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What Causes Poor Memory And Dizziness In An Elderly Person?
Question: In maybe the last month of so, I seem to be very forgetful, trip on things and may have some slight dizziness. I'm wondering it if is my age, 62, meds, or.... A few weeks ago, I was painting my kitchen and all I can remember is I fell against something and hit the left side of my head - my ear hurt terribly and I honestly can't remember what exactly happened. I might have been on a step-ladder, leaning my head back while painting the kitchen soffit above the sink. I might have slipped when blanancing myself on the sink. AND my typing skills and key-entry skills have gotten HORRIBLE. I am making lots of mistakes at work. I've also started taking disulfiram & Naltrexone since last August. Any relation to these symptoms?
Also take oxybutinin. I feel clumsy, bump into things, can't remember what I did 5 minutes ago or where I left things, not sure I'm making good decisions while driving (never had an accident or ticket) wondering if my co-workers are mad at me because I am constantly making mistakes. Seems worse since I started takin disulfiram and naltrexone - could these meds be causing some of this. Sometimes I can't fall asleep but I do stay asleep once I do. Shortly after starting these meds, I stripped and refinished 3 window sills, painted my kitchen, dining room, living room, 3 hallways and a stairwell even tho I had a mild cold or virus. This is also when I hit my head twice - once on a handrail while applying masking tape to baseboard and maybe (can't remember) when I was painting a kitchen soffit - leaning backwards,looking up toward the soffit all while hanging over a kitchen sink on a stepstool. Maybe paint fumes and mineral spirits and varathane fumes were not helping - never been a problem for me in the past! So, I guess my question is, are some of my feeling like I'm not connecting mentally and being clumsy - is this related to all my prescriptions, especially the disulfiram and naltrexone?
Prescriptions:
Fluoxetine 20 mg
Losartan-HCTZ 100-25 mg
Amlodopine 2.5 mg
Atenolol 75 mg
Oxybutinin 10 mg
Atorvastatin 10 mg
Naltrexone 50 mg
Disulfiram 250 mg
Multivitamin
Vitamin D
Baby Aspirin
I'm overweight, 5'4", 195 lbs. Since starting the Disulfiram and Naltrexone, I don't have much interest in food. Doesn't stop me from having 2 big bowls of ice cream at 8 pm because good food just did not appeal to me. I don't think I am depressed but feel numb and disinterested and just want to be by myself mostly. I find myself wide awake at 2 am - not like me because I usually fall asleep easily by 10:30 pm. I've even been able to read several books because I can't fall asleep some nights. Totally not like me - Normally I'm lucky if I can read a page before falling asleep. And I've watched quite a few movies. I realize I've accomplished a lot of stuff because I'm not drinking 1-1/2 bottles of wine every night. But, this constant lack of memory and clumsiness and transposing numbers and making mistakes all the time is really bothersome to me. And probably really annoying to everyone around me.
Also take oxybutinin. I feel clumsy, bump into things, can't remember what I did 5 minutes ago or where I left things, not sure I'm making good decisions while driving (never had an accident or ticket) wondering if my co-workers are mad at me because I am constantly making mistakes. Seems worse since I started takin disulfiram and naltrexone - could these meds be causing some of this. Sometimes I can't fall asleep but I do stay asleep once I do. Shortly after starting these meds, I stripped and refinished 3 window sills, painted my kitchen, dining room, living room, 3 hallways and a stairwell even tho I had a mild cold or virus. This is also when I hit my head twice - once on a handrail while applying masking tape to baseboard and maybe (can't remember) when I was painting a kitchen soffit - leaning backwards,looking up toward the soffit all while hanging over a kitchen sink on a stepstool. Maybe paint fumes and mineral spirits and varathane fumes were not helping - never been a problem for me in the past! So, I guess my question is, are some of my feeling like I'm not connecting mentally and being clumsy - is this related to all my prescriptions, especially the disulfiram and naltrexone?
Prescriptions:
Fluoxetine 20 mg
Losartan-HCTZ 100-25 mg
Amlodopine 2.5 mg
Atenolol 75 mg
Oxybutinin 10 mg
Atorvastatin 10 mg
Naltrexone 50 mg
Disulfiram 250 mg
Multivitamin
Vitamin D
Baby Aspirin
I'm overweight, 5'4", 195 lbs. Since starting the Disulfiram and Naltrexone, I don't have much interest in food. Doesn't stop me from having 2 big bowls of ice cream at 8 pm because good food just did not appeal to me. I don't think I am depressed but feel numb and disinterested and just want to be by myself mostly. I find myself wide awake at 2 am - not like me because I usually fall asleep easily by 10:30 pm. I've even been able to read several books because I can't fall asleep some nights. Totally not like me - Normally I'm lucky if I can read a page before falling asleep. And I've watched quite a few movies. I realize I've accomplished a lot of stuff because I'm not drinking 1-1/2 bottles of wine every night. But, this constant lack of memory and clumsiness and transposing numbers and making mistakes all the time is really bothersome to me. And probably really annoying to everyone around me.
Brief Answer:
Sounds like a subdural hematoma
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
I think your main concern is why are you falling more and having more difficulty with memory. Your story sounds very complex, but ultimately it sounds like you fell and hit your head, lost consciousness, and now you are having memory difficulties and problems.
Disulfiram and Naltrexone do not have these side effects. Naltrexone can cause insomnia, however.
Unfortunately, these are all very common symptoms of a subdural hematoma which is a collection of blood outside of the brain usually after head trauma. The bleeding can cause increased pressure on the brain which can cause a variety of symptoms that can be life-threatening. The most common symptoms are confusion, change in behavior, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, change in sleeping habits, and weakness. You have several of these symptoms such as not being able to sleep at night, reading more often, confusion, and lack of appetite.
You will need a CT scan of the head to diagnose it. Some subdural hematoma will resolve spontaneously, whereas other require surgical treatments.
Sounds like a subdural hematoma
Detailed Answer:
Hi there,
I think your main concern is why are you falling more and having more difficulty with memory. Your story sounds very complex, but ultimately it sounds like you fell and hit your head, lost consciousness, and now you are having memory difficulties and problems.
Disulfiram and Naltrexone do not have these side effects. Naltrexone can cause insomnia, however.
Unfortunately, these are all very common symptoms of a subdural hematoma which is a collection of blood outside of the brain usually after head trauma. The bleeding can cause increased pressure on the brain which can cause a variety of symptoms that can be life-threatening. The most common symptoms are confusion, change in behavior, nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, change in sleeping habits, and weakness. You have several of these symptoms such as not being able to sleep at night, reading more often, confusion, and lack of appetite.
You will need a CT scan of the head to diagnose it. Some subdural hematoma will resolve spontaneously, whereas other require surgical treatments.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Nagamani Ng
Answered by
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