I am a nurse but not familiar with gerontology. Glad for the accidental diagnosis of normal pressure Hydrocephalus! My dad is 90. Last year he had an MRI for BACK PAIN.They happened to capture his brain, and he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain). Since the shunt was placed last July, his brain is back, he is no longer incontinent and is getting his strength back.
I just discovered my aunt has the same, but they elected not to have surgery. She is now in a wheelchair and has full dementia.
Dad's surgery was a simple overnight stay, no need for narcotics for pain and simple home recovery.
Worth looking into if one's loved one is having loss of mental status, strength and other symptoms. MRI is not an invasive procedure.
Currently I have a neighbor who is 55 and 6 years ago was diagnosed with NPH. With my Gma they ordered a scan only after the medication they prescribed had no affect. She was completely incontinent. She had memory loss for 10 years plus but hid it very well with a very strict routine and family that only visited occasionally. From the time I 1st took her to diagnosis was 4 months and she lived on another 12 years. They would not do a shunt based on her age and the fact she suffered very high blood pressure, 84 yrs old.
My neighbor on the other hand was 40 when she started showing the signs. She would without any feeling just full on wet herself at times but would be fine the rest if the day. They put a pacemaker on her bladder since she had 3 kids that had to be why according to the Dr's. Then she started loosing her memory drastically. Then she would be walking and without warning fall. She described it as "her brain forgot she had legs". She had many procedures and many tests. Was diagnosed with multiple things and tried a ton of different medications. Finally her normal family Dr. went on vacation and the fill in PA was usually in neurology. Right away she ordered the test. she had a shunt put in a few weeks later. Took her a decade to find out. She still has the bladder pacemaker until they have a reason to take it out. She still has some short term memory loss. She has the mentality of a older teenager and is on disability.
With both woman they attributed the NPH to head injuries from years and years prior.
I tell everyone I talk to who know a person going thru memory loss even just minor "age related forgetfulness" to never underestimate the power of illusion that a strict routine can make. It took me months of staying full time to see the full extent with my Gran. I ended up staying and caring for her for 3 years which she never remembered I lived there but got used to me there daily. Luckily for her she went on to live out he days on "vacation" at my uncles retirement project small private NH down south. She never remembered our years together but knew me and other family only after we would introduce ourselves. My neighbor has become one of my closest friends as I understand her and have become like her "little sister" as she likes to call me. Luckily she lives with her brother as well.
My neighbor had 2 documented concussions from a previous job. My Gran on the other hand was a nurse who hated going to any Dr. She had a few falls/car accidents but nothing notable like a concussion as they were not monitored to well back then.
Just came across your post, researching help for my husband who is 83 and also has NPH. Very interested in where you got the excellent help and treatment for your father!! We live in Missouri and the closest major medical center is in Springfield, MO., about 95 miles away. We went there for help ~ 2+ years ago, but the Dr. who diagnosed NPH referred us to another (Neurologist??) for spinal taps. The first was VERY SUCCESSFUL, but lasted only ~ 2 weeks; the second lasted ~ 1 week; the third was not productive at all, and he basically gave up on my husband. Subsequently, Dave went in the hospital for tests to see if he was a good candidate for the shunt. They determined that it would not help and they basically ended any further treatment or contact with us!! Would you please tell me where you received some actual care??? If you would be willing to correspond with me by E-mail, I would be happy to provide it. The success in your father's case gives us renewed hope...but we are not going to find any help here, apparently!! Dave was also taken to Barnes Hosp. in St. Louis, MO., but that Dr. diagnosed him as having claudication, and disagreed that NPH was the problem. We think my husband may have BOTH NPH and claudication, but feel the NPH is the more serious problem right now. We know for certain that he does have NPH, because the Springfield, MO., Dr. showed us the MRI of Dave's brain and one from a normal patient...which CLEARLY showed the difference!! Please respond as soon as you can, as we are trying to find help before this progresses beyond reason!! I tried to subscribe to this forum, but am having problems with the system and not getting the password reset sent to me!! I will just keep this page open on my task bar and check back periodically!! Thank you most kindly for any help you can give!! -- Joyce R.
If this condition is left untreated (treatment is the shunts/drains mentioned by OP) long enough, the symptoms will become permanent.
My MIL has the shunts but will never make a recovery. Her dementia symptoms are most evident for the first half of the day and she is mostly incontinent.