Alzheimer’s is a very serious brain disease that can cause a slow decline in the patient’s cognitive skills. Over time, the patient’s memory, reasoning skills, and thinking can begin to decline. As the disease progresses, the disease can get so severe that the patient doesn’t recognize their family members and they don’t even know who they are. If you are caring for a loved one and you are concerned that they may be in early stages of the disease, you should know what symptoms to look for. It is important to understand that every person is different. The combination of symptoms can differ from person to person.

#1 Memory Loss That Effects Their Daily Life 

Forgetfulness is a normal sign of aging, however, if your loved one becomes especially forgetful, it could be cause for concern. There are certain memory issues that a person with Alzheimer’s will have that aren’t a normal part of aging.

• Forgetting recently learned information
• Forgetting important dates or events
• Relying on memory aids often such as notes or electronic devices
• Asking to have the same information repeated again and again
• Forgetting names or important dates but then remembering them later

#2 Problems With Planning and Problem Solving

It is not uncommon for a person with Alzheimer’s to suddenly have trouble making plans. Something simple like following a recipe or understanding the directions to a board game can become difficult. People with Alzheimer’s also struggle with numbers, therefore, paying bills and balancing their checkbook can become difficult. Finally, a person with Alzheimer’s may need to concentrate much longer to do things that were once easy for them.

#3 Familiar Tasks Suddenly Become Difficult

When a person is suffering from Alzheimer’s, familiar tasks that they have been doing for years can become difficult. This can include driving to a familiar location, remembering their daily routine, and forgetting how to use their household appliances.

#4 Confusion With Time or Place

People with Alzheimer’s often lose track of time. This doesn’t mean that they forget what day of the week it is. People who suffer from this disease will often forget what year and even what decade it is. Also, they might have trouble understanding if something is happening immediately. Finally, it is not uncommon for a person to go somewhere and forget how they got there.

#5 Difficulty Seeing and Understanding Visual Images

Many people who suffer from Alzheimer’s have problems with their vision. This doesn’t mean needing a pair of reading glasses. Alzheimer’s patients often have trouble judging distance. They also have trouble determining color or contrast. These vision changes can make it dangerous for a person with Alzheimer’s to drive a vehicle.

#6 Sudden Issues With Speaking

As a person gets older, it is not uncommon for them to have trouble finding the right word, however, if they are in the middle of a conversation and suddenly forget what they were talking about, it is a serious cause for concern. People with Alzheimer’s often repeat themselves because they forgot what they just said. Finally, many Alzheimer’s patients will call things by the wrong name because they cannot remember the correct one. For example, if the person says little clock instead of watch, it is cause for concern.

#7 Difficulty Retracing Steps

Alzheimer’s patients will often misplace things. While this is common for many people, Alzheimer’s will make it difficult for them to remember where they just were so that they can retrace their steps.

Some people confuse old age with Alzheimer’s, however, when it is Alzheimer’s, the symptoms are more serious and disruptive to their life.

When a person is addicted to drugs, the last thing that they want is for certain friends and family members to know about it. Addicts look at anyone who is not doing drugs with them as someone who will judge them. They will also look at these people as a person who will try to make them stop, which they likely won’t want to. If you have a loved one who you think may be an addict, it is a good idea to know the signs of drug abuse. The sooner you know, the sooner you can help.

Physical Changes

When a person is addicted to drugs, they will exhibit a variety of physical symptoms. If you start to notice these symptoms, it is not uncommon for an addict to explain them away and create lies and reasons for these changes. There are some physical side effects that go along with certain drugs. Others can be exhibited regardless of what drug the addict is using. The changes to look for include:

• Glazed or bloodshot eyes
• Dilated or constricted pupils (this will only occur when the person is high)
• Loss of appetite
• A noticeable weight loss in a very short period of time.
• Certain drugs will cause rashes and sores on the person’s face.
• Bruises on the arms, mostly over the veins. These will appear if the person is using IV drugs.
• Infections inside and around the mouth.
• Burn marks on the lips from smoking out of a pipe.
• Stuffy, red, chapped nostrils
• Constant sniffing
• Eyes rolling in the back of the head
• Passing out while sitting down or standing up
• The inability to walk in a straight line

