Aa
Severe memory and fatigue issues and I'm only in my 20s. Please help :(
Hello,
I am a 27-year-old female and I have severe memory and fatigue problems that have been getting worse for the past 4 years. I’ve gone to many doctors but no one has been able to help me. If you have any idea as to what may be wrong with me please let me know. Below is more specific information about me:
Memory: I’ve never had a fantastic memory but the past 4 years my memory has gotten so bad that my husband teases me that he thinks I have Alzheimer’s. It’s gotten to the point where I will tell him a story and 5 mins later I’ll start to retell the same story not remembering I just told it. I’ll also forget whole events and won’t have any recollection even when my husband tries to jog my memory. I also have a lot of trouble recalling words.
Dizziness/vertigo: I have low blood pressure and I have the normal symptoms of feeling lightened when I get up (I blacked out once) but recently I’ve been getting vertigo/dizzy for a few seconds while I am just sitting.
Mood: I’ve been diagnosed with depression and I’ve been taking Prozac and Wellbutrin for about 2 years. I no longer feel sad but I’m still taking them because they were also recommended by my neurologist to combat my fatigue. My friends have always teased me about being the most motivated person they know (I didn’t even miss any school in college when I has mono) and now I feel like my motivation is completely gone.
Sleep/fatigue: If I am able I will sleep between 14 – 20 hours a day. I am currently taking Nuvigil to try and combat this. When I am awake I am still very tried. I used to be able to fall sleep in 30 secs no matter where I was if I could, but now I have trouble falling asleep and staying sleep. I toss and turn all night. I’ve gone for sleep tests and they were inconclusive. All they could determine is I have idiopathic hypersomnia (which isn’t a diagnosis it just describes my symptoms). It’s gotten to the point where sometimes I have to miss work because I just can’t stay awake or don’t feel safe driving to work.
Body: I get bruises very easily, the back of my hands hurt if I do a lot of fine motor movements, and my upper back/shoulder are always super tense and hurt (this could be because I am a desk jockey though?). I have been an athlete my whole life but my condition makes me unable to work out for months at a time. I just started working out again after a few months sabbatical and I’m weaker than I’ve ever been since puberty. I’ve had to take many sabbaticals from working out before and I’ve never been even close to this weak. I feel pathetic; it’s even hard for me to pick up my 30lbs dog.
Stomach: Every few weeks I'll have constipation or diarrhea.
Tests I’ve taken: My thyroid levels are normal. I don’t have lymes disease. I have low B12 (I’ve been taking sublingual B12 for the past year which hasn’t seemed to make a difference in my symptoms), I am slightly anemic (I’ve been taking vitamins to increase my iron levels but it hasn’t seemed to make me feel better. I also have an IUD which makes my periods heavy), and luckily a MRI showed I don’t have a brain tumor.
Other info about me that may or may not help: I’m of Ashkenazi Jewish decent, and on the thin side. My sense of smell is less sensitive than it used to be.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
I am a 27-year-old female and I have severe memory and fatigue problems that have been getting worse for the past 4 years. I’ve gone to many doctors but no one has been able to help me. If you have any idea as to what may be wrong with me please let me know. Below is more specific information about me:
Memory: I’ve never had a fantastic memory but the past 4 years my memory has gotten so bad that my husband teases me that he thinks I have Alzheimer’s. It’s gotten to the point where I will tell him a story and 5 mins later I’ll start to retell the same story not remembering I just told it. I’ll also forget whole events and won’t have any recollection even when my husband tries to jog my memory. I also have a lot of trouble recalling words.
Dizziness/vertigo: I have low blood pressure and I have the normal symptoms of feeling lightened when I get up (I blacked out once) but recently I’ve been getting vertigo/dizzy for a few seconds while I am just sitting.
Mood: I’ve been diagnosed with depression and I’ve been taking Prozac and Wellbutrin for about 2 years. I no longer feel sad but I’m still taking them because they were also recommended by my neurologist to combat my fatigue. My friends have always teased me about being the most motivated person they know (I didn’t even miss any school in college when I has mono) and now I feel like my motivation is completely gone.
