Dad's exhibitting signs of alzheimers

It's kind of scary.
He went and got a loan with my mom and forgot about it.
He went to walk the dogs and said that felt like a dream.

For the first time he and I were working on one of his projects together. and he made a comment about how we did this or that with it (it: reffering to this old radio we're bringin back) and I was like, "We?"


If I offered him a smoke he would literally scoff at the idea.


That poor bastard.

Edit: I would offer him a smoke because as some of you may know, weed has neurogenerative properties in people older than 25. This man is just a tad older than fifty.

That's really sad. Has he been diagnosed with it?

Nah. The saddest part is how I'm moving right now and if his cognition degenerates any further, then he will be a complete burden on my already overburdened mother. She's the one who can't catch a break worth shit.
So as his brain deteriorates and he goes to lala land, she will have his shit to put up with. That's the real tragedy.
I know I sound hateful to my father haha.

well thats the way it is and thats really sad, just help your family through it as much as you can and always stay positive, negativity will only hurt and bring regrets.


#

well thats the way it is and thats really sad, just help your family through it as much as you can and always stay positive, negativity will only hurt and bring regrets.


#

True that dude. I'm wondering if there's a way we can put him in a nursing home without paying for it. Again, I know it sounds hateful but.... I mean shit, he is our main means of support and without him we'd be SOL.
We couldn't afford to keep him cause my mom wouldn't be able to get a job because she'll be taking care of him, my sister's too young, and I hate to be this way but I'm still in college. and when I do start on my job I can't afford to give them any money or else I would be right back here with them. and if I did that then I couldn't pursue my passion, which is moving out to a medical state and operating a dispensary...


In any case, has someone out here had a family member stricken with this disease? I need some advice on how to handle this properly.

True that dude. I'm wondering if there's a way we can put him in a nursing home without paying for it. Again, I know it sounds hateful but.... I mean shit, he is our main means of support and without him we'd be SOL.
We couldn't afford to keep him cause my mom wouldn't be able to get a job because she'll be taking care of him, my sister's too young, and I hate to be this way but I'm still in college. and when I do start on my job I can't afford to give them any money or else I would be right back here with them. and if I did that then I couldn't pursue my passion, which is moving out to a medical state and operating a dispensary...

In any case, has someone out here had a family member stricken with this disease? I need some advice on how to handle this properly.

Well I took care of both my grandparents when I was a freshman in high school it's tough.

A home would be your best shot, because even though my abuelo wasn't a violent man he would get so confused and get scared and hit people.

It's just a hazard of it, but the downside to a home is they just aren't ever staffed appropriately and neglect a lot of them.

They ended up putting my grandad in a coma because they fucked his meds up and didn't realize he had cancer until he was too weak to move.

The hardest part your mom will have to go through is reminding him of where he is. You for sure though should push for a home if you live on a busy road. My grandpa got out a few times and almost got himself hit.

So either way your fam has to weigh the pros and cons and get his paperwork in order when he gets diagnosed.

Hey man, my grandmother had it for a long long time. It eventually got her in the end. Not gonna lie, it is a long road ahead, but you just gotta take it as it comes. remember its an illness, so they think every things just norm. somethings my gran did was stash money ALL over her house for no purpose wat so ever, forgetting how to use the heat and keeping the oven on and open to keep warm ( tht was fucked). just alotta of things and thats scrathcing the surface. Your situation sounds alittle harder in the way your life is right now, but you just gotta show love and support through it. dont get mad if they cant remember or u see them starting to slip into it. I know i prolly didnt help you to much with this advice since this disease really fucking sucks. I know what its like though man. stay strong, calm, and try to keep a level head.

Najebeats: Yeah the pros and cons....the biggest con will be the money. It's a very.... It's a thought that fills me with pity. My dad will probably be sixty or something when the disease is full blown. That's fairly early it seems to me. He's..... 52 or 51 right now. I don't know how fast it will progress, but I'm guessing it will be fairly rapid, at least in his case. So he'll just start having a head full of grey hair and already be in a nursing home. Plus, as I said, I doubt we could afford it in the first place..... Shit man. My mom has no job and has kinda lost her voice which is critical to her profession; teaching. She's getting it back with therapy though.



