It seems no one really knows why my daughter has memory problems. Any advice?

Not sudden...worse over the last 10 years but also meds have increased over the last 10 years. Who knows. Now she is refusing medical tests...she wouldn't go before til psychiatrist ordered her to...now she's refusing tests. She's so darn bullheaded! She didn't used to be. Too much for me. I can only do so much. She will get worse as it moves forward...because WHO KNOWS? Thanks all. I appreciate it.

lupus cerebritis YES a possibility! now if I can get her mentally ill mind accepting the mri and eeg at LEAST as now she is rebelling. Thank you so much!

What's the onset of the memory issues? Sudden, gradual, periodic, consistent?

Most genetic disease does not appear to run in the family - it depends on the mode of inheritance. Some of the worst things, some of which have some treatment that would not have been thought of without knowing - are autosomal recessive which means biological parents just happen to carry one bad copy of the same gene - we all have several bad recessives and its just luck of the draw whose match up. The biggest trouble with gene tests even if they are covered is that you don't know how important it is (or not) to have the answer, until you see what that answer is.

That said, at times the neurologist can come up with the right diagnosis clinically, or maybe it is something autoimmune, and of course that has to be treated also. To give one example, SLE - lupus cerebritis - can present with almost nothing but brain problems. I would say keep pushing for answers and if some test or treatment is not covered appeal it all the way up. A young person with an apparent dementia deserves the best workup they can get.

What tests CAN be done? she's having the mri and eeg. what else can tell what is causing these problems besides the obvious ..the condition and meds....you say gene testing...I can't afford that. What would it tell...anyway as who cares...the family is not afflicted with these problems...children or parents or grand parents...etc. I doubt it's related to relatives.

mslynne, this sounds like something worse than schizophrenia unless it is medication side effects. Dementia in the young is rare but there are neurodegenerative genetic causes that a really good neurologist and/or geneticist should consider. Some of the gene testing that is not covered for outpatient will be covered if done while someone is inpatient. This sounds very rough - I hope you get some answers and have some help.

My daughter says I have memory problems . Sometimes I just seem that way because of to much stress so I just put things out of my mind until reminded . depression causes it !

Could be depression or learning disabilities . Depends on her age . I know depression will cause you to forget things and so will the different types of medicine they put you on . If she is young she could be hyperactive and cause you not to learn well and you actually think your kids have memory problems from not learning . depends on her age .

It is possible for someone with schizophrenia to also develop dementia (life isn't fair). And dementia does not always show up on scans.

What makes you connect her memory loss with the medications she takes for schizophrenia? Did a doctor suggest that?

Susan, I was thinking maybe hebephrenic schizophrenia (if that is what it is still called). The antipsychotics can help, but many go off the drugs because they don't like the side effects. I had a friend who had this type of schizophrenia. Even with the medications, he was always spacy and removed, but he was very intelligent. He had a hard time connecting with the world, though, so he couldn't really use his intelligence.

Which meds? What disease?

This is a tough one. How old is your daughter, mslynne? If she has one of the common types of schizophrenia, it would explain her detachment from her environment. I don't think memory is actually affected, only the connection to the normal reality of the world. I read that your daughter lives independently. Does she do okay?