If dementia is diagnosed following surgery, will it get better once the anesthesia is out of the system? How long does it take for anesthesia to no longer cause problems in the elderly? Is it possible for anesthesia to remain in the system for a year or two? Surgeon said his reaction to anesthesia was more pronounced because he has underlying dementia. I've been told by a few people that my husband's dementia or dementia like systems could disappear a year or two after sugery, since it's possible for anesthesia to remain in the system for a year or two. I've been told so many things by so many people I don't know what to believe anymore. My husband does appear fairly normal at times, but anyone who works with him in assisted living say that he displays signs of sundowner syndrome in the evening. He is determined that one way or the other, he is not going to be staying in A.L., he now wants to see a psychiatrist to prove there is nothing wrong with him, even though A.L. staff, family doctor, therapists, etc. insist he needs A.L. Many times he has informed me that a friend is picking him up and taking him to a ball game or that he has been asked to be in involved in a charity auction at a service organizaiton and needs a ride. When I call to confirm it, I am told that simply is not true. I'm not comfortable thinking of him coming home, since he can not be trusted; told me if he came home, he would buy another car and drive it, spend money just like he used to, live his life just as he did prior to all of this. (his driving is extremely dangerous).
I hope your husband does come out of it. Hugs to you.
Unfortunately, he had more surgeries, the amputation of the second leg and other surgeries that were supposed to help the stumps heal properly. Each surgery put him back into severe dementia.
At the end he had not had a surgery for 9 months - ALSO- we had moved him to a different nursing home. The nursing home here took him off some of the meds that the other nursing home was using to keep him calm. The first nursing home would sedate him and wrap him in a cocoon blanket wrap that restricted his use of his arms. He looked a bit like an alien baby wrapped up like that with his eyes rolling back in his head from the meds.
So 9 months post general anesthesia, and 4 months off of sedation meds. his dementia symptoms were noticeably declining. Rather than pleading with everyone to "Please, please, help me, I need a ride" - all the time. He became aware of the current world around him. Answered questions in the present, and offered comments and participated in conversations.
The first thing that made us aware that his dementia was getting better was when we would notice him listening to conversations instead of only being involved in his own thoughts. There was an obvious difference in his demeanor.
My husband commented that each visit his mom lost mental ground and each visit his dad gained mental ground. His dad's diagnosis was "unspecific dementia" His mom's was vascular dementia.
Since FIL's dementia was making notable progress it would be hard to not conclude that the general anesthesias played a major role. We began to wonder if he would come all the way back to normal. He passed away due to an unrelated issue, so we will never know.
Before my Mom had a colonoscopy and the surgery to take out a cancerous tumor I did see very tiny signs of dementia. And I really mean tiny. She was still fully functional and could act and speak with clarity and go out shopping with me. But the stress created by all the procedures made her very, very slight dementia worsen almost like overnight. The difference from before both procedures was absolutely like night and day. Since then, her dementia got more and more pronounced and now she has full blown dementia. She still though, has great moments of clarity and recognizes every body. But she's lost the concept of time and even though I visit her every day and spend hours with her, by 5 pm she forgot that I came and calls me in tears asking me why I didn't visit her. But she also has great moments of brilliance, is not stupid and knows right from wrong. So I do believe that being under sedation for the colonoscopy and then anesthesia for the actual operation did "kick offf" the full blown dementia. I don't know why it happened to my Mom and other posts above, but it did happen with my Mom.
When I told her this, the downward spiral of stress, panic and fear took over. The operation was a complete success; But it pushed her demetia over the edge like night and day.n The anesthesia caused somthing in her brain to lose connetions, along with the stress and fear of the surgery.Her AL became so much advanced it frightened me. Now she needed a psycidatric geriratoin for meds. But the meds only helped a little bit ajnd her AP kept advancing. So yes, I do believe that anesthesia doesn't cause AL, but it surely does something to an elderly's brain that intesfies and advanced the small symptoms that could already been there: I already read a lot of posts on this site that already have said the same things that I've said. Doctor's , or some of then will deny this. But you would know better becuse you, me, and others are the ones who take Mom and Dad home to take care of them, the doctors just move onto another patient and forget our parents. I have lost a lot of respect for doctor during the years of my parents at doctors offices and at countless ER visits; (I pray that things go smoother for you star 42. May the Lord bless you with His guidance and His spriritual wisdom.
I was told that it was exacerbated by his anesthesia. We r convinced that he had underlying symptoms that were not tested prior to his surgeries. Looking back, if I had known, We would have to make a choice of permanent severe pain or the possibility of advancing his condition. Quality of life is deminished either way.
It is not easy
anesthesiologists do their "job" and don't follow up with patients, long term.
I would encourage you to locate a place where you mom can get care. There are places for people in all the stages of dementia. Many dementia patients display the symptoms you describe. There are private pay places and if she cannot pay, you can apply her for Medicaid. Either way, I would seek assistance for her, so you can take care of yourself.