MSA/dementia?

November 20, 2002

Dear Peggy,

Welcome to our group and I'm sorry that your mom, Polly has MSA. My husband

has it also and I have noticed increased dementia and difficulty processing

information sometimes, espcially if he's been sleeping a few hours. I have

gathered from being on the email list myself that some with MSA are mentally

clear as a bell and other's not so.

This disease seems to run no standard course and symptoms vary with each

person. I wish you the best in dealing with this and believe me when I say

you have come to the right place. I have been enlightened and helped so many

times by those who are or have been there and I no longer feel so isolated.

Good faith and God Bless,

Sandy B.

November 20, 2002

I haven't posted before, but I have been reading for a couple of

weeks. My mother was diagnosed with MSA about a year ago. It took 4

neurologists to finally tell us what was going on.

My mother is currently residing in an assisted living and she is in a

wheel chair. If she tries getting up on her own she falls every

time, but no matter how many times the caregivers and I talk to her,

and she promises not to get up, she gets up. She clearly has some

dementia, but I don't see that much as a symptom with MSA from

previous postings. I'm worried sick about her falling and really

hurting herself. When I ask her why she got up, she says she doesn't

know.

Could the dementia be just an added " benefit " .

Regards,

Peggy (mom is Polly)

November 20, 2002

I have a suspicion that the " dementia " is not really that.

But a lack of short term memory caused by the decreased blood flow.

My wife has the short term memory problems now. You can tell her something,

and 2 minutes later she won't remember even having the conversation.