Pseudo-Dementia caused by depression

While at this point the tests show that my husband's illness is pseudo-dementia caused by depression and is treatable, life is still very frustrating. After being on the anti-depressants for over a month now, I can see some improvements in some things, but still much needed improvement in other things. He now remembers how to do computer things that he had forgotten, but he still forgets some very important conversations. The problem still is that he forgets that he may forget.

I still have to be in charge of his medication because he forgets to take them at least half of the time. Tonight before going to bed (he was already in bed), I checked to see if he had taken his meds. He had not. I woke him up to take his meds. He insisted that he had already taken them and didn't believe me that he had forgotten. I insisted he come to the kitchen so he could look for himself. I had the packets labeled with dates so I would know if he missed any. When he saw that he had NOT taken Tuesday's meds, he insisted it was Monday. "No today was not Monday; it was Tuesday. So half asleep, he just took what I gave him.

While I am very relieved that he does not, according to the doctor's, have early onset Alzheimer's, pseudo-dementia caused by depression is still very frustrating. I cannot count on him getting things straight from the doctor or our attorney. And when he promises that he will tell them to communicate with me because he might forget things, I can't count on that he will remember to tell them that. So I still must go to all doctor's appointments and communicate with attorneys on issues. It frustrates me that he insists that he will remember to tell them that he might forget what they say, so to communicate with me.

It was recommended to him to get counseling on his own to help deal with this. The problem is, because of lack of emotions, he doesn't see the problems. I wrote notes in a spiral notebook for him to take to the therapist, so he will remember to tell her certain things, like if I need to know something, he will probably forget to tell me.

The doctor that gave him the neuropsych tests called and told us that if things do not improve down the road, he can get retested several months from now. We now have the first tests to compare to. While that is really good, somehow I just wasn't comforted enough to take away the worry.