Dementia self referal

What concerns me the most is that I'm finding it increasingly difficult to cross the road.

When I look at the oncoming traffic it takes me so long to judge the speed that there's no longer any time left to cross. When there are two directions to look it compounds the problem even more. When there are three or four I find it impossible, and usually step out into the road without checking. The harder I try to concentrate the more I forget. Another thing that's worrying is that if something appears just at the instant I decide to go, my reflex reaction is to dash for it rather than stop.

"What concerns me the most is that I'm finding it increasingly difficult to cross the road."
That's because there are too many daft old gits like me driving.

Hope that you can get some reassurance from GP pompa - you can tell him your sense of humour is still intact!

pompa

No, pompa, it's not the 'daft old gits' that I find scary on the roads. It's the youngsters with heavy right feet, with no consideration for the 'old dears' trying to cross the road. I know I am absent-minded, but - as my mother would have told you were she still with us - I always have been, even as a child!

DH makes me when he is behind a ditherer and he mutters 'Oh, come on, granddad!'

kitty Guilty here too!
Well, at least I don't swear!

Oops! I do that too, only usually, it's 'Get out of my way, you old fool.' Then I look in the mirror.

.Merlot re driving with dementia. Dementia starts slowly and can progress in slowly. Often you will have had it for quite a while before others begin to notice and that first person to notice is likely to be your OH. Skills like operating a car will not be noticeably affected at first - more likely forgetting where you are driving to, or how to get there.
Pompa ask Mrs Pompa her opinion. See if she has noticed anything other than general forgetfulness. For example have you made arrangements to do something or go somewhere that you can't remember even when told about it?

Anya, I will when she sobers up !

Poor mrs pompa.......!

Not funny pompa

But true

In that case I send my sympathy to you both. She must be very concerned about you.

LOL, no, 2 glasses of chianti and she is anybody's (I hope )

You'll be pleased to know, Pompa, that more women than men have dementia. A new survey out today.

Interested, but I wouldn't say pleased, I'd be pleased if no one got it.

pompa, you've said you're low in mood and maybe that's what behind the driving issue. It's (remotely) possible you disassociate briefly, and can't then recall where you drove through.

As for names and what day/date it is, since I retired I've turned into my mum. It just doesn't matter in the same way but i've started making sure each morning I know the date!

Good luck with the GP

You've also been driving a lot less lately so might find yourself on roads that you feel you should know like the back of your hand and suddenly don't feel so confident about where you are.

I have heard of someone with depression being suspected of having dementia but when treated for depression, she no longer had the symptoms of dementia. You might want to consider this, pompa.

I am already being treated for depression

I do think you should discuss it with the doc.

My mum was wrongly diagnosed with depression when she in fact had dementia. I am sure that is not the case with you pompa as I realise your depression is longstanding and responds to anti-depressants which means they have the diagnosis right. But it is not good for your depression to have this anxiety about your memory hanging over your head. A bit of reassurance might be a good thing.

I agree.

But just now the Tesco delivery man wanted my signature, I was thinking about what to make for dinner tonight and found I was signing my surname from 20 years ago...

If you do have it, there is a drug that you can take that slows down the process hugely. The earlier it is diagnosed, the better.

My MIL suffered from mild dementia, but when she had a urine infection it became quite severe. It's a bit of a visious circle. Old folk afraid of incontinence, cut back on fluids, get urine infection, get confused.

Easily mistaken for dementia.

That's right, Anya. My mother had frequent UTIs because she didn't drink enough. She would be completely doo-lally until the antibiotics kicked in.