Why I Panic When I Can't Find My Keys: Do I Have Alzheimer's Disease?

Getting older is not exactly enjoyable some of the time and when you can't find things that you know you should be able to find, or remember the name of that person you were introduced to at the party just the other night, it brings up certain possibilities. Most of these possibilities are not pleasant and some are down right scary. Do I have Alzheimer's Disease? As a large percentage of the population begins to age, more people will be diagnosed with this dreaded illness. This 'Robin Hood' of illness, robs a person of his or her mental capacities, regardless of education or income, and eventually leaves an empty shell behind which must be cared for as an infant would. The thought isn't pleasant and makes us want to just ignore the statistics, but they eventually will and must be faced by us or someone that we know and love. If we live long enough, more than 80% of us will have some form of Alzheimer's Disease. In some instances it will be considered a normal part of aging, but the truth is that developing Alzheimer's is not a normal part of anything. It is a cruel thief that robs, eventually isolates and then kills it's victims.

I panic when a certain word deludes me, or when I can't remember the words to a poem that I learned in high school. Should I make an appointment with my physician? Do I have it? Will I be abandoned by society and left lost alone in my own private hell, or will I simply not remember that I am an intelligent woman who has accomplished much in my life? Will I even care if it does eventually happens to me? Chances are I do not have Alzheimer's Disease. There are many other causes for similar symptoms to appear, most of them very treatable. Lack of nutrition or certain vitamins can cause similar AD like symptoms. Depression has an effect on memory and can be treated. There are brain tumors, or blood vessel disease, which can cause memory loss. Thyroid disease, or just a bad reaction to certain medications can sometimes be at the root of memory loss. Your doctor needs to be seen to evaluate the situation. Ignoring the problem won't make it go away. Forgetting to make an appointment is not a problem, it is the issue. Knowledge can sometimes be a scary thing, but not knowing what is wrong with you can be terrifying.

AD or (Alzheimer's Disease) affects short term memory, explaining why we can't seem to remember who we met last week, or what day it is. The words to those long ago learned songs stay registered in our long term memories, along with our mother's face and our childhood traumas. Forgetting what we are supposed to do when we go to work does not appear to be a positive sign. Going to the kitchen and turning on the stove to cook a meal and just forgetting that you were hungry in the first place screams out the need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Not remembering your phone number, can just be a normal part of an over-crowded mental hard-drive and the stress of daily living, while forgetting where you live is not. Forgetting your child's age when you have several children is sometimes normal, forgetting that you have a child at all, is not.

Alzheimer's begins slowly, stealthily. The first signs and symptoms of AD involve the part of the brain that controls thought, memory and language. Later on the person can become anxious, depressed and sometimes violent. Wandering starts to become a real threat to the person's health and well-being. AD patients can become the sad victims of unscrupulous people. Often AD wanderers are found far from home with no recollection of how or why they are there and then are unable to relay to police who they are, or where they belong. This is when placing an AD patient in a care facility becomes a real need, not just for the care-taker who in most instances is a family member, but for the safety of the patient themselves.Most AD facilities are locked and staffed with caregivers who work round the clock. The expense of placing a loved one in a hospital or facility is astronomical, often causing financial destruction of families. Some of these costs may be assisted by medi-care or other government assistance.

The cause of AD is not known at this time, but it is known that the disease seems to sometimes run in families. Symptoms do not usually present themselves until after the age of 60 although there is a small percentage of the population who are diagnosed with AD as young as 35. This is extremely rare. AD is caused when brain cells in large quantities begin to die. There are also tangles in the wiring of the brain which prevents signals from connecting to other signals in the brain. There is no known cure, though recent medical advances have produced medications which can post phone some of the symptoms of AD. Diagnosis must be made early on for medication to be effective. It has also been shown that being mentally active along with physical activity can help delay symptoms.

One of the studies done and presented in the medical journal known as "Neurology," Sept., 2005, lists loss of body mass as a risk factor in the development of AD. In another study done by doctors who followed 2000 people for 10 years found that drinking fruit or vegetable juice three or more times a week, lowers the AD risk factor by as much as 76%. This may be due to polyphenol which appears naturally in fruits and vegetables.

There are many medical studies underway at present times, as scientists, doctors and pharmaceutical companies rush to find a cure for this horrible affliction. If you would like to check on some of the studies that you may qualify for you can call the Alzheimer Disease Education and Referral Services @ 1-800438-4380 or reach them @ www.alzheimers.nia.nih.gov