Spacenuggets: Nah you were helpful. I need to be mindful of all possibilities and of course, level-headedness is key. I am pretty much useless in trying to stop the disease. That man is as obnoxiously stubborn as a mule that had birth complications.

As soon as im Home i will write a longer answer but im in a bar right now...

Want to try something radical? I think that Alzheimer's can be reversed!

Step 1 will be getting Mom on your side! I'll walk you through all this and give you some studies and articles you need to show her.

First off, she needs to change his diet. Why?

[FONT="]Alzheimer's: Diet 'can stop brain shrinking' BBC News - Alzheimer's: Diet 'can stop brain shrinking'[/FONT]

Omega 3 is really important! If he won't eat fish, get him taking fish oil caps every day!

[FONT="]O-6 vs. O-3 ratio[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Omega-6+to+Omega-3+Ratio+-+Discover+the+Shocking+Reality+That+Ruins...-a01073970178[/FONT][FONT="][/FONT]


Omega-3 fatty acids increase brain volume: while reversing many aspects of neurologic aging. (full – 2010) http://www.thefreeli......-a0237529250

Now here comes the THC! WebMD is a TOTALLY respectable site! In this article they compare the effect of Aricept, a popular drug for Alzheirmer, and THC on amyloid plaque deposition.

Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's (news - 2006)
[FONT="]Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's

"[/FONT]The Alzheimer's drugs Aricept and Cognex work by blocking acetylcholinesterase. When tested at double the concentration of THC, Aricept blocked plaque formation only 22% as well as THC, and Cognex blocked plaque formation only 7% as well as THC."[FONT="]

So a smaller dose of THC does more and the main side effects of cannabis are red eyes, hunger and thirst, and "feeling very good"!

Aricept, on the other hand, - [/FONT]Diarrhea; dizziness; loss of appetite; muscle cramps; nausea; tiredness; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weight loss and seek medical help immediately if you have severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or black, tarry stools; chest pain; decreased, difficult, or painful urination; fainting; fever; flu-like symptoms (eg, headache, muscle aches, tiredness); mood or mental problems (eg, depression); new or worsening breathing problems (eg, shortness of breath); seizures; severe dizziness or headache; severe or persistent heartburn or stomach pain; slow or irregular heartbeat; swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet; tremor; unusual bruising; unusual tiredness or weakness; vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds.
[FONT="]
And growing your own meds is economically sound compared to buying pharmaceuticals!

[/FONT] The role of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of dementia. (abst – 2011)
[FONT="]Unbound MEDLINE | The role of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of dementia. PubMed Journal article abstract[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT] THC inhibits primary marker of Alzheimer's disease (news - 2006)
[FONT="]International Association for Cannabis as Medicine[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT][FONT="]Ask Mom which is logically better, get Dad on Aricept, or THC? [/FONT]
[FONT="]
Now besides keeping that nasty amyloid plaque from being deposited, THC can "tell" your body to remove it! THC stimulates both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Macrophages are your "clean up crew" cells.

[/FONT] The activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors stimulates in situ and in vitro beta-amyloid removal by human macrophages. (abst - 2009)
The activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors stimul... [Brain Res. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

[FONT="]THC also causes the formation of new brain cells and reduces inflamation caused by amyloid plaque.

[/FONT] Good News For The Medical Marijuana Movement: Pot Proliferates Brain Cells And Boosts Mood
(news - 2005) Good News For The Medical Marijuana Movement: Pot Proliferates Brain Cells And Boosts Mood

Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain (news – 2005)
Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain - health - 13 October 2005 - New Scientist
[FONT="]
[/FONT] New neuron production can be increased in the hippocampus of aged rats following cannabinoid treatment (abst – 2009) Scribd

Cannabidiol Reduces Aβ-Induced Neuroinflammation and Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis through PPARγ Involvement (full – 2011) Cannabidiol Reduces A

[FONT="]Will restoring the growth of new brain cells and removing amyloid plaque with THC get rid of Alzheimer's? No studies have been done...yet. But so far, it seems to be the best bet!

