TIA - sever memory loss

[NanaPam]

I was diagnosed last year as having had a TIA - this was the second one, supposedly I had previously had one in the 18 months prior to this one.  After numerous tests - MRI, MRA - cat scan - you name it, they confirmed the TIA's but had not found a cause for them.  Frustrated with one neurologist, I went to another and she ran the same tests again and after treating me for 8 months, suddenly said, "maybe I didn't have a TIA after all.  She wanted to do a spinal tap for MS - another test they did showed negative for MS.  One of the tests they did showed numerous white spots on the brain.  After hearing, yes, you've had a stroke, then...maybe you haven't, I became frustrated and did not go back to her again.  I have severe memory loss.  Some things I can remember with clarity (usually long term) and things I did last week or last year, I have no memory of.  I was always able to multi-task extremely well, but no longer.  I am still working but sometimes struggling to keep things straight.  Also, I have a problem with counting money (and I used to be a bookkeeper)!  Sometimes, when I'm driving, I get confused as to where I am.  I feel like I might have the beginnings of Alzheimer's but I am only 54.  My primary care physician says no, that I have had two TIA's.  My memory hasn't improved and it's been 16 months since the TIA.  How do you find a neurologist that specializes in memory loss?  Does anyone have any answers for me?

[Max62]

This sounds so familiar!  I have gone through the very same thing.  I  was an executive administrative assistant and was having so much trouble at work with the memory loss and speech problems I had to take an early retirement so I would not be fired and lose all my benefits, I am almost 62.  Is there help or even just more information out there for this?

[rodstar43]

Your story sounds like my 66 year old wife.  After TIAs I noticed that she was having short term memory loss as a ongoing thing.  Last April after dianosis of sleep apnea and hardly no REM sleep she got a cpap.  It seemed that the neurologist was right that she would get better.  She did until:
July 6th she had some major female type surgeries, 5 procedures.  All has gone well if though slow in getting back to normal.  She did take 4 times as long in recovery as she was supposed to.
Almost immediatly I noticed that the short term memory loss was back and now is worse than before the Cpap treatment which she is continuing.
We see the neurologist tomorrow.  I sent her a letter.  She knows