisses, he is resistant if I try to come near. At first it was only a day or two but has lengthened to longer periods of time. Then there is a change back to him being more comfortable giving and receiving kisses and hugs. I never know how long each phase will last and have given up asking him what's the matter? OR have I done something to offend him? Because he literally can't tell me and doesn't know . . . is seemingly unaware of the changes in affection.
We recently moved into a different bedroom and he's sleeping on the opposite side of the bed from previously (to be closer to bathroom). One night recently he was awake when I came to bed . . . I was obviously in his good books because he moved over to kiss me good night. But then he said he couldn't kiss me from that side because he was used to being on the other side of the bed. So I moved closer and he literally didn't know how to manage it. Totally unable to. He tried for a couple of minutes and couldn't do it. Then he climbed over me . . . kissed me from that side just fine . . . and climbed back over to his side of the bed! Never had that happen before and it hasn't happened since. In fact, he's been okay kissing me from his side of the bed. It was weird. Probably a sign of things to come??
sheila, I didn't like the first neuro our family doctor sent us to and I told him so. He had his nurse call and get an appointment with a different one and he is great. Perhaps you could check and see if there are any other neuro's in your area. From so many posts here on this site it seems family doctors don't know much about the various dementias. My DH sometimes acts like he doesn't know what he is looking at and will turn the wrong way to go to his bathroom or bedroom. He is on Aricept and Namenda as well as Sertraline and Seroquel. I don't know if either of them would help your DH but there has to be something out there. Someone with more knowledge than I will be along and be able to tell you more. I hope you find some help for both of you. God Bless.
We see a geriatric internist with memory loss specialty. All neurologists are not knowledgeable in this field. Maybe contact your local Alz Asso for a list? Ask if they have a social worker or case manager to work with you? Support groups? Memory loss clinic near by? If his dx is something other than Alz, his meds may need to be changed.
You can also go to a geriatric psychiatrist instead of a neurologist. I was very disappointed with the neurologist who first treated my wife. Our geriatric psychiatrist, who sees more people with AD in a week than our neurologist saw in a month, is much more knowledgeable about AD.
you may want to read up on Lewy Body dementia too. it seems a very parallell form of AD/parkinsons/ hallucinations that are phycially acted out along with dreams/ etc. sometimes its a very fine line trying to find which form of dementia they have. it could be a combo of several at once. just a thought.
i agree with the others if you arent happy with neuro find another who specializes with dementias. divvi