Behavioral Changes

The more a person becomes dependent on the drugs, the more their behavior and habits will change. The drugs can change the way the brain focuses and forms coherent thoughts. Different drugs can affect people in different and dangerous ways. Regardless of the drug, the changes in an addict’s behavior are often the same. Some of the behavioral changes include:

• Irritability even when there is nothing wrong
• Becoming aggressive for no reason
• Changes in personality and attitude
• Loss of interest in things that they used to love doing
• Anxiety
• Depression
• They start hanging around with new friends
• The stop hanging around with old friends
• Inability to hold a job
• Financial problems
• Being involved in criminal activity and their very first arrest
• Staying up all night and sleeping all day
• Excessive talking or talking really fast
• Speaking nonsense
• The inability to sit still
• Seeing or hearing things that are not there (hallucinations)
• Paranoia

What To Do if You Suspect That a Loved One is Addicted to Drugs

If you notice that a family member or loved one is exhibiting many of the symptoms listed above, chances are they have a drug problem. The sooner you confront them with your suspicions, the sooner you can try to help. It is not uncommon for an addict to lie and deny, however, the only way to save their life is to push them to get the help that they need.

If you are unable to get through to them, you may need to seek professional help. There are several agencies who have experience working with addicts, that can help you get through to your loved one. In some cases an intervention or even help from the police and the courts is necessary to get an addict to agree to get help with their addiction. If you can get an addict to agree to go to treatment, you are essentially saving their life.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and congestive heart failure (CHF) both are debilitating and leave you with shortness of breath. These two serious conditions share symptoms and common risk factors, but you should be aware that the causes, treatments and prognosis of each differ significantly.

COPD Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

COPD is a term for serious respiratory conditions of several types that block airflow to the lungs. The two main conditions of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Regarding effects of bronchitis, the airways connecting your trachea to your lungs become inflamed. Emphysema is a dysfunction that occurs when serious damage occurs to the tiny air sacs in your lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged. These both leave lungs unable to work fully, making it very difficult for the patient to breathe.

CHF Congestive Heart Failure

CHF or congestive heart failure occurs when your heart becomes too weak to pump blood through your body. If your blood isn’t pumped out of the heart effectively, then unfortunate fluid levels build up or can become congested. When blood backs up or develops blood pools in the heart, the heart beats harder and faster and expands to handle the greater blood volume in it. This makes heart failure much worse.

Similar symptoms

Wheezing and shortness of breath are shared symptoms of both COPD and CHF. Breathing difficulties are developed following any physical activity and have a tendency to develop gradually. Initially you may be out of breath after simple activities such as climbing a set of stairs. As COPD and CHF each worsen, wheezing and shortness of breath occur with very little physical effort.

Chronic coughing is a main symptom of COPD. The cough sometimes brings up mucus but can also in the alternative be a dry cough. People with CHF also tend to have a dry, but one that produces sputum. Sputum is the coughed up mucus that may contain bacteria, blood, or pus.

COPD could produce chest tightness. CHF doesn’t lead to chest tightness, but you may feel the sensation of your heart beating irregularly or very rapidly.

Causes

COPD and CHF develop from different causes. The most common cause of COPD is smoking. While a medical history of smoking doesn’t mean absolutely you’ll get COPD, it certainly increases the likelihood of developing dysfunctional respiratory problems. Smoking is also a risk factor for CHF and heart disease, not to mention the high risk for lung cancer.

COPD may be attributed to secondhand smoke or inhaling chemicals in your workplace, but a congenital family history of COPD can also increase your likelihood of developing it.

Heart failure can be caused by coronary artery disease (CAD). This heart disease occurs when one or more blood vessels in the heart become blocked. This usually causes heart attacks. Other causes of heart failure include diseases of the heart valves, high blood pressure, and diseases of the heart muscle itself.

Treatment and Lifestyle Changes

There is no cure for either COPD or CHF. Treatment with medication is necessary to slow progression of the disease and manage symptoms. Smoking contributes to COPD and CHF; therefore quitting smoking will improve your health, whatever your condition happens to be at the time.

Physical activity strengthens the heart and lungs, but COPD and CHF will definitely limit the types of exercises you can perform. Discuss safe activities with your physician, and understand precautions you should take.

Summary of Disease Differences

Both COPD and CHF can only be treated for symptoms. Therefore, prevention is the key to both diseases and your capability of a long healthful life.