each time i do my presentations on alzheimers disease
i get a lot of questions
well they never end those questions
once they start asking it seems this floodgate opens
all those questions that they cant find anyone to answer
starts flowing out
like a flood running over a dam
i feel like i am a unique person to answer these questions
since
my family has been riddled with alzheimers disease
my mother and younger brother died with it
my father probably had it
my older brother probably has it now
i have mild cognitive impairment amnestic type the precursor
stage before alzheimers although my memory recently
returned to normal levels
i am a family doctor who treated some patients with alzheimers disease
looking back i didnt do a good job so i know what some of these
people are facing as they see their doctors
i am a research study subject in a large alzheimers study
i am awaiting new treatment studies that have promise
experiences and medical knowledge
i keep up with all thats going on in the alzheimers world
eg i read 10 articles on alzheimers this morning
someone always asks about aricept (donepezil)
i can guarantee that their doctors dont really know about its side effects
yes like me when i was in practice they can read about them
and have patients tell them about their side effects
but
i read about them and i personally experienced them myself
so i really understand them
most folks stop the medicine since they dont take it right
and because they dont understand that the side effects are worse
at the beginning but get better over a few weeks
its like taking chemo at the beginning of treatment
if you can get through it you will break through on the other side
with less side effects
patients just arent explained all this
i try to go through each side effect with the audience
then someone always ask what do i do if i have memory issues
i always say
get evaluated
always
most folks dont have dementia or alzheimers they have some cause
thats fully treatable
like
med side effects poor controlled blood pressure cholesterol diabetes
obesity sleep habits anxiety depression inactivity stress etc
a few will have abnormal labs like b12 folate vitamin d homocysteine
hormone levels
all fixable with replacements
then i tell them make an appointment for only memory loss and
nothing else
go in prepared with list of symptoms
make sure a workup is done to include history and exam labs some
type of memory test maybe labs
if they are ignored go somewhere else
if the person may have dementia they should not go alone ever
do an online questionnaire on how they are doing
i always refer them to the 21 question alzheimers questionnaire online
fill it out and take it with you
is dementia alzheimers
dementia is a general term
alzheimers is one of the most common causes of dementia
others are vascular dementia lewy body dementia frontotemporal dementia
parkinsonism dementia etc
is there are cure
no i say
not yet
but we are working on it
the best you can do to prevent it is
100% take care of your health maximizing it all including
diet and exercise
if diagnosed take initially aricept (donepezil)
it helps about 1/3, it doesnt help 1/3 they just get worse, 1/3 stay the same
consider entering a research study
they need volunteers badly
this is how we will find a cure
there are treatment studies ongoing now and soon to start that show
promise in slowing down the disease and if we are lucky
they will stop the disease if treatment is started early enough
here is where i go
so those questions go on and on and on
i stood and answered them for two hours before
people it seems are starving for answers
two things
i am always available to do question and answer sessions in this area
contact me via facebook via the link on this blog page
i also do a talk on clinical trials and on alzheimers disease and on
my story
i will answer questions sent to me on facebook
and if appropriate on this blog
feel free to ask me
then
each fall we do alzheimers texas walks in this area
come walk at a site convenient to you and donate what you can
outside of central texas
you can do the alzheimers association walk to end alzheimers
at
we need your help
the organicgreen doctor
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