Subjective Memory Problems
Q. Are you one of the worried well? Q. Should you be concerned? Q. What should you do?
This refers to memory concerns that are usually quite mild and normal. Do you ever walk into a room and forget what you went there for? Most normal people do that, once in a while. But if you do that every hour, you need to see your doctor. With subjective memory problems, others do not readily see them, nor do they generally show up as significant on a standard memory exam, such as the Mini-mental-status-exam (MMSE).
The Alzheimer’s Association recently came out with 10 new warning signs of Alzheimer’s or serious dementia. You may want to check them out and compare yourself against these at: http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp
Most people with Alzheimer’s disease are not worried about getting it. This may be because the part of the brain having to do with insight and awareness, is often one of the first to be damaged. So if you are concerned that you might be developing AD, you likely are not. However, if you have noticed that your memory or other cognitive abilities are not as good as they used to be, or you have other family members with dementia, it is good to be concerned, and to do all you can do now to protect yourself against this devastating disease and related dementias, and this site will help you to know what to do.
There are many different causes of memory problems, and fortunately most of those are quite easy to remedy. That’s why it is always good to see your doctor early in the process, and to insist on a good thorough physical examination, to rule out things your doctor can fix like a B-vitamin deficiency, a restricted artery, a thyroid problem, drug conflict, a urinary track or some other type of infection. (For a quick review of the various causes of dementia click on “Integrating” in the center of the brain under Prevention Strategies and read The Underlying Causes of Memory Loss. Are You at Risk?)
Note: I am not a doctor, and this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any ailment. So I would advise you, if you sense a problem, not to try to substitute this site for good competent medical advice. It’s important that you get some good diagnostic tests taken in order to address the roots of your memory challenges as soon as possible.
If you have concerns and do not know who to call contact your nearest Alzheimer’s Association at 1 800 272-3900, for a referral. This site was designed to assist you in the quest to maintain your brain, and cognitive abilities, especially memory, once you’ve been seen by a doctor. You can start your search for practical suggestions by clicking on The Underlying Causes of Memory Loss, noted above under Prevention Strategies. This may provide some useful insights to consider. Then proceed to the quadrant of the brain image that talks about the importance of diet and nutrition, since many researchers are beginning to believe that this is an essential key to brain health.
Mild Cognitive Impairment & Early Stage AD
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a general term most commonly defined as a subtle but measurable memory disorder. About 30% of those with MCI go on to develop something more serious like Alzheimer’s, but most do not. A person with MCI experiences memory problems greater than normally expected with aging, but does not show other symptoms of dementia, such as impaired judgment or reasoning.
Q.What should you do? Q.Why it’s important to see a doctor? Q.What needs to be done now? Q.The Good News for you.
The Alzheimer’s Association recently came out with 10 new warning signs of Alzheimer’s or serious dementia. You may want to check them out and compare yourself against them at: http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp
If after reviewing these you suspect you may have early stage Alzheimer’s disease, don’t panic, all is not lost. (To learn more about the various stages of dementia go to http://www.alz.org/espanol_stages.asp) And the stress of worrying can make things worse. There are many different causes of memory problems, that may appear to be AD, and fortunately most of those are quite easy to remedy. (Click on “Integrating” in the center of the brain and read The Underlying Causes of Memory Loss. Are You atRisk?) That’s why it is always good to see your doctor early in the process, and to insist on a good thorough physical examination, to rule out fixable things like a B-vitamin deficiency, a blocked artery, a thyroid problem, drug conflict, a urinary track or some other type of infection or cause of systemic inflammation.
I am not a doctor, and this site is not intended to diagnose or treat any ailment. So I would advise you, if you sense a problem, not to try to substitute this site for good competent medical advice. It’s important that you undergo a good thorough medical evaluation so you can address the roots of your memory challenges as soon as possible.
If you do not know who to call contact your nearest Alzheimer’s Association at 1 800 272-3900, for a referral. This site was designed to assist you in the quest to maintain your brain, and cognitive abilities, especially memory, and once you’ve been seen by a doctor, to provide additional educational tools and insights that may help you to slow or arrest the decline which you may have experienced.
