Guest guest Posted September 20, 2004 Report Share Posted September 20, 2004 Hi there, Your post reminded me of our first trip to the hospital when my mom's symptoms started showing up. My mom had been at a wedding the night before and only had a half-glass of champagne to toast the bride/groom and our emergency doctors kept insisting it was alcohol abuse finally catching up to her - thankfully my sister was able to yell at them long enough to tell them that mom was not a drinker! Like your mom, my mom hallucinated about many people in the house and having taken " trips " with people such as Sadam Hussein (sp?) and his many wives. Please have her family doctor set her up with people in the psychiatry department - especially with a geriatric psychiatrist for a proper dx. All the best, Courage Diagnosis Questions > > >After much research into the cause of my 87 year old Mom's sudden >hallucinations, I am afraid that LBD may be her fate. 2 months ago, >we hospitalized her after 48 hours of the most vivid hallucination >that I've ever witnessed. She was convinced that there were 6 guests >in her home and was entertaining them. One of her " guests " was my >husband, who passed away 2 years ago. Another was a Bill Clinton, 2 >others were friends of Mom's that passed away at least 30 years ago, >the 5th was a former co-worker and #6 was one of the Nuns from our >local parish. None of her " guests " ever had any real life connection, >but there was no convincing her that they were not there. She was >even trying to cook for them. At some point during this get together, >Mom took out a bottle of Tia to serve her guests and had a glass >herself. Since she weighs only 70 pounds and takes several >medications, it had an immediate effect. Upon arrival at the >hospital, her blood alcohol level was .50! I tried expalaining to the >doctors that Mom does not drink, but I think they thought I was in >denial and basically wrote off her hallucinations as alcohol induced >and just plain dementia. I have many more questions, but at this >point really need to know how to get a proper diagnosis. Any help >would be greatly appreciated. > > > > > > >Welcome to LBDcaregivers. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 I wanted to add to what Dargie said and note that if you can find a neurologist - and even better - if you live near a metro area and can find an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (you can find locations of ADRCs online through ADEAR - http://www.alzheimer.org ) that would be even better. I think a neurologist (who specializes in dementia) or a neurologist at an ADRC might be more likely to know about LBD and other types of non-Alzheimer's dementia. carol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Just based on my own experience, I'd say you need to consult with a doc who specializes in geriatric medicine. They're far more likely to have seen the problem before, or at least to recognize that it's more than just Alzheimer's and PD kind of cobbled together. We were forced to get a new doctor when their old one left the state, and in many ways it's one of the best things that could've happened to us. Check local Gerontologists, or any local palliative care facility. dargie At 07:34 PM 10/19/2004, you wrote: >After much research into the cause of my 87 year old Mom's sudden >hallucinations, I am afraid that LBD may be her fate. 2 months ago, >we hospitalized her after 48 hours of the most vivid hallucination >that I've ever witnessed. She was convinced that there were 6 guests >in her home and was entertaining them. One of her " guests " was my >husband, who passed away 2 years ago. Another was a Bill Clinton, 2 >others were friends of Mom's that passed away at least 30 years ago, >the 5th was a former co-worker and #6 was one of the Nuns from our >local parish. None of her " guests " ever had any real life connection, >but there was no convincing her that they were not there. She was >even trying to cook for them. At some point during this get together, >Mom took out a bottle of Tia to serve her guests and had a glass >herself. Since she weighs only 70 pounds and takes several >medications, it had an immediate effect. Upon arrival at the >hospital, her blood alcohol level was .50! I tried expalaining to the >doctors that Mom does not drink, but I think they thought I was in >denial and basically wrote off her hallucinations as alcohol induced >and just plain dementia. I have many more questions, but at this >point really need to know how to get a proper diagnosis. Any help >would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 In a message dated 10/19/2004 7:36:06 PM Central Daylight Time, poc_ny@... writes: I have many more questions, but at this point really need to know how to get a proper diagnosis. Any help would be greatly appreciated. hi i am sharon m , my hubby donnie and i cg for my father 70 who has had lbd for about 7 years and was just diag in may 2004 how to get a proper diag well that is THE question. for us it was ruling out of lots of other things. dad has the shakes (parkinsonisms) which is part of what hospitalized him in may along with paranoid and difficulty walking. lbd cannot be 100% diag until death and at a brain autopsy. dad has the gait, adn his walking has gone from a shuffle gate. to using a quad cane for 3 weeks to using a walker and then happened 2 weeks prior to hosp in may util he came home 3 weeks later dad is now having extreme difficulty raising up out of bed and walking is getting harder and harder. we notice his depgh perception and spacial perception is gone. he cannot for example tell where the edge of the table is to put his glass down or where the bed or chair is to sit down,. we have to remind his as he is backing up to chair or bed to wait unti he feels the bed /chair befoer sittig down. if you hand him somehing he misses several times before actually grasping it. but i had recieved the alzheimer news letter that recommended using bright colors to help them see it, and attract their attention for eating etc adn that has helped some. you are nmow part of our family, please feel free to yell , vent , scream, cry, laugh, joke, share stories, ask, tell, whatever you feel , we understand and are here for and with you, sharon m a smile a day keeps the meanies away!!! laughter is a breath of fresh air! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 In a message dated 10/19/2004 9:17:01 PM Central Daylight Time, cbhillman@... writes: I wanted to add to what Dargie said and note that if you can find a neurologist - and even better - if you live near a metro area and can find an Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (you can find locations of ADRCs uh oh, now my 2 cents worth, also medical universites are a great place to check out as well. where is it you live " ???? sharo n m a smile a day keeps the meanies away!!! laughter is a breath of fresh air! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 and dont be afraid to ask questions of doc, adn bring in info on lbd and say and give examples of why you think lbd is proper diagnosis., journal everything, what is going on when , where, and hwat happened for how long etc, itis so hard to remember everything and the docs are more apt to confirm/deny when you have thorough information with you. hugs sharon m a smile a day keeps the meanies away!!! laughter is a breath of fresh air! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 Just some cautions!!! I did go to an Neurologist who was suppose to be able to recognize LBD. (My Mom never had a diagnosis of LBD. After 20 days she was drugged into oblivion. It took me a nh and 6 months to get her off the drugs they put her on. So question anything and everything the MDs tell you. And make them explain what they are talking about. Donna R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 We found a geriatric Neuro Psychiatrist. He has been great. Very knowledgable on the disease and also the neuro and psych drugs. (Aware of the LBD bad drugs) I feel very lucky we found him. In fact, he has agreed to do a Lewy Body seminar for me at a local nursing home who agreed to sponser it! Donna P > Just some cautions!!! I did go to an Neurologist who was suppose to be > able to recognize LBD. (My Mom never had a diagnosis of LBD. > > After 20 days she was drugged into oblivion. It took me a nh and 6 > months to get her off the drugs they put her on. > > So question anything and everything the MDs tell you. And make them > explain what they are talking about. > > Donna R > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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