recently i contacted the neurologist i see at university of texas southwestern
i said
im ready
i want my amyvid pet scan
why
the amyvid pet scan will show if i have accumulated in my brain
any beta amyloid
the bad stuff seen in alzheimers disease
if it is negative
i dont have alzheimers disease
i plan to stop my aricept (donepezil)
and
move happily forward
if it is positive
well thats what i expect it to be
based on
my family history of alzheimers
my abnormal memory tests
although they are back to normal
my abnormal spinal fluids level of beta amyloid
my positive apoe4 apoe4 gene
im better
maybe from the aricept (donepezil)
maybe from my healthy living
then
i will move forward with a more aggressive plan for
the near future
ie
my window just got smaller
so
as i called the radiology center to schedule the amyvid scan
they said could you wait
we will call you back
then
i got a phone call
the alzheimers disease center at the university of texas southwestern
is about to get approval in the next month or two
to start the
ideas study
sponsored by medicare the alzheimers association the american college
of radiology and the two drug companies that make the scan stuff they
shut up your veins to highlight the bad beta amyoid
so
for right now i am on hold
waiting to see if the study gets going
if it doesnt
i will do it privately before the year is up
i like doing it as part of the study since others can benefit
from my results
plus
it will save me $5,000
so the ideas study
a $100 million dollar study
will pay for about 20,000 scans
referring physicians have to be study certified
neurologists psychiatrists gerontologists
the centers that do it are usually at major research centers
my neurologist will be a participant
the alzheimers center at utsw will be a participate
now im just waiting
the purpose of the study is to see if using the amyvid pet scan
in clinical practice can be helpful in managing someones care
eg
my scan will be used to decide if i continue aricept (donepezil)
it has side effects
if the scan is positive i need to stay on it
if the scan is negative i can stop it
my older brother may have alzheimers disease
he got better like i did
on aricept and healthy living
does he have alzheimers
the scan would more definitively answer that question
my younger brother early on when he had symptoms
does he have alzheimers or is it something else
a scan might have told the family early on
yes he does
plans could be made
of course
whatcha gonna do about if its positive
if you have it
well
do all those healthy thing we all should be doing
take aricept (donepezil)
i know the side effects like leg cramps are a pain in the
calf
then
thanks for all the emails and messages about the article that was
on the news feeds about the aducanamab study
where people got better taking it
their amyvid pet scans showed improvement
when they took it
thats the study i want to also get in
it also soon will be starting up at the alzheimers disease center
at utsw
click on the link theres a video story on my wife and me
its
a new potentially life changing drug treatment for those of us
who have or soon will have
alzheimers disease
help us in the fight
for a cure and treatment
for education about alzheimers disease
lets put a boot to alzheimers
www.txalz.org/walk
donate and or join my team organicgreendoctor
for the alzheimers texas williamson county walk on september 24th
in georgetown texas
donate and or join our team austin regional clinic
for the alzheimers texas travis county walk on october 8th
in austin texas
to join the team you will need to register first
to only donate just hit the donate button
the organicgreen doctor
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