Those last couple studies are fairly heavy reading, so here are some news articles that may be useful!

[/FONT]
Pot joins the fight against Alzheimer's, memory loss (news - 2008)
News Blog: Pot joins the fight against Alzheimer's, memory loss

Could Marijuana Substance Help Prevent Or Delay Memory Impairment In The Aging Brain? (news - 2008) Could Marijuana Substance Help Prevent Or Delay Memory Impairment In The Aging Brain?


Israeli Research Shows Cannabidiol May Slow Alzheimer's Disease (news - 2008)
Israeli Research Shows Cannabidiol May Slow Alzheimer's Disease - Inside Israel - News - Israel National News


Latest Buzz: Marijuana May Slow Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease (news - 2006)
Latest Buzz: Marijuana May Slow Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease

Marijuana may be good for the aging brain (news - 2008) [FONT="]Marijuana may be good for the aging brain[/FONT]

Cannabidiol May Fight Alzheimer's Disease (news - 2011)
[FONT="]Cannabidiol May Fight Alzheimer's Disease - Philadelphia medical marijuana | Examiner.com[/FONT]

Marijuana could prevent Alzheimer's (news - 2010)
The Lantern

Attacking Alzheimer's with Red Wine and Marijuana (news - 2008) Attacking Alzheimer's with Red Wine and Marijuana | | AlterNet

Marijuana Slows Alzheimer's Decline (news - 2005) Europe: Study: Marijuana Slows Alzheimer's Decline

Marijuana May Block Alzheimer's (news - 2005) BBC NEWS | Health | Marijuana may block Alzheimer's

Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimer's (news - 2005)
[FONT="]Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimer's[/FONT]
[FONT="]

OK, that's more than enough! But if you need more, just click that first link in my sig!

Now read all those to educate yourself, and then show Mom! If she is on your side, it is doable and you may be able to keep Dad more clear-headed, and Mom a bit less stressed!


Granny
[/FONT]

We have some here that have the sign free rent for life

I know they have to be a certain age and then you just pay the home fees and medical stuff

But if your family decides to go down the assisted living route research every place. We didn't do any research before we put my grandpa in and there was only one CNA and one RN per shift and the rest were just Joe schmos off the street.

Be careful and even though he's a grown man and your father after it's set in on him you need to start thinking of him as having the mind of a child.

Little things you would normally not warn people about you'll need to with him and like a kid he might be a little miffed with you for that but it is for his own good.

Edit: And listen to Granny

Holy shit I didn't know any of that.

So... during my EMT time I saw basically all stages of Alzheimers... real chill old people that just forget some stuff to where you have to retell them every single thing over and over again. Sadly my grandma started over the last year to develop Alzheimers, too. It really sucks and I know what you will be going through. My granma is taking lots of meds that wont really work, she sleeps all the time even though she shouldnt. I wish we could do more, Id even suggest MMJ (well basically we only have prescribed THC over here, which is pretty expensive, she could pay for it, but they pretty much only prescribe it to people with cancer. Id offer her a nice vape, Id even pay for everything, but she'd never believe in mmj. All we can do right now for her is stay patient and hope it wont progress too fast. Damn my fathers aunt started to burry her unwashed clothes in the garden instead of washing them, that shit is just sad as hell. I feel you op :/

So... during my EMT time I saw basically all stages of Alzheimers... real chill old people that just forget some stuff to where you have to retell them every single thing over and over again. Sadly my grandma started over the last year to develop Alzheimers, too. It really sucks and I know what you will be going through. My granma is taking lots of meds that wont really work, she sleeps all the time even though she shouldnt. I wish we could do more, Id even suggest MMJ (well basically we only have prescribed THC over here, which is pretty expensive, she could pay for it, but they pretty much only prescribe it to people with cancer. Id offer her a nice vape, Id even pay for everything, but she'd never believe in mmj. All we can do right now for her is stay patient and hope it wont progress too fast. Damn my fathers aunt started to burry her unwashed clothes in the garden instead of washing them, that shit is just sad as hell. I feel you op :/

Before I forget, I got a quick question, how fast does this disease spread, I know that being a cognitive condition, it might vary by person. but still.

