I’m almost reluctant to share this good news because usually when I rejoice in good things related to DH’s condition, something bad comes along. But this is such good news, I must share it.
2009 and 2010 were not pleasant years for us. My husband was very overwhelmed and frequently this manifested in very unpleasant rages, foul temper, foul language, etc. It was very difficult, as it placed my son and I on constant edge, wondering what would set him off next.
I am thrilled to report that since the beginning of 2011, DH’s rages have gone; he is back to normal as far as his temper is concerned. That is not to say, he never gets upset, but no more than would have been normal for him prior to his developing MCI. Mind you, this improvement is isolated to his temperament; he continues to experience cognitive decline. But this improvement is a gift from God! I can deal with everything else, but living with the stranger who had possessed my husband’s body had become increasingly difficult.
What has caused the improvement? I cannot know for sure but I do know 2 things changed.
#1. DH stopped taking baby aspirin. He’d been taking this daily for years. After his brother had a heart attack he decided he needed to take it. I read that daily aspirin can cause bleeding strokes, and loss of hearing. So I told DH he should not be taking it unless under doctor’s orders.
#2. DH increased his dosage of “Focus Formula” supplements. He had been taking Focus Formula, vitamins B12 and D, since he was diagnosed and I have not noticed any benefit. But around the beginning of the year I was reading the Focus Formula label (thinking maybe I might start taking it, too) and I noticed the correct dose was 2 pills a day. DH had been taking only one, so we increased his dosage to 2 pills a day.
So - did one or both of these changes cause the improvement? Or did DH coincidentally reach some internalized level of acceptance, which has lowered his frustrations with himself? Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know.
All I know is I praise God for the change, and thank everyone who has been kind enough to pray for us!
mary22033--I know somewhere in this website I posted something similar about my husband, except there were no medication changes to attribute it to. Same thing, he was dx initially with MCI and for several years, through the early stages, temper was a problem. Then, when he entered the middle stages of AD, I saw the same improvement you described! (Also same concurrent cognitive decline.) I even told his neuro I thought that hb was getting better--he attributed it to the acceptance of the disease, plain and simple. I totally agree with your sentance "I can live with everything else..." and yes, it seemed like a miracle! For us so far (hb now late Stage 6), MCI and the early stages were the most difficult.
mary22033 I think it was " DH coincidentally reach some internalized level of acceptance, which has lowered his frustrations with himself". The kids and I noticed a similar "acceptance" with my dh and I know how much you appreciate the change in temperment. My Mother lived with us her last 15 years and forever, my dh would complain about her - finding fault - etc. He did not complain to her but to me about her. It was very stressful. After diagnosis, he changed his attitude toward her. He became helpful and kind to her, much like a older brother to a younger sister (if they want to). Our daughters often commented about this acceptance of his mother in law and I think this was primary for my mental health. I am so glad your husband has "passed this stage". Mental cruelty is not acceptable from anyone in my "book", but I see it all the time between couples in the grocery store etc. Home must be much worse. But, if I were you I would continue with the "meds" you have been giving him. Praying for you and all caregivers.
Agree with above. DH (late stage 6) happy to sit in the middle of noisy grandchildren when in the earlier stages this would have been impossible. The early stages with anger and frustration were the worst!
I went back and found your post - wow - sounds the same (http://thealzheimerspouse.com/vanillaforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=1969&page=1#Item_0)
I also see that 3 weeks later, you posted his behavior issues resurfaced :( Oh well, if that happens to us, I'll know it's normal and not from me jinxing myself :)
Reading your posts - the lack of sense of smell, etc. - I see your experiences were so very similar to ours. And my husband, now 59, seems about the same age. If you don't mind my asking, how long was it between the MCI and the AD diagnosis for your husband? If I could get my husband in for the one year follow-up (which he is flatly refusing to do), I think he would be diagnosed with AD, since his deficits are now affecting ADLs - finances, driving, computer abilities, etc...
mary22033--his behavior issues may have resurfaced (I don't remember--it's a blur), but I doubt that they were with the same intensity as the early stage.
To answer your question, I believe that my husband was diagnosed towards the end of his MCI period, so that the actual AD label went on relatively soon after. Looking back, I now know there were changes in judgment, driving (getting lost), finding his way around a new location on vacation, etc., several years prior to the dx. To tell the truth, I didn't pay too much attention to MMSE scores, which would have been the determining factor of when MCI morphed into AD. As so many others have said, the scores bear little resemblance to functionality in many patients and my hb always had text anxiety anyway, so he scored lower on all types of testing than he actually functioned even pre-dx. This may seem weird, but the distinction from MCI to AD didn't mean that much to me at the time (I was struggling to cope with so many issues). Is that any help? If you are trying to figure out how fast the disease progression will be -- it took his neuro several years to see that it was progressing relatively slowly. BTW--his neuro has said he's a textbook case--so if your husband's symptoms are similar, it means that they will probably appear in the most common pattern in the future (check Barry Reisberg's FAS Scale, I think it's called). Knowing that has been helpful to me, taken out a little of the mystery of what shoe is going to drop next.