You can begin your search for practical suggestions to maintain cognitive function, by clicking on the accompanying article titled “What Causes Dementia.” This may provide some useful insights to consider. Then proceed to the quadrant of the brain image that talks about the importance of “diet and nutrition,” since many researchers are beginning to believe that this is an essential key to brain health. I would encourage you to read the article there on Mild Cognitive Impairment.
I hope you will also want to consider supplementing with MemoryXL. If you click on the bottle it will take you to their site where you can read about their clinical trials with individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. And I think you will be pleasantly surprised and relieved, and infused with greater hope for a better future than you may have heretofore envisioned. If you have read and understood this short article thus far, there is hope and good reason to believe, things can be done to improve your current status.
Several medications are available for Alzheimer’s disease, which may also help to slow it down. Your doctor can advise you on those. Tell him or her about MemoryXL. This is a new nutritional formula on the market that is amazingly effective. It is not a drug and does not require a prescription so your doctor may not be familiar with it. But you may want to encourage him or her to read up on it – review the extensive published research (more than 80 related studies) and clinical trial outcomes, as well as the testimonials. I found the results impressive, with no significant adverse side effects having been reported. Your doctor may also want to contact the MemoryXL office in Boston, for further information about their current and past research, or explore this site for additional empirical insights and recommendations to help maintain healthy brain function.
Moderate To Severe Impairment
In moderately severe cognitive decline (moderate or midstage Alzheimer’s disease) there are major gaps in memory and deficits in cognitive function emerge. Some assistance with day-to-day activities becomes essential. At this stage, individuals may:
- Be unable during a medical interview to recall such important details as their current address, their telephone number, or the name of the college or high school from which they graduated
- Become confused about where they are or about the date, day of the week or season
- Have trouble with less challenging mental arithmetic; for example, counting backward from 40 by 4s or from 20 by 2s
- Need help choosing proper clothing for the season or the occasion
- Usually retain substantial knowledge about themselves and know their own names and the names of their spouses or children
- Usually require no assistance with eating or using the toilet
Q. What can you help them do? Q. Why it’s important to see a doctor? Q. What needs to be done now? Q. The good news for you?
As a caregiver for someone with moderate to severe Alzheimer’s you need to be sure to take good care of your own health first. If you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t be able to assist your loved one with their needs, like getting enough exercise and the appropriate use of their medication. You may want to talk with their doctor about Namenda, a medication shown to slow the decline of AD. You may also want to talk with their doctor about MemoryXL, as results from a small but significant clinical trial suggests this supplement may even help them to stay calm, less depressed and more upbeat, and socially appropriate and with it. However, the more progressed they are in their decline, the less effective it appears to be, and she shorter the duration of effect – usually this calming effect lasted about 6 months in those with more advanced dementia. But it still seems worth a try, especially for those in the more moderate stages.
Again you would want to inform their doctor that MemoryXL is a new nutritional formula on the market that is quite helpful with Alzheimer’s patients – especially those otherwise in good health. It is not a drug and does not require a prescription so your doctor may not be familiar with it. But you may want to encourage him or her to read up on it – review the extensive published research (more than 80 related studies) and clinical trial outcomes, as well as the testimonials. I found the results impressive, with no significant adverse side effects having been reported. Your doctor may also want to contact the MemoryXL office in Boston, for further information about their current and past research with moderate to severe AD patients.
It’s also a good idea to contact the Alzheimer’s Association nearest you 1 800 272-3900 to find out about local support groups, home health or managed care options, as well as other resources like Coach Broyles play bood for Caregivers, as well as their own very insightful pamphlets on communication and dealing with difficult behaviors, as well as financial management, legal aide options, and providing personal care.
Also you can be glad that there are now other things we are aware of, which are now being tested, that will soon be out to help you or other family members to avoid a similar situation – MemoryXL would be one of those items already available and helpful for many in the later stages – at least for a period of tiem. Feel free to review this site as well for other ideas, for our own health. There are for example some very hopeful insights and tips available in the Stress and Depression area.
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