the new amyvid beta amyloid pet scan recently was approved by the
fda to scan for amyloid deposits in the brain for helping diagnose
alzheimers disease
thats helps to diagnose alzhiemers
because you can have amyloid plaques form in the brain and not have
alzheimers disease
so the test is not a definitive test for alzheimers
it just adds icing to the cake to make the diagnosis
for example
if my younger brother had a neuropsychological exam done when he was
first evaluated it would have shown then that he had definite defects in his
short term memory
all of the blood tests and mris and depression screens would have been
negative
a amvid scan would have probably been positive
his diagnosis then would be as definite as a person could be in 2012
now several years later we know he definitely has it as he has progressed
a lot over this period of time
he did not have the spinal fluid analysis and the apoe 4 genotype done
but more than likely he would have been positive for both
for me
i had a normal mental status screen that was normal then two years later
a full neuropsychological test showed the development of early short term
memory changes
all my lab tests and mris were normal
my apoe 4 gentotype was posistive for the double gene
my spinal fluid tests for beta amyloid and tau protein were borderline
my fdg glucose metabolism test was normal
my beta amyloid test similar to the amvid test was done but again i dont
know the answer to the results
if i had the amyvid test and it was positive then my diagnosis would be
more certain
although it would eliminate any hope for my future
i would know what i was facing for sure
so in summary the neuropsych test and the mri of the brain are the most
important tests to have done in evaluating someone for alzheimers disease
as well as ruling out other causes with labs and a good medical history
and examination
the amyvid scan just adds more certainty to the diagnosis
folks if you appear to have alzheimers or if you have a family member in
this situation
please dont resist taking medication as you want to be on this stuff as soon
as you are diagnosed
as it slows the symptoms of the disease for awhile
failure to take the medication may make your love one progress quicker
it may save a few weeks or few months or if you are lucky a few years of
slowed progression of this terrible disease
thats why im taking aricept (donepezil)
i know it has no effect on this disease at all but only just slows the symptoms
for awhile
but there is nothing else available
yet
ARBOR DAY
whether you believe in global warming or climate change or what ever you
call it there is pollution of the air
i think most reasonable thinking people can agree at least on that
but im sure there are people who dont even believe that
not sure then what all that stuff is in the air that wont let you see across
the grand canyon or see the mountains in the distance or here where
we live you cant see the hill country across the horizons
you cant dump all the stuff we dump into the air and have it be good
for you-just ask asthmatics or emphysema patients
one thing you can do is plant a tree
today is arbor day
the trees will suck the carbon dioxide out of the air to help
purify it
the more we plant the more gets cleared out of the air
here at the country n over the last 10 years we have planted
at least 30+ trees
besides sucking out yalls pollution from my air it provides
shade to cool things down, leaves for my compost pile, seeds for
birds, flowers for bees and humming birds, nesting spots for birds
and other animals, fruits for us humans, and they just look good
in my yard
plant a tree today and help us all
the organicgreen doctor
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