I happened to come across this article in the NYT today about a large cluster of New Brunswickers who are experiencing an unexplained neurological condition. Glyphosate is posited as a potential cause. Here's an unpaywalled link: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/14/magazine/canada-brain-disease-dementia.html?unlocked_article_code=1.C04.d0TE.GSVRhZZ-ZfFR&smid=url-share "Recent studies have shown that glyphosate crosses the blood-brain barrier and that chronic exposure can lead to neurological inflammation that can trigger Alzheimer’s disease." I know there is a lot of conflicting information out there on the safety of glyphosate. I'm sharing this article only because I found it interesting, not because I think it offers any definitive answers.

Thanks Hallie for replying. I just noticed this post. I am feeling much better now and seem to have the acid reflux under control with medication. I was on Prevacid for a few weeks but the pills were making me sick. I could take it for 3 days and on the 4th day I would feel ill. They did not work for me. I went back to the Zantac but they stopped working too. Back to the doctor and he gave me samples of Pantoloc. Wonderful, wonderful medicine. This is the one that is working for me. I take one around dinner time and that means I have no more pain at night I have been careful in what I eat and I have lost 25 pounds but I do once in a while splurge on something that might cause me pain, but so far nothing I cannot handle. I can have garlic in very small amounts but onions are out all together. I had a little sphagetti with sauce tonight and I feel a slight twinge so I best stay away from tomato sauces for now. I have had my heart checked to rule out the pain was not my heart. My cholesterol is great, no high blood pressure, passed cardiac stress test with flying colours and had an echocardiogram. The heart palpations I thought I was feeling turned out to be spasms in my esophogus. Any food that goes into my mouth cause a spasm so when I feel it I now know that it is not my heart. I am so happy my doctor suggested the Pantoloc. My doctor was giving me samples of the drug until he ran out so he has ordered more for me. I have had to buy them for this month from the pharmacist. They cost $75.00 for 30 pills which is a little expensive for me to pay for each month but if they work I will have to sacrifice something else to get them. Thanks all for replying to my post and giving me suggestions. I really appreciate all the help I received. Anne

I kind of chuckle at this topic. My Grammy had an immaculate home. She had a 12 foot custom made white sofa in the living room, a dining room that had a custom linen mural imported from Italy on the walls, and other sumptuous things in and around her home. And it was the house EVERYONE gathered at. But she never fretted about the children playing with their toys on the glass coffee table or the men with their glasses of wine on the sofa. She knew that it was really about family, and not stains. She knew that she could clean it up later, but what was important is that the family gathered and loved. Compared to my mom's best friend, her house was shrink wrapped! I loved her house, it was sooo beautiful, but her kids were neurotic. They weren't allowed to run & play and get dirty. She chased after them with a wash cloth. Children were not allowed in the living room or near the grand piano unless they had washed up and had on clean clothing AND were supervised closely by adults. She didn't allow the adults to bring their beverages in that room, either. As for me, I have five dogs. They live in my house. My husband works with concrete and doesn't know the meaning of remove your shoes. I keep my house neat, but know that I'd rather be comfy and loving than so uptight I can't enjoy what I have. I've lost a few things that meant something to me, but it was just things. And as for my DH...I'd rather him sit his dusty self on the sofa and me gripe about it, than to face the day that he's not there, leaving his shoes in my way and wiping his hands on the pillows.

I was fortunate in that my Mom did not show signs of violent behavior. The wandering was bad enough while she was still able to walk. I think your friend needs to rethink taking care of her Mom. If she finds it hard now, it is only going to get worse. Much worse! As you know I was the sole caregiver to my sweet Mom for over 10 years and I would never ever put myself in that role again and my Mom was a dear gentle patient. Your friend's life will change forever if she takes this challenge on. You become an appendage of the person you are caring for because as the dementia progresses you have to do everything for that person. My Aunt was the violent type, my sweet gentle religious Aunt turned into a rabid animal locked in a cage. Swearing, hurting my Uncle, telling lies that almost put my Uncle in jail. My Aunt paced, back and forth. She wouldn't sit to eat, sleep. She walked and walked and ranted. She would get out of the house and walk into a neighbours house and act like it was her home and not theirs. Even after my Uncle put her in a nursing home she never found peace until she died. That is what Alzheimer's did to her. As someone above said, get the Alzheimer Society involved. They will send out a case worker but first your friend's Mom needs to be assessed by a Doctor. There could be something else that is causing her violent dementia. If I had to do it all over again I wouldn't hesitate to put my Mom into care and as I said I had it easy until my Mom got cancer and I had to give her insulin shots but taking care of a loved one with Alzheimer's will suck the life blood out of you. 8 years since my Mom passed away and I am still trying to find out who I am and to put my care taking in the past and not let it define me anymore. I must say though after the first couple of years of taking care of my Mom I became a better person and had to let go of the anger I was feeling at having to give up my life as I knew it, my savings, dating life, getting married, having kids because I chose to do this. I learned to be happy because I knew if I wasn't happy I would be in H'll on Earth. Alzheimer's in a terrible disease, much more terrible for the person that is doing the care giving than the one who suffers from it. I hope your friend gets some help for herself and her Mom sooner than later. Anne