What Is This Thing Called Lewy Body
I know its been a long time since I have blogged. My mind finds it hard to focus on a subject for more then a few minutes and my left hand has to do all the typing which is a challenge. But here I am on my third day of working on this blog and determined to get it done.
As you know I was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2017 and the doctors felt I had been living with the disease for 15 years. A few short months later the doctors added Lewy Body Dementia to my diagnosis. At the time I did not think much about the Dementia after all I was still processing the Parkinson's diagnosis.
But lately things have started to change and I am finding that Lewy Body is something to take very seriously.
Tonight, I am adding info form the Mayo Clinic on what I face with Lewy Body Dementia.
Lewy body dementia causes a progressive
decline in mental abilities. People with Lewy body dementia might have visual
hallucinations and changes in alertness and attention. Other effects include
Parkinson's disease signs and symptoms such as rigid muscles, slow movement,
walking difficulty and tremors.
Symptoms
Lewy body dementia signs and symptoms can
include:
· Visual hallucinations. Hallucinations — seeing things that
aren't there — might be one of the first symptoms, and they often recur. People
with Lewy body dementia might hallucinate shapes, animals or people. Sound
(auditory), smell (olfactory) or touch (tactile) hallucinations are possible.
· Movement disorders. Signs of Parkinson's disease
(parkinsonian signs), such as slowed movement, rigid muscles, tremor or a
shuffling walk can occur. This can lead to falling.
· Poor regulation of body functions (autonomic
nervous system). Blood
pressure, pulse, sweating and the digestive process are regulated by a part of
the nervous system that is often affected by Lewy body dementia. This can
result in sudden drops in blood pressure upon standing (orthostatic
hypotension), dizziness, falls, loss of bladder control (urinary incontinence)
and bowel issues.
· Cognitive problems. You might have thinking (cognitive)
problems similar to those of Alzheimer's disease, such as confusion, poor
attention, visual-spatial problems and memory loss.
· Sleep difficulties. You might have rapid eye movement (REM)
sleep behavior disorder, which can cause you to physically act out your dreams
while you're asleep. This might involve behavior such as punching, kicking,
yelling and screaming while sleeping.
· Fluctuating attention. Episodes of drowsiness, long periods of
staring into space, long naps during the day or disorganized speech are
possible.
· Depression. You might develop depression.
· Apathy. You might lose motivation.
Complications
Lewy body dementia is progressive. Signs and
symptoms worsen, causing:
· Severe dementia
· Aggressive behavior
· Depression
· Increased risk of falling and injury
· Worsening of parkinsonian signs and symptoms,
such as tremors
· Death, on average about seven to eight years
after symptoms start
Therapies
Because antipsychotic drugs can worsen Lewy
body dementia symptoms, it might be helpful to first try nondrug approaches,
such as:
· Tolerating the behavior. Some people with Lewy body dementia
aren't distressed by the hallucinations. In these cases, the side effects of
medication might be worse than the hallucinations themselves.
· Modifying the environment. Reducing clutter and noise can make it
easier for someone with dementia to function. Caregivers' responses sometimes
worsen behavior. Avoid correcting and quizzing a person with dementia. Offer
reassurance and validation of his or her concerns.
· Creating daily routines and keeping tasks
simple. Break tasks into
easier steps and focus on successes, not failures. Structure and routine during
the day can be less confusing
Lifestyle and home remedies
Symptoms and progression are different for
everyone with Lewy body dementia. Caregivers and care partners may need to
adapt the following tips to individual situations:
· Speak clearly and simply. Maintain eye contact and speak slowly,
in simple sentences, and don't rush the response. Present only one idea or
instruction at a time. Use gestures and cues, such as pointing to objects.
· Encourage exercise. Benefits of exercise include
improvements in physical function, behavior and depression. Some research shows
exercise might slow cognitive decline in people with dementia.
· Provide mind stimulation. Participating in games, crossword
puzzles and other activities that involve thinking skills might help slow
mental decline in people with dementia. Encourage artistic and creative
activities, such as painting, singing or making music.
· Create opportunities for social activity. Talk to friends. Participate in
religious services.
· Establish bedtime rituals. Behavior issues can worsen at night.
Create calming bedtime rituals without the distraction of television, meal
cleanup and active family members. Leave night lights on to prevent
disorientation.
Limiting caffeine during the day, discouraging
daytime napping and offering opportunities for daytime exercise might help
prevent nighttime restlessness.
Alternative medicine
Frustration and anxiety can worsen dementia
symptoms. To promote relaxation, consider:
· Music therapy, which involves listening to
soothing music
· Pet therapy, which involves the use of animals
to improve moods and behaviors in people with dementia
· Aromatherapy, which uses fragrant plant oils
· Massage therapy
So I am 6 years into this disease and if you read all this you know I have already beaten
some of the odds. And I plan to beat many more. the Bible tells us
Being the best husband
Father
BROTHER
MY JOURNEY
You're moving down the page
And you know you're on your way
The story of your life
You live it everyday
You can run, you run
But you won't get away
No one knows what's coming up
Where will you go now
It's the story
It's your story
It's the story of your life
