Expert: Paula Damgaard - 1/4/2008

Question
i am very upset over my husband he has had tests for memory loss and i have been told it is not alzheimers, as before he took ill he took to drinking very heavily but only beer not shorts the specialist he has seen says its a drink problem but i have had him on non alcohol beer for a long time and feel it is alzhimers due to memory loss always asking me the same things over and over again he has also started to acuse me of stealing his money car and watch and then the next minute he will say i did not say that i can not remember. This all started when he lost his job after 20 years and never got a redundancy package the firm told him to fight for it and when he eventualy went to court they went into liquidation the next day and ended up with nothing the job was his life it is so so sad he has been a wonderful husband i have lost my best friend.If it is alzhiemers why cant they give him treatment as last night he threatened suiside and i am so worried

Kind Regards
Linda Horton

Answer
I would suggest you get a second opinion. I don't know who you took him to see, but if he wasn't a geriatric specialist or a neurologist who specializes in dementia, then I suggest you find one.  If you don't know of any, then  I would direct you to call the Alzheimer's Association and ask for a referral.  

If he is seriously threatening suicide then I suggest you take him to the ER and have him evaluated and possibly admitted to the psychiatric ward so that they can get him on the proper medications.  

Good luck.  Paula