Community Chat

[Burnsite]

57, With all due respect, I totally disagree with your post about drugs. My father neither drank nor smoked. He was a health-conscious dr. He ran several miles a day and had a demanding job. Kept physically and mentally active. He and both his brothers developed early Alzheimer's. His grandmother had developed this rare kind of Alzheimer's, too. No drugs at all, including after he was diagnosed. His physical health was strong. That is why he lived so long.

It is wrong and also rather cruel to say that drug use causes Alzheimer's.

Some drugs used to quiet patients will make them very unresponsive. But you don't know much about Alzheimer's if you think there is no genetic link, or think that patients being sedated has anything to do with the symptoms of Alzheimers.

It's not about forgetting your keys or being sleepy. It's about forgetting that fire is hot, or how to tallk, or what your loved one's names are. Eventually, it's about "forgetting" how to swallow and breathe.

[Gooday]

I have posted this before on the Health site.

My mom passed away from complications of Alzheimer's and Parkinsonian symptoms. It was two weeks after her 75th birthday. She had been being treated for depression for 3 years prior. In hind sight it was the early onset of dementia or whatever you choose to call it.

Also, my folks spent half the year in one state and the other half back home near me. She became withdrawn and lost her lust for life. She laid in bed all day. When she returned home she saw a PCP. She never had a physically sick day in her life, was never on a medication and followed a Meditteranean (sp) diet as she was Sicilian. She was never more than 5 lbs. above her ideal weight. She did not smoke.

After the evaluation the doctor knew immediately. We sent her for further testing at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's in Chicago. More tests were performed and in talking to the doctor for the follow up he informed us that she indeed had dementia and that it was in fact, advanced. She knew what was happening. She slept all day and hounded my dad at night to help her and give her pills to help her. Nothing did the trick. I cut my work week down to 4 days a week to help them both. Fortunately, I lived on the same street.

Fast forward a few months - it was becoming increasingly difficult on my dad. My mom lost the ability to communicate. She developed a terrible UTI that landed her on the psych ward of the hospital because 24 hour private care to watch her just was not possible. It broke our hearts. My dad and I talked with her 2 sisters and they agreed that finding a good facility was in everyone's best interest.

By the grace of God, there was a facility 10 minutes from our house that was strictly for ambulatory dementia patients. The downside was that they accepted NO insurance. Private pay. From 10/04 to 12/05 my dad paid 4,200. per month. It was worth every penny of both their pension checks and S.S. income.

Both he and I went to a support group for a few sessions but it just was not for us. They are wonderful for some and thankfully we have a terrific support group of our own. We both visited her every day and for my dad, sometimes twice a day.

I really have no advice but that there are no right or wrong decisions. Each situation is similar but different at the same time.

I just wanted to share our experience.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/20/2014 BaileyandBella said:

This morning I researched the connection with Diphenhydramine, as it concerned me. I found this.

http://www.clinicalcorrelations.org/?p=6162

THANK YOU, B&B

Re: Benadryl...

"...overall the authors conclude that their data did not support the hypothesis that the use of anticholinergic medications increased the risk of alzheimer’s dementia..."

"The validity of the data as to whether or not anticholinergic medications cause memory loss is not the issue here. Instead, it is vital for clinicians to be aware of how the results of medical research can be so grossly misinterpreted and inaccurately portrayed, and thereby spread unnecessary fear and false information to the public."

[NoelSeven]

The Alzheimer's Association recommends that people with Alzheimer's not take sleep medication because it can slow them down. Not that they cause Alzheimer's.

[57babe]

On 1/20/2014 Burnsite said:

57, With all due respect, I totally disagree with your post about drugs. My father neither drank nor smoked. He was a health-conscious dr. He ran several miles a day and had a demanding job. Kept physically and mentally active. He and both his brothers developed early Alzheimer's. His grandmother had developed this rare kind of Alzheimer's, too. No drugs at all, including after he was diagnosed. His physical health was strong. That is why he lived so long.

It is wrong and also rather cruel to say that drug use causes Alzheimer's.

Some drugs used to quiet patients will make them very unresponsive. But you don't know much about Alzheimer's if you think there is no genetic link, or think that patients being sedated has anything to do with the symptoms of Alzheimers.

It's not about forgetting your keys or being sleepy. It's about forgetting that fire is hot, or how to tallk, or what your loved one's names are. Eventually, it's about "forgetting" how to swallow and breathe.

I'm sorry but you've misunderstood my comments.

My comments on this thread had to do with what I believe is only ONE of the causes of dementia --drug induced dementia.

Nowhere did I say that ALL dementia's, including the dementia type that your father has -- was caused by drugs.

I disagree that it is cruel to make others aware that there is evidence that certain types of drugs taken long-term can cause dementia. There is evidence that specific drugs are contributing to dementia, such as statin drugs which the FDA recently warned, causes memory loss.

Yes, I've said that there are many causes of dementia. Just for the record, I also know of people who have dementia -- and like your father, have never taken drugs of any kind, never smoked and live a healthy lifestyle.

