It was then that Staci went to her primary care practitioner with her symptoms and suspicions, and got further testing done as she shared in her TikTok. She also emphasized how she had to really advocate for herself. “I remember she said, ‘Early-onset Alzheimer’s is really rare at your age, but let’s send you to a neurologist specializing in memory care and have you checked out.'”
After her cognitive scores showed mild cognitive impairment in December of 2024, her doctor ordered MRIs of the brain and spine, an EEG, and more bloodwork. “This was to rule out Multiple Sclerosis, seizures, brain bleeds, tumors, and a bunch of other stuff. All of the diagnostic testing came back normal. I went back for a second neurology visit in February of 2025, and we discussed the possibility of it being ADHD, or my anxiety and depression. So she ordered a neuropsych evaluation,” added Staci.
She was finally able to get the blood biomarker testing after continuing to advocate and express concern about her grandmother having the disease. When the biomarkers came back high for Alzheimer’s, she got the PET scan that showed widespread amyloid plaques in her brain. Luckily, insurance covered the cost of the tests for her.
