Mailbox Response

The question was submitted 29/08/2007

Subject: DEMENTIA

MY MOTHER IS 90 YEARS OLD AND WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DEMENTIA 3 YEARS AGO. 3 WEEKS AGO SHE LOST THE USE OF HER LEFT SIDE OF HER BODY. MUM HAS HAD A CT SCAN AND HAS SHOWED NO RECENT DAMAGE TO THE BRAIN SUCH AS A STOKE.
IS LOSING MUSCEL CONTROL PART OF DEMENTIA?? ALSO HER BOWEL MUSCLE HAS COLLAPSED.

Answer from DementiaNet

Thank you for your question.
The sudden onset of her symptoms suggests a stroke to me. A CT scan is useful to exclude a bleed into the brain but may not show a small stroke, particularly early after the onset. MRI scans are better at showing more subtle strokes but many people find them claustrophobic.
Similirly with your mother's bowels - a sudden change of loosing control of her bowels and the left side of her body suggests a likely stroke.

The answer was published on DementiaNet 03/09/2007