He has not been diagnosed yet. My friend has many symptoms I've seen here in this forum. I think he has noticed his memory problems, but will not admit to it. He has a Dr. appt. in June, for a full physical. Will the Dr. tell him he has dementia, or Alzheimer's, If that is the case? Or will they want family to do it? I feel is coming up soon.
From what I've seen, often a PCP will avoid a diagnosis of this kind but send the patient on to a specialist who will do further testing if dementia is suspected. In our case the specialist talked directly to my husband about his diagnosis. I think this varies a lot from practice to practice.
However, If there is a diagnosis, you can expect that he would have to be told many times over the course of the years, because he will forget. I have found that it isn't important to tell MIL that she has dementia. In the early years, we just put forgetfulness down to normal aging, and after we received the "official" diagnosis, it really wasn't that important. We were already doing what we were doing, and nothing would change. Just support your friend in any way that you can, and become his memory as it becomes necessary.
My husband, dear Coy, donated his brain to be used in dementia research. This was extremely important to him and I think to research as well. He knew there wasn't a cure for him, but he hoped our grandchildren would have better odds.
On the other hand, my mother's main coping device all her life has been denial. No one has told her she has dementia. We don't see the point. Today when I visited her she wanted to know how she was going to get to dinner. I explained (as we do on each visit) that a helper would come and wheel her into the dining room when it was time. There are a lot of helpers here. Now that you are almost 95 there are some parts that aren't working as well as they used to. It is good you are at a place where there are so many people to help you with getting to the dining room and remembering your appointments and seeing that you have what you need." She is very proud of her age, and intends to live to 100, so for her blaming her impairments as just part of aging seems logical and acceptable. She doesn't need to know she has dementia. My husband did.
This is not a one-size-fits-all situation. It depends on age, personality, life outlook, and other intangibles.
I had several weird episodes before I was diagnosed with afib. During the testing before diagnosis, I was sent to almost every department in our clinic, then to a neurologist, and my physical test with him was normal. At the time I described being on a walking trail, or in the water at a swim class, or on my rider mower and sort of snapping to or waking up abruptly and not being able to figure out where I was. The neuro listened to my neck artery and then said, afib can make you feel really weird, sent me to the cardio finally and I was diagnosed after extensive cardio testing. That was 9 months of goofing around.
I am being treated now, but am having more and more memory issues. I go to make deviled eggs and don't realize until after I've done it that you shouldn't dice the whole egg for that, got stymied by an onion one time knowing I wasn't holding it correctly to chop it up and just stared at it in my hand for about 10 seconds until I worked out which way to turn it and put it down on the cutting board, filled in forms online only to find numbers transposed and Wrong from what they should be time after time, or take off to go to one shopping area and find myself driving to the other shopping area across town. I got lost on my way home from a friend's house out of town... and was dumbfounded when I came to a well known intersection with a highway because I couldn't believe I was clear out in that area! this is my last 4 years or so.
I am trying to chalk this stuff up to stress, but too many weird things going on and when I tell people about them?... they say "oh, I have the same thing all the time!" Hmmm, really? You snap out of your fog and don't know where you are???
It is easy to see how even the idea of early dementia gets blown off. I'm keeping track of these things. If I'm lucky, my mind will clear and I will get back on track without so much overwhelming stress... but what if I'm Not lucky? I'm relatively Young.. is this going to be a problem if I ask for testing and an mri? Will anyone believe me?
So you're being treated by your cardiologist now? Some of what you described sounds like TIAs, I expect s/he's explained that to you? But I do urge you to keep a diary of your symptoms and make sure the cardiologist listens. It could be a good idea to get a repeat MRI done too, if only to compare with the last one and make sure there haven't been any major changes.
Better to know where you are and where you stand than be frightened to blazes and imagining the worst.
Have to admit, I am Alarmed this year especially.
Yes, I'm on a tiny dose of bblockers for paroxysmal afib, because that's all I could physically take. Am afraid my cardiologist is no longer at our local clinic but only serving his local area an hour away and I will be checking in with a new cardio in a couple of months. I hate that...since so many of my doctors retired in these last few years.
I haven't had an mri. I had a cardiac cath test where they checked for problems and found a congenital heart issue that they said should Not be a problem but could be Causing some symptoms of chest pain - along with the afib. (this was controversial in the cath lab - 2 surgeons arguing - my cardio basically trumping the younger one) At least no major blockage.
The neurologist physically checked my reflexes, looked into my eyeballs and asked me a few questions before he listened to my carotid and heard arrhythmia. He said he didn't think there was anything wrong with my brain at that time and suggested age related memory loss and the afib.
The most concerning memory stuff has been After that since I started aspirin & BB. But yes, I've started a list and will be asking if there's some cheap and easy way to see where the heart issues are now. And I will be asking if a different med can be given, but so far... only anti-rhythmic drugs have been offered and those have way more serious side effects, I hear. I went back and forth with my cardio on this. He told me consider what your symptoms were Before the meds and what symptoms the meds Cause, then Choose which you want to deal with. Ok, I opt for no chest pain, dizziness. I am told the BB does not stop afib, but rather keeps the heart rate down so... less dizziness, more efficient pumping etc. I tried several times to get off the BB because cardio said I could try that, but had too much arrhythmia to make it past one day of that.
I hadn't, of course, thought of bringing this memory stuff up with Cardio, but will now. It is interference in my daily life now. I doubt many things, including my ability to continue long drives to help my mom, my ability to work much or on anything more than menial labor since I can't keep numbers or words straight. (I am one of those ones who inserts words that are Close to, but not quite right, or just plain Not Real Words, when I am talking and can't come up with the right one) I don't have to worry too much since my husband has a nice job... but you know.. a person likes to have Options.
It's thawing out here this week, so I get to walk outdoors and that is usually the best thing for me. I mean, I just can't go when it's below 20 anymore.