Re: My mom is undiagnosed but showing signs of LBD

September 5, 2006

Sue - Welcome to the board - the place noone wants to be, yet

thankful for it anyway... Be sure to visit the website via the link

in my signature -- tons of useful info in our links section, files

section and database... What medications is your mom on?

; loving daughter of Maureen of Boston, MA; finally diagnosed

with LBD on 2/06 after also being diagnosed with everything from AD

to Vascular Dementia caused by mini strokes to Binswengers...; was

victim to rapid decline from Risperidone (or combination of

Risperidone with other drugs OR possibly received another " bad drug "

when she was observed/tested in a hospital in 10/05); in a NH since

11/05. Update: on antidepressant Celexa, 20mg (still teary, but not

as weepy); as of 4/21 on Exelon (a/o 6/28 began following the

suggested dosage for LBD); as of 7/1 went on ALA (200 mg) and B1.

Visit the LBDCaregivers board on the web:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LBDcaregivers/

(See files, suggested links, databases, photos of members, and search

previous posts)

>

> Hi:

>

> My 81 year old mom has been making a steady mental health decline

> since dad's death in June of this year. She currently has diabetes

> and Parkinson's and has been showing more prominent signs of

dementia

> recently.

>

> Sometimes she sees small children in her assisted living apartment

or

> deceased family pets. She'll even talk about the pets as if

they're

> still living. She can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and that is

> how I usually find her when I visit. Her short term memory has

also

> gotten worse and she will get confused about when she's gone to

> appointments. At first I thought her confusion was due to low

blood

> sugar, but after discovering an article about LBD, I'm thinking

> differently. I'm concerned about what my mom must be going through

> mentally: the fears, confusion and anger as she has admitted that

> something is happening to her. She has an appointment this month

> with her neurologist and meanwhile, I'm going to log everything I

can

> to help him with a correct diagnosis.

>

> So many of the elderly are 'swept under the rug' as far as their

> dementia actions go and I can't stand the thought of this indignity

> being done to her or anyone for that matter. I'll do whatever I

can

> to provide an enriching and purposeful life for her for as long as

> she lives.

>

> This group is just what we need to answer questions and gain

> knowledge about this disease. Thanks for being here. -Sue

>

September 5, 2006

And, a big Hi to you, too, Sue. (I have a lot of *ooo* sounds in that, don't

I? Oh well what else is new? grin )

I do hope you can keep your Mom content, and cared for in her declining

stages. I hope to do the same thing for my sweetheart, too (husband, big

smile).

I haven't seen you before that I can recall so I will say a big warm

welcome. You may have been here, but haven't been on for a while. You get a

happy

welcome anyway, even if it isn't for an exactly a happy reason. We do the best

we can to make it less stressful, by spouting our frustrations to each other

and then come up smiling, when the pressure is lifted, and that in itself

makes us feel happy for a spell.

Imogene

Caregiver for my True Texas Gentleman husband of 35 years. He has LBD with

Parkinsonism.

In a message dated 9/5/2006 2:19:53 AM Central Daylight Time,

smschoeller@... writes:

Hi:

My 81 year old mom has been making a steady mental health decline

since dad's death in June of this year. She currently has diabetes

and Parkinson's and has been showing more prominent signs of dementia

recently.

Sometimes she sees small children in her assisted living apartment or

deceased family pets. She'll even talk about the pets as if they're

still living. She can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and that is

how I usually find her when I visit. Her short term memory has also

gotten worse and she will get confused about when she's gone to

appointments. At first I thought her confusion was due to low blood

sugar, but after discovering an article about LBD, I'm thinking

differently. I'm concerned about what my mom must be going through

mentally: the fears, confusion and anger as she has admitted that

something is happening to her. She has an appointment this month

with her neurologist and meanwhile, I'm going to log everything I can

to help him with a correct diagnosis.

So many of the elderly are 'swept under the rug' as far as their

dementia actions go and I can't stand the thought of this indignity

being done to her or anyone for that matter. I'll do whatever I can

to provide an enriching and purposeful life for her for as long as

she lives.

This group is just what we need to answer questions and gain

knowledge about this disease. Thanks for being here. -Sue

September 5, 2006

Thanks for responding ! My mom currently takes Sinemet for

her Parkinson's. Yesterday was a great day as my phone call with mom

was a 'normal' one. She was very lucid and we had a wonderful talk.

I realize that she isn't 'cured' by any means, but we both treasure

moments like these.

> >

> > Hi:

> >

> > My 81 year old mom has been making a steady mental health decline

> > since dad's death in June of this year. She currently has

diabetes

> > and Parkinson's and has been showing more prominent signs of

> dementia

> > recently.

