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Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) Diagnosis

Posted by holycow21 @holycow21, May 14 11:52pm

My wife began exhibiting symptoms of short term memory loss about three years ago. To date, after numerous doctor visits and tests, no definitive diagnosis has been provided. I am at a loss as to what to do next. I am living with a person that is able to fully execute normal daily tasks, but struggles to remember conversations/events that occurred recently, creates “false memories “ and becomes very defensive/combative at times - especially when I share my observations with her.

I have been told that she likely has aMCI. Who can I contact to obtain this or a more appropriate diagnosis? I live in the Phoenix area. Thanks in advance for your help.

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frickfrye | @frickfrye | 4 days ago

To be very honest, I have never been to the Mayo Clinic Hospital. However, given
their reach on the internet and in public-domain research, they are considered
among the best hospitals in the United States for all mental health treatments and
diagnoses. I assume they have support personnel to discuss family matters.
I also read a comment in an article from the Mayo Clinic that states:
“no single test can diagnose MCI; diagnoses require a combination of patient
history, family input, mental status testing, and sometimes biomarker or imaging
studies.”
I have also read other similar comments from other hospitals and government
sources regarding MCI.
If you live close to the Mayo Clinic, it is worth the time and effort to make a phone
call, discuss your issues, and hopefully get proper advice and valid options. I wish
you the best.

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birdiesville | @birdiesville | 4 days ago
In reply to @kjc48 "@birdiesville I answered in the thread above that my husband is now on his 19th lequembe..." + (show)
Profile picture for kjc48 @kjc48

@birdiesville I answered in the thread above that my husband is now on his 19th lequembe infusion. You ask "how were the lequembe infusions.", they seem to be going well, he hasn't had any side effects. He goes every two weeks, and then a nurse follows up in the GUIDE program to check on him or to see if he needs any level of care. This program is tied to the infusion center my husband goes to in South Florida. I was reluctant initially over these infusions, but for my husband, as I stated in one of the other Connect threads, he has a good attitude and feels in the early mild stages of his MCI, he needed to do something, than sitting back and doing nothing at all. He also takes a supplement called Cerefolin for Brain health, from a company in Tampa (can also get the product now on Amazon), recommended by the same neurologist who is having his office give him the infusions. Hope this helps. Karla

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@kjc48 Thank you!

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kjc48 | @kjc48 | 4 days ago
In reply to @labrown "@kjc48 The fact that he is keeping up with his personal things has to be encouraging!..." + (show)
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@kjc48 The fact that he is keeping up with his personal things has to be encouraging! 😊

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@labrown Yes it is, he is putting things in the same place - (most of the time). So that's a bit of relief. Now to figure out how to get him to stop messing up his phone and his PC. That's an ordeal, most days. And I know what I know, but can't fix the things he does on that PC. Happy SUnday. Best, Karla

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kjc48 | @kjc48 | 4 days ago
In reply to @holycow21 "@frickfrye Appreciate your comment (also others that have previously). We do live close enough to Mayo..." + (show)
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@frickfrye Appreciate your comment (also others that have previously). We do live close enough to Mayo in Phoenix - my biggest challenge is convincing my wife that we need to do this. She remains convinced that “she is fine” since all of the testing orchestrated by her primary doctor in TX, involving neurologists, endocrinologists and other specialists did not provide any definitive diagnosis. Trying now to work through her new primary in AZ to influence her to try again, but that doctor will not consult with me without her present (that could get ugly); so running out of options. Does Mayo provide any consultation services to caregivers? Any other suggestions? Thanks again to everyone.

Brian

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@frickfrye I had the same difficulty initially getting my husband to go see the doctor, but he has an every six months with the same primary I have. So I sent my primary a note in the portal letting her know we were coming in, and that I was concerned about my husbnad that was experiecing memory loss more than just normal aging. In our case we had also been in a house that had mold, that we had to move out, so I also used that as possibility of brain fog. Anything to get us to the doctors. When we went, I went in with him while he tested him.
I had practiced what I was going to say to the doctor (as you said), it can get ugly especially when they don't think anything is wrong with them. So I told the doctor, we had experienced mold, issues with that, possibly brain fog, although I was concerned because my husband is a boater, that the sometimes comfusion I had been noticing for a while might be more than age related. And that I didn't want anything to happen to him alone out on the water. She then tested him, and told him, that she wanted to recommend him to a neurologist. That up in age memory loss wasn't uncommon, but she thought more might be going on. And the good news he would be in the very early stages of whatever was going on. The whole thing went down better than I thought, but I started with the private portal to our doctor. And then went in, under the umbrella of our normal exams. My husband is now on lequembe as mentioned in earlier posts - his 19th infusion. Hope this helps. Karla

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frickfrye | @frickfrye | 4 days ago
In reply to @kjc48 "@frickfrye I had the same difficulty initially getting my husband to go see the doctor, but..." + (show)
Profile picture for kjc48 @kjc48

@frickfrye I had the same difficulty initially getting my husband to go see the doctor, but he has an every six months with the same primary I have. So I sent my primary a note in the portal letting her know we were coming in, and that I was concerned about my husbnad that was experiecing memory loss more than just normal aging. In our case we had also been in a house that had mold, that we had to move out, so I also used that as possibility of brain fog. Anything to get us to the doctors. When we went, I went in with him while he tested him.
I had practiced what I was going to say to the doctor (as you said), it can get ugly especially when they don't think anything is wrong with them. So I told the doctor, we had experienced mold, issues with that, possibly brain fog, although I was concerned because my husband is a boater, that the sometimes comfusion I had been noticing for a while might be more than age related. And that I didn't want anything to happen to him alone out on the water. She then tested him, and told him, that she wanted to recommend him to a neurologist. That up in age memory loss wasn't uncommon, but she thought more might be going on. And the good news he would be in the very early stages of whatever was going on. The whole thing went down better than I thought, but I started with the private portal to our doctor. And then went in, under the umbrella of our normal exams. My husband is now on lequembe as mentioned in earlier posts - his 19th infusion. Hope this helps. Karla

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I understand what you are going through.
I believe that in the cases related to suspected MCI, you should always see and get valid information from a mental health professional. The diagnoses process is not simple because it is very complex to define, diagnose, and treat.
Start looking for the best Mental Health Facility that will explain, in detail, the process, including why the medicines are prescribed for your particular case.
Most of these facilities have support specialists available to address your concerns. Good Luck, and I wish you the best.

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