And that is sad dude. My father would never go for it as well. He believes all the old hogwash that it kills braincells, incapacitates motivation and makes you stupid as shit overall. It's most likely cause he's worked in the school system his whole life and that's what the schools teach the kids.

He hasn't shown any other signs, and that was after hanging out with him for two whole days. And this is granted I don't really talk to him alot. Not always out of disassociation.. anywho that's all I got left to say about it.

How sure are we that it is Alzheimer's?

Want to try something radical? I think that Alzheimer's can be reversed!

Step 1 will be getting Mom on your side! I'll walk you through all this and give you some studies and articles you need to show her.

First off, she needs to change his diet. Why?

[FONT="]Alzheimer's: Diet 'can stop brain shrinking' BBC News - Alzheimer's: Diet 'can stop brain shrinking'[/FONT]

Omega 3 is really important! If he won't eat fish, get him taking fish oil caps every day!

[FONT="]O-6 vs. O-3 ratio[/FONT]
[FONT="]http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Omega-6+to+Omega-3+Ratio+-+Discover+the+Shocking+Reality+That+Ruins...-a01073970178[/FONT]


Omega-3 fatty acids increase brain volume: while reversing many aspects of neurologic aging. (full – 2010) http://www.thefreeli......-a0237529250

Now here comes the THC! WebMD is a TOTALLY respectable site! In this article they compare the effect of Aricept, a popular drug for Alzheirmer, and THC on amyloid plaque deposition.

Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's (news - 2006)
[FONT="]Marijuana May Slow Alzheimer's

"[/FONT]The Alzheimer's drugs Aricept and Cognex work by blocking acetylcholinesterase. When tested at double the concentration of THC, Aricept blocked plaque formation only 22% as well as THC, and Cognex blocked plaque formation only 7% as well as THC."[FONT="]

So a smaller dose of THC does more and the main side effects of cannabis are red eyes, hunger and thirst, and "feeling very good"!

Aricept, on the other hand, - [/FONT]Diarrhea; dizziness; loss of appetite; muscle cramps; nausea; tiredness; trouble sleeping; vomiting; weight loss and seek medical help immediately if you have severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or black, tarry stools; chest pain; decreased, difficult, or painful urination; fainting; fever; flu-like symptoms (eg, headache, muscle aches, tiredness); mood or mental problems (eg, depression); new or worsening breathing problems (eg, shortness of breath); seizures; severe dizziness or headache; severe or persistent heartburn or stomach pain; slow or irregular heartbeat; swelling of the hands, ankles, or feet; tremor; unusual bruising; unusual tiredness or weakness; vomit that looks like blood or coffee grounds.
[FONT="]
And growing your own meds is economically sound compared to buying pharmaceuticals!

[/FONT] The role of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of dementia. (abst – 2011)
[FONT="]Unbound MEDLINE | The role of phytochemicals in the treatment and prevention of dementia. PubMed Journal article abstract[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT] THC inhibits primary marker of Alzheimer's disease (news - 2006)
[FONT="]International Association for Cannabis as Medicine[/FONT]
[FONT="]
[/FONT][FONT="]Ask Mom which is logically better, get Dad on Aricept, or THC? [/FONT]
[FONT="]
Now besides keeping that nasty amyloid plaque from being deposited, THC can "tell" your body to remove it! THC stimulates both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Macrophages are your "clean up crew" cells.

