Afraid I have dementia
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Anonymous
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Can anyone recommend a great neurologist in NoVA that you have used for a full evaluation for possible memory impairment? I have been experiencing some really alarming aphasia, inability to complete sentences, even inability to do basic math at times. It’s been a fairly steady downhill for the last 10
Years (I’m early 50’s) but a really marked decline lately. I’m a teacher and talk all day and even my students are remarking on it. I’ve chalked it up to lack of sleep, stress, menopause, all kids of other mor benign and relatable causes…but I think it’s beyond that now. I need a work up and answers. I appreciate any recs if you or an elder have experience with this kid of evaluation. We |
Anonymous
| Were you off for the summer? Did you catch up on sleep and have at least a month of lower stress? Did your memory then improve? |
Anonymous
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OP, Woman here. I had inability to do math equations that were required of my work at age 50. HRT corrected that problem.
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Anonymous
| Start with your primary care provider. They should test for things like thyroid and vitamin imbalance and they can refer you to neurologist if you need. |
Anonymous
| Im a lawyer not a doctor but my parents have dementia. Please also find a good estate attorney and get your estate paperwork in place. Will, POA, HC POA etc. don’t put anything in email to an attorney about your fear of dementia. You’re competent now and need to get that done before you possibly get worse. My parents did not and it was a nightmare getting those in place as they were sliding into dementia |
Anonymous
| I agree to start with your pcp. 50 is very young for dementia especially if there is not a family history of early dementia. They will look for all reversible causes first. How are you sleeping? |
Anonymous
| Are your kids older? Bring them into the loop earlier than later. I think it's amazing you're this self- aware. It's probably nothing but good to get checked out. |
Anonymous
| OP my mom has dementia. I recently have had trouble finding words and remembering things. It's scary. I suspect menopause and (I am not an anti vaxxer) covid or covid vax contributed too. I have had four shots and would get another. But I really think covid or the vax is causing us, collectively, cognitive problems. |
Anonymous
| These symptoms could easily be explained by depression. Depression messes with your brain in strange ways. |
Anonymous
And anxiety. |
Anonymous
| I get migraines that cause me to be unable to read. I'm mid paragraph and suddenly I know that I'm supposed to know what the symbols on the page mean, but I cannot make words out of them. It passes in 5-10 minutes. |
Anonymous
Not OP, other poster with similar symptoms here. You could be right but, I for one am happier and less stressed than I have ever been (because I left DC!). Something else is happening here. And I've noticed anecdotally other people my age and older having word-gaps. It's weird. |
Anonymous
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I had similar symptoms when my thyroid went out of whack.
However I do also know two people who were diagnosed with early onset dementia in their 50s. It can happen and it is worth a full assessment for sure. Has your GP done a full physical health work up already? |
Anonymous
THIS. Get your affairs in order while you figure out what's happening. You do NOT want to wait until it's too late. Turn everything over to a trusted person ASAP. |
Anonymous
No no no no. But do get your “affairs in order” — as we all should. |