A 61-year-old woman was mistakenly diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease after a spinal fluid leak caused by epidurals during childbirth mimicked dementia symptoms, her son has revealed.
Sean Fischer said his mother's health began deteriorating in 2001 with severe migraines, hearing loss, and balance problems. Over two decades, she was diagnosed with Ménière's disease and Chiari malformation, and in June 2022, doctors said she had early-onset Alzheimer's.
However, when she tried to join a clinical trial, doctors discovered a persistent spinal fluid leak in her back, likely from epidurals given during the births of her three sons. After sealing the leak, all her symptoms vanished and the Alzheimer's diagnosis was reversed.
Spinal fluid leaks can occur when an epidural needle punctures the dura mater, the membrane surrounding the spinal cord. This can cause the brain to sink, leading to headaches, memory problems, and other symptoms mistaken for dementia.
Sean Fischer wrote about the ordeal for The Free Press, highlighting how a treatable condition was misdiagnosed as an incurable disease. His mother is now symptom-free after the simple procedure.
