Alzheimers versus Parkinsons disease?!
Question: I need medical professionals advice or info here please.
My dad has been deteriorating for the last three to four years now.
As a nurse the symptoms brought straight to mind Alzheimer's but now I am seeing some other things that are more comparable to Parkinson's.
His memory is very poor (short term being the worst) his behavior is terrible, he is rude and yells and is suspicious all of the time.
He yells at my mom and myself for no reason and says some extremely hurtful things.
He has lost interest in eating ( he is on megace).
We(mom, myself and my daughters and dad) will have a big conversation about something important and he will deny ever having heard anything about it.
Now he is having to use a walker (badly even though i keep showing him the right way!!) I have noticed the shuffling gait. He is falling quite often ( 4-5 times a week)
Dad is 76, three years ago he was so alive and smart and vibrant and now he falls even using a walker :( Please, any help will be appreciated.
Answers: I need medical professionals advice or info here please.
My dad has been deteriorating for the last three to four years now.
As a nurse the symptoms brought straight to mind Alzheimer's but now I am seeing some other things that are more comparable to Parkinson's.
His memory is very poor (short term being the worst) his behavior is terrible, he is rude and yells and is suspicious all of the time.
He yells at my mom and myself for no reason and says some extremely hurtful things.
He has lost interest in eating ( he is on megace).
We(mom, myself and my daughters and dad) will have a big conversation about something important and he will deny ever having heard anything about it.
Now he is having to use a walker (badly even though i keep showing him the right way!!) I have noticed the shuffling gait. He is falling quite often ( 4-5 times a week)
Dad is 76, three years ago he was so alive and smart and vibrant and now he falls even using a walker :( Please, any help will be appreciated.
ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
Clinical manifestaion:
1. disease onset is subtle and insidious. Initially, a gradual decline of cognitive function from a previously higher level may be noticed.
2. short term memory impairment - often the 1st characteristic
Person is forgetful and have difficulty learning and
retaining new information.
In addition to memory impairment, at least one of the ff functional deficits is present:
a. Language disturbance (word-finding difficulty)
b. Visual-processing difficulty
c. Inability to perform skilled motor activities
d. Poor abstract reasoning and concentration
3. Patients may have difficulty planning meals, managing finances, using a telephone, or driving without getting lost.
Other classic signs: PERSONALITY CHANGES- irritability and suspiciousness, personal neglect of appearance, and disorientation to time and space.
PARKINSON'S DISEASE
-Onset chronic, progressive neurologic disease affecting brains center responsible for control and regulation of movements.
Clinical Manifestations:
1. bradykisnesia ---(slowness of movement) , loss of
spontaneous movement
2.Resting tremors of 4 to 5 Hz
3.Rigidity in performance of all movements
4.Autonomic Disorders---sleeplessness, salivation, sweeting,
orthostatic hypotension
5.Depression
6.Masklike facies
7.verbal fluency may be impaired
8 Finger tapping responses are slowed
There is a condition called Lewy Body Dementia, also called Dementia with Lewy Body. It has many features of both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's (the shuffling walk you mentioned, tremors, slow movement, confusion, memory loss, etc.) Sometimes patients w/ Lewy Body have delusions and act agitated, but one thing that sort of distinguishes Lewy Body is that patients sometimes have periods of lucidity and periods where they are basically drowsy/delusional. You may want to consider talking to your dad's caregiver about that possibility.
You mentioned that he doesn't know that anything is wrong; this is very typical of patients with dementia. They often don't know that anything is wrong and get very defensive and agitated when people try to suggest that there is.
Other than that, he may have Parkinson's in addition to dementia, which may or may not be Alzheimer's. Either way,a full neurological work-up can help determine what is going on.
I really understand..my mother exhibited the same symptoms as you have described..she was being treated for Alzheimer's, then began to show signs of Parkinson's..it was extremely distressing to observe. The question is, have you tried the standard Parkinson medications, and did they help? My mother did not respond to anti-Parkinson therapy, so my conclusion is: it was simply a manifestation of her Dementia (Alzheimer's).the sad truth is there is no satisfactory remedy for this hideous malady..if he does not respond to intervention for Parkinson's, and you will know within a month, contact a Hospice in your area to provide comfort for your Dad and family..get rid of the walker and use a wheelchair..get your dad comfortable..give your dad some peace.