Community Chat

[mistriTsquirrel]

On 1/19/2014 Sassenach1 said:

I have given this much thought. Because Alzheimer's is such a horrible disease and is increasing in the population, we need a laser focus on PREVENTION. Cynically, I do not think this will happen. It's all about the money and there is no money in prevention. There is money in drugs and memory care facilities.

This conclusion depresses me, but I do believe it is the reality.

Thoughts? I need hope.

I agree with you.

On a related note, I've said before that there is no money in curing cancer, and that is a big part of why no cure will be coming any time soon ...and people recoil, as if I'm some sort of monster for suggesting it. But seriously...people are willing to use the nest eggs of seniors to keep up their own lavish lifestyles, companies that sell dangerous products hide the dangers of their product until they can no longer hide it from consumers, etc. It is all about the money for big business...and I'm not some sort of monster for pointing it out.

And the other issue is the American tendency to focus on cure and not prevention. We are not raised to think about preventing things as much as we are raised to run to the doctor once something is an acute problem. And look at the system before this year...there were so many uninsured americans, who could even afford preventative doctor visits? (Not that doctor visits are the best way to prevent anything...but at least a doctor can alert you to the fact that something may become a problem if you don't get a handle on it.)

It irritates me that people poo-poo preventative measures and natural remedies that have been used for centuries in other parts of the world, but running to the doctor after your pre-diabetic condition has become diabetes is the norm here. There is a mindset that I believe the majority of us are guilty of, and we need to work to dismantle it. (I'm working on that currently; I can only hope my body isn't irreversibly trashed after years of abuse.)

We trust doctors to give us health information, but we also need to look at other cultures and see what is working for their people. Most of our doctors are only schooled in our ways...and our ways aren't all so great.

If you're looking for hope, all I can tell you is that looking critically at the medications and advice we are given, seeking out information on unfamiliar remedies and looking critically at those, improving our nutrition using clean whole unprocessed foods, minimizing the unnecessary chemicals we put in our bodies and increasing our activity levels are all ways that we can try to prevent disease. We can't prevent all disease, but living a clean lifestyle can at least make the time we have on earth more enjoyable.

As I said before, I don't exclude myself from the category of those holding the american mindset...but I'm aware of it now, and I'm trying to make changes for the better.

...wish me luck...

[Big Sister]

I am so sorry you have to go through this. I know what you are dealing with as my DH had Alzheimer's Disease.

If you haven't done so yet, do get in touch with the local Alzheimer's Assn. in your area. They will be very, very helpful.

Good luck.

[qualitygal]

My dad has it and is now in a nursing home. It breaks my heart, but we had to. His sister passed away from it. Some day my siblings and I could get it. I'd love to know how to prevent this. It's horrible.

[glb613]

They need to know what causes a disease in order to prevent it. I feel sorry for anyone who really believes the medical community and drug companies block finding a cure to make money. Just like most conspiracy theories, it just isn't true. Educate yourself about Alzheimer's disease, join a support group, learn how to manage the disease and the Patient. It will do you a lot of good and be more constructive than blaming others.

[SoX]

Thanks for this thread ... I'm trying to learn as much as possible about this disease that has claimed my best friend. It's heart-breaking to be with her and talk about things from years ago that she now has no memory.

Just yesterday I was reading about an upcoming event at our flagship library ... one of our favorite authors will be lecturing and discussing his current book. This is something she and I would have attended together ... she won't know who he is now.

I miss our shopping trips ... our just bumming around trips; lunches in the Walnut Room; taking a silly square dance class (we laughed about this one since we knew we'd have no use for it) ... driving to a new mall just because.

I miss my friend.

[Burnsite]

My siblings and I shared in the care of my dad, and the death process lasted 20 years. It is very, very difficult but (as I am sure you know) also has its rewards.

When he was able to get around, he went to an adult day-care facility that was very good. As he became more ill, we had visiting nurses to work with him several times a week. That gave a much needed break to whomever was caregiving at the time.

Take care of yourself, too, Sassenach. The research on caregivers is that they don't go to their own doctor's appointments and that the stress is extreme and the damage it causes can be lasting. So try to get some help so that you and your family members get a break sometimes.

ETA: I see you are sole caregiver: try for visiting nurse services, daycare a day or two a week, if your mother is able. It will help. I would just take a long walk and come back feeling better able to deal with things. ((hugs)) Sole caregiver is a heavy responsibility.

When I was caring for my father, I found that it helped us both to get in the car and drive to the ocean; he loved to look at the sea. He also continued to love music of his earlier days, and that would lighten his spirit and therefore lighten ours.

My impression is that they are finding out more about the process of deterioration but haven't found a drug that really halts it. There is also early diagnosis. I honestly don't know how I feel about that, given that so little can be done.

[57babe]

Sassenach,

I think that if the doctors & neurologist's involved in diagnosing dementia and/or Alzheimer's disease suspect that drugs (no matter if OTC, prescription or street drugs or alcoholism) is the cause of brain damage resulting in dementia -- they (the doctors) should make the family aware of this.

I know of people with brain damage and dementia that was clearly caused by long-term use of prescription drugs. Their adult children are not completely aware of their parents prescription drug use and believe that their parents dementia is due to a genetic pre-disposition of having dementia/Alzheimer's disease.

