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Lessons learned when partner had surgery with Lewy body dementia
Caregivers: Dementia | Last Active: Oct 31, 2025 | Replies (24)Comment receiving replies
Joedeb. You are right. Most hospital staff reassure us LBD families that they are experienced in caring for patients with dementia. And they are. But few know much about LBD.
Was your wife on a dementia drug before her surgery, like aricept or another cholinesterase inhibitor? If so, did they have her stop taking that before the surgery? What drugs did they ask her to discontinue, and for how long?
Do you know what anesthesia was used, or even what type, like general or local or spinal…?
Thanks so much for posting. God bless you both.
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@nelms She got a general anesthesia and a shoulder block. The anesthesiologist said they do surgeries on dementia patients all the time. My wife was only on sinamet and a small dose of an anti anxiety drug, venlaflaxine. They had me drop the sinamet in the morning before surgery. I wish I hadn't done that now. She went 16 hours without a pill. Its been a hard week.
Some may not understand the falling part. In a normal person when you stand, after sitting for a while, your blood vessels in your legs constrict so the blood doesn't drain from your head and allow you to get light headed. Well in parkinsons patients that reflex fails and then you get faint and fall, often becoming unconscious for a few seconds. It is just starting to happen to my wife. It means not leaving her unattended at all and I now keep a hand on her at all times. I have a gait belt ordered to try.
Still it's one day at a time and today was better than yesterday..