Sleep/fatigue: If I am able I will sleep between 14 – 20 hours a day. I am currently taking Nuvigil to try and combat this. When I am awake I am still very tried. I used to be able to fall sleep in 30 secs no matter where I was if I could, but now I have trouble falling asleep and staying sleep. I toss and turn all night. I’ve gone for sleep tests and they were inconclusive. All they could determine is I have idiopathic hypersomnia (which isn’t a diagnosis it just describes my symptoms). It’s gotten to the point where sometimes I have to miss work because I just can’t stay awake or don’t feel safe driving to work.
Body: I get bruises very easily, the back of my hands hurt if I do a lot of fine motor movements, and my upper back/shoulder are always super tense and hurt (this could be because I am a desk jockey though?). I have been an athlete my whole life but my condition makes me unable to work out for months at a time. I just started working out again after a few months sabbatical and I’m weaker than I’ve ever been since puberty. I’ve had to take many sabbaticals from working out before and I’ve never been even close to this weak. I feel pathetic; it’s even hard for me to pick up my 30lbs dog.
Stomach: Every few weeks I'll have constipation or diarrhea.
Tests I’ve taken: My thyroid levels are normal. I don’t have lymes disease. I have low B12 (I’ve been taking sublingual B12 for the past year which hasn’t seemed to make a difference in my symptoms), I am slightly anemic (I’ve been taking vitamins to increase my iron levels but it hasn’t seemed to make me feel better. I also have an IUD which makes my periods heavy), and luckily a MRI showed I don’t have a brain tumor.
Other info about me that may or may not help: I’m of Ashkenazi Jewish decent, and on the thin side. My sense of smell is less sensitive than it used to be.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
"low B12 serum B12 incidence is 22.3% incidence" uhhh well i really should proof read my answers lol.
Most of your symptoms are listed under vitamin B12 deficiency - memory loss (B12 deficiency can be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer's disease, permanent dementia if not treated in time), fatigue, impaired sense of smell, low blood pressure, depression, intermittent constipation and diarrhea, dizziness/vertigo, easy bruising if blood cells are enlarged or due to iron anaemia (B12 deficiency is a listed cause of iron deficiency). Optimal B12 serum levels are over 800pg/mL. That said, some of these symptoms can be seen in other conditions. One condition i came across is Gaucher's Disease.
I found one study that stated low B12 serum B12 incidence is 22.3% incidence among Ashkenazi Jews and 40% among patients with Gaucher disease. Gaucher disease type 1 is stated to be common among Ashkenazi Jews; carrier frequency is 1 in 7.
Major signs and symptoms of Gaucher disease include enlargement of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly), a low number of red blood cells (anaemia), easy bruising caused by a decrease in blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), lung disease, and bone abnormalities such as bone pain, fractures, and arthritis. Many with Gaucher disease have a mild form of the disease or may not show any symptoms at all.
I found one study that stated low B12 serum B12 incidence is 22.3% incidence among Ashkenazi Jews and 40% among patients with Gaucher disease. Gaucher disease type 1 is stated to be common among Ashkenazi Jews; carrier frequency is 1 in 7.
Major signs and symptoms of Gaucher disease include enlargement of the liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly), a low number of red blood cells (anaemia), easy bruising caused by a decrease in blood platelets (thrombocytopenia), lung disease, and bone abnormalities such as bone pain, fractures, and arthritis. Many with Gaucher disease have a mild form of the disease or may not show any symptoms at all.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Undiagnosed Symptoms Community
Discharge often isn't normal, and could mean an infection or an STD.
In this unique and fascinating report from Missouri Medicine, world-renowned expert Dr. Raymond Moody examines what really happens when we almost die.
Think a loved one may be experiencing hearing loss? Here are five warning signs to watch for.
When it comes to your health, timing is everything
We’ve got a crash course on metabolism basics.
Learn what you can do to avoid ski injury and other common winter sports injury.
