I have been taking care of my husband for the past five years. He has dementia, and it has slowly been getting worse, so the amount that I have to do for him becomes more and more every day. He almost does not eat on his own anymore. I am tired, and I think I might be depressed, as I feel like I can't face each day with all of the new duties I have, which now includes adult diapers. Is this common, and how do people deal with this? Is there treatment? What should I do?
We hear the
What is Alzheimer’s?
by Dean Heller MD March 22nd, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
My dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. I have noticed that he forgets small things fairly frequently, but he is 77, so I just thought that was from old age. I am not sure exactly what Alzheimers is. What is it, and if he has it, what should I expect for his future?
Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive neurologic disease that causes memory loss from a certain plaque building up in the brain. Early in the disease process, short term memory is lost, so people will not remember what they had for breakfast, but they can remember something like their
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Alzheimer's Disease is a progressive neurologic disease that causes memory loss from a certain plaque building up in the brain. Early in the disease process, short term memory is lost, so people will not remember what they had for breakfast, but they can remember something like their
Deep Brain Stimulation
by Dean Heller MD March 15th, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
My father has Parkinson's Disease. He has been on medications for many years, and recently his symptoms are starting to worsen. His doctor mentioned to him that there are some advanced therapies. He is starting to get a little dementia, and doesn't remember things well, so he did not know the specifics of what the doctor was recommending. So my question is, what are the common "advanced therapies" for Parkinson's Disease?
The treatment that the doctor was likely referring to is Deep Brain Stimulation. This is a treatment that is reserved for patients with advanced Parkinson's with symptoms that are
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The treatment that the doctor was likely referring to is Deep Brain Stimulation. This is a treatment that is reserved for patients with advanced Parkinson's with symptoms that are
Leg Artery Stents
by Dean Heller MD March 8th, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
I have been having pain in my left calf when I walk. My doctor told me I have a blockage in my leg artery, and said he can put a stent in the blockage. I heard that this comes back after a stent, so should I do this procedure?
Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is blockages in the arteries outside of the heart, including the carotid arteries in the neck which cause stroke, aneursyms of the aorta, and blockages in the arteries in the legs. Smoking is a common risk factor for PAD. Treatment of PAD has improved over time, and
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Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is blockages in the arteries outside of the heart, including the carotid arteries in the neck which cause stroke, aneursyms of the aorta, and blockages in the arteries in the legs. Smoking is a common risk factor for PAD. Treatment of PAD has improved over time, and
Understanding Cholesterol Levels
by Dean Heller MD March 3rd, 2013 | Ask the Doctor
I saw a local news segment that it was American Heart Month, and the area hospital was screening cholesterol levels for people. Why do you need the cholesterol level, and how is that linked to heart problems?
Having high cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease, the most common heart problem in America. This disease causes over a half a million heart attacks each year in the US. Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance, and there are multiple different cholesterol particle types. The most important one that causes heart disease is the LDL, or the
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Having high cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease, the most common heart problem in America. This disease causes over a half a million heart attacks each year in the US. Cholesterol is a fatty, waxy substance, and there are multiple different cholesterol particle types. The most important one that causes heart disease is the LDL, or the