is it dementia?

[salt822]

My father in law has all symptoms to prove that he has dementia. Except for he has high B12 level and the
MRI test was perfect.
What is it then.
Thanks for helping
Salt822

[caregiver222]

An MRI and B-12 test is essentially irrelevant.

If it looks like a duck, it quacks like a duck, and it walks like a duck, it is a duck.

Dementia has many etiologies.

[Mo5]

My mom at 91 was in the hospital since DEC 8 she is being released tomorrow. She lost 20 pounds because she was not eating.aaaait seemed to affect her thinking. Will she go back to normal if she begins to eat again?

[stephdnyc]

My father had pancreatitus (pancreatitis) (not a drinker), I believe he isn't well yet because he still has pain (not as much as when it started 6 weeks ago though), and he has no appetitie... his stomach hurts but not as much as it did... What has gotten worse however is his apathy, muscle loss, depression and short term memory loss....  He was on prednisone for 10 years --on and off (but mostly on) and stopped it 5-6 months ago for asthma. He also has copd, and type II diabetes. he says he has no problems with memory but I can tell he is uncomfortable with the subject so perhaps it partially denial?  He didn't remember being in the hospital with pancreatitus (pancreatitis)... but remembered it several days later when asked... does this suggest there isn't permanent damage... if he couldn't store new memories -he couldn't retrieve them, right?) Also -- is their a connection with liver damage and pancreatitus (pancreatitis).... with stopping the steroids?

[caregiver222]

I feel bad about my comment, because it seemed harsh. I didn't want to make fun of the serious situation. I merely tried to convey that observations are the best method of judging mental status. Not an MRI. Or some machine. I feel strongly about this because when my mother was dying they declared her brain dead at the same time she was squeezing my hand in response to questions. The nurses and doctors treated her like garbage because of "what the machine said".  Dementia comes in many forms, and sometimes progresses and sometimes holds still and sometimes can be reversed.

Don't give up hope!

My little 104 year old went on a peg last year because she had stopped eating. Lack of nutrition can definitely affect mental status. But especially lack of hydration. Before she went on the peg I was meticulous in keeping a daily hydration log.

To encourage eating, I used a variety of different foods and strategies, but all involved taking lots of time with her and feeding her at odd hours. Check my posts on feeding the elderly and stroke disabled.

When the peg was put in she gained ten pounds and her mental ability really went up.

As for the question on steroids and dementia...I don't know the answer. Stopping steroids abruptly often cause adrenal problems, so a work-up by an endochronologist might be in order.