DEAR DR. GOTT:
I read your column frequently and am always impressed with your responses as they shed light in areas that most other physicians are not aware of. I am hoping that you will be able to do the same for me.

My wife is 80 years old and we have been married for more than 50 years. Until four years ago she was outgoing, energetic and of sound mind, body and spirit. Since then she has become a shell of her former self. I remember this change was precipitated by her no longer wanting to drive. She came to me, out of the blue and said she no longer felt comfortable driving and wanted to see a neurologist. My wife is a very guarded person and is not fond of going to the doctor so I surmised that she had been experiencing some type of problem. She was diagnosed as having dementia and placed on Aricept, Namenda and (despite telling him she wasn’t depressed) Zoloft. [Read more...]