My Mother’s Misdiagnosis and the Importance of Early Detection

Lewy Body Dementia: Learning from My Mother’s Experience

My mother was initially misdiagnosed by both her general practitioner and the geriatric unit at our local hospital. This wasn’t immediately apparent because she received a preliminary diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease in the local hospital emergency room based on a CT scan.

She had been staying at my house when she fell off the toilet in the bathroom late at night. The fall resulted in two black eyes and a large bump on her forehead. Additionally, she was experiencing confusion and dizziness. The emergency room doctor informed my sister and me that white tangles were present on the frontal lobes of her brain, which was a concerning sign of Alzheimer’s disease.

Following up with her doctor, we reviewed the scan results, and he confirmed the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. As a family, we decided to have her evaluated by a neurologist at the local hospital’s geriatric unit. They concurred with the initial diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Why is this Story Important?

The misdiagnosis had significant consequences. My mother started falling more frequently, experiencing hallucinations, and developed combative sleep. My father reported several instances where she would wake up at 3:00 am, howling, screaming, flailing her arms, and unintentionally hitting him. For his safety and to ensure a good night’s sleep, he could no longer share the bed with her and moved her into my old bedroom. The hallucinations also became very troubling for him. She believed people were living in the basement who would be mean to her. These types of recurring hallucinations happened about four or five times. Additionally, she became convinced that my father was having an affair with a mysterious woman who would suddenly appear and frighten her.

The family doctor prescribed Risperdal, but after a few days, her hallucinations worsened significantly. One night in February, during a freezing cold spell, she left the house at 4:00 am. Insisting there were other people in the house, she felt compelled to leave. Furthermore, her ability to focus declined, and her overall walking and coordination deteriorated. This pattern continued for about a year before I had several discussions with her doctor about changing her medication.

Risperdal and Lewy Body Dementia

Unfortunately, I deeply regret not knowing that Risperdal can worsen symptoms in Lewy Body Dementia (LBD) patients. Her muscle stiffness worsened significantly, and she started experiencing more frequent TIAs (transient ischemic attacks), also known as mini-strokes. Mom had never had any prior heart or stroke symptoms, and this is a major side effect of Risperdal in LBD patients.

I hope this article helps explain the differences between LBD and Alzheimer’s disease, and ultimately, helps others avoid what happened to my mom.

Know the difference in symptoms by reading my recent article titled, “Demystifying Dementia: Unveiling the Differences Between Lewy Body Dementia and Alzheimer’s”.

For more information for newly diagnosed families and how they can prepare their home for safety visit Life2come.com