Variety of symptoms

[ga_mom]

I'm a 35 yr. old female and I feel like I need to see a physician, but I'm not sure where to begin with my symptoms. I frequently feel "out of my head", like I'm unable to concentrate, have difficulty talking (slurring) , difficulty focusing, and often feel quite dizzy. For example, driving to Wal-Mart this past Sunday, I began to feel this way. While in the store, I had to really concentrate on walking, talking, thinking about what items I needed. At the register, I felt like I was going to just 'plop down' on the floor. My daughter said that I looked pale in the face. It almost feels like my head and eyes are swollen. I feel this way more and more and it's becoming quite bothersome, but I have no idea what kind of physician I need to see or if these symptoms even make sense to anyone but me! Just as FYI: I have a strong family history of early onset Alzheimer's: my Dad was diagnosed at 58, his father had it, and 5 of his aunts died from it.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

There is a good article on the issue whether the finger stick method is more, equal or less reliable than the laboratory investigation. I am including an extract from the article here. The article is by Garg et al, published in Diabetes Care 30:e35-e36, 2007.

".......The fact that, using traditional finger-stick methods, patients "overtreating hypoglycemia" suffer "unrecognized hypo- and hyperglycemia" (1) is precisely because intermittent monitoring with finger-sticks does not give them enough information...."

In short, the finger stick method gives less correct information about the actual blood sugar levels. It is the peripheral blood that we are testing. There may be difference in the sugar levels in the peripheral blood drop that is put on the stick and the blood that flows in the blood vessels.

Regards

[ga_mom]

Thank you. During my annual check-up, I did have some bloodwork done and the only thing abnormal was a blood sugar of 55. Since then though, I have purchased a kit and check my blood sugar periodically. It's not been lower than the 80's at any given time since I've been checking it. I've tried checking it while fasting, not fasting, etc.. and haven't seen any alarming numbers. I have an astronomically high deductible, so I've been trying to avoid going to another physician without having something specific to look for. Does anyone know if the labwork that a physician would perform be more conclusive than the finger stick that I'm doing? Thanks again for all your info.

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Your symptoms are a bit different from those of Alzheimer's disease. It seems that you may be having episodes of low blood pressure or hypoglycemia. During such episodes, the brain receives less blood, oxygen and glucose, leading to symptoms experienced by you.

You can consult a family physician; get a full system check up, routine blood work, blood pressure monitoring and blood sugar levels.

Do not worry too much about Alzheimer's disease. Your symptoms do not suggest Alzheimer's pathology.

Regards

[bettyboop1976]

Hi, I am 31yrs old and I have been having the same symptoms that you mentioned. It got to the point that when I get this was instead of walking I sit. I realy don't care who is around or if they look at me funny. I have had this for 12 years and they never find anything wrong with me. rencently my situation has gotten worse to the ponit that my neck , arms, lower back, legs all hurt, in my ear I hear a buzzing. Well I feel we need a great Dr. that cares and won't stop untill they find out was is wrong with us.