Dementia self referal

And after all this advice,all the meanderings along the way and our personal experiences,back to the OP,have you decided what to do? From all your postings on this and other threads I don't think you have a problem,but a professional opinion would't go amiss if you and DW are still concerned.

Pompa exactly what sort of fluids do you intend drinking more of? (Excuse grammar)

And at least it shows that you remember what the original reason for starting the thread is - which is more than I can do sometimes!

Conversations in RL move around pompa why should gn be different?

Lateral/vertical thinking? pompa

How the hell did this thread move from dementia to pelvic floors ??????

Loopylou, not drinking enough fluids may well be my problem, will drink more and see if my memory improves, thanks for that tip.

Another cause is not drinking enough fluids, which is compounded if you're taking diuretics. UTIs can be low grade, and therefore symptom-free, in many people and generally by the time someone starts feeling poorly the infection may present with confusion
MIL had a very bad one but it wasn't until we realised that she was confused that she agreed to see a doctor. By that point she was pretty unwell - she'd cut back fluids to drinking one cup of tea a day because she hated having to keep going to the loo (she was on diuretics for heart problems)....

I understood that the main cause of UTIs in later life was tissue thinning and lack of lubrication which is why women suffer more than men.

Sadly too late for your mother now Kitty but not for you and us.

It's cause and effect. If you have strong pelvic floor muscles it can help control those 'oops' moments. Less of those, the better your bladder control, pushing back onset of incontinence, and all that leads to above.

Kitty perhaps Pompa has problems in that area too. He, presumably, has a bladder, and all the bits leading to and from it.

I'm sure he'll tell us if it's otherwise.

Do pelvic floor exercises help prevent UTIs?

My mum had such a bad UTI that she was unconscious in her flat for 36 hours before we realised and she spent a week in hospital. The confusion lasted longer that the infection and blurred her dementia diagnosis for a while.

Maybe none of this is relevant pompa

There are drugs that can be prescribed to slow the effects and the earlier your diagnosed the more likely they will work.

However , it really depends on which type of dementia you have. Some are untreatable.

Little known fact Merlot but an incentive to keep doing those pelvic floor exercises.

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.

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.

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.

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 am already being treated for depression

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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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