[Koala77]

Since the beginning of MS, we MSers have known that forgetfulness is a part of the disease.....

Here at the Stumble Inn, forgetfulness has often been mentioned as a symptom that many of us share.

..........and more of us have this symptom, than don't.

But....

.............when does forgetfulness change from a symptom of MS and become early Alzheimers?

.......................................and how does one tell the difference?


Does anyone know?

[Erin524]

My paternal grandmother died in 2004 at the age of 92. She had alzheimer's/dementia. She'd fallen about a month before she died. My dad's sister recently told us that she'd ignored my grandmother needing to go to the bathroom and went to sleep. When she woke up, she'd found my grandma on the floor. Grandma lingered for a month. Last time I saw her (Mother's day, 2004) she remembered me and my dad for about a half hour. That was the last time she was clear. Died a few weeks later. (my dad's sister had claimed at the time that she'd been at work and came home to find grandma on the floor...still not a good thing, she was supposed to have a sitter with her. Aunt left her alone either way)

My maternal great-grandmother died in 1979 at the age of 100 (or was it 104? I have to ask my mom about that) and she had some sort of dementia. I remember meeting her when I was about 8 and she told me not to go out on the porch, that the rooster would peck me to death. (there was no rooster)

My paternal great-grandmother (dad's mom's mom) had some dementia too. I think she died in the 1960s.


My mom has memory problems. She'll be 70 in december. I dont know if it's an alzheimers thing, or if it's the result of the contre-coup brain concussion she had when she was 17yrs old. (she was hit by a drunk driver, was unconscious for about 5 weeks) I suppose it could be a combination of the two. Mom's fairly good, she just has problems remembering stuff lately and has some aphasia.

My maternal grandmother died in 2000. She was in her mid-to-late 80s. She was in full command of her mind when she died. Sharp as a tack. Nothing wrong with her mind. She'd fallen and broken her leg and then developed something called pulmonary fibrosis. The pulmonary fibrosis is what got her.

I dont know what my grandfather's would have been like. My maternal grandpa died when my mom was 3. My dad's dad died in 1961. I lucked out and got an extra grandpa when my mom's mom remarried when my mom was 5. I dont know anything about the history of most of the men in my family. Just that heart disease and stomach problems run in my family.

My dad is a nurse anesthetist. He's told me about some research about post-anesthesia dementia. Something about anesthesia can apparently trigger or exacerbate dementia in people over a certain age. We saw that with my dad's mom. She had a mastectomy in the mid-90s and it was after that (like weeks or months) that her dementia symptoms started showing up.

[Kitty]

It's a worrisome thought, I know. My Mom's side of the family has Alzheimer's in it. Her sister (my aunt) had it. My Mom had it. And my older sister had Early-Onset Alzheimer's.

My Neuro told me that having MS doesn't necessarily mean that you will go on to have Alzheimer's. But family history does play a big role in it and your chances of getting it. That's why I get so worried when I forget something or walk into a room and stand there wondering why I'm in there. I know that I had a reason for going in there.....I don't just all of a sudden realize I'm there and wonder how I got there. Does that make sense? To me, just knowing that I forgot something is a good thing. If I totally forgot that I had driven myself to the store and had no idea why I was there or where to go next.....then it would be a problem.

I distinctly remember the way my Mom and my sister behaved. It wasn't just random forgetfulness. It was a sort of confusion that was markedly different than the everyday "now where did I put my keys" type thing. The day my sister went antique shopping and was gone for 7 hours was the big sign for us. A store clerk (who knew the family) called my BIL and told him that she was there, didn't know how she got there and didn't know how to get home. That was the beginning of the end.

[Koala77]

Thank you for your replies.

My maternal grandmother had Alzheimer's but not my maternal grandfather. I didn't know my father's parents because they both died when I was quite young. I know little of their medical history.... I don't even know the reason for their passing, and neither of my parents lived long enough to develop Alzheimer's, so I have no family history as such to draw on.

I have been thinking lately about the increasing forgetfulness that lots of us complain of, and was wondering where the line was. I'm not concerned that MS will lead to a dementia type illnesses, but we could most certainly have both.

Just when does it become more serious....and how would you know if you've crossed that invisible line.

[Kitty]

Originally Posted by Koala77

Just when does it become more serious....and how would you know if you've crossed that invisible line.

I guess we have to depend on our families to speak up for us. Because once it crosses that invisible line I'm not sure someone would be aware of it enough to request medical intervention.

I know when I forget something it makes me mad....and then it's hard to get my thought process back on track. I'm easily distracted and that makes it doubly hard to concentrate.

I make lots of lists.........

[karousel]

I know that dimentia is different than alzheimers but my grandfather had dimentia and now my mother has it. Scary thing is her behavior is much like my own. Fortgetfullness, unable to do two simple things at once, can't remember words, hard to explain things verbally, difficulty processing words, difficulty following conversations and so on.

I'm very grateful to my DH and DD and rely on them to tell me when I'm having a bad day. My DH and DD will point out when I say the wrong word or word something the wrong way. Or if I say something and don't even remember saying it. This helps me to realize I'm doing this.