Man diagnosed with dementia at the age of 49 reveals the subtle change in his work which made him realize – health

For many people, the end of the forties is the moment when they start to think a little more retired – but unfortunately for a man, retirement did not come on his conditions.

Peter Alexander was 49 years old when he was diagnosed with dementia, or more specifically the frontotemporal dementia (FTD) – the same condition as Bruce Willis and Wendy Williams have developed in recent years.

Unfortunately, this meant that Peter, who lives in Northern Ireland with his wife Jill, had to leave his job and focus on his health.

What is frontotemporal dementia?

The Mayo clinic explains that frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is “an umbrella term for a group of brain diseases which mainly affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. These brain areas are associated with personality, behavior and language ”.

“In frontotemporal dementia, certain parts of these lobes shrink, known as atrophy,” said the exit. “The symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected. Some people with frontotemporal dementia have changes in their personality.

“They become socially inappropriate and can be impulsive or emotionally indifferent. Others lose the ability to properly use language.”

A subtle change in his work ethics was the first sign

He first paid the attention of Peter while he was working, and with just a subtle change in his work ethics, he became apparent – although he did not realize that the problem was going to be there dementia.

Addressing BBC News, he revealed: “I was starting to find it difficult to meet deadlines (at work), which had never been a problem before, and during the meetings, I would not be able to think to a word during the floor. “

So he made an appointment to see a neurologist and it was this scan that English discovered the truth.

“I remember very clearly from the date, it was January 14, 2018 when the results returned and the doctor said:” Peter, I diagnosed a frontotemporal dementia “,” he recalls.

“I was essentially told that it was no longer sure for me to work because I decreased the judgment and that I lost my filter, so it was a lot to adapt.”

‘I’m still Peter’

Peter, who is now 56 years old, continued explaining how he does not want to be treated differently and that he is “imperative that people really see the person, see beyond the condition”.

“People think that when you have dementia, it is only a question of forgetting things, but it is more complex, it can manifest in different ways,” he said.

“Unfortunately for many people, the diagnosis can take a very long time and it exerts enormous pressure on the family unit.”

But he insisted on the fact that inside, he did not change, adding: “I might not always express it in the same way, but I am always the same person as me, Inside, I’m still Peter. “

If you worry about yourself or for a person close to you, check your symptoms today using the symptom control list of the Alzheimer company. Visit Alzheimers.org.uk/checklist Or call the dementia support line on 0333 150 3456.