Need some advice

[Grmnshplvr]

Hoping someone with a medical background could help me out here,

My brother is almost 40 no history of mental illness. My sister in law told me about 2 weeks ago my brother sometimes is talking in circles, not really making sense. I saw him shortly after that he was fine to me, I text him all the time, no concerns, always seems normal, normal responses....Anyways everyday I pick up my kids and their two kids from school, take my nephews home. Every day, been doing it for years. My sister in law called my office today and said "I told the boys to take the bus today if I can't get out early" I said why am I not picking them up? She says your brother told me you couldn't pick them up today and I need to figure something out because he'd be working.

I never told my brother this, never even talked about picking the boys up with him. so I told her no I'll be there like I always am. I text my brother and said why did you tell her I wasn't picking them up today? He says I never said that, never even talked about it.

I asked my nephew who told you I wasn't picking you up today? He says my dad told me you couldn't so I should take the bus or see if mom can pick me up early.

I'm really worried now, what would explain him completely making up a story and then forgetting he ever even said it 12 hours later and a story that literally came out of no where? we never discuss me getting the boys because I just always do. He's never done drugs, drinking, nothing like that. My sister in law told him he needs a MRI and he said we're crazy. I'm driving myself crazy on webmd and I know he needs to see a doctor but any clue as to what we could be dealing with here and how to convince him to go see a doctor if he thinks we're the ones making things up?

 

[kmb584]

Hoping someone with a medical background could help me out here,

My brother is almost 40 no history of mental illness. My sister in law told me about 2 weeks ago my brother sometimes is talking in circles, not really making sense. I saw him shortly after that he was fine to me, I text him all the time, no concerns, always seems normal, normal responses....Anyways everyday I pick up my kids and their two kids from school, take my nephews home. Every day, been doing it for years. My sister in law called my office today and said "I told the boys to take the bus today if I can't get out early" I said why am I not picking them up? She says your brother told me you couldn't pick them up today and I need to figure something out because he'd be working.

I never told my brother this, never even talked about picking the boys up with him. so I told her no I'll be there like I always am. I text my brother and said why did you tell her I wasn't picking them up today? He says I never said that, never even talked about it.

I asked my nephew who told you I wasn't picking you up today? He says my dad told me you couldn't so I should take the bus or see if mom can pick me up early.

I'm really worried now, what would explain him completely making up a story and then forgetting he ever even said it 12 hours later and a story that literally came out of no where? we never discuss me getting the boys because I just always do. He's never done drugs, drinking, nothing like that. My sister in law told him he needs a MRI and he said we're crazy. I'm driving myself crazy on webmd and I know he needs to see a doctor but any clue as to what we could be dealing with here and how to convince him to go see a doctor if he thinks we're the ones making things up?

Your brother should definitely make an appointment with his primary care doctor. The PCP will most likely order labs and possibly (probably) a CT scan of his brain. Unfortunately, there is really no way to say what could potentially be going on until he's had testing done. I will say, stay off of WebMD. I've seen that site drive a person crazy. At least once a week, and usually more often than that, I take a call from a panicked patient telling me all about how WebMD said they could have this, this, or this. 99.99% of the time, their dx (if there is one) isn't the rare/life-threatening/I'm going to die tomorrow one that they found online.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

Yes webmd brought up schizophrenia immediately so I just stopped looking. I hope we can convince him to go to a doctor. The whole thing is just really bizarre.

 

[sonnyjane]

I'd say to tell your SIL to keep track and write down any examples of the odd behavior. It will come in handy for both proving to your brother that he does indeed need to go see a doctor AND then when he goes to see the doctor, he'll have examples.

Also I agree to avoid searching. It will tell you everything from a vitamin deficiency to brain cancer and everything in between.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

She said for a while she thought she was the one going crazy but my nephews both said he told them this too.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Confusion could be a symptom of a number of different mental or physical ailments. He should be taken to his doctor.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

But he won’t go! She told him he needs to see a doctor ASAP he refuses

 

[sonnyjane]

But he won’t go! She told him he needs to see a doctor ASAP he refuses

I won't go down this path too far (too stressful to get involved in other peoples marriages haha) but if she's really concerned, sometimes you have to put your foot down, especially since he has kids.

 

[Allison]

There is no way any of us could tell you what might be going on and it would be irresponsible if someone tried. I'm sorry.

 

[because]

She said for a while she thought she was the one going crazy but my nephews both said he told them this too.

Are you sure it is not her? She could have told your brother you couldn't pick them up which would explain the nephews saying your brother told them. I find it odd that she suspects something is off with your brother talking in circles, yet she didn't check with you to see if you really couldn't pick the boys up.

