Medical Determination

Becoming a partner in my own health means to me learning about what I don’t know regarding my medical diagnosis, “You have early onset Alzheimer’s.” It’s been an on-going search for insight and rescue since September 2013.

For you, you may need to figure out what your symptoms are telling you, what’s happening to a friend or family member that causes you concern, scares you, or… where to begin, from what little you do know?

If we think of our body as we do about repairing an engine or fixing something we think is wrong with our car, we go to that auto repairman with some knowledge of how the car is operating, tell him what’s happening. Otherwise, we might get a wrong diagnostic determination, right?

As with malfunctioning autos, in our own health we need to read about, talk about, and do some of our own due diligence.  For sure in the case of mental acuity, it isn’t always best to forget about it. (pardon the pun)  It is said that early detection is paramount.

Choose/interview for a caring and knowledgeable healthcare professional. Patients may undergo a physical exam and blood tests. Diagnosing dementia requires a full review of patient’s health, family and medical history. Evaluating the patient for depression, substance abuse and nutrition and other conditions that can cause memory loss, including anemia, vitamin deficiency, diabetes, kidney or liver disease, thyroid disease, infections, cardio vascular and pulmonary problems, etc. I’ve always heard, there is no single test that proves AD. It is a process of elimination.