I don't know if I've said anything about this before but I feel like I'm falling in the rabbit hole and don't know what to do....
I am having periods where I can not recall anything that has gone on - for very long times. I have done this at least 4 times where I can not remember doing anything, like a couple weeks ago, I took my husband to have a procedure done at the hospital and I remember walking down to the room with him, I remember holding his hand but from the time he went back to the time we got home, I have no recollection of what happened. Another time, my mother took me to a dr's appt and I do not remember that AT ALL. This has happened several times plus I'm having trouble with thoughts, completing tasks, forgetting where I am going or stopping in the middle of a sentence - forgetting what I was saying or can't remember things that happened 5 minutes ago.
First is AD hereditary or genetic? (or are those two words the same?) My father has vascular dementia and has had several strokes. Does this increase my likelihood of having it?
I do have a neurologist appt next week, so I'm hoping they'll take my concerns seriously. I'm only 50 so I figure if something IS happening maybe they can start something to keep it from progressing quickly.
Am I right to be very concerned about this or am I just a normal 50 year old that can't remember sh*t?
Are you having headaches?
Of course we cannot diagnose you online. Be sure to see the neurologist at the appointment time.
However, if you have any symptoms or an acute headache before that appointment, or any "similar episode", please call 911, or have someone drive you to the E.R.
The symptoms could be a stroke, or TIA.
Best to be sure, because earlier treatment could save your life.
No, Dementia is not hereditary. Your Dads is probably caused by his strokes. There are usually outside factors that cause Dementias. ALZ is hereditary.
But I wouldn't speculate. The Dr. will put ur thru a series of tests to find the problem.
I had a blood clot in my brain that exhibited memory loss symptoms, don't take a chance. From experience, that can result in lots of problems, for sure.
Good answer!
Where are "headaches" mentioned? Did I miss that?
I did not want to scare the OP, but these symptoms are the same as having a stroke, (even if a mini-stroke like a TIA, transient ischemic attack);
or like you said, a blood clot or aneurysm.
It could be anything or stress, like others have said.
When the ER doctor referred a patient to his own office practice after 3 visits to the ER with acute headaches...she arrived at the appointment and stroked out just as I was taking her b/p. If he wasn't there to resuscitate her, she could not have recovered as nicely from her stroke. He went to the hospital in the ambulance with her.
But because you asked... sibling studies indicate that AD can be inherited, but you are not guaranteed to inherit it. Perfect example is my 2 living aunts ages 97 and 100 who have lived together their whole lives (except 1 year), neither ever married or had kids. Neither ever smoked or drank much. Medditerranian diets. Worked at the same company for almost the same amount of time. Ate the same food, went on the same vacations, exercised the same amount. Different personalities: one extrovert (97 yo) the other introvert (100 y0). The 97 yr-old has total dementia and the 100 yo is clear as a bell. Same parents. Same life. Different outcomes.