[/FONT] The activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors stimulates in situ and in vitro beta-amyloid removal by human macrophages. (abst - 2009)
The activation of cannabinoid CB2 receptors stimul... [Brain Res. 2009] - PubMed - NCBI

[FONT="]THC also causes the formation of new brain cells and reduces inflamation caused by amyloid plaque.

[/FONT] Good News For The Medical Marijuana Movement: Pot Proliferates Brain Cells And Boosts Mood
(news - 2005) Good News For The Medical Marijuana Movement: Pot Proliferates Brain Cells And Boosts Mood

Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain (news – 2005)
Marijuana might cause new cell growth in the brain - health - 13 October 2005 - New Scientist
[FONT="]
[/FONT] New neuron production can be increased in the hippocampus of aged rats following cannabinoid treatment (abst – 2009) Scribd

Cannabidiol Reduces Aβ-Induced Neuroinflammation and Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis through PPARγ Involvement (full – 2011) Cannabidiol Reduces A

[FONT="]Will restoring the growth of new brain cells and removing amyloid plaque with THC get rid of Alzheimer's? No studies have been done...yet. But so far, it seems to be the best bet!

Those last couple studies are fairly heavy reading, so here are some news articles that may be useful!

[/FONT]
Pot joins the fight against Alzheimer's, memory loss (news - 2008)
News Blog: Pot joins the fight against Alzheimer's, memory loss

Could Marijuana Substance Help Prevent Or Delay Memory Impairment In The Aging Brain? (news - 2008) Could Marijuana Substance Help Prevent Or Delay Memory Impairment In The Aging Brain?


Israeli Research Shows Cannabidiol May Slow Alzheimer's Disease (news - 2008)
Israeli Research Shows Cannabidiol May Slow Alzheimer's Disease - Inside Israel - News - Israel National News


Latest Buzz: Marijuana May Slow Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease (news - 2006)
Latest Buzz: Marijuana May Slow Progression Of Alzheimer's Disease

Marijuana may be good for the aging brain (news - 2008) [FONT="]Marijuana may be good for the aging brain[/FONT]

Cannabidiol May Fight Alzheimer's Disease (news - 2011)
[FONT="]Cannabidiol May Fight Alzheimer's Disease - Philadelphia medical marijuana | Examiner.com[/FONT]

Marijuana could prevent Alzheimer's (news - 2010)
The Lantern

Attacking Alzheimer's with Red Wine and Marijuana (news - 2008) Attacking Alzheimer's with Red Wine and Marijuana | | AlterNet

Marijuana Slows Alzheimer's Decline (news - 2005) Europe: Study: Marijuana Slows Alzheimer's Decline

Marijuana May Block Alzheimer's (news - 2005) BBC NEWS | Health | Marijuana may block Alzheimer's

Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimer's (news - 2005)
[FONT="]Marijuana Ingredient May Help Alzheimer's[/FONT]
[FONT="]

OK, that's more than enough! But if you need more, just click that first link in my sig!

Now read all those to educate yourself, and then show Mom! If she is on your side, it is doable and you may be able to keep Dad more clear-headed, and Mom a bit less stressed!


Granny
[/FONT]

How sure are we that it is Alzheimer's?

fairly certain.
That being said I don't exactly see him getting it very soon, but I've noticed what I believe are clear cut symptoms that I already stated. I'm thinking that give another decade and he'll get it...

I know how you feel op my gma has it and its really bad sometimes she wakes up in the middle of the night and "wants to go home" my gpa has to deal with it and sometimes I just feel theres no hope with it. She really doesnt remember who I am but I still help out and try to push through it, I wish you the best of luck with your dad and hope everything turns out good. sorry I dont have any good advice as I need some myself but I can say just stick with them and fight through it and everything should end as it should

New study due to be released on January 17, 2012 in "Neuroscience Letters". (PubMed jumped the gun with e-publishing it!)

