Brief Answer:
I think you're going to be fine for awhile

Detailed Answer:
Good evening. My name is Dr. Saghafi and I'm a neurologist from the XXXXXXX OH area. I am going to ask your questions which are very good and typically on everyone's mind when dealing with the issues you've related.

Frankly, just judging from your writing and nothing else I would say that you stand a fairly strong chance at being quite good and capable of carrying on your lifestyle for some time to come.

Having said that let me directly answer your questions. First off, none of us can predict the future and you haven't really told me ALL the variety of details about your health, your family history, your genetic background, schooling, educational and work history which all play roles in determining specific risk stats for your acquiring AD. Suffice it to say that based purely upon age considerations alone that 16-20% of the elders in the world between the ages of 80-85 are diagnosed with AD. In the 85+ crowd those numbers regrettably shoot up to about 35-40% but then, the good news is that they more or less stable after 90 years. So if one can reach 90 and not have a diagnosis of AD then, they stand a fairly good chance of staying that way until death.

However, for more specific numbers on how you are fairing and how you are likely to fair you should start inquiring by seeing a neurologist who will do a number of routine examinations including lab analyses to rule out any other reasons why you are having some of the memory problems you are referring.

By the way, your memory issues that you mention are likely shared by your grandchildren as well. Every one of us deals with memory problems every single day. That doesn't mean we should be worried about AD. it's when the cognitive compromise begins intruding on your activities of daily living that there should be concern.

In order to know more intimately where things are at and where they are likely to go and how you can do your best to improve areas that may be weak in an effort to slow down or stave off any possible dementing illiness one needs to see a neurologist who should screen you for other metabolic issues which may be causing or contributing to the memory problems you mention. If that's not the case and you are still interested in getting more specific information then, you may ask the neurologist for a referral to a neuropsychologist who will administer a complex series of tests and challenges which will determine your baseline level of mental functioning as well as potential domains of weakness that can be improved.

That then, represents valuable information that the neuropsychologist can use to recommend things you can work on to strengthen areas that could use bolstering.

There is also a website that you may wish to take a look at that can help you keep your mental skills sharp. I highly recommend this website to ANYBODY of any age.

www.lumosity.com

As far as medication is concerned there is no medication that has been proven or accepted by the medical community as being effective in either preventing or curing the symptoms of dementia. I would NOT RECOMMEND using any of the anti-dementia medications currently available unless your doctor clearly believes that there is a benefit you will derive based upon the fact that you actually demonstrate signs of AD. These medications have side effects and they are very expensive. They can interact with other drugs. Do not fooled into the hype that the drug companies use as to their value. Long range studies now have been completed in the past 1-2 years which suggest that their overall benefit to patients with AD is minimal to virtually none. There is also a manufacturer's recommendation that once the medication are started that they should be continued indefinitely otherwise, patients risk deteriorating more rapidly if they stop than they would've had they not started at all. At the same time there is no guarantee nor are there study results that people actually improve anyways....which of course, is what everyone's expectations just happen to be....even if you're a person who claims to UNDERSTAND that they are not really designed for this purpose.

Truth be told everyone taking such medications are looking or at least strongly hoping for IMPROVEMENTS even REVERSAL of the problem. They are sadly disappointed when they discover that there is virtually no noticeable difference in how they feel or how they think and in the mean time they may be paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars per month for 1, 2, or even 3 prescriptions per month.

In conclusion, I feel that you are likely to be doing well enough into the foreseeable that you should not be worried right now about acquiring any fulminant form of AD.

However, the only way to know where you stand along cognitive lines is to seek out a neurologist who will examine you and order tests and then, ask for a referral to a neuropsychologist to do the actual testing and interpretation of results in terms of whether you have or don't have AD and where you might be on the spectrum. Obviously, it is not materially interfering with anything at this point and hence my prediction that you should be good for the foreseeable future.

You may wish considering a legal maneuver called a CONSERVATORSHIP which is 1 step below GUARDIANSHIP by choosing someone you can honestly TRUST with all your husband's and your business in the event you begin to show signs of being unable to handle things. The conservatorship is 1 more way you have to protect against SOMEONE (usually from the family) with bad intentions from coming in and taking advantage of everything and then, having to go against the family in probate court to fight everything out. Even if you have a will and POA outlined....that can all be changed if you do not have a conservator named at this point when you are still of sound mind and body.

Speak to an attorney of repute about this concept because I highly recommend it be done in every family while the executor still retains powers and faculties to do so.

I do not feel you should be on any medication (except for vitamins if you choose, fish oil, anti-oxidants, etc. so long as you understand that none of these things have ever been proven to alter the course of cognitive decline or the onset of AD). They are not necessarily bad for you in any way but they cost money and essentially make you FEEL good without really changing you in any measurable way).

If your doctor recommends the use of medication on the basis of testing results then, discuss things further since as I said previously none of even the prescription medications which are currently available have been shown to be of any real benefit.

Check out the website for LUMOSITY.COM would be my other recommendation that I reviewed for you and other than that just keep on truckin' young lady. You'll be fine.

I wish you all the best in the future and hope I've given you some helpful hints to be able to deal with it instead of worrying about trying to change it or avoid it because that's futile for mere mortals such as ourselves.

If I've helped you in any way with this discussion I'd very much appreciate your written feedback and a STAR RATING so I will know how much I hit the mark in answering your COMPLICATED yet COMMON and EXCELLENT questions.

At the same time, if there are no further questions on this topic would you do me the favor of CLOSING THE QUERY so that the network will know that I addressed your concerns satisfactorily and they can archive the transaction for future reference and/or educational purposes.....THANKS!

This query required 60 minutes of physician specific time for review, research, and documentation of final draft for envoy.

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