Vertigo, forgetfulness, disorientation

Question

My mother started having some dizziness in April and it has progressed into forgetfulness, dizziness all the time, she's disoriented, can't focus, can't walk with out stumbling, fatigue, and sometimes can't focus her eyes.  Does anyone know what this could be?  It's not vertigo or inner ear.  All blood work has come back normal.  She had a brain scan in May and it came back ok.  What could this be?  Thank you!

raehicks2 · Answer

My mom hasn't been on any meds and the MRI came back clean for Alzheimer's.  We are waiting on some DNA tests to come back.  They are thinking it's Spinocerebellar Ataxia with dementia.  Supposedly it's a hereditary disease, but no one in our family has ever had it.  The dr. says there's no cure and no treatment.  And it seems to be progressing rapidly.  Within the last 2 weeks, she has gone from using a walker to having to use a wheelchair all the time (even tho she's having phys. ther. everyday), she can't carry on a conversation, she forgets words, and she's lost some of her bladder control, and she forgets everything now.  She still remembers family and long time friends, but that's it.  Our cousin came to visit her with their 5 mo. old baby girl and she kept calling her a 'sweet baby boy'.  WTH?  I have never seen anything progress so rapidly.  I keep praying for a miracle, but she just gets worse.  

Does anyone have any ideas?  Has anyone ever been diagnosed with SCA?

anuragsrivastava · Answer

Hi, I would suggest a evaluation through an ENT specialist since she has vertigo. It might be benign positional vertigo. Besides memory loss may also occur due to Alzhiemer's disease (old age) or any other anxiety disorder. Please consult a ENT specialist and neurologist together to precisely reach at the diagnosis. I hope it helps.