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Did medication help symptoms of Vascular Dementia?
Caregivers: Dementia | Last Active: Sep 6 6:40pm | Replies (46)Comment receiving replies
I am intrigued by the comments about a nutritional approach to treating MCI and an earlier reference to bradycardia. My husband was diagnosed with MCI eight years ago and his memory issues were mostly just an annoyance. Last year, he was diagnosed with a 90% blockage in his carotid artery, resulting in surgery. His recovery was delayed by an episode of bradycardia that later resolved. Our doctor opined that my husband's MCI might improve by 30% after the surgery but that has not been the case. In fact, there are times when he seems to have more difficulties. Because of that, I questioned whether the statin he started taking is contributing to this occasional confusion as that can be a side effect of taking a statin. The doctor agreed to suspend the statin for 6 weeks to see if there was an improvement. One immediate improvement was he no longer has the hives that appeared after he started taking the statin. It's too early to tell if there is any improvement in his MCI. I see glimmers of hope but I know that may not prove true. Anyway, what do nutritionists suggest as a natural supplement for cholesterol? I wonder if anyone else has had concerns about statins and mental confusion as a side effect. Thanks to everyone on this website. It is a vaulable resource.
Replies to "I am intrigued by the comments about a nutritional approach to treating MCI and an earlier..."
My sister did not take a statin until after her bradycardia event. Looking at past lipid tests, her numbers were good and had reduced over the last year since I started managing all meals (LDL from 117 to 85; HDL 42 to 46; triglycerides 54 to 47). Those improvements were all before she began taking a statin. There's still a long way to go to improving her HDL level (should be 60>). Your message reminded me that she is overdue for a lipid test to recheck those numbers.
I don't know what "bradycardia resolved" means. Hopefully, it indicates that his doctor understand the reason he experienced bradycardia and that there is little chance he will experience it again. We only learned that my sister has SVTs (supraventricular tachycardia) because I brought her to the ER again for a very low pulse. The ER put a ZIO heart monitor on her for 2 weeks and she experienced 31 instances of SVT. When that happens, she's freezing and her pulse is very low (high 30s-high 40s). The ZIO monitor sticks on the skin; you remove it and mail it in a pre-stamped mailing box after the recommended duration. If your healthcare provider offers a patient portal, you'll be able to read the results of the ZIO testing when it is made available to your doctor. A cardiologist electrophysiologist is needed to determine the underlying issue.
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I will tell you what my wife takes. everything we do comes from a nutritionist that specializes in brain disorders. so I don't know if you would have side effects.
We still do what the neurologists prescribes though. as far as Cholesterol Carlyle Plant sterols 1200 mg x2 in the morning and NOW Sun Flower Lecithin 1200 mg x2w in the morning. We do the statin at night. We did a full Genetic work up to see what works for her genetics, even down to Tylenol and not Ibuprophen.
I try to get six things a day doe;
1. Mediterranean Diet all meals or at least fresh fruit for breakfast and lunch. I cook fresh for dinner and she helps. ( very time consuming, very)
2. Exercise to raise Pulse rate to 110 to 120 for 20 minutes 4 to 5 days a week.
3. Brain exercises 2 to 3 hours a day. The Bible is great for this for the reading part because of easy AND challenging works and some mazes in a book with a pencil for dexterity and some number games on the computer.
4. Specialization each day. Talk to someone outside of the house, mostly people who know she has some difficulty., like neighbors she walks with.
5. Absolutely NO stress!! It's hard to work around somethings but she gets jer way as long as it's possible for me to make it happen
6 Specific vitamin regimen.
When it was obvious the Neurologist just have a cookie cutter answer. I did over a thousand hours of research, talked to Mayo. Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic and UNC Memory care. We are doing a six week seminar with UNC started this week. She was having trouble with reading 30% to 35% of the words in the Bible each night.
When I went with this six point program I learned from research, Karen went to having trouble with 10% to 15% each night.
I also got her a GoldenDoodle puppy two weeks ago and that has really helped with her doing something that is "HERS".
This works for me/us but I must tell you it is very very very difficult to stick with this. Her family doesn't help at all but my family loves her to death.
don't know if this will help anyone at all but I hope so. she has significant White Matter Disease but there are things we can do to slow or stop it but it's a challenge. Best to all!