I am the mother of a 20 year old who has had the following symptoms for at least 4 years now. Legs that fall asleep anytime she sits for any length of time, within the last few months, she has started to have severe headaches and has started to experience memory loss and dizziness. She also had a spot missing on the back of her skull that you can actually feel that is about the size of a quarter. If you push on that spot she becomes dizzy. I have taken her to see the doctors about these conditions and I was told that she has bad circulation, that the spot in the back of her head has been there since she was a baby ( which I assure you it was not ). Basically her symptoms have been swept under the rug. I am becoming very concerned as her headaches are becoming more severe and she’s getting them more frequently. I have witnessed her being unable to walk as her legs are both asleep and she is in so much pain because they hurt her so much. She has even fallen to the ground as upon awakening in the morning her legs are so numb that she doesn’t realize it and fall when she gets out of bed. I can see that this is really taking it’s toll on her and it is not only affecting her physically but mentally as well. What prompted me to write this was that I was with her last night and we were driving in her car and out of no where she became very nauseas and very dizzy and we had to pull over as she could no longer drive. I know I need to get her to a specialist but I don’t know what kind of specialist and I don’t know why she is suffering from these symptoms and it is really, really worrying me. Please help!

Dr. Sinuhe Answers:

Thank you for your question. It is difficult for me to try to second guess your own doctor, who has done a through physical examination. However, you describe multiple symptoms such as severe headaches, memory loss, dizziness, weak or numb legs and a possible change of bony structure of the skull. These are potentially very serious symptoms which do justify thorough investigation, possibly together with MRI. A consultation with a neurologist may be needed because of the nature of the symptoms. Please let us know how things turn out.