On the other hand, I also know of several people who have been diagnosed as having early on-set dementia. Their doctors told them that the cause of their dementia was their long-term use of (specific) prescription drugs.

I've also stated that there are dementia's that have a genetic link.

If there is evidence that certain drugs cause cognitive decline and/or full-blown dementia shouldn't we know about that so we can decide whether we want to take the risk of taking those drugs?

I definitely believe that there is a such thing as drug induced dementia, that it may be one of the causes of dementia. I believe it's possible to prevent drug induced dementia by identifying the drugs that are implicated in causing dementia and avoiding them -- if possible.

[pistolino]

On 1/19/2014 Predsfan said:

I can only pray for you, because you are going to need it. If you can find a support group or family that can help, please do. DH went through this with his mother and the doctors were no help, the family ignored it and spent all their time fighting each other about their thoughts. It's a horrible thing to witness and to deal with when it changes the people you love.

I completely agree. It's like a years-long nightmare. You have my prayers also, OP. Try to get as much help/support as you can outside the family if they won't help - don't allow the disease to claim 2 people.

I still really haven't recovered from the experience. I feel like it damaged me in a way, but caring for my mother was the right thing to do and I have peace about that.

My recommendation about the drugs as a layperson caregiver - if money is an issue with your loved one, don't kill yourself trying to get money together for the usual Aricept, Namenda and Exelon. Not worth it. In our experience, my mother's dementia started about late 50s, wasn't very apparent until she was 67 and she was dead at 70 and she took all of it and it did her NO good at all.

[NoelSeven]

Babe -

I have found no evidence to show Benadryl causes Alzheimer's. In fact, it seems it does not.

Still waiting for credible studies from you.

[pitdakota]

On 1/20/2014 57babe said:

On 1/20/2014 Burnsite said:

57, With all due respect, I totally disagree with your post about drugs. My father neither drank nor smoked. He was a health-conscious dr. He ran several miles a day and had a demanding job. Kept physically and mentally active. He and both his brothers developed early Alzheimer's. His grandmother had developed this rare kind of Alzheimer's, too. No drugs at all, including after he was diagnosed. His physical health was strong. That is why he lived so long.

It is wrong and also rather cruel to say that drug use causes Alzheimer's.

Some drugs used to quiet patients will make them very unresponsive. But you don't know much about Alzheimer's if you think there is no genetic link, or think that patients being sedated has anything to do with the symptoms of Alzheimers.

It's not about forgetting your keys or being sleepy. It's about forgetting that fire is hot, or how to tallk, or what your loved one's names are. Eventually, it's about "forgetting" how to swallow and breathe.

I'm sorry but you've misunderstood my comments.

My comments on this thread had to do with what I believe is only ONE of the causes of dementia --drug induced dementia.

Nowhere did I say that ALL dementia's, including the dementia type that your father has -- was caused by drugs.

I disagree that it is cruel to make others aware that there is evidence that certain types of drugs taken long-term can cause dementia. There is evidence that specific drugs are contributing to dementia, such as statin drugs which the FDA recently warned, causes memory loss.

Yes, I've said that there are many causes of dementia. Just for the record, I also know of people who have dementia -- and like your father, have never taken drugs of any kind, never smoked and live a healthy lifestyle.

On the other hand, I also know of several people who have been diagnosed as having early on-set dementia. Their doctors told them that the cause of their dementia was their long-term use of (specific) prescription drugs.

I've also stated that there are dementia's that have a genetic link.

If there is evidence that certain drugs cause cognitive decline and/or full-blown dementia shouldn't we know about that so we can decide whether we want to take the risk of taking those drugs?

I definitely believe that there is a such thing as drug induced dementia, that it may be one of the causes of dementia. I believe it's possible to prevent drug induced dementia by identifying the drugs that are implicated in causing dementia and avoiding them -- if possible.

There is no such information from the FDA that states that statins cause dementia. The FDA has reported to the public and health care providers that there have been some cases of memory loss and confusion occurring when patients started statin therapy which RESOLVED once the medication was discontinued. That is not the same thing as dementia of any type. Apples and oranges.

[Lila Belle]

So much misinformation has been thrown out on a subject where only factual and researched info should be shared.

[pistolino]

On 1/20/2014 NoelSeven said:

Babe -

I have found no evidence to show Benadryl causes Alzheimer's. In fact, it seems it does not.

Still waiting for credible studies from you.

Doesn't cause it, but makes it worse: From Alzheimer's Association website:

Physicians also recommend that individuals with dementia avoid over-the-counter sleep remedies. The active ingredient in many of these preparations is diphenhydramine (Benadryl®), an antihistamine that tends to make people feel drowsy. Diphenhydramine further suppresses the activity of one of the main brain cell messenger chemicals whose activity is reduced by Alzheimer’s disease.

http://www.alz.org/professionals_and_researchers_behavioral_symptoms_pr.asp