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-   -   Why dx Alzheimer's/dementia etc? (https://www.neurotalk.org/alzheimer-s-disease/211321-dx-alzheimers-dementia-etc.html)

Diandra 10-24-2014 08:27 AM

Why dx Alzheimer's/dementia etc?
 
Hi,
Just asking for opinion but if anyone is a health care professional and knows....

I see so much research for Alzheimer's and various diseases/ issues that cause dementia and behavior changes. Every week you read something new about a new test and what it shows or a new distinction between something like Lewy body dementia and Parkinson's.....YET, there are hardly ever any new meds or treatments.

What is the point of dragging out poor demented loved ones to all sorts of hospitals for expensive tests for evaluations that often frighten or confuse them when in the end, all they do is write a script for Aricept or namenda that does very little, or even worse, the side effects are dangerous for the elderly or frail.

I attend a support group and I see caretakers/family members going to specialist after specialist for hrs of assessment. I took my family member for a "neuro cognitive geriatric assessment" that lasted 4 hrs. The dx was so vague and ridiculous my hairdresser could have written. When I questioned the evaluators, they got defensive and said, they did not have time for Q&A.

I think this is just a big income producer for some health care professionals.
Evaluations and meds have been a huge waste of time, energy and $ and quite frankly the meds are dangerous, especially for the elderly and frail. I have gleaned more by observation and simply talking to family and caretakers who have been doing this way longer than me.

Thanks for your thoughts friends,
Diandra

caroline2 06-29-2015 12:42 AM

Reading around here tonight and read your comments Diandra. I have so many thoughts on the medical industry and it's huge no doubt, and for me I work as much as I know HOW TO on prevention....on everything...if only I could have prevented osteoarthritis from coming to visit me when I was 18, I would have...this OA never left and continues to be a huge nusance...that's a nice word.

I believe firmly that the OPC's I've been taking for going on 2 decades have helped saved me so much. They are reported to address so many health issues.

kiwi33 06-29-2015 02:13 AM

Diandra, I am not a clinical health professional but (day job) have published some work on the basis of Alzheimer's Disease.

I think that the evidence is clear that Alzheimer's Disease is not "one disease" in the same sense that cancer is not "one disease". Rather, it is a multitude of conditions with some clinical signs in common. That means that a "one size fits all" (dietary supplements or anything else) approach is unlikely to be generally effective.

We have a lot more to learn about this.

On a personal note, my mother-in-law died from Alzheimer's Disease. She forgot everything - in the end-stage she was unable to recognise a photo of her husband. My wife and I did the best that we could as did her care team.

She died peacefully.

EnglishDave 06-29-2015 03:51 AM

Hi Kiwi,

My Mum was the same as your MiL, but to the extreme. She lost all her memories of her life and family after age 6. It was devastating to us to be written out of her life totally. My Dad, our family (even her younger siblings) and years of travelling and living all around the World meant nothing as she was robbed of it all by this cruellest of diseases.

I am afraid she did not pass peacefully. She suffered hallucinations to which she reacted violently and, despite our best efforts and her wishes when she was well, spent the last years of her life in a Care Home. She was well looked after, but deteriorated from week one as she wasn't thinking for herself anymore.

Thankfully, there is a list of illnesses ready to take me before I reach a dangerous time, my last brain MRI showed lesions but no atrophy or plaque.

Dave.

kiwi33 06-29-2015 05:03 AM

Dave, thank you for sharing with me.

I really appreciate it.

caroline2 06-29-2015 11:52 AM

I have friends who work with supps that work directly with the memory etc. A couple younger friends do have the fear of Alz as they had it in their parents. Another says she feels sharper on the Prevegan she takes...she's gotten off it says she misses it. She's going back on.

So much is unknown and genetics play a role is about everything health wise. Years ago when I heard about the aluminum issue, I got rid of all aluminum cookware, stopped using foil for the most part, so I don't know how much connection there is valid...don't know.

kiwi33 06-29-2015 08:13 PM

Caroline, the link between aluminium and risk of AD remains controversial - I don't think that there is yet any clear evidence either way.

As far as Prevagen is concerned, you may find the information in this link of interest; http://myadvocates.com/blog/dangerou...-investigation .

The central issue is that Prevagen is taken by mouth and its allegedly therapeutic ingredient (apoaequorin) is a protein.

All proteins are broken down into their amino acids during digestion. Quoting from the link:

"The product cannot work as advertised because its only purported active ingredient, apoaequorin (a protein), is completely destroyed by the digestive system and transformed into common amino acids no different than those derived from other common food products."

Because of this, taking any protein which may be of therapeutic benefit by mouth is pointless.

caroline2 06-29-2015 11:57 PM

Thanks, I brought this to my friend's attention again. She was going to get back on Prevagen. In the meantime I did a search on swansons search for:

memory brain supplements and up came 94 supps. I kinda liked MindCare.....

kiwi33 06-30-2015 01:47 AM

Caroline, I think that looking for dietary supplements which may reduce the risk of AD is a good plan.

My wife has begun to do this - her maternal uncle died from AD as well so she is concerned about genetic risk factors.

The information in this (fairly technical) paper could help you and your friend to decide which dietary supplements might be of benefit; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4202787/ .

caroline2 06-30-2015 01:00 PM

Kiwi, you have seen how much I talk about OPC's (grape seed ex et al) and for me I bank on these for so much of my health issues and prevention...we were told back in 1995, Pycnogenol may prevent cancer, and that is why I got on it. Now these OPC's are used in cancer research labs......

This particular friend can't seem to take the OPC's due to a colitis conditon she lives with. She also is challenged with horrible allergies/sinus and OPC's are HUGE with these issues.

I have not bought a drug for allergies/sinus since 1995.....


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