Lyme, dementia and paranoia

My mom (73 yrs old) was diagnosed with dementia in October 2016. A year and a half ago she was fully functioning and very active socially with only slight signs of minimal memory loss. Today she can dress herself, toilet, shower, feed herself, and perform VERY menial tasks with LOTS of prompting. She is completely paranoid - about EVERYTHING and totally self-consumed. She didn't just go down hill - she literally fell over the cliffs of insanity. She has had endless lab work, heart scan, brain scan, colonoscopy, upper G.I. endoscopy, etc and they find nothing wrong with her. The conclusion has been dementia - which our family has accepted and is caring for her at home the best we can. Having been diagnosed with Lyme myself in 2013 (treated and overcome 1 relapse) I was just thinking about mom and how quickly she has been completely debilitated. Besides the memory loss she complains that her neck hurts and that she is dizzy (no medical answers though). Anyone else out there had experience with a dementia diagnosis that was actually lyme? Any articles or web links would be appreciated! Thanks!

Well, thank you for bumping this thread, 3humpedcamel! I had to lay back down, as 3 hours of sleep wasn't quite enough.

I have never had the diagnosis, but I have experienced late stage dementia symptoms - stage 6, according to this chart: /www.dementiacarecentral.com/aboutdementia/facts/stages/

And, I've slipped off into that deep hole known as paranoia as well. I literally thought everyone was trying to "get" me, yet I couldn't explain what 'get me' really meant, or who exactly was after me, but I became afraid of everyone. Fortunately, this didn't last more than a month, but, BOY!! It was incredibly hard!!

Dr. Alan MacDonald has done extensive research with dementia and Lyme connection. His results have been duplicated too, which means that it's really good research.

Here is his website: alzheimerborreliosis.net/research/

A You Tube video that Dr. MacDonald put out: /www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8tESJVvM88
At 6:30 into the video, is where he starts to talk about how he got started recognizing Lyme bacteria in every specialty in the hospital lab he worked in at the time, then at 7:20 he starts talking about Lyme and Dementia.

I hope this helps!

Drexel University duplicates Dr. MacDonald's findings: /spirodementia.wordpress.com/drexel-university-team-duplicate-dr-alan-macdonalds-findings-of-bacterial-biofilms-in-alzheimers-plaques/

Traveler - Thanks for the info and links!
GFields - My mom has been diagnosed with dementia, not Lyme.
I've just been reading some online articles and thinking that many of her symptoms could possibly be Lyme.
Most dementia cases I'm familiar with progress slowly over many years, mom has been completely debilitated in 1 1/2 yrs. I'm wondering if she has been misdiagnosed.

It is always a possibility Creekside. I've read and shared at least one of those links Traveler posted for you.
Pretty compelling findings.

The tough part is getting her treatment, but while she is at home, and if the rest of the family will go along with it, it's her best bet trying to help her now, before she ends up in a full care facility.

She's not too old to get treatment, either, although the paranoia might cause some problems.
You probably already know, I'm sure, but either way it's important not to agitate her any more than necessary.

Hoping for the best for her, and you.