Should we get a second opinion?
YES! We want to offer our loved ones the best possible medical attention including appropriate diagnosis of any changes that effect mood, personality, cognition, and memory. I would suggest a second opinion even without the differing diagnoses given by the two physicians she has already seen."Dementia" is NOT a diagnosis but instead it is a symptom of something that has changed with a negative impact. You need to find what is causing the so-called Dementia. The reason we seek a diagnosis is to rule out possible treatable causes of the changes in our loved ones. Getting a second opinion seems the next logical step to enable you to get on with the appropriate care and planning for your Mom's future. A diagnosis of Alzheimer's really cannot be made unless a complete Neuo-workup has been completed. There are many physical (and mental) issues that may mimic Alzheimer's in an older population - many are completely treatable and some are totally reversible. It behooves us to get the proper diagnosis ASAP and begin treatment - whatever the diagnosis may be.