[FONT="]Protective effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor activation against altered intrinsic repetitive firing properties induced by Aβ neurotoxicity. (abst – 2012) [/FONT][FONT="]Protective effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor ... [Neurosci Lett. 2012] - PubMed - NCBI[/FONT]

[FONT="][/FONT]The amyloid β (Aβ) protein is believed to be the key pathological mediator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) which is the first and most well known type of dementia.

The amyloid protein is believed to the root cause of Alzheimers the most common type of dementia.

Despite a growing body of evidence indicating that Aβ neurotoxicity induces changes in synaptic function, little effort, if any, has been made to investigate the effect of in vivo Aβ treatment on intrinsic neuronal properties.


Even though a lot of studies have been done that show that Aβ poisons the brain and changes how it sends messages, no one was looking at the effects of putting Aβ in live rats and seeing what happens.

The present study was designed to examine the effects that in vivo Aβ treatment have on the intrinsic repetitive firing properties of CA1 pyramidal neurons, using whole cell patch clamp recording.

This study was done to look at the effects that Aβ has on the way certain brain cells fire and we used "whole cell patch clamp recording" ( ) to do it.

Protective effect of cannabinoid CB1 receptor activation was also investigated against Aβ-induced alterations in evoked electrophysiological activities.

We also looked at if activating the CB1 receptor would protect the brain cells from the changes Aβ makes the electrical functions of brain cells.

The findings from present study demonstrated that a bilateral injection of Aβ into the prefrontal cortex causes robust changes in activity-dependent electrophysiological responses in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.

We found injecting Aβ into the brains of live rats causes BIG changes in the electrical functioning in the hippocampus part of the brain.

The effects of Aβ treatment alone were almost completely prevented by combined treatment with Aβ and ACEA, a selective CB1 receptor agonist.

The effects of injecting just Aβ into the brains of rats was almost completely prevented by another injection of more Aβ but this time we mixed it with ACEA, a synthetic cannabinoid that activates only the CB1 receptors.

It can be concluded Aβ treatment reduces evoked neuronal activity and activation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors may have beneficial preventative effects on Aβ-induced electrophysiological changes.

We figured out that Aβ injections reduce the brain's electrical activity, and that activating the CB1 receptors may prevent the changes that Aβ causes electrical activity.



Now we certainly are not going to start injecting CB1 agonists (activators) into the brains of Alzheimer's patients, but it seems pretty clear that activating CB1 receptors will help maintain normal electrophysiological functioning.

Remember back in Bio 101, how they showed you that movie with the little electrical sparks jumping from one brain (or nerve) cell to the next? Well, in Alzheimer's, they don't jump as often. Using ACEA, or other CB1 agonist, gets those sparks jumping again.

So besides telling your little macrophages to move the plaque out, and preventing its deposition in the first place, CB1 agonists can help normalize the electrophysiological functioning in, at least, the hippocampal area which controls mood, PTSD, getting high, depression, and more.

THC is a CB1 (and CB2) agonist. It can do what ACEA does (and more because it activates the CB2s also). Haven't seen any ACEA pill bushes around here, but I do have some nice "high THC" cannabis plants in my "very well lit" closet!

I think my electrophysiological functions are quite safe at the moment!

....and that concludes tonight's little lesson.





Granny

Edited by Storm Crow, 07 January 2012 - 04:49 AM.

Come on guys, don't let me end this thread! DISCUSS!

Get your brains moving!

What did I miss? Was it all clear? Any questions?

I put these up to get you guys thinking! I want you to have those "AHA!" moments when it all fits together in your mind!


YOU are the doctors and scientists of tomorrow! You are also the friends and family of many potential Alzheimer's patients. I'm just giving you a head start on dealing with the future!

The cure starts with someone's "wild" idea!


Granny

My granny thinks my granpa is some random grandpa and doesnt even know who he is and why he is there with here... its a fucking disgrace fuck alzheimers ... they are married for 50+years and its just sad as hell

How are you holdin up, OP?