My dad has not been fully diagnosed with dementia. His primary MD told us she felt like he was getting it because all other test where good! He has been paralyzed from the waist down for 40 years and in last 5 he has been pretty much bed ridden. My sister and I have been researching different types of diseases and have found that he has all the signs of lewy body dementia. Is anyone familiar with this? In the last month he has really went down hill health wise. Can anyone help? My family is just learning to deal. Thank you and god bless all of you and your loved ones!
https://www.agingcare.com/articles/facts-about-lewy-body-dementia-174545.htm
Effects of Lewy Body Dementia can be difficult to treat with some of the typical medications.
Rather than doing on line research you should get an appointment with a neurologist that can pinpoint exactly what the diagnosis is.
In what way has his health gone downhill?
What is it that leads you to think he might have Lewy Body?
He was widowed 18mos prior, married 62yrs.
Always a nice, even tempered person. He began
seeing people and insects in his house. Graffiti
on the walls. Hospitalized, then AL, then to memory
care. He was only there 8 months. Steady decline.
Hospice at the end. He passed peacefully. He did
have moments of anger but for the most part he
was subdued. The entire staff, from rn, cna, kitchen,
etc. we're absolutely wonderful. The hospice
people could not have been kinder or more
helpful. He and mil had a trust in place and while
my sil had lots of paperwork to contend with all
went smoothly as they had wanted. We are indebted
to them for their forethought in taking care of their
finances. My sister in law was wonderful through
all. No quibbling or hurt feelings amongst the 3 sibs.
Barney is greatly missed. Wishing you strength through
the hard times to come.
Lewy dementia delay meds are not necessarily interchangeable with Alz ones. Like aricept, good for Alz, negligible for Lewy. But Excelon good for LBD. Also other standard meds - Seroquel, Ativan - can have issues for LBD.
My mom had Lewy. Really having formal diagnosis & at what stage known, like others have said is oh so important for doing a care plan.
Tremors
Trouble with processing more than one command at a time
Hallucinations and Delusions
Muscle rigidity resulting in inability to walk or stand and very slow reflexes
Active while sleeping
Loss of common sense and ability to reason on things
Trouble swallowing liquids without choking
The only thing they can give her for any of this is Seroquel with helps with the hallucinations. She still has them but before the meds they used to be very scary (involving blood on the ceiling among other things). She got worse when they tried her on Parkinsons meds. As far as the swallowing, she uses a straw at all times which helps work certain muscles and prevents too much from going down at one time.
LBD is a hard road as they deteriorate. I wish I could tell you more but I'm still learning even after 2 years. I wish the best for you.
Not everyone who has LBD also has RBD. But everyone who has RBD and also dementia most likely has LBD. Is his doctor aware the sleep issues?
By the way, Parkinson's with Dementia and Dementia with Lewy Bodies are essentially the same thing. They both involve tiny bits of a certain protein ("bodies" of protein) in the brain. If these bodies first appear in areas that control movement, Parkinson's with dementia is likely to be the diagnosis. If the bodies start out in places in the brain that control executive, reasoning, etc. the diagnosis is likely to be Dementia with Lewy Bodies.