I'm not sure what I should do, but I did something very strange and reminiscent of things someone with MCI or dementia would do. I've had other signs, but thought, no that's weird but could be normal. I'm an anxious type of person and thought I was paranoid since my mom has dementia. This situation scared me. Only thing is I'm in my early 50's and my mom wasn't diagnosed with it until she was 70.
I took my kids with me to the beach one weekend. We got to the hotel and I was confused. I was looking at the pillows on the bed and thought, who was in here and made the beds, thinking we had already been in the room previously and someone came in our room while we were gone. I asked my kids, who made the bed, who was in here? I thought we had already set our stuff down and left and came back, but we just got there. My kids looked at me strange and told me later it was weird how I acted.
I'm glad I realized that was not normal, but I'm a bit worried and hope I can get through my next few years at work to retire and get my retirement. I'm already having trouble trying to keep up with everything. I have a harder time focusing on things, am more careless about things I say (even at work), and get mad easily. Sounds really stress me out and make me upset.
I have never gotten enough sleep (stay up late or stay up all night and get up early), and know that and being a highly stressed/anxious person over all these years may be the root cause of this problem. The day this happened however, I had more than nine hours of sleep. I believe lack of sleep and daily stress/anxiety were the main reason why my mom got dementia. I really don't want my kids to have to take care of me or worry about me. I don't want them to go through what I've gone through with my mom. She's had dementia now for about 20 years. My husband is not empathetic at all either, so I'm scared I might not have someone but my kids to take care of me.
Any of you have MCI/dementia moments like this? What are your plans and/or advice?
My goal is to try to stay as low stress as I can until retirement, take days off, which I would never do before, and do those things on the bucket list now.
I need to look at my will and trust too and update it I suppose, and write a letter to my kids that they can read it in the future if needed.
Thank you for any advice!
You're still taking care of your mom with dementia, yes?
It sounds like you are under a lot of stress.
In your shoes, I would get myself to your PCP and talk about what you are experiencing. You might have a UTI. Or something else like you do do ium being low. Both of these things can cause weird symptoms.
Please call your doctor first thing tomorrow and get checked.
And let us know what you find out!
Confusion, irritability and other fancy stuff.
A.S.A.P.
Someone mentioned menopause, and when I was in that phase I *twice* left my vehicle running all day in the parking lot where I work. For 8 hours. Scared the crap out of me. But then nothing like that has happened since.
Sleep hygiene is very important to our mental health, so do whatever it takes to make improvements on that front (trying not to use medication if at all possible).
Just because a parent has/had ALZ, or a form of dementia, doesn't mean you will 100% get it as well. For the hereditary types of dementia, one still has to actually inherit the gene for it, and this is not biologically guaranteed to happen.
Work on having peace in your heart... the worthiest of goals, IMO!
Does Mom live with you? Really having Dementia for 20 yrs is pretty long. Alzheimers may go this long but most Dementias run their course in 5 to 10 yrs. If Mom is living with you, maybe time to place her if she is causing you this kind of Stress. Stress can do a number on your mind and body.
When my brain first up and left me, I had zero B12. Then came perimenopause, with its mood swings (including anxiety and irritability), occasional blank moments, and insomnia. I have always been a tremendous multitasker, and I was shocked by my new inability to keep track of what I was doing.
Now: An empty nest (school year), finally hit menopause (peri was worse), and dementia mother is in care. I have welcomed back my wandering brain.
I will tell you that nothing so "mimics" dementia as severe anxiety. It can absolutely seem like dementia. Given the history you speak of you will naturally be concerned. This is good reason to get a baseline neuro-psyc exam, and perhaps even a baseline MRI.
See your MD. While a Forum can sympathize with your worrying, we are good for not much other than that, and to suggest this is a question that requires expert help. Wish you luck. Hope you will update us after you see your MD and will keep you in my thoughts until then.