Mum 'senile' since shingles! Stroke??

[cazziep]

Hi

My Mum had a bad case of shingles a year and a half ago.  It affected the right side of her head/face/eye.  Ever since then, she has become a shadow of her former self.  Her memory is very bad, as are her communication skills.  She used to be quite articulate, but now has difficulty forming coherent sentences.  Sometimes, she just sounds frighteningly confused.  Just recently, I have noticed that she is having a problem working money out (she thinks a £20 note is a £1)!  She has been turning up late/early for appointments etc...and, today, I realise why - she now cannot actually tell the time any longer.  Since the shingles, she hasn't bothered having her hair cut.  She also wears no make up.  She used to be immaculate.  It took a while for the family to coax her out of the house when she was recovering from the shingles.  Now, she does go out, but no longer participates in her hobbies.

She is 67 years of age...and, of course, she could be sufferering from senile dementia.  However, because her decline coincided with her shingles, I'm wondering whether the virus could have caused some sort of stroke/brain inflammation.  Stroke patients often get better; dementia sufferers do not...so, obviously, the cause is important to us.  

My mother is very stubborn and will not admit there is a problem.  I will not be able to get her to see a doctor, as she refuses to visit them.  I'm very worried and would just like some advice.

Many thanks.

Caz xx

[ginger899]

I know these things CAN strike at any age, but in my opinion, 67 is really young to be getting senile dementia. It is possible she has had a mild stroke. Or....Could this be a form of depression? That can come after viral infection. She does need to be checked out by a doctor.

Shingles can really knock you for six. I know. I have had it twice. The immune system always needs support after an attack of shingles. I used Echinacea. It helped tremendously.

[kaylesley]

funnily enough my mother is in the final stages of senile dementia and about 6 years ago she had shingles and shortly after that she became very confused and went rapidly downhill.  So there could very well be a connection.