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ABena2t t1_ixy2nbq wrote

Reply to comment by severe_thunderstorm in Obesity Is Now the Top Modifiable Dementia Risk Factor in the US (July 2022) by True_Garen

I don't know much about dementia - or diabetes for that matter. But I watched my mother go thru both. I knew dementia was a terrible disease but I had no idea how bad diabetes actually was. It screwed my mom up bad. One day she was fine (relatively). The next we find her on the floor. She couldn't walk. Went legally blind. She had to go into long term care and bc she couldn't walk and really take care of herself she wound up with a UTI. and not for nothing - but I swear that UTI messed her up bad. Once she got that she was never the same. The dementia seemed to kick in overnight (either that or it was so slow noone noticed it). But it became noticeable once she had the UTI. and then it was just a downward spiral from there. Then covid happened. They locked down the facility. we couldn't even visit bc they wouldn't allow people in. Did no good because she got covid anyway. It was literally a nightmare. Worst/Hardest/saddest thing I've ever seen.

it all started with diabetes - but I'm not sure if they were related or not. If she didn't have diabetes would she have got dementia anyway? maybe. Did It set in faster bc of diabetes? probably

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severe_thunderstorm t1_ixy77gj wrote

Neither my mom or my grandmother had/s diabetes.

But yes, when someone has dementia any kind of infection sends them off the rails, and it’s usually UTIs.

Studies also show chronic inflammation can cause Alzheimer’s.

Edit to add: with dementia some of the changes and declines are very subtle and slow, sometimes they come like a cliff out of nowhere.

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Balthasar_Loscha t1_iy1xnuy wrote

Diabetes causes wasting of vitamins in the urine, lessened uptake of DHA into the CNS, very high oxidative stress, lessened production/utilization of energy, and severe hormonal disorders, the major ones like E, Prog, Thyroid, DHEA, T.

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