Just as a refresher, not that I don't remember telling you this (Ha!), my husband had radiation to the brain to keep his cancer from spreading there 2001. Around 2004 I insisted he get a brain scan due to some extreme confusion thinking he had a brain tumor. He complied, results negative. I spoke with his radiologist in private & she told me the radiation she had given him had aged his brain 10 - 15 years.
Today I went on the internet & did a search for radiation/brain injury/dementia. What she DIDN'T tell me was that yes, brain radiation causes dementia, with very similar symptoms as AD, which often don't show up until years later. In fact, they put those with brain radiation injury on the same drugs as AD & the symptomology is almost exact & progressive. In children it can lower their IQs drastically & cause behavior problems.
Knowing how concerned I was about his confusion, how could she not have known this? She could have explained it to both of us, but so far, his aging brain has been my little secret. I wish she had informed HIM about why he was confused. He even admited to being confused at the time. (He would never now.)
My question is this: My husband thinks (as many of you must have experienced) that nothing at all is wrong with him. Should I print some of this literature out for him to read, or just forget about it. He gets angry when I mention anything about it, but I thought maybe reading the literature might make some sense to him. Or would that be like giving an AD person literature on AD? I thought since he knows he had the radiation, it might make sense to him.
War weary here.
I think I'm going to type up a statement that I sign & send it to my son, something like, I agree I have a problem with my memory if my son says I do.
Val, My DH know he has AD, but thinks that he is in early, early stages. As for any memory problems - his multiple meds cause these side effects. Or his CPAP for sleep apnea isn't working right, or "fill in the blank". He has no idea he has the deficits other see. I have seen some articles that describe this as unawareness rather than denial or uninformed. Great explanation- http://alzonline.phhp.ufl.edu/en/reading/Anosognosia.pdf.
As for that paper to give your son, suspect it wouldn't work. I can imagine the discussion in the future. "I didn't write that. That's not my signature. I don't have memory problems. You do. Yeah, that's it. You need to see the doctor, not me. " My DH has told me that I need to see a dr., I'm the one with problems, I probably have AD cause I misspeak as much as he does.
Excellent article, even covers confabulation. Thanks for the info Pat. It would be a great read for anyone whose LO seems to be in denial.
Also, good point on the "I didn't write that." I've been through all that. Something is wrong with ME he said last night, because I take Lexapro. God only knows, I would have probably exploded already without the Lexapro. I've heard all the things you have.
Good call bluedaze, I'm still tempted, but trying to sit on my hands. Almost printed out the article that Pat sent, but realized that would upset him too.
It's so frustrating! I go back & forth with thinking there are drugs that could help him vs. what's the point, it's going to take him in the end anyhow.
Val, your husband's reactions are WAY too unpredictable. Unless you have found a hidey-hole you can run to in the event of an emergency, I would absolutely NOT talk to him about it. Even if you do get your own place, I'd still be very leery of upsetting him.
And besides, what's the point? You cannot argue logic with him. It doesn't work. You cannot prove you're right -- he won't even remember.
Your radiologist may have felt that telling you your husband's brain had "aged" was a gentle way to start getting you accustomed to the idea he may develop dementia sooner than the average person would. Doctors sometimes do very foolish things to avoid causing anguish, or being the bearer of bad tidings.
The only medicines that are available for "treating" AD slow down the deterioration. They don't stop it, let alone reverse it.
There might be a drug that could help control some of his wild mood swings. That would be good for him, and for you, if you could manage to get him diagnosed AND his doctor knows enough to know the best one to prescribe AND you could find a way to convince your husband to take meds.
Sunshyne, you must be really keeping up with me. The radiologist told me that everyone's brain ages differently. She did NOT tell me that there was a possiblity of dementia caused by brain injury due to radiation. I would have preferred the truth. & I can't believe she didn't know. It would have taken all the wonderment (is that a word?) out of the past 4 years. Here I am going around trying to figure out what is going on. I swear, until I found this site, I had no idea.
There is no way I'm getting him to the Dr. Nothing wrong with him!