Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia

      

 My girlfriend called me last night. I haven't spoken to her for a few months.  Her husband had been acting strange for awhile and she took him to several medical specialists.  She said that she kept asking questions and was told that he had the beginnings of dementia,  probably from Agent Orange  which he was exposed to during the Vietnam War.  He still was able to work in his family business because he seemed OK if he was doing his normal routine.  He was told a few months ago that he could no longer drive.  He kept forgetting more and more things.  When he got up in the morning, he would tell his wife that he didn't know what to do.  She would tell him to get showered and dressed and then eat breakfast. A few weeks ago he started tremorring and she took him back to the VA hospital and he now has been diagnosed with Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia.  They have been married a long time, since she was 19, and she is totally committed to caring for him but she said that it is quite difficult. His voice is failing and she can barely hear him after he says three or four words. She can't leave him at all now.  She went to the doctor's the other day and when she got back, he was gone. He had only gone to his old job but she was really scared!  She has to write everything down for him, what to do each morning, etc.  She has to take him to several doctor appointments per week and she also has several medical issues.  I so hope and pray that I don't get dementia. I don't want ot be a burden on my family.
       She has decided to move and rented a one bedroom apartment in a high rise building and they are on the fourth floor which is the top floor of that building.   She is worried that he will feel out of place in a  new home but she wants to have access to an elevator.  It is so difficult for me to accept that this hard working family man has to suffer like this. He served in Vietnam and was a loyal and hardworking son,  husband, father, and family member. 

What is lewy body dementia?

Lewy body dementia (LBD), also known as dementia with Lewy bodies, is one of the most common types of dementia, after Alzheimer’s disease. It usually happens to people who are 50 or over.

What are signs and symptoms of lewy body dementia?

Common signs and symptoms of lewy body dementiamay include:

• Apathy - You may have loss of motivation.
• Cognitive problems - You may experience thinking problems such as confusion, poor attention, visual-spatial problems and memory loss.
• Depression - You may experience depression sometime during the course of your illness.
• Fluctuating attention - Episodes of drowsiness, long periods of staring into space, long naps during the day or disorganized speech are possible.
• Movement disorders - Slowed movement, rigid muscles, tremor or a shuffling walk may occur.
• Poor regulation of body functions - This can result in dizziness, falls and bowel issues such as constipation.
• Sleep difficulties - You may have rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder.
• Visual hallucinations - They may include seeing shapes, animals or people that aren't there. Sound, smell or touch hallucinations are also possible.

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What are atages of lewy body dementia?

• Early Stages - The earlier stages of Lewy body dementia may involve hallucinations or other distortions of reality and some movement difficulties. Unlike Alzheimer's disease, memory is usually still pretty intact in the early stages, although confusion and some mild cognitive changes may be present.
• Middle Stages - The middle stages may invlove more strongly resemble Parkinson's such as increased impairment of the body's motor functions, difficulty with speech, impaired ability to swallow and increased paranoia and delusions. Cognition also continues to decline.
• Later Stages - The later stages may invlove extreme muscle rigidity and sensitivity to touch develops. Speech is often very difficult and may be whispered or absent.

To learn more you should go to a medical professional. Keyword: dementia lewy bodies; lewy body dementia; lewy body dementia stages; lewy body dementia symptoms