 

[Grmnshplvr]

Are you sure it is not her? She could have told your brother you couldn't pick them up which would explain the nephews saying your brother told them. I find it odd that she suspects something is off with your brother talking in circles, yet she didn't check with you to see if you really couldn't pick the boys up.

She did check with me. She called me at work. I don’t think it’s her although i guess it could be. Now I’m more confused than I was to start

 

[gotomu212]

Is he taking any new medication? I was briefly on a sleeping pill, and I had “waking” sleep. I had conversations with other people while asleep. My husband said you absolutely could not tell I was asleep, except I was “off”. I even made a sandwich once- I had no memory of any of this. My husband finally took video of it for me because it seemed so bizarre. I thought it was a big joke until I saw that video.

 

[low-key]

If he is rich he is eccentric , if he is poor he is cray cray

 

[CrankyDad]

Did not ask a random message board for medical advice. Please. Know better then to seek answers like that on some message board.

 

[LSUmiss]

Yes webmd brought up schizophrenia immediately so I just stopped looking. I hope we can convince him to go to a doctor. The whole thing is just really bizarre.

It would be very unlikely to be schizophrenia if he has no prior history & is 40. Age of onset in usually in the 20s at the latest. Also, if no family history of schizophrenia also unlikely. Sounds much less like mental illness to me & more like a medical cause. I have never seen mental illness like this begin with just forgetfulness & confusion. I agree with pp to have him See md & do mri or ct scan or whatever they recommend.

 

[ronandannette]

It would be very unlikely to be schizophrenia if he has no prior history & is 40. Age of onset in usually in the 20s at the latest. Also, if no family history of schizophrenia also unlikely. Sounds much less like mental illness to me & more like a medical cause. I’ve have never seen mental illness like this begin with just forgetfulness & confusion. I agree with pp to have him See md & do mri or ct scan or whatever they recommend.

Agree. Periodic erratic behaviour like that would have me much more concerned about something neurological than psychological.

 

[amberpi]

Has he been taking any allergy meds by chance? I do weird stuff on allergy and sinus meds and sometimes don't have any recollections of it. I won't drive after taking them and try to take them only at night. I mostly choose to soldier on, but when I'm miserable, I will take them and they make me...bizarre. It's like drinking a ton without the fun, lightheartedness, and much more *strange* behavior.

Regardless, I hope he chooses to see a doc and that it's an easy resolution - like a new med, or just plain old exhaustion. If he's particularly stressed and not sleeping well, that can certainly make one temporarily "off."

Best wishes to your family.

 

[ADLFAN]

I am not a medical professional at all, just wanted to share my experience.

I don't want to alarm you, but confusion and talking nonsense sounds like a brain health issue and those can get serious and irreversible quickly. When was his last check up? How is his blood pressure? My hubby had undiagnosed high blood pressure for years and no insurance or healthcare until it was too late and a vessel burst in his brain and caused a small stroke when he was only 51. At times, in the month leading up to the stroke, he would forget things, act distracted and absent minded, or get confused. I wish I'd known better and made him go to the doctor before it came to that, but I was naive and he was so stubborn. Still, it could have been worse. The scary thing is you never know what part of the brain will be affected by a stroke.

Guilt him into a doctor visit before it turns into an ER visit.

 

[Nancyg56]

He needs a DR and he needs one quickly. I went to teh Dr with my DH when he told me that she was not taking him seriously, and just getting him in and out. Really? That was not like her so I joined him on the next appointment, He told her he was fine! No pain, much better! Ummmm, no. I told her what I had observed. She ordered an MRI on steroids and had him in a neurologist in less than a week. Thank God, because he has Schwanoma, (SP) and those tumors needed to be monitored. Had we waited until profound symptoms occurred the outcome would have been much different. Please talk to your brother and make him understand that a complete checkup is important.

I feel strongly that we all have an obligation to our family to take care of ourselves, and this is the reasoning I used when my DH was resisting all of the appointments we had to make. We made a commitment to each other and to our family, and that commitment extends to medical care for ourselves. My DH had a hard time arguing with that argument. He feels his job is to take care of all of us, so I used that to get him into the Dr. Now he uses that on me.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Hoping someone with a medical background could help me out here,

My brother is almost 40 no history of mental illness. My sister in law told me about 2 weeks ago my brother sometimes is talking in circles, not really making sense. I saw him shortly after that he was fine to me, I text him all the time, no concerns, always seems normal, normal responses....Anyways everyday I pick up my kids and their two kids from school, take my nephews home. Every day, been doing it for years. My sister in law called my office today and said "I told the boys to take the bus today if I can't get out early" I said why am I not picking them up? She says your brother told me you couldn't pick them up today and I need to figