Expert: Paula Damgaard - 5/10/2006

Question
My mother in law has just been diagnosed with early stages.  She is to begin medication tomorrow.  They said it would take about 3 weeks to take effect.  Please tell us what to expect and what symptoms to look for.  We were surprised to hear the diagnosis.  Is a stubborn streak part of it because within the last week she seemes to have developed one.  She is 80 and just over came a very hard time health wise.  She is so much better physicially than we ever thought possible.  Just this week she refused to use her walker, and goes out side when we turn our back.  She fell when she went out onto the back pourch alone and without the walker.  She has osteoprosis and breaks very easily.  Her children are just getting mad at her because she won't listen.   Please help me help them.

Answer
Andrea, My first hope is that your mother in law got an accurate diagnosis.  You haven't told me what medication she was put on so I am at a loss as to tell you what to expect from that.  Perhaps you could tell me the medication and I will help you with that.  

Yes, seeming stubborn is part of the diagnosis.  Actually it is more, that they don't realize that they have a problem, like needing a walker.  Trying to reason with her will not work.  Getting mad at her will do neither of you any good either.  She cannot help how she is acting or what she says.  Think of her brain as a car with a faulty spark plug.  Sometimes you can go out and the car starts right up, a bit later you go out and the car won't start at all. That is the same with her brain.  Her nerve endings are sometimes picking up the messages and sometimes not.  She has no control over this at all.  

My biggest recommendation is to make sure she had a real diagnosis, did she have a battery of tests (paper and pencil, memory) that lasts about 4 hours?  Did she see a neurologist?  Did she have bloodwork done?  Did she have a CT or MRI of her head?  

The next thing I would tell you is to contact your local Alzheimer's Association.  They have a wealth of information available to anyone who wants it.  They have reading material, videos, pamphlets, instructional tools to use for the duration of the disease.  

Please write back and tell me what medicine she is taking and I will be happy help you.  I will be away for the weekend, my daughter is graduating this weekend.  But I will answer as soon as I can.  Take care Paula