Diagnosis

The trip to the VA this morning was informative.  We met with two doctors and they reviewed the tests done in the spring.  They then performed some new cognitive tests and motor skills tests.  The findings are that Terry has Lewy body disease.  I learned today that it is OK for him to sit and watch his game shows, that is what makes him happy.  He has difficulty handling much more than that so leave him to it.  This will be  long stuggle and we will have to be patient.  Patience is not a virtue I have but I shall try.  I also learned that it is OK for me to live my life, I will carry on and do for him what I can but I will live MY life. 

Symptoms of Lewy body disease

People with Lewy body disease have cognitive problems (problems with thinking, memory, language, etc.) similar to those that occur in Alzheimer's disease. Therefore, it can be hard to distinguish the two. Some doctors think there are three distinguishing features and the presence of two of them makes the diagnosis of Lewy body disease probable:

• Motor problems typical of Parkinson's disease but usually not so severe as to warrant a diagnosis of Parkinson's. Of these problems, an impairment in walking (a shuffling gait) might be the most common one. Also common would be muscle stiffness and a tendency to fall. Tremor would be less common.
• Fluctuations in cognitive function with varying levels of alertness and attention. Periods of being alert and coherent alternate with periods of being confused and unresponsive to questions.
• Visual hallucinations, usually occurring early on. Delusions may be common too.

It's possible that people with Lewy body disease are better able to form new memories than those with Alzheimer's disease. Compared with Alzheimer's, Lewy body disease may affect speed of thinking, attention and concentration, and visual-spatial abilities more severely than memory and language. Depression may be a typical symptom too.

Treatment

Right now, doctors prescribe drugs to treat four major features found in Lewy body disease (also see the medication section of our Information page):

• Cognitive problems. Usually, a drug like Aricept is prescribed. This is the same drug that is commonly prescribed for Alzheimer's disease. In some people, it seems to slow the progression of the disease.
• Motor problems. Levodopa/carbidopa (Sinemet) is frequently prescribed to deal with the motor problems. This medication can worsen hallucinations, though.
• Hallucinations. An antipsychotic medication, such as Zyprexa, might be prescribed. This kind of medication can worsen motor problems, though. Also note the FDA warning.