Because of their (false) belief that their parents dementia is due to genetics (and not to their parents 40 some odd years of taking potent prescription drugs) these adult children are worried sick that they are going to "inherit" the dementia "gene" that their parents have due to genetics, even though these adult children have never taken prescription drugs and live a much healthier lifestyle than their parents lived.

The doctors who are caring for their parents have told them that the cause of their parents dementia is "unknown".

Yes, there are many types of dementia and some of those dementias have a genetic component -- and certainly families should know about that. But there are also dementia patients with a history of long-term drug use (prescription or otherwise) and that history should also be made known to the adult children, IMO.

I'm so sorry that your mother was so ill and had to take so many prescriptions. I am also sorry that she ended up having dementia. As I have said, I've observed the same issues within my own circles of friends and family. These were people who were suffering with chronic pain and other illnesses and they trusted in the medications to make them feel better.

I'll be the first to say that there are no easy answers to this problem. But at the very least, doctors should tell the family of dementia/Alzheimer's patients the truth if they suspect that long-term drug use has caused the dementia. That bit of information might help ease the minds of the offspring of parents diagnosed with dementia.

I pray that God gives you the strength to go on in the care and ministry to your mother. May the Lord bless and keep you both in the palm of His hands.

[BaileyandBella]

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

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

[57babe]

On 1/20/2014 mistriTsquirrel said:

On 1/19/2014 Sassenach1 said:

I have given this much thought. Because Alzheimer's is such a horrible disease and is increasing in the population, we need a laser focus on PREVENTION. Cynically, I do not think this will happen. It's all about the money and there is no money in prevention. There is money in drugs and memory care facilities.

This conclusion depresses me, but I do believe it is the reality.

Thoughts? I need hope.

I agree with you.

On a related note, I've said before that there is no money in curing cancer, and that is a big part of why no cure will be coming any time soon ...and people recoil, as if I'm some sort of monster for suggesting it. But seriously...people are willing to use the nest eggs of seniors to keep up their own lavish lifestyles, companies that sell dangerous products hide the dangers of their product until they can no longer hide it from consumers, etc. It is all about the money for big business...and I'm not some sort of monster for pointing it out.

And the other issue is the American tendency to focus on cure and not prevention. We are not raised to think about preventing things as much as we are raised to run to the doctor once something is an acute problem. And look at the system before this year...there were so many uninsured americans, who could even afford preventative doctor visits? (Not that doctor visits are the best way to prevent anything...but at least a doctor can alert you to the fact that something may become a problem if you don't get a handle on it.)

It irritates me that people poo-poo preventative measures and natural remedies that have been used for centuries in other parts of the world, but running to the doctor after your pre-diabetic condition has become diabetes is the norm here. There is a mindset that I believe the majority of us are guilty of, and we need to work to dismantle it. (I'm working on that currently; I can only hope my body isn't irreversibly trashed after years of abuse.)

We trust doctors to give us health information, but we also need to look at other cultures and see what is working for their people. Most of our doctors are only schooled in our ways...and our ways aren't all so great.

If you're looking for hope, all I can tell you is that looking critically at the medications and advice we are given, seeking out information on unfamiliar remedies and looking critically at those, improving our nutrition using clean whole unprocessed foods, minimizing the unnecessary chemicals we put in our bodies and increasing our activity levels are all ways that we can try to prevent disease. We can't prevent all disease, but living a clean lifestyle can at least make the time we have on earth more enjoyable.

As I said before, I don't exclude myself from the category of those holding the american mindset...but I'm aware of it now, and I'm trying to make changes for the better.

...wish me luck...

I wish you all the best!

"Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers." 3 John 1:2

[NoelSeven]

On 1/19/2014 57babe said:

I agree that right now there is no cure for Alzheimer's and/or other types of dementia so the best thing to do is to strive to prevent cognitive decline every way we can.

I listened to a on-line video where a geriatrician said that (he believed) that one drug -- namely diphenhydramine -- is responsible for more dementia cases in America than any other cause (or drug) that he knows about.

Diphenhydramine blocks acetylcholine -- a neurotransmitter in the brain.

There are at least 24 different OTC medications with diphenhydramine as it's active ingredient and another 25 or so OTC combination medications that contain diphenhydramine. Several of these products are marketed for use in children.

I personally know many people who take OTC drugs like Benedryl, Tylenol PM or Unisom every single night to help them to go to sleep. None of them were aware that taking these drugs every night puts them at a much higher risk for cognitive decline and/or dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

I know of parents who give their KIDS drugs containing diphenhydramine to help their kids go to sleep at night or to rid them of a stuffy nose.

Because these drugs are sold over-the-counter people think that they're safe. They might be OK for occasional use but they aren't safe to take everyday.

There is also a list of prescription drugs that are known to cause early cognitive decline and dementia.

I've read that the stats used to determine how many cases of dementia will happen in the future is taken directly from the stats of prescription drug sales known to cause dementia. I don't know if that's true or not, but there sure are a lot of "Memory Care" lock-up Alzheimer's facilities going up all over the country to house America's boom of future Alzheimer's patients.

We need to educate ourselves, our parents, our kids and grandkids about drug induced dementia because this is one of the causes of Alzheimer's that can be prevented.

Do you have a medical source and/or studies showing this to be true? I'd like to read the studies, especially.

"I personally know many people who take OTC drugs like Benedryl, Tylenol PM or Unisom every single night to help them to go to sleep. None of them were aware that taking these drugs every night puts them at a much higher risk for cognitive decline and/or dementia and Alzheimer's disease."