I am the daughter of a 72-year-old woman who was diagnosed with PD some six
years ago. We live in different states, so I haven't seen her since last
Christmas (!), keeping in touch several times a week by telephone. I just
recently joined this listserv, and have been following with great
interest the various references to dimentia and memory loss. I would greatly
appreciate some feedback.
My mother is showing increased signs of confusion, especially when she is
tired, and especially in the evening. She is forgetful, but she also has a
hard time getting sentences out: scrambling meanings, struggling for words,
speaking sometimes in almost dreamlike symbols. I will (at last!) be
visiting her in a few days and was hoping to have some ideas as
to what people have found to be the causes of/influences on such problems.
(She herself has feared Alzheimer's, but her doctor and two consultative
specialists have said no.) Her doctor speaks of "Parkinson's dimentia," and
describes brain lesions. Yet he is concerned and somewhat at a loss to explain
how rapidly it seems to be progressing. What is going on?
Most messages on the list blame forgetfulness and confusion in people with PD
on depression. (I have also seen on the list some blame placed on levadopa and
decreased blood flow to the frontal lobes.) My mother was treated with
antidepressants to no avail. She also suffers from anxiety, which the
antidepressant tended to aggravate; they also seemed to make her vague and
"flat" in personality. So she is now off of them.
My first question/s is: what IS Parkinson's dimentia, does my mother seem to
fit the profile, and what can we attempt to do about it?
Second, I am not sure how to help her balance two somewhat contradictory goals:
to keep active in community affairs and not just retreat into the house out of
insecurity and embarrassment (her husband is particularly concerned to keep her
active, and both she and I agree in principle) and yet help her to minimize
her stress levels (she finds going out and socializing stressful, and it
often worsens her symptoms). Any wise words on this?
I'm sorry to send such a long message on my first "go." I am VERY glad to have
found this listserv, and am grateful for any feedback.
Best wishes,
Virginia.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Virginia Tilley email: [log in to unmask]
TEL: Political Science Department office: 608-263-2414
ADDR: Dept of Political Science, 110 North Hall
U. of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI 53715
_____________________________________________________________________________
