Report: Robin Williams Driven To Suicide By Lewy Body Dementia

[big_dog]

Source: The Washington Post November 11 at 5:29 AM

According to an exclusive report, Robin Williams was suffering from Lewy body dementia, and the disease may have contributed to his decision to commit suicide earlier this year. Just this spring, the public learned the late Casey Kasem was suffering from Lewy body dementia after the Top 40 king went missing. Here’s how the National Institutes of Health defines “dementia with Lewy bodies”:

The central features of DLB include progressive cognitive decline, “fluctuations” in alertness and attention, visual hallucinations, and parkinsonian motor symptoms, such as slowness of movement, difficulty walking, or rigidity. People may also suffer from depression. The symptoms of DLB are caused by the build-up of Lewy bodies – accumulated bits of alpha-synuclein protein — inside the nuclei of neurons in areas of the brain that control particular aspects of memory and motor control.

Because Williams had battled depression, drug abuse and alcoholism — and had again checked into the Hazelden rehabilitation facility just weeks before his death — it was widely speculated that his depression led him to suicide. His publicist told the media Williams had been battling “severe depression” before his death.

Sources connected with the Williams family tell TMZ … Lewy Body Dementia was the “key factor” they believe drove him to kill himself. We’re told Robin’s doctors agree that the disease was the critical factor leading to his suicide. Robin’s wife had told authorities shortly after his death he had been complaining about the meds and the way they made him feel.



Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/11/11/report-robin-williams-driven-to-suicide-by-lewy-body-dementia/?wpmm=AG0003326

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[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. Interesting. More info about this will help all of us. n/t

[big_dog]

2. maybe some good can come of it

Lewy body dementia, the second most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease, causes a progressive decline in mental abilities.

It may also cause visual hallucinations, which generally take the form of objects, people or animals that aren't there. This can lead to unusual behavior such as having conversations with deceased loved ones.

Another indicator of Lewy body dementia may be significant fluctuations in alertness and attention, which may include daytime drowsiness or periods of staring into space. And, like Parkinson's disease, Lewy body dementia can result in rigid muscles, slowed movement and tremors.

In Lewy body dementia, protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, develop in nerve cells in regions of your brain involved in thinking, memory and movement (motor control). http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lewy-body-dementia/basics/definition/con-20025038

[Omaha Steve]

3. Alzheimer’s disease only about one third of older adults with dementia have a different condition

http://www.brightfocus.org/alzheimers/brightfocus-insights/is-it-alzheimers-disease-or-dementia-with-lewy-bodies.html?gclid=CJyqzoiW88ECFY5cMgodFkQA9Q

After AD, Lewy body dementia (LBD) or dementia with Lewy bodies is one of the most frequent causes of dementia, affecting some 1.3 million Americans.

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. My mom was diagnosed with this not long after my dad passed away

She was in assisted living (my brother was nearby) and phone conversations and visits with her were often very sad - she was clearly hearing and seeing things, and some of the stories she told us were quite remarkable - but it came and went, growing worse with time. She left us on April of this year, but the 7 years she lived without my dad were not good - I don't really think she had a truly happy moment after his death, and the dementia made it far worse.

[LittleGirl]

8. So sorry for your loss. Hugs eom

[Psephos]

9. Sympathy and white light to you.

Wish there was something better.

One thing worth considering. Our lives are like filmstrips. We see only one frame at a time, but the entire ribbon of frames is out there, regardless of which one we happen to be focused upon.

Every ribbon has a beginning, and an end...but exceptional moments have an eternity all their own. Therein lies whatever is immortal in us, and in her.

Visit the frames often where your mom was at her best. Not with a sense of loss, but with pleasure. The her that lives on in those moments remains young, fresh, and vital - and overwhelms the frames from the last years.

[arikara]

29. That is lovely

Thank you for sharing that.

[MissDeeds]

18. I am so sorry, NRaleighLiberal

My mom died October 1 of this year following a massive stroke. She had been in assisted living for several years and was suffering from dementia. She knew everyone in the family except me, her only daughter and caregiver. It hurts like crazy. So sorry for what you and your mom went through.

Hugs and healing thoughts to you...

[Thirties Child]

5. Acting out dreams is often a precursor of Lewy Body Dementia

Earlier news reports said Williams slept in a different bedroom because of his sleep behavior. Mr. Thirties, who suffers from short-term memory loss and who was diagnosed with Parkinson's six weeks ago, has acted out his dreams for six or seven years. The statistics about what is coming aren't in our favor and I'm preparing for it as well as I can. My deepest desire is to spend as much time with him as I can (even if it means watching football), to enjoy the time we have left.

[pnwmom]

6. I'm sorry to hear that, Thirties Child. It must be heartbreaking. n/t

[Thirties Child]

14. It is heartbreaking but I'm glad I know.

I have time to enjoy him and love him. Six or seven years ago, when he started acting out his dreams I made a joke out of it, asked my friends to testify in his murder trial that he really didn't mean to kill me, that I happened to get in the way as he punched and kicked his way through a bad dream.

