Connect
What is the mostly likely scenario?
Patent 85, went from normal person 95% normal competence to advanced dementia symptoms 15% of normal within weeks of minor outpatient procedure that involved anesthesia. Patient was out of control, highly agitated, anxious, awake for days, barely making sense. Upon entering memory care within a week the medication they were given, anti-psychotic, reversed those dementia symptoms and was at 85% normal for a year and a half. Patient was like normal again. Within a week though they reverted back to similar dementia symptoms but to about 30%. The neurologist says it's because it's Alzheimer's that is now close to advanced. Ordered to be put on Alzheimer's drug with no change in other medications. Medication levels were not checked but routine blood work is ok. Family can not be certain if patient was maybe not given the right medication dose at assisted living.
So, do you think the anti-psychotic drug simply wore off and it's not in fact near advanced Alzheimer's?
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Brain & Nervous System Support Group.
Connect
Dementia is very unpredictable. Good periods and bad.
Memory Care facilities are required to keep records of each resident’s medication dosages. You can ask to see it.
ALZ meds are believed to slow symptoms, though how long varies.
Thank you for your reply but I don't think you fully understood the situation. Patient was given an anti-psychotic which reversed the initial severe "dementia" symptoms to an almost normal state. Now within days, 1.5 years later, patient reverted almost back to the dementia state. However the doctor is saying the Alzheimers has simply progressed.
Plus, you should understand that while assisted living facilities must keep records the system is not 100% guaranteed. A medtech may simply indicate in the records that medication was given, without actually giving the patient the medication for example. I believe this happens for a variety of reasons, such as pure laziness for example.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionThat is scary for me and my mom.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI got it. I live it
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionIf he had nitrous oxide gas in the surgery, it quickly deactivated all his B12 stores. This can cause sudden-onset dementia and many other disorders. Please insist that they check his levels. Daily B12 injections could help immensely. Is there a chance he had gas again before the second decline—maybe at the dentist?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsThey experienced the sudden "dementia" about 2 weeks after the procedure. I'm not sure what kind of anesthesia it was.
i feel i don’t have the expertise to answer your question. It seems to be a medical question best answered by a medical professional
I think you meant this to someone else. I don’t have a question here.
Medical professionals can, and do, get things wrong (and in this case they got it wrong for weeks after the medical procedure). I'm not at all saying I don't listen to medical professionals, I always do first, but in my life experience I have seen a number of them get even simple things wrong. Things that a layperson would get right from the start.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction@robertwills facilities in the U.S. that dispense medications to patients are required to have their medication dispensing checked monthly by a licensed pharmacists. Facility pharmacies are given meds per patient and only enough for a 30 day period before they are refilled for the pharmacy. When I dispensed medication to chronic psychiatric patients my medication room was checked monthly for errors and to be sure pill counts were correct. Med dispensing is not done willy nilly like you indicated.
And as another person noted ALZ is an unpredictable disease. Sounds like you’re not willing to accept the diagnosis?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reaction