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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Rapid onset short term memory loss
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Rapid onset short term memory loss
by homesleym, Jul 14, 2003 12:00AM
Mom is 85. Lives by herself and able to function well. With in the last month rapid onset of profound short term mem loss. No med changes with in last 2 years. Blood work shows urinary tract infection. No complaints from her except says her head feels hot and she feels woozey especially in am. Temp 99-99.8 Starting Cipro XR today. She has been taking Glyburide 5mg 3 times/day; Hyzarr 100-25 one/day; Toprol XL 200mg one/day; Metformin 1000mg one/day; Norvasc 5mg one/day. doc has added Avandia, and reduced Glyburide to 2/day. Has high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetic. Blood sugar has been hovering about 250-300. Is the combination of the infection and high blood sugar such it would cause this memory loss? Does combination of meds seem excessive?
No problems sleeping; no nightmares. Some dizziness, has fallen twice in past 6 months. Once 6 mths ago, once two weeks ago. Long term mem ok. Have't thought about Alzheimers until now.No behavioral changes. Long term memory, recognition of people ok.
No problems sleeping; no nightmares. Some dizziness, has fallen twice in past 6 months. Once 6 mths ago, once two weeks ago. Long term mem ok. Have't thought about Alzheimers until now.No behavioral changes. Long term memory, recognition of people ok.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Jul 15, 2003 12:00AM
, Jul 15, 2003 12:00AM
This is really a question for a neurologist but I will answer as best I can. In older people, small changes can have big effects if there is a fair degree of cerebral atherosclerosis, so yes, infection and fever and a lot of medications can tip the balance. That said, there is reason to be optimistic, so getting a physician to review and minimize her medications and treat her fever is the right thing to do.
It is not common to have an acute change in memory be the first symptom of Alzheimers.
It is not common to have an acute change in memory be the first symptom of Alzheimers.
anyone researching memory loss and other cognitive symptoms
in the elderly may want to check out LEWY BODY DISEASE
........ one family has documented their mother's decline and
has published an online journal....when I
read the excerpts, I could have written the comments myself....
esp. about the "identical houses" and concern about "getting
home"....(see journal entry #7. Dr Jekyll and Mrs. Hyde...)
sometimes this illness is misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's because
symptoms can be the same....however,there is more physical
complication with LEWY BODY Disease and the Rx treatment
may vary .......... my
Mom's memory loss happened rapidly over a 3 week period...
she appeared to be hallucinating at night...Generally she
would be fine during morning and early afternoon hours, but
become more agitated as day went on...and especially the
hallucinations or dreams, and wandering at night...this
is known as the "sundown" effect.......
I was amazed at this little known, but 2nd only to Alzheimer's in Seniors with Dementia.....HOPE THIS WILL HELP SOMEONE......
*D*