He has a genetic marker--APOE4--that gives him a four-times chance of Alzheimer's, and is now recognized as a marker for Lewy Body Dementia. He pretty much lost the genetic lottery, but has lived fully for 77 years, has done more in those 77 years than most of us do in 45. He's done it thanks to an indomitable will. Unfortunately, an indomitable will can't always triumph over genetic markers.

[pnwmom]

16. *

[arikara]

30. My dad has dementia too

It started affecting him in his late 50's and he's now been in care for more than 10 years. Its not easy for anyone.

Please read this ebook by Dr Harold Foster. He speaks about the APOE gene and about things you can do before it progresses too far. It got too far along with my father before we found this, but it might help others.

http://www.hdfoster.com/publications

[LittleGirl]

7. I'm so sorry. Hugs eom

[Thirties Child]

15. Thanks for the hugs. I need them.11

[Skittles]

33. more hugs for my sweet

yes indeed

[dballance]

10. Yes, Hopefully something good can come out of this. The ALS Challenge this year was a good thing IMO

Until now, I'd never heard of this particular ailment.

I respect Robin Williams decision to end his life of suffering on his terms. I'm glad I live in Oregon where we have a Death with Dignity law. The one the young lady Brittany Maynard used to end her life before it became nothing but suffering.

My father passed away from prostate cancer. His decline was not pretty. He became a skeleton and it was impossible to try and position him in his bed without causing tremendous pain. Despite all the pain meds he was on. Simply laying a sheet on him could cause immense pain.

We have the humanity to know when it is time for us to let our pets go and stop suffering. We fail completely in that respect to other humans.

[a la izquierda]

11. My grandmother has it.

It's a horrific disease.

[chuckrocks]

12. This is killing my father.

It's a motherfucker. The Parkinsonian symptoms, the Alzheimer's kicker, it's the dirtbag of disease. I know if he knew 10 years ago, where he was gonna be today, he would've bowed out. We all would've helped, too.

[Skittles]

34. so sorry, chuckrocks

[mainstreetonce]

13. I first heard of the disease on. Boss

It was a TV series with Kelsey Grammer.

He had the disease. The way it was depicted was horrible. Hallucinations,memory loss and loss of judgement.

I can remember someone who committed suicide and wonder if this could have been the problem.

Robin Williams was extremely intelligent. I think very intelligent minds react more strongly to some medications.

[Scairp]

17. Poor man

He was suffering so much and felt as if nothing but death was going to stop the pain.

[CountAllVotes]

19. RIP Robin Williams

and no sir, I do not blame you one bit.

[MissDeeds]

20. I remember reading

that Estelle Getty of the Golden Girls had this. The cast's first sign that something was wrong was that she was unable to remember her lines. It went downhill from there. Such a sad, cruel disease.

[RussBLib]

21. at least we are learning about dementia

...as many people as this is affecting, we need to get to the bottom of this dementia and Alzheimers crap.

My father is now suffering from dementia but the latest blood work stated that NO LEWY BODIES WERE PRESENT. He's pretty forgetful but remembers who his kids and friends are, and he isn't getting depressed. Thank the universe for small favors.

[love_katz]

22. Kicking.

This information needs as much exposure as it can get.

Too many people are willing to attack those whose decision is to end their own lives.

We miss you, Mr. Williams.

[niyad]

23. k and r for visibility for this important information.

[VA_Jill]

24. A long time friend

in Tennessee died of LBD about 5 years ago. It is a truly nasty and heartbreaking disease. If I were Robin Williams and had received that news I would undoubtedly have taken the same way out.

[Warren Stupidity]

25. So his decision to end his life seems to me to be rational and informed. nt.

[Warpy]

26. I'm no longer angry that he left us so soon

I'm deeply grateful to him for remaining here as long as he did.

This is why we so desperately need assisted suicide. Some illinesses are so awful that no one should be expected to endure them until a "natural" death.

[AZ Progressive]

27. Sad but this is reality

Enjoy your life while you are healthy and young.

[The Blue Flower]

28. My friend's husband has lewy body

She says it's worse than Alzheimer's.

[Duppers]

31. Looks as if even rethugs could get behind research

...for this monster of a disease!!

A big R & a kick.

[davidpdx]

32. Just read this

I think the more we can learn about these diseases the better we can watch out for the early onset signs.

[Odin2005]

35. Fuck, there were rumors going around saying that Williams...

...Killed himself because he had been diagnosed with Dementia. I guess the rumors were right.

[onenote]

36. Crappy headline writing by Washington Post

The headline makes a definitive claim: Williams driven to suicide by Lewy Body Dementia.

The story says "the disease may have contributed to his decision to commit suicide."

[Tom Ripley]

37. My friend William Price Fox is suffering from Lewy Body Dementia

It is a terrible thing.