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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Would Schizophrenia Cause Reality Distinguishing Problems?

Hi Doctor, i thought my 82 year old mother was starting dementia but now she is hearing people talking that aren't there and music coming from a unplugged radio and an a/c unit. Yesterday she told me that she woke at 4 am to find her deceased brother sitting next to her talking about brining monkeys over to live with her. She told him not to cause the people carring for her wouldn't like it. She also hears trains going by everyday which there aren't any. And she heard thunder and lightning with pouring down rain last night. Does she actually have Scizophrenia?
Mon, 1 Sep 2014
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Psychiatrist,  's  Response
She doesn't have schizophrenia. If there has been gradual decline in memory for recent events and other intellectual capacity, she may have dementia.
It is common for dementia patients to have hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that aren't there) as you describe. If her memory problems have started recently, she may have Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). LBD may also have tremors and rigidity.
If she has had memory problems for a few years and only now has hallucinations, she may have Alzheimer's. You should take her to a psychiatrist to get proper treatment. The psychiatrist may order a few blood tests as well as a CT scan to find out any medical conditions that may cause these symptoms. This way any reversible cause can be treated and even if there is irreversible disease, its progression can be slowed down by treatment.
If there has been sudden change in mental state over a day or two, such as disorientation to time and place & distractibility, she may have Delirium and needs urgent medical attention.
I hope this has answered your question.
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Would Schizophrenia Cause Reality Distinguishing Problems?

She doesn t have schizophrenia. If there has been gradual decline in memory for recent events and other intellectual capacity, she may have dementia. It is common for dementia patients to have hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that aren t there) as you describe. If her memory problems have started recently, she may have Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). LBD may also have tremors and rigidity. If she has had memory problems for a few years and only now has hallucinations, she may have Alzheimer s. You should take her to a psychiatrist to get proper treatment. The psychiatrist may order a few blood tests as well as a CT scan to find out any medical conditions that may cause these symptoms. This way any reversible cause can be treated and even if there is irreversible disease, its progression can be slowed down by treatment. If there has been sudden change in mental state over a day or two, such as disorientation to time and place & distractibility, she may have Delirium and needs urgent medical attention. I hope this has answered your question.