More tests...

[vsavatar]

I wrote in a month or two ago about some symptoms of memory loss and twitching.  Well the twitching seems to have gone away, but the memory loss is still there.  I went to see my neurologist for a re-eval and he ordered up a BrainSPECT and a 24 hour ambulatory EEG just to be on the safe side.  Both came back normal and on the MME I lost two points, one for forgetting one of the objects to remember (though I remembered the thrid about a minute later, and still remember them today), and the other for screwing up a number in the serial 7 series (for some reason I thought 86 - 7 = 81, dunno why that was).  I've outlived CJD and I'm not showing any outward neurological signs of most other systematic brain diseases.  My only concern at this point is that I might have early-onset Alzheimer's (but I'm only 22 years old).  What are the chances of this being the case, or what else other than anxiety and stress could be causing this?

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-JT]

I reviewed our previous communication Apr 21 in which you stated you were at the top of your accounting class. If this was truly a neuro-degenerative disease, this would not be the case. As for Alzheimer's disease, early cases typically are in the late 40's and 50s, not early 20s. However, in a young patient with forgetfulness and cognitive changes, hypothyroidism is a strong consideration. Atypical migraines associated with transient confusion is a also a possibility, although less likely. Sounds like you've had extensive diagnostic testing especially of the brain. Just make sure routine blood tests and thyroid levels are sent so that simple, correctable things are not missed. Finally the fact that you remember the MMSE and your mistakes is somewhat reassuring. Best of luck.

[headproblemz]

Everyone has memory loss once in a while. Maybe you are thinking about this stuff too much. If everything is normal, why bother. You claim the twitching went away, maybe that's because you stopped thinking about it.

[vsavatar]

Maybe... thing is, my memory loss isn't occassional.  It happens every day, several times a day.  Granted there are very few times when I can't remember what it was I forgot, but still, it's disturbing the fact that I forgot it in the first place.  At least I haven't forgotten my name or my fianc