> >

> > Sometimes she sees small children in her assisted living

apartment

> or

> > deceased family pets. She'll even talk about the pets as if

> they're

> > still living. She can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and that

is

> > how I usually find her when I visit. Her short term memory has

> also

> > gotten worse and she will get confused about when she's gone to

> > appointments. At first I thought her confusion was due to low

> blood

> > sugar, but after discovering an article about LBD, I'm thinking

> > differently. I'm concerned about what my mom must be going

through

> > mentally: the fears, confusion and anger as she has admitted that

> > something is happening to her. She has an appointment this month

> > with her neurologist and meanwhile, I'm going to log everything I

> can

> > to help him with a correct diagnosis.

> >

> > So many of the elderly are 'swept under the rug' as far as their

> > dementia actions go and I can't stand the thought of this

indignity

> > being done to her or anyone for that matter. I'll do whatever I

> can

> > to provide an enriching and purposeful life for her for as long

as

> > she lives.

> >

> > This group is just what we need to answer questions and gain

> > knowledge about this disease. Thanks for being here. -Sue

> >

>

September 5, 2006

Thank you, Imogene, for your warm welcome and a great big hi right

back at ya! This is my first time here ever and I'm hoping to learn

as much as I can from this group. It's so tough to see our loved

ones go through this, isn't it? I just lost my dad this June to

conjestive heart failure and was hoping that my mom would have some

peaceful times ahead of her. I wrote a poem for him that I would

like to share with the group as maybe it will bring some of you

comfort with whatever situation you are faced with:

To Dad:

It seems like only yesterday that you were in my life.

You always made your presence known, and yes, there was some strife.

But as I watched you linger during your last days here on earth,

those moments when we disagreed all just lost their worth.

I couldn't make you better, though I prayed that you'd get well.

Time was no longer on your side, the end was near I could tell.

The day before you passed away, you acted like you knew,

that my time with you was limited and there were things to do.

You reached for mom and held her hand, that moment I'll always

treasure.

Though the loss I feel since you've been gone is something I can't

measure.

You left me on a Tuesday going peacefully in your sleep, and you're

walking with the angels now so I have no cause to weep.

I miss you dad, but this I know from the bottom of my heart.

I'll see you again when it's my turn to go and never again will we

part.

Sue

>

> And, a big Hi to you, too, Sue. (I have a lot of *ooo* sounds in

that, don't

> I? Oh well what else is new? grin )

>

> I do hope you can keep your Mom content, and cared for in her

declining

> stages. I hope to do the same thing for my sweetheart, too

(husband, big smile).

>

> I haven't seen you before that I can recall so I will say a big

warm

> welcome. You may have been here, but haven't been on for a while.

You get a happy

> welcome anyway, even if it isn't for an exactly a happy reason. We

do the best

> we can to make it less stressful, by spouting our frustrations to

each other

> and then come up smiling, when the pressure is lifted, and that in

itself

> makes us feel happy for a spell.

>

> Imogene

> Caregiver for my True Texas Gentleman husband of 35 years. He has

LBD with

> Parkinsonism.

>

> In a message dated 9/5/2006 2:19:53 AM Central Daylight Time,

> smschoeller@... writes:

>

> Hi:

>

> My 81 year old mom has been making a steady mental health decline

> since dad's death in June of this year. She currently has diabetes

> and Parkinson's and has been showing more prominent signs of

dementia

> recently.

>

> Sometimes she sees small children in her assisted living apartment

or

> deceased family pets. She'll even talk about the pets as if

they're

> still living. She can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and that is

> how I usually find her when I visit. Her short term memory has

also

> gotten worse and she will get confused about when she's gone to

> appointments. At first I thought her confusion was due to low

blood

> sugar, but after discovering an article about LBD, I'm thinking

> differently. I'm concerned about what my mom must be going through

> mentally: the fears, confusion and anger as she has admitted that

> something is happening to her. She has an appointment this month

> with her neurologist and meanwhile, I'm going to log everything I

can

> to help him with a correct diagnosis.

>

> So many of the elderly are 'swept under the rug' as far as their

> dementia actions go and I can't stand the thought of this

indignity

> being done to her or anyone for that matter. I'll do whatever I

can

> to provide an enriching and purposeful life for her for as long as

> she lives.

>

> This group is just what we need to answer questions and gain

> knowledge about this disease. Thanks for being here. -Sue

>

September 5, 2006

Oh Sue, what a beautiful poem and tribute to your father.

When my father died it was too traumatic and unexpected to even think. He

would have been 71 in just seven days.

We were on vacation to see him in Florida when I was still a young woman. He

had a massive heart attack, and all the CPR I did wouldn't save him. I was

totally frantic.

I didn't get over that trauma for about three years. I loved my father very

dearly. He was a commercial fisherman, and a fine Christian man.

My sisters and I fished with him for just about six years. It was one of the

best times in my life. The last night he went fishing (while we were there

on vacation) I asked if I could go with him, and he said no with a startled

look. I realized later that he knew he could die at any time.

He had sat the month before in his chair all the time because he was so

sick, which I didn't know. He said he was not going to live like that, that if

he

ever got out of that chair, he was going to work until he died. I begged him

to let me call an ambulance and he wouldn't let me. Well, as it was we had

to call one anyway. That was back in 1977, and it still hurts.

