Community Chat

[pistolino]

On 1/19/2014 gazelle77 said: Poor American diets lead to inflammation in the body...leading to many diseases ...including Alzheimer's disease. Unless America stops eating junk, Alzheimer's is going to continue to spiral out of control. Of course some people have a genetic component which makes it even more important to watch your diet and lifestyle .

I completely agree---there is absolutely no history of dementia in my mother's family and she had a very poor diet and was sedentary.

[pistolino]

On 1/20/2014 Lila Belle said:

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

With this disease, the caregiver ends up with more knowledge than the professionals. Believe me. I would listen to a caregiver over a neurologist any day.

In my experience, the most helpful doctor we saw was the geriatric psychiatrist.

[57babe]

On 1/20/2014 pitdakota said:

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.

I've observed quite the opposite in elderly friends who have stopped statins once they realized they were having memory issues --- cognitive decline that has not resolved.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/20/2014 pistolino said:

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

I already gave that information on this line, from the same source, I believe.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/20/2014 57babe said:

I've observed quite the opposite in elderly friends who have stopped statins once they realized they were having memory issues --- cognitive decline that has not resolved.

Observation is not a scientific study.

I've given up asking you for research and credible studies backing your claim about a cause of Alzheimer's and can only conclude there are none.

[pistolino]

On 1/20/2014 NoelSeven said:

On 1/20/2014 57babe said:

I've observed quite the opposite in elderly friends who have stopped statins once they realized they were having memory issues --- cognitive decline that has not resolved.

Observation is not a scientific study.

I've given up asking you for research and credible studies backing your claim about a cause of Alzheimer's and can only conclude there are none.

If you want to bury your head in research papers, please go elsewhere. This is real life.

[pitdakota]

On 1/20/2014 glb613 said:

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.

ITA. There are people right now performing research on Alzheimer's only because it impacted them personally and because of that experience they are now devoting their full time effort into research. Alzheimer's is also a particular area in which research is somewhat challenging because in so many cases the person cannot give informed consent for a research study and many times the primary caregiver is very reluctant to enter their loved one into a research study. And understandably so in many of these situations. Some are really afraid of research (look at all of the conspiracy theories here) and others are worn out and question the benefit to their loved one of entering a clinical trial.

As for the statements here that there is more money in treatment than prevention, that grossly underestimates the complex nature of any chronic disease and multiple causative factors of chronic disease in humans. I cannot think of one chronic disease that is a leading cause of death that is preventable. Not one.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in this country. And to date there is not a reliable way to prevent heart disease in older adults. We know that exercising, eating healthy diets, etc. will decrease the risk.....but that is not the same thing as prevention. And even though many people have adopted these lifestyle strategies.....heart disease is still the number one cause of death in this country.

As far a medical science we still have no way to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, etc. There are ways to decrease the risk, but not to prevent.

Heck, even in infectious diseases we have only eradicated one infectious disease in the history of mankind and that is smallpox.

Alzheimer's disease has impacted my family personally. It is a horrible disease. I hope they are able to make some discoveries that lead to a breakthrough in treatment and that eventually they may be able to identify substantial causative factors that might help us lower the risk for people developing Alzheimer's disease in the future.

PS....The neurologist I used only went to med school, became a neurologist, and devotes much of his practice to dementia patients because of a special relationship he had with his grandfather. That grandfather had Alzheimer's disease.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/20/2014 pistolino said:

On 1/20/2014 NoelSeven said:

On 1/20/2014 57babe said:

I've observed quite the opposite in elderly friends who have stopped statins once they realized they were having memory issues --- cognitive decline that has not resolved.

Observation is not a scientific study.

I've given up asking you for research and credible studies backing your claim about a cause of Alzheimer's and can only conclude there are none.

If you want to bury your head in research papers, please go elsewhere. This is real life.

LOL! If you can't handle the science behind the discussion, that's your problem.

As for telling me to go elsewhere, let me know when you're the webmaster.

[pitdakota]

On 1/20/2014 57babe said:

On 1/20/2014 pitdakota said:

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.

I've observed quite the opposite in elderly friends who have stopped statins once they realized they were having memory issues --- cognitive decline that has not resolved.

This is about what you posted. You posted that specific drugs are contributing to dementia and cited the FDA. The way you stated that is convoluted at best and is certainly misleading as written.

Confusion and memory loss that starts with the initiation of statin therapy and resolves as soon as statin therapy is discontinued is not dementia. Just as ICU psychosis is not psychosis. Remove the patient from ICU and the symptoms disappear, they were not "psychotic". It is a generic, broadly applied term. You are trying to make them one and the same and they are not.

Sleep deprivation causes confusion and memory loss. There are many things that cause confusion and memory loss. That does not translate into dementia, by any means.

[NoelSeven]

On 1/20/2014 pitdakota said:

ITA. There are people right now performing research on Alzheimer's only because it impacted them personally and because of that experience they are now devoting their full time effort into research. Alzheimer's is also a particular area in which research is somewhat challenging because in so many cases the person cannot give informed consent for a research study and many times the primary caregiver is very reluctant to enter their loved one into a research study. And understandably so in many of these situations. Some are really afraid of research (look at all of the conspiracy theories here) and others are worn out and question the benefit to their loved one of entering a clinical trial.

As for the statements here that there is more money in treatment than prevention, that grossly underestimates the complex nature of any chronic disease and multiple causative factors of chronic disease in humans. I cannot think of one chronic disease that is a leading cause of death that is preventable. Not one.

Heart disease is the number one cause of death in this country. And to date there is not a reliable way to prevent heart disease in older adults. We know that exercising, eating healthy diets, etc. will decrease the risk.....but that is not the same thing as prevention. And even though many people have adopted these lifestyle strategies.....heart disease is still the number one cause of death in this country.

As far a medical science we still have no way to prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, etc. There are ways to decrease the risk, but not to prevent.

Heck, even in infectious diseases we have only eradicated one infectious disease in the history of mankind and that is smallpox.

Alzheimer's disease has impacted my family personally. It is a horrible disease. I hope they are able to make some discoveries that lead to a breakthrough in treatment and that eventually they may be able to identify substantial causative factors that might help us lower the risk for people developing Alzheimer's disease in the future.

PS....The neurologist I used only went to med school, became a neurologist, and devotes much of his practice to dementia patients because of a special relationship he had with his grandfather. That grandfather had Alzheimer's disease.

Good points, PD, thanks