Alzheimer's Is Claiming Younger Victims

(CBS)  Patty Smith has snapshots of the most important moments in her life, but in her mind, they've started to fade, CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports.

"We got married in 2001," she says, but calls her husband over when asked where they married.

Patty has early onset Alzheimer's, a terrifying disease that steals the memories and personalities of people in their prime. She was just 51 years old when she was diagnosed.

"I worry about Jay and how that's going to affect him," she says. "I worry about my two children. The idea of them seeing me and me not knowing them is terrifying. Absolutely terrifying."

As many as 600,000 people under the age of 65 are living with Alzheimer's, and that number is expected to grow.

"Baby boomers are a walking time bomb, and we're starting to see a reflection of that in these early onset cases," says Stephen McConnell of the Alzheimer's Association.

Alzheimer's advocates say it could emerge as one of the country's greatest health crises. They're lobbying Congress for help.

"If you develop Alzheimer's after 65, there are programs out there for you. There's Medicare, there's Social Security, there's the Older Americans Act. If you're under 65, or under 60, you are out of luck," McConnell says.

Most young people are misdiagnosed, sometimes for years. When Patty's work as a banker started to slip, doctors chalked it up to depression.

Today, her husband fills in some details for her — she keeps up with the rest — in a notebook. She still drives.

While her independence is encouraging, the reality of the disease is heartbreaking. She doesn't always remember the ages of her children, for example.

A mother's memories are replaced by a family's worry.

"As I look down the road and the reality of it," says Jay, "it's terrifying because I don't want to lose her."

Patty is taking medication that helps treat some of her symptoms, reports Alfonsi, but there is no cure for Alzheimer's. This year, the federal government will spend about $120 billion to support those suffering from the disease. But for every dollar spent dealing with the impact, less than a penny is devoted to finding a cure. Alzheimer's advocates are pushing for that to change.

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For additional information about early onset Alzheimer's you can refer to resources from the Alzheimer's Association.

A report on early onset Alzheimer's disease can be found here. And you can click here for information from the Alzheimer's Association's carefinder.

Click here for some warning signs of Alzheimer's disease from the Alzheimer's Association.

[vruppert]

Thank you for increasing awareness for early onset Alzheimer's. My husband showed symptoms in 1992 when he was 45. Even with neuropsych tesing, nothing was clear cut. As time went on his symptoms increased, but no one would consider AD. We had genetic counseling in 97 and APOE4 and Tau protein testing. In early 98 Jim learned he had both APOE4 genes as well as a very elevated tau protein. But these tests were experimental and the doc's weren't willing to say Jim had AD. He was, however, put on Aricept.
We found someone willing to consider Jim might have AD in 1999 and put Jim on a 6-month recurring review and evaluation. What a relief! In 2000, Jim stopped working (52).

Early onset people travel a very different road than do those diagnosed after age 60. Their earning years are cut short so the "retirement" nest egg is in great jeopardy. And they will probably spend their "nest egg" so the spouses cushion is depleted. These are serious questions that make dealing with the ravages of this disease even more difficult for this age group!
Amazingly enough, 14 years after the first symptoms and Jim is still holding his own at 59.
The baby boomers are the big swell of Alzheimer's coming like a Tsunami to devastate our health care system!!! Funding is crucial!
Vicky Ruppert

[sue71435]

I too have early onset Alz. at the age of 55. I was a working RN that worked with the elderly for over 30 years and would look at the horror of the disease and hope I never got to that point. I still may not get to that point but I do try to live my life to it fullest and try to leave good memories and have tried to prepare my family for what is ahead. We take it one day at at time. Of course there are good and bad days, as with life in general. Wish there were groups for patients with early onset or a way to communicate with other early onset patients. I really appreciated the report on Ms. Smith. I know how she feels. I am there. Thanks.

[snowylynne]

I was diagnosed 10 years ago,was put on medication & have done very well since.There IS life After diagnoses.Having a positive attitude Is the way to go.Facing this disease wasn't the best but It can be done then go on living as I have.

[olgreyghost]

I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's about a year ago by one of those doctors at the VA whose job it is to determine if a veteran is lying about his/her disability (veterans will know the ones I'm talking about). All my treating physicians (I have a neuromuscular illness which is the result of experimental vaccinations administered by the Army during the Persian Gulf era) thought this was preposterous as I displayed no symptoms beyond a case of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)consistent with the illnesses I already have. My neurologist recommended I stop some of the medications prescribed for seizure control and pain and the symptoms of Alzheimer's went away.

I would pray that things could be as simple for those who have this dreaded disease and their families as the diagnosis itself was very disheartening for mine. I spend a lot more time in pain and on the threat of having another seizure but much more alert to things going on around me. With young children, that's very important...

[californialy]

I could have been diagnosed with ALzheimer's very easily, but I was lucky. The majority of the people in my county diagnosed with Alzheimers undoubtedly have what I did- and they will not be diagnosed for it- and they will not be treated.

Perhaps your health commentators have been aware of both the continued persecution and prosecution of Lyme doctors and of the Lyme patients protest against the new IDSA guidelines which recommened a short term antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease. Let me share my story.

I began going into dementia at the age of 30 in Santa Cruz County, California.

I was initially diagnosed by my primary care physician and had this diagnosis seconded by a Rheumatologist who treated me with 1 month of Doxycycline. At the end of this I was almost well- I stress the almost. AT this time I was not in dementia but just had bowel problems, fever and joint pain. The Rheumatologist told me that further treatment was "too dangerous" and
that I had to just "live with whatever is left".

Unfortunately for me, that became what another Rheumie called "a progressive multi-system neurological disease triggered by Post-Lyme Syndrome" (I would laugh if it wasn't so terrible)