Hi.... I’m New and Just Joined!

[akfraser]

Hi my name is Anne... I am 51 and recently tested positive for ApoE4. My Mom died at 73 and had Alzheimer’s and my Dad 6 months prior to her at 73 years and had vascular dementia. We did brain autopsies to confirm this. I took care of my parents for the last 3 years of their life until they both passed in 2012. I decided to get tested after learning about Dr. Bredesens book and was experiencing some memory issues. I am very excited to learn and meet people.
Thank you for reading this and please introduce yourself!
Akfraser

[Cas]

Hi Akfraser,

Welcome to the site and thank you for introducing yourself. I’m working as an intern on the site at the moment and I also have a family history of dementia so understand what caring for your parents would have been like.

I’m so pleased you have joined the site, there is such a lot of information here and it’s a great supportive community. Have you seen the primer yet? This was written by one of our members and it’s a great starting point for learning about ApoE4 and the various lifestyle strategies, you can find it here.....

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=1418

There is also a wiki with useful information on to

https://wiki.apoe4.info/wiki/Main_Page#About_This_Wiki

There is quite a lot to digest at first so please come back on and post any questions or thoughts you may have as they crop up!

Hope to hear from you soon,

Catherine

[Jan]

Hi, Akfraser! Welcome! I am so glad you found our community, I have a feeling you will fit right in. As you read Dr. Bredesen's book, you'll become aware of his emphasis on community as a strong plus for continuing good health. And as you explore different threads, you'll see that we have wide-ranging discussions on a great variety of topics on the site. (Our site search engine is the three stacked vertical squares, to the right of your name at the top of the page.) Dr. Bredesen's book will explain the ReCODE (Reversal of Cognitive Decline) program, which many of our site members follow to some extent. And there is another resource you might want to look at - a book by Dr. Steven Gundry (we have site members who follow Dr. Gundry also) called The Plant Paradox.

Look forward to your contributions and questions!

[Jan]

Hi my name is Anne... I am 51 and recently tested positive for ApoE4. My Mom died at 73 and had Alzheimer’s and my Dad 6 months prior to her at 73 years and had vascular dementia. We did brain autopsies to confirm this. I took care of my parents for the last 3 years of their life until they both passed in 2012. I decided to get tested after learning about Dr. Bredesens book and was experiencing some memory issues. I am very excited to learn and meet people.
Thank you for reading this and please introduce yourself!
Akfraser

Do you have routine lab testing done, Anne? And do you have an idea of your different hormone levels? Those are often good starting points for evaluation of overall health goals. Please let us know if you have any questions at all, and once again, welcome!

[chrissyr]

Hi Anne-- Sorry for the loss of both of your parents. Even though you are a few years out, I'm sure you are still missing them, and obviously must have dealt with ongoing loss for the decade or so prior.

Welcome to this community! I hope you find it to be as supportive and helpful as I do!
Christine

[kellipsf]

Hi Jan - you mentioned 'hormone levels'? I am also a recent joiner who discovered I have one 4 plus a parent who recently died of Alzheimer's. I'm a 51 year old female who has not gone through menopause (or any symptoms of) and wonder what you mean by the importance of hormone levels? I'm in good shape, exercise regularly but either experiencing symptoms of or in full panic mode and inducing memory issues! Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

[Jan]

Hi Jan - you mentioned 'hormone levels'? I am also a recent joiner who discovered I have one 4 plus a parent who recently died of Alzheimer's. I'm a 51 year old female who has not gone through menopause (or any symptoms of) and wonder what you mean by the importance of hormone levels? I'm in good shape, exercise regularly but either experiencing symptoms of or in full panic mode and inducing memory issues! Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Hi, kellipsf, welcome to the site. Losing a parent to Alzheimer's is horrendous stress, certainly enough to induce 'memory issues' on its own, even before adding in the additional stress that can come with discovering that you have one 4. Of course, I don't know and couldn't possibly tell (from our short interaction here on the forum) what is the source of the memory issues that are worrying you. But when I look at the circumstances you've just presented, I'm more inclined to think 'stress' is the culprit here. (Only a professional evaluation could give you a definitive answer.)

Hormone levels are important across the lifespan, for men as well, but especially for women. And that's regardless of age, menopause status, etc. Are you familiar with Dr. Dale Bredesen's book, The End of Alzheimer's: the First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline? There are 15 separate entries under 'Hormones' in the index, and this quote from page 207: "In order to prevent or reverse cognitive decline, it is critical to work with your physician to optimize hormone levels..." And then he goes specifically into thyroid, estradiol and progesterone, testosterone (men and women), and adrenal function. (It is wonderful to work with a physician, but there is much that can be done on your own also.)

Being in good shape, exercising regularly - I can't tell you how much I liked reading that! That puts you very far ahead in the game!

Let me urge you to start exploring the threads within the site. Start with our site Primer It was written by physician member Stavia, and contains a great deal of explanatory information, that will give you a very good grounding in so many areas that will be important to you in the future.

We have a great deal of information about hormones on the site. In fact, Stavia right now is working on a Wiki about that exact subject. Meanwhile, there is a very large thread discussion hormone replacement therapy for E4 women here: viewtopic.php?f=16&t=119&hilit=hormones (I know you have no menopausal symptoms yet, but it never hurts to anticipate the future, and there's lots of ancillary information that could be of benefit in the responses also.)

Our site search engine will be your best friend. It's the three stacked squares to the right of your name, at the top of each page. Click on that icon, select search, and put in any term that you'd like more information about. That's also where you access the site Wikis, which are expanding as we grow.

Remember that the 4 you have is predictive of a possibility of late-onset AD. You're very young (late-onset speaking) for AD symptoms to manifest now. While that is not impossible, I would be inclined to think that you're having a very normal reaction to the stress you have been under. And don't forget the possible cardiac implications of the gene. You want to pay close attention to heart health as well. In fact, all of the attention you pay to 'general' good health will be beneficial to your cognitive health in the future.

There's no 'cookie-cutter' healthiest lifestyle so we each work on figuring out our personal best. Very glad to have you walk with us! Post any additional questions you have. The members of this site share unstintingly with others pursuing their own best course.

[shacherry]

One thing I thought I’d share since I’ve noticed hormone levels mentioned a few times in threads.

I think it’s important to talk to a doctor and look at your family history for hormone driven cancers and really check your hormone levels before starting any sort of hormonal supplements.

My personal story is that I unknowingly had a hormonal imbalance that is part of why i developed breast cancer. My issue was the opposite you would think. Androgen excess, and no one in my family had breast cancer. It turns out I carried a genetic mutation in the CYP21A2 gene that predisposes women to androgen excess( signs are unwanted facial hair, hard time having children, acne, obesity, heavy menstral cycles).

Androgen excess is a reason midlife women are more at risk for heart disease. The gene regulates a protein that makes cortisol and sex hormones. Interestingly, it’s also related to cholesterol biosynthesis. I think the plot thickens!