# I think my partner has Alzeimers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 21, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143 "2014-08-21T21:25:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/1 "2014-08-21T21:25:01Z")
I have been suspecting this for the past year and it seems to be rapidly becomming more evident. She has a strong family history of early onset alzeimers disease. Her father, grandfather, aunts and uncles on both sides. Mother did not have it. She is 62 father was diagnosed at about 53, grandfather in his late 50’s. Do the symptoms advance rapidly as they seem to be doing? She keeps asking me the same things over and over and calls me up at my shop asking me why did I leave the house again when I never came home. In the last 3 months the frequency of this has increased dramaticaly. The only change in her medication has been she is now on antidepressants, wondering if this may cause the same things to happen? I am afraid to suggest she looks into this as she has so much fear of the disease, I know she is starting to suspect it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/2 "2014-08-21T21:32:16Z")
That’s really scary. I know it’s human nature to avoid confirming fears, but I’d get to a doctor as soon as possible. Maybe it’s not even Alzheimer’s. If it is, then treating it early is only going to help. I keep hearing about advances in the research, so maybe the outlook isn’t as bleak as it once was. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Lancia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lancia/32/17174_2.png) [@Lancia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lancia)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/3 "2014-08-21T21:38:50Z")
The symptoms you describe are characteristic of Alzheimer’s, _however_ they could also be caused by the anti-depressants or any number of other causes. She needs to see her doctor NOW. If it is Alzheimer’s, early treatment is critical. There are other things that may need to be put in place, such as in-home care services if her mental facilites continue to deteriorate. I’m not a doctor, but she needs one, ASAP. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/4 "2014-08-21T21:51:44Z")
Doctor. NOW. If it is Alzheimer’s, then an early diagnosis is paramount. New treatments may be able to help slow down the progress of the disease, and if nothing else, being informed is going to put you both in a better position to cope. HOWEVER, there are all sorts of other things it might be, from the new antidepressant, to a neurological disorder. And any one of these may be eminently treatable. Good luck. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/5 "2014-08-21T21:59:45Z")
She also has a problem with alcohol and prescription drugs. When she gets into a fear mode these vices take over quickly. I will get her to ask her doctor for tests but I am really sweating the outcome. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/6 "2014-08-22T04:24:33Z")
In college I worked in an Alzheimer’s research lab. Yes, take her to a doctor now. The sooner you have a diagnosis the better. Some antidepressants will cause short-term memory problems, so it’s worth getting that checked as well. Exercise and other factors _can_ be tremendously important in slowing Alzheimer’s. Please get this checked out. ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-my-partner-has-alzeimers/696143/7 "2014-08-22T04:32:59Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > In college I worked in an Alzheimer’s research lab. Yes, take her to a doctor now. The sooner you have a diagnosis the better. > > Some antidepressants will cause short-term memory problems, so it’s worth getting that checked as well. > > Exercise and other factors _can_ be tremendously important in slowing Alzheimer’s. Please get this checked out. The antidepressants have really helped with the self medicating, I was seeing signs befre they were prescribed but in the last few months it seems an issue of memory pops up at least once but usually several times a day. She always had an extremely good memory for names and dates, even obscure actors or muscians and everyone she met. This is also fading rapidly. I will get her to a doctor, she brought it up herself this evening.