One of the topics the Geriatric Assessment doctor and I talked about was the option for medications.

I’ve been on the fence since before they were mentioned four months ago. My concern has always been about prolonging this stage of decline. In my pea-brain, it seems that this would be the worst stage to get stuck in. You know something is wrong, you’re frustrated because you can’t do what you used to and when you try, people correct you as if you’re a child. You can’t hold a thought in your head or follow the plot of a TV show and feel like you’ve come to a stand-still.

It sounds like hell.

Then there are the risks of side effects – nausea, dizziness, diarrhea and vomiting.

Jim’s balance is already shaky. Adding dizziness just seems like an accident waiting to happen. Especially since the side effects seem to be a sure thing but positive outcomes from the medication are hit and miss. From what I’ve read, measurable improvement happens to only 8-30 percent of the patients. There are unseen benefits that happen mostly in the background, such as delayed decline.

So there is still a huge question of whether the medication is actually worth the side effects.

Then there is the cost – about $100 (the doctor didn’t specify, so I’m assuming per month). Which, if you live in Canada, is offset by Pharma- Net if you don’t have private insurance.

I’m glad that the doctor has backed off his recommendation for the medications. Since Jim seems to have stabilized for not on his own, the introduction of the medications is unnecessary.

I wish the meds could help before he reached this stage. Unfortunately, all I can find are dietary guides to help delay the onset of symptoms and a few (so far unconfirmed) supplements that seem hard to get as they are not over the counter.

Not a lot of good options.