You seem to have been able to let go in a quiet peaceful manner. You did it

so eloquently and beautifully.

Thank you for sharing it with us. It does help,

Imogene

In a message dated 9/5/2006 4:32:19 PM Central Daylight Time,

smschoeller@... writes:

Thank you, Imogene, for your warm welcome and a great big hi right

back at ya! This is my first time here ever and I'm hoping to learn

as much as I can from this group. It's so tough to see our loved

ones go through this, isn't it? I just lost my dad this June to

conjestive heart failure and was hoping that my mom would have some

peaceful times ahead of her. I wrote a poem for him that I would

like to share with the group as maybe it will bring some of you

comfort with whatever situation you are faced with:

To Dad:

It seems like only yesterday that you were in my life.

You always made your presence known, and yes, there was some strife.

But as I watched you linger during your last days here on earth,

those moments when we disagreed all just lost their worth.

I couldn't make you better, though I prayed that you'd get well.

Time was no longer on your side, the end was near I could tell.

The day before you passed away, you acted like you knew,

that my time with you was limited and there were things to do.

You reached for mom and held her hand, that moment I'll always

treasure.

Though the loss I feel since you've been gone is something I can't

measure.

You left me on a Tuesday going peacefully in your sleep, and you're

walking with the angels now so I have no cause to weep.

I miss you dad, but this I know from the bottom of my heart.

I'll see you again when it's my turn to go and never again will we

part.

Sue

--- In _LBDcaregivers@LBDcaregiverLBD_ (mailto:LBDcaregivers )

, Iward27663@., Iwa

>

> And, a big Hi to you, too, Sue. (I have a lot of *ooo* sounds in

that, don't

> I? Oh well what else is new? grin )

>

> I do hope you can keep your Mom content, and cared for in her

declining

> stages. I hope to do the same thing for my sweetheart, too

(husband, big smile).

>

> I haven't seen you before that I can recall so I will say a big

warm

> welcome. You may have been here, but haven't been on for a while.

You get a happy

> welcome anyway, even if it isn't for an exactly a happy reason. We

do the best

> we can to make it less stressful, by spouting our frustrations to

each other

> and then come up smiling, when the pressure is lifted, and that in

itself

> makes us feel happy for a spell.

>

> Imogene

> Caregiver for my True Texas Gentleman husband of 35 years. He has

LBD with

> Parkinsonism.

>

> In a message dated 9/5/2006 2:19:53 AM Central Daylight Time,

> smschoeller@ smschoelle

>

> Hi:

>

> My 81 year old mom has been making a steady mental health decline

> since dad's death in June of this year. She currently has diabetes

> and Parkinson's and has been showing more prominent signs of

dementia

> recently.

>

> Sometimes she sees small children in her assisted living apartment

or

> deceased family pets. She'll even talk about the pets as if

they're

> still living. She can fall asleep at the drop of a hat and that is

> how I usually find her when I visit. Her short term memory has

also

> gotten worse and she will get confused about when she's gone to

> appointments. At first I thought her confusion was due to low

blood

> sugar, but after discovering an article about LBD, I'm thinking

> differently. I'm concerned about what my mom must be going through

> mentally: the fears, confusion and anger as she has admitted that

> something is happening to her. She has an appointment this month

> with her neurologist and meanwhile, I'm going to log everything I

can

> to help him with a correct diagnosis.

>

> So many of the elderly are 'swept under the rug' as far as their

> dementia actions go and I can't stand the thought of this

indignity

> being done to her or anyone for that matter. I'll do whatever I

can

> to provide an enriching and purposeful life for her for as long as

> she lives.

>

> This group is just what we need to answer questions and gain

> knowledge about this disease. Thanks for being here. -Sue

>

September 5, 2006

Sue

welcome to our family although it saddens me you had to look us up, i think

you have done a lot of your homework already by researching lbd, lbd is one of

the most misdiagnosed forms of dementia. you are right to start documenting

any changes, but it sounds very much like lbd, esp with the friendly animal

hallucinations. it is very very difficult to watch your parent deteriote from

lbd. be prepared wehn you take your mom to the neurologist that she will

'showtime' act like eveyrthing is fine adn then when the app tis over go back

to being lbd acting. somehow our loved ones can do that. please also go to our

yahoo h omepage, take advantage of teh hard work that victoria has set up for

us. read and review alot of the links, there are tons of inforamtion at your

fingertips to help you from tips to newbies to the site, to a list of

medications taht arent recommeded for lbd. it is very very helpful and in

reviewing it you may find some things that are lbd related that you didnt even

think of that you need to tell her doctor about. also feel free to ask

questions, yell, scream, rant rave, share stories whatever it takes to help you

thru this roller coaster ride of lbd.

hugs, sharon m

---- farmrz_daughter wrote: