Hi Cindy, I think this is the thread you nearly started. In "Introductions", you said you think your husband may have FTD. That is my situation also, and I have found great information and support at www.ftdsupportforum.com. That site is well monitored, has many threads in many categories, and has contributors from around the world. I read there and here daily. Not everything applies to everyone on either of these sites, but it gives a heads-up as to what to be aware of. You are not alone. You will be able to manage your lives.
Diagnosis is very difficult to come by.
I encourage you to check out ftdsupportforum.com to find information that will be useful whatever type of dementia your husband is experiencing.
I'm going to switch threads here. My husbands diagnosis was Dementia of the Alzheimers type. And, he does follow the stages of AZ, sometimes seems to be in more than one stage at the same time. He also shows some signs of FTD, but whether that is just the way of AZ or there is really damage, I don't know.
I started reading a novel about a young girl who suffered major FTD in an auto accident. It is just a story but some of it feels like I could have written it. One thing that has interested me is how a person can vary so much from day to day without a visible cause. Yesterday was a pretty good day but today he was off from the time he got up. Was very angry with me, accused me of being too lazy to fix him breakfast - and that was the nicest thing he said, LOL.
Yesterday he was complaining he couldn't find any of his shorts. I knew I had bought several new pair last summer and the wash was all done. So this morning I started looking and found clothes hidden all over the house, and several pair of shorts folded and put in a box he keeps his boots in and covered with a blanket. Enough clothes to make two more loads of wash. He has lost enough weight in his upper body that his summer shirts now hang on him. I will need to pick him up a few before long. But he doesn't want me to do anything with these, wants everything to be in the closet. Told him there simply isn't room, I would have to pack these away if he wanted too keep them. He refuses to try anything on, so it's one more thing I'll have to do and endure his anger. I am thankful it doesn't last more than a day - usually - as he forgets quickly what he was angry about - doesn't always mean he isn't angry - he just forgets why :)
I'm going to look more into the similarities and differences in AZ and FTD - is it possible to have both? I know as more of the brain is damaged, his behavior changes accordingly. Does the damage grow gradually or can it happen quickly? Or does it happen gradually and it just becomes apparent one day?
Damage to any part of the brain will cause the frontolobe to malfunction. So behavioral problems is common with Alz, just not as bad, usually, as FTD. See The New Executive Brain.
Sometimes a FTD dx becomes abnormal Alz on brain autopsy. The mechanics are that of Alz but the damage is where we expect FTD damage.
Thanks Paul. I read and read, sometimes it all seems useless. I guess it really doesn't make any difference what you call it, it isn't going to change. He goes along well for awhile then abruptly goes down hill or takes a completely different turn. That usually send me seeking answers to what may have caused it. I don't see any major differences in care - I read that AZ is easier than FTD but I like your statement that damage to any part of the brain will cause the frontolobe to malfunction. It may be that changes in his brain are affecting his behaviors in ways that I'm not expecting. I'll look for the book.
I think I'm having a crisis myself, with all that has to be done and company coming all summer. I want it to be a good visit for all of them but our lives have changed so much - I wonder what they will think. While we are in frequent contact we haven't seen them in person for 2 yrs and that's a long time with AZ. He has changed in ways I'm sure they haven't even considered.
At our Adult Day Care they said with Alz a person can become accustomed to things whereas with FTD they cannot do that. I was wondering why I was able to have some success with behavior modification techniques. So figured out he didn’t have FTD. I hope your people surprise you pleasantly. I took Jim several times to visit my cousin in San Diego fearing how they would react. They were more than helpful each time. They made Jim feel welcome, didn’t make him feel stupid, kept him involved with the conversation even when he didn’t make any sense.
The New Executive Brain isn’t a dementia book. And it should be entertaining, the second chapter where the author describes how he escaped from the Soviet Union and refused to join the Communist party is worthy he price of admission. He goes into depth about the frontolobes. No mention of FTD but he goes into other frontolobe related conditions.
Hopefully your summer company will recognize something is happening and pitch in more. If they know of the Alz dx most guests should be able to adjust to his changes.
remember in diagnosing - often in the end there is a mix of dementias. As previously said, when the disease hits the frontal lobe they behavior of FTD can happen. Ones who have an autopsy find their loved one had a mix of AD/FTD or AD/LBD. Behaviors can be different but it all ends the same.