Young adult with memory and balance issues
 

I've been experiencing a variety of neurological issues lately, and I'm getting really concerned:

* Poor coordination: I frequently lose my balance, trip, and have a difficult time initiating movements. For instance, this morning I wanted to put several items inside of a bag, and my brain could not figure out how to transfer these objects from the table to the bag. I frequently drop items, regardless of weight. Opening lids, buckling my belt, tying shoes and zipping zippers are challenging for me. I've been told that my gait is very unusual--I walk very fast, my feet are widely spaced apart, and my arms are often awkwardly outstretched/bent.

*Poor visual-spatial skills: I have limited depth perception, a severe astigmatism, night vision problems, and I suspect my eyes may not align themselves properly. I drove on the wrong side of a divided highway because I did not see the highway barrier. While I have myopia (about 7 diopeters), my vision is corrected and I've had recent eye exams so I am not sure why this is happening.

*Disorientation: I've misplaced my car and have a difficult time navigating familiar places. In my "mind's eye" I see everything in a very fragmented fashion: for example, if I know I need to get from my house to the store, I can't fluidly visualize myself walking there--I can only recall snippets of the journey, and I don't know what lies between those landmarks.


*Limited short-term memory: I often forget what I am doing in the midst of initiating a task. Something that happens fairly frequently is that I am walking around town, tell myself I want to go to XYZ Building, enter XYZ Building, and forget why I am there. I lose my keys, cell phone, credit cards, and other personal property several times a day. If I tell myself "I am just going to place my credit card on the store counter for one moment, in order to unbuckle my wallet," I end up leaving my credit card at the store. My memory loss is so debilitating that I frequently spend 2-4 hours a day in search of lost objects. I feel as if my thoughts are literally slipping out of my mind.

I was diagnosed with NLD as a child, a disorder characterized by visual-spatial, sequential processing, and motor skill deficits, but I am concerned that there may be a degenerative disorder at work. While I always struggled with short-term memory, my memory has decreased to the point that I can barely keep up with my day-to-day obligations without significant assistance from others. Doctors noted that I was uncoordinated since toddlerhood, but as a child, I never experienced balance issues this severe, and I was able to hold lightweight objects without dropping them. Does anyone have any insight as to what my symptoms could indicate?

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

I suggest you watch this new YouTube... please watch it
until the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvEiz...ature=youtu.be

This is the B12 thread here. Lots of useful further explanation on it.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html

Mrs. D.

I have NEVER enjoyed a youtube video more than I enjoyed this one. As you know I take 5000 of Methyl B-12 every day. Best thing I ever did. I went to my husband and asked "You ARE taking the same B-12 like I do right?" He said "No, I forget". I said "Tomorrow morning, there will be a note at the table. You will start taking this as of tomorrow morning or I will bop you over the head".

Tomorrow morning. And thank god I have them from Puritan's Pride. I never miss a day.

Mrs. D. I think you probably saved some lives with that video.

Thanks so much

Melody

Great to meet you!!
 

It could be a number of things. My thought, one that I'd apply to myself if having the symptoms you describe, is I'd first see a primary care doc. If no answers, I'd ask for a referral to a neurologist.

You didn't mention your age, and that's okay. A doc, or possibly a neuro group or memory and aging clinic might offer you a much more incisive idea of possible causes/conditions and treatments.