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Post by jacksfullofaces on Aug 24, 2012 9:58:13 GMT
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susan
Member
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member - Groucho Marx
Posts: 749
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Post by susan on Aug 24, 2012 10:05:02 GMT
Haven't yet read it Jacks but ever since starting to read about hormones, I have been convinced there is a connection between falling oestrogen levels and Alzheimers in women. The numbers virtually speak for themselves.
Bizarrely while I'm not a purchaser of the DM I love a Daily Mail article on women's health issues, mainly because they normally stimulate some form of firey debate.
I always find myself drawn to the readers comments.
xxxx
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Post by Robyn on Aug 25, 2012 5:26:52 GMT
My father died a couple of months ago at the age of 88, and while his body was a complete disaster, his mind was still as sharp as a tack. My mother, who is 83 and has never taken any form of HRT, is getting vaguer by the day. She also has a 90 year old sister who is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer.
On the other hand, three of my mother's brothers had Alzheimers when they died. However, the wife of one of those brothers, who is 95 and has also never had HRT, is also still mentally sharp, but my SIL's father recently died from Alzheimers.
So whether there is a connection between it and oestrogen, I'm not sure. It is also thought that women are statistically more likely to develop it simply because we tend to live longer than men, so we have a greater chance of getting it.
To be honest I think maybe it's just more of a genetic link or maybe it’s just the luck of the draw. However, I definitely have a family history of it, so if oestrogen will help ward it off, I'm all for it.
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susan
Member
I refuse to join any club that would have me as a member - Groucho Marx
Posts: 749
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Post by susan on Aug 25, 2012 12:59:38 GMT
My father died a couple of months ago at the age of 88, and while his body was a complete disaster, his mind was still as sharp as a tack. My mother, who is 83 and has never taken any form of HRT, is getting vaguer by the day. She also has a 90 year old sister who is in the advanced stages of Alzheimer. On the other hand, three of my mother's brothers had Alzheimers when they died. However, the wife of one of those brothers, who is 95 and has also never had HRT, is also still mentally sharp, but my SIL's father recently died from Alzheimers. So whether there is a connection between it and oestrogen, I'm not sure. It is also thought that women are statistically more likely to develop it simply because we tend to live longer than men, so we have a greater chance of getting it. To be honest I think maybe it's just more of a genetic link or maybe it’s just the luck of the draw. However, I definitely have a family history of it, so if oestrogen will help ward it off, I'm all for it. Its complicated I think, and I certainly don't really understand it. Like you I am in the camp of 'if a bit of oestrogen is going to ward it off, then I am all for it'. I don't have a large exteneded family, however my Dear Dad is 90 with a mind as sharp as sharp can be, but he is a bit of a physical disaster area. Whereas my late Mum sadly started suffering from dementia in her mid 70 tis and she also had oestoporosis throughout her seventies, with at least three fractures that I readily remember. I haven't got much family medical history, but with the little I do have oestrogen replacement in some form is a 'no brainer' for me. xxxx |
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Post by Robyn on Aug 25, 2012 23:41:02 GMT
To be honest I'm not so sure that's it a bad thing to have a mind that's gone. In my father's case it would have been kinder, because he was really in a lot of pain and depression towards the end because he knew how useless his body had become. He couldn't do anything for himself at all.
Also my aunt had a stroke 7 years ago and is totally dependent on nurses to do everything for her, even wiping her bottom. If her mind was gone she wouldn't have to suffer that indignantly.
Of course the early stages of Alzheimer's must be awfully frightening and confusing.
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Post by jacksfullofaces on Aug 28, 2012 13:15:12 GMT
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