SUDDEN MEMORY LOSS URGENT HELP NEEDED

[Meryl1984]

Hello,

I am 24 years old female and currently suffering from an illness that is affecting my day to day life to a great extent.

For almost a year now I am suffering from a minute or two sudden loss of memory and I feel extremely hot and it comes to a point whereby I don't even know my own family members, I just don't know where I am and what I am doing, its just like life has stopped for a minute or two.
After feeling like this I just have to put my head down and fall asleep or I cannot get over it. I really do not know how to explain myself but I feel extremely weak that I feel like I am going to black out and I do recall myself nearly falling down at Marks and Spencer whereby I holded on to a shelf to stay up and my vision was blurred.

Sometimes I do get extreme headaches straight after and have to put my head down.

I have been to the doctor but I don't know how to explain myself when I do get down there as it does seem strange when I say it.

I also would like to mention that on some occassions I do get a sudden sharp pain in my head when I stand up and I have to close my eyes cause the pain is so sharp that I cant bear it.

Please help me out on this as I no longer can bear it cause its increased as it now happens even three times a day and I feel extremely uncomfortable and cannot do any work when it happens.

I am hoping that there is nothing for me to be worrying about but it really does start to worry me and I am kind of anxious to find out what the causes are.

[Dr. Safaa Mahmoud]

Hello,

Your symptoms are shared by many conditions and are concerning.
The two main possible causes for your symptoms that should be looked for and excluded are seizures and intracranial lesions (space occupying mass).

Some types of seizures (epilepsy) can cause give similar clinical picture. Diagnosis is usually based on history and clinical examination. Electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the commonly recommended investigations.

Headache, blurring of vision and loss of memory (focal) can also be a symptom of more serious conditions like intracranial space occupying lesions either a benign or a malignant mass.
These symptoms are not diagnostic for brain tumor and may be shared by other causes like intracranial hemorrhage following trauma especially in individuals with congenital vascular malformations.
The tests of choice are MRI or CT -brain.

If these causes are excluded then psychological problems should be considered and psychiatric consultation is needed.

Hope you find this information useful.
Please keep us updated.
Best regards.