Patient Story: Teresa’s Turnaround – Finding Clarity and Calm

“The change has been remarkable. She’s not confused anymore. She’s herself again.” — Teresa’s son

Before the Diagnosis

Teresa, a 72-year-old wife and mother, had been growing increasingly anxious, withdrawn, and disoriented. Over the course of a year, her family noticed a cascade of troubling symptoms:

• Anxiety and sadness
• Memory problems and word-finding difficulty
• Waking at night, thinking people were in the room
• Day–night confusion — showering at 3am or going to bed in the afternoon
• Bad dreams and disturbed sleep
• Loss of smell
• Social withdrawal
• Repeated confusion about time and people

Her son described her as “very anxious and quite frightened,” and the family began to suspect more than just hearing loss or ageing.

She was prescribed Trazodone by her GP and referred to the NHS memory clinic — but her condition deteriorated further. On Boxing Day, she was even admitted to hospital with heart palpitations attributed to anxiety.

The Breakthrough

When Teresa was assessed by Dr Singhai at the Memory and Brain Health Clinic, the full picture came into view. While she did have some memory deficits, several key clinical features pointed toward a more specific and treatable diagnosis:

• Visual hallucinations (seeing people in the room at night)
• REM sleep behaviour disorder (bad dreams, acting out in sleep)
• Loss of sense of smell (anosmia)
• Disorientation in time
• Parkinsonian signs (reduced facial expression, slight motor slowing)

These are classic hallmarks of Lewy body dementia (LBD)—a neurodegenerative condition that affects not just memory, but sleep, mood, movement, and sensory perception.

Unlike Alzheimer’s, Lewy body dementia often begins with non-memory symptoms and is frequently missed or misattributed to anxiety or depression.

The Right Diagnosis — And the Right Treatment

With this diagnosis in place, Teresa’s treatment was rapidly optimised:

• Trazodone was stopped, as it may worsen cognition in LBD
• Escitalopram and Mirtazapine were introduced to ease anxiety
• Rivastigmine and Memantine were prescribed to support cognition and orientation
• Medication doses were carefully titrated for safety and tolerance
• Her progress was monitored with her family closely involved

A Remarkable Turnaround

“She’s sleeping, thinking more clearly, and far less anxious. It feels like we’ve got Mum back.”
— Teresa’s family

The results were transformative. Teresa became less confused and less frightened. Her sleep normalised. Her hallucinations and anxiety subsided. And her family, who had been exhausted and worried, finally found peace of mind.

Why This Story Matters

Teresa’s experience is a powerful reminder that anxiety, hallucinations, and confusion can be neurological—not just psychological.

Lewy body dementia is highly treatable when properly diagnosed. Each symptom relates to a specific neurotransmitter pathway — and with the right medications and support, quality of life can significantly improve.

Dr Singhai’s expertise in recognising non-memory symptoms of Lewy body disease helped Teresa receive the accurate diagnosis and life-changing treatment she needed.