Brain shrinkage.......Alzheimer's?

I have had memory loss over the past 2 years, I'm a 47 yr. old female.  There are things I don't remember in the recent past and no matter how hard I try the memory doesn't come back. I have always been excellent in math, most of the time knowing an answer in my head so fast it surprised even me. Lately I can't even do simple math in my head and alot of times not on paper. I have called a family member by a different name the whole day but the next day I wouldn't even remember doing it.  I had a CT Scan of my brain and it showed brain shrinkage. The DR. told me about it but said don't worry I'm not saying you will get Alzheimer's.  My question is, does anyone know about Brain shrinkage and is it a symptom of the disease?

[margypops]

We have just started an expert/Doctor forum check the forums page and click on the right it has a yellow sticker saying new forum, good luck you will get some answers form a great  Doctor.

[Alykaatt]

Thank you so much.  I posted there too.

[SeeksSupport]

You should try to get second or third opinions with neurologists till you get an explanation that makes sense.
My mother had some of the things you said you experienced. She was young too. She has had quite a few  TIA's.(so they say) we have noticed a few  in the past few years.  Prior she just had alot of UTI's and would get dingy and wind up in the hospital. They would just tell us sometimes people who are hospitalized get this sort of dementia when they wind up hospitalized.
Later a Medicare MD told us she had Vascular Dementia and out of all the MDs this was the one diagnosis that made the most sense.
If you have Blood pressure issues and high cholesterol, or diabetes these things could affect you I suppose. They did with my Mom.
Even messed up or lacking female hormones can mess with you.
All of us get forgetful but yours sounds much more than forgetful.
I would not rest till someone could figure out why you have atrophy in your brain and what you can do. Maybe Aricept is something that would be helpful for you.
I wish you luck.

[margypops]

How are you doing I wanted to tell you that there is more hope out there if you have a problem, a new Med called Rember is on trials and going into the 3rd year I believe, google for the details, it has a lot of promise for anyone who may have Alzheimers, I hope you are doing okay .