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What Symptoms Can I Expect To Experience If I Have Alzheimer's Disease?

There are many symptoms associated with the disease, Alzheimer's. The symptoms can be cognitive or behavioral in nature. The symptoms will become increasingly severe as the disease progresses. The disease is usually a slowly progressing one that can take anywhere from five years to twenty years from the diagnosis which usually occurs in the mild stage of the disease to the last, severe stage of the disease. Not every patient experiences the exact same symptoms or the same length of time to go from the mild stage to the severe stage of the disease.

Most of us will experience occasional loss of memory as we age and it is important to note that Alzheimer's is not a normal part of aging. The symptoms connected to memory loss when experienced by someone with Alzheimer's are much more than simple lapses in memory. The symptoms of Alzheimer's are so severe as to make it impossible for the individual to be able to function at work or even to be able to function normally at home or to be able to take care of personal habits like eating, bathing or dressing oneself. The person with Alzheimer's eventually will not be able to remember the names of spouse, children or close friends. Those with Alzheimer's forget where they live, and eventually are not aware of where they are or what year it is.

The symptoms of Alzheimer's include difficulties that include the ability to communicate, to learn, think and reason, problem solve, or to participate in work, social or family life. A doctor or other mental health professional can help individuals to distinguish between normal aging symptoms and those symptoms that are associated with Alzheimer's.

The most common symptoms experienced by those with Alzheimer's disease include memory loss, difficulty performing tasks that were once very familiar, difficulty with verbal and written communications, being disoriented to place or time, experiencing poor or a decreased ability to make judgments especially with money or when it comes to safety issues, difficulty performing complex mental tasks like balancing a checkbook, or misplacing items and not being able to remember where they are and also putting items in unusual places. They experience changes in behavior or mood from their previous character as well as having personality changes. They can also become uninterested in activities that used to hold great interest to them to the point that they may sleep for more than is usual or may sit around not doing anything for hours at a time.

By the time the individual reaches the moderate stage of Alzheimer's they are not able to function without meeting mishaps that may endanger themselves or others and require support and supervision, they may experience decreased mobility and a decrease in cognitive skills that leave them confused and unable to function at work or in doing basic activities of life which decreases their independence.

In the late stage of Alzheimer's the symptoms are severe so much so that they tend to babble incoherently, are often unable to sit up, stand, walk or swallow. Difficulty swallowing can lead to the danger of choking which leads to refusal to eat and weight loss. Infection becomes a higher risk when good nutrition is threatened by the inability to swallow properly.