Expert: Paula Damgaard - 12/14/2005

Question
My mother is in her early 60's she recently retired from teaching school. I have noticed a change in her that could be alzhiemers but I'm not real sure. she has difficulty carrying on converstations because she can't seem to retrieve words like she use to and doesnt talk in full sentances. there are sometimes when she can't think of the word and describes its use to me and I can tell her the word, she also acts like she's not listening sometimes and asks you to repeat things several times its not that she can't hear its like its not registering. you can be in a group setting with her and be talking to someone and she will tell them the exact same thing you just got through telling them like she never even remembered it was said. she sometimes stops mid sentance and doesnt complete it or even forgets what she was talking about. she's done that for years though. she's not forgetful with other things though. she loses sense of time sometimes. I just wonder if she has early onset of alzhiemers or if its something else that might be causing this problem. she has had thyroid problems in the past and she's also had breast cancer and isnt on any estrogen supliments like most post mentipausel women take. she says the doctor told her that her cancer was caused by the suppliment. what do you think?  could she have alzhiemers?

Answer
I think that before you put that diagnosis on her you take her to her doctor for a complete physical.  Then you should ask her doctor to set her up for neuropsych testing.  This will tell you for sure if something is going on.

But before you do any of that I would make sure to check to see if she has long term care insurance.  If she does indeed have something wrong with her, and may need nursing care later on, how will you pay for it?  If you don't look into it before you do any of the above, she will be denied as soon as they pull her records and see that you are having her worked up for memory problems.  So act fast and figure it out.  It could be the best thing you do for her!  

Then go through with the work up.  Her symptoms may be the cause of something and should be looked into, but protect her future and check the insurance.  

As for what I think she might have it sounds more like a primary progressive aphasia, which isn't exactly Alzhiemer's but is destructive the same, just affects her speech centers first.

I hope this helps.  Let me know if you have anymore questions.  Good Luck Paula