Is it MCI or Dementia?

My husband & I have been married for 57 years - we were high school sweethearts!! He also has similar problems except that he has been diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia - (which means in addition to memory problems, he "sees things, people, animals that are very real to him_ --- like your husband, - this has been coming on for several years - (since we both had Covid Feb 2020 - we both think it was brought on by Covid but Drs just ignore our idea - Feb 2020 was before testing - before shutdown - before we, the public, knew much about Covid!)
The memory issue was the first thing I & our daughter & son noticed - all of sudden, he couldn't remember how to play cards (500 - & Rook card games -- & he was a good card player) He had trouble golfing, then his eye sight was bad - he had to have surgery for Stramisbus (lazy eye) - he couldn't drive as he was seeing double! His hearing in right ear has always been poor, we've had 3 different hearing aids (all more costly than the last) but his hearing just kept getting worse -(which also contributes to Dementia because it cuts off information brought into the brain by hearing) --- we've finally been able to find a neurologist through Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN who prescribed a PET scan, which confirmed the diagnosis of Lewy Body Dementia. (Hard diagnosis as Drs/research still don't know what caused it or how to stop the progression)
However, there has been some hope - Dr Botha (Mayo Clinic Neurologist) affirms that HEALTHY DIET (Mediterranean Diet with emphasis on GREENS, FISH, CHICKEN, NUTS) EXERCISE - (to make your heart work - weights, balance, walking 1/2 hr/day), WATER HYDRATION, & STAYING SOCIAL will do the most to combat the progression. (having said that - my husband argues that exercise can be vacuuming, lawn chores, etc. -- but Dr Botha suggested he think of Diet, Exercise, Hydration, Socialization are prescriptions - drugs, that will help slow the progression. (My husband takes Aircept, which is a Dementia drug that is supposed to make hallucinations less bothersome (?) - he's been on High Blood Pressure meds for years, & he takes potassium, & daily Vitamin.) He also have been approved for a Cochlear Implant in right ear - the Surgeon (Mayo Clinic) assures us that any help the brain can get to bring information into the brain, will be advantageous!!)

I too, run the gamut of patience, frustration & then angry outbursts at my husband, or at the whole diagnosis. (I have bouts where I'm angry at God for not taking this away - my husband has been a patient, Jesus trusting believer his whole life -- so I question why God doesn't take this away. But I too, Believe Jesus died for me & I hold on to that fact when I am angry!!) ( and of course the people in Ukraine, Russia, Israel, Gaza, & many countries across the world, suffer much more than we do!!)
We rec'd the March 2024 AARP Bulletin - "THE FUTURE OF ALZHEIMER'S" -- that too, gives us hope! If you haven't read it - get a copy - it helps to know "they" are finding ways to combat Dementia/Alzheimer's - and the myriad of diseases that can cause it!

Thank you for your reply. You are correct - he doesn’t trust doctors and he has begun to mistrust his primary care doctor. I don’t trust his primary care doctor either and I get the feeling from his doctor that he just rushes SO through and doesn’t really listen. SO goes for his wellness checkup every year m, where they have him draw a clock with hands, remember words that are given to him at the beginning of the exam, etc. I have gone to a couple of those with him and I feel like there is no communication from the doctor regarding the results of the exam. Any issues he has with pain in any areas of his body - back pain, neuropathy, hearing loss etc are referred to a specialist, only at the request of SO and then we have to follow-up to make sure it happens. Sometimes we just do our own research to find a specialist and then SO loses confidence in them too. 😳 SO does his own research online about supplements. He keeps saying he is going to find a new primary care doctor, but he doesn’t take the initiative to do it. I will see what I can do about helping him find a new primary care doctor. Thanks for your concern. We both have good days and bad days - the good peppered with bad - at times!

Hi, when I knew my husband was acting differently we had his Doc refer to a Neuro clinic. They did 3 hours of testing to come yup with a diagnosis.
I wonder if you need to kick it up a notch and make an appointment with his Doc without him, just so you can get advice and next steps. Maybe he'll end up coming with you if you tell him you are so concerned you made an appointment, and maybe your insurance company website has a search for providers so you can see their ratings and choose a Doc that's a better fit. Good luck to you!

Thank you for your reply. You are correct - he doesn’t trust doctors and he has begun to mistrust his primary care doctor. I don’t trust his primary care doctor either and I get the feeling from his doctor that he just rushes SO through and doesn’t really listen. SO goes for his wellness checkup every year m, where they have him draw a clock with hands, remember words that are given to him at the beginning of the exam, etc. I have gone to a couple of those with him and I feel like there is no communication from the doctor regarding the results of the exam. Any issues he has with pain in any areas of his body - back pain, neuropathy, hearing loss etc are referred to a specialist, only at the request of SO and then we have to follow-up to make sure it happens. Sometimes we just do our own research to find a specialist and then SO loses confidence in them too. 😳 SO does his own research online about supplements. He keeps saying he is going to find a new primary care doctor, but he doesn’t take the initiative to do it. I will see what I can do about helping him find a new primary care doctor. Thanks for your concern. We both have good days and bad days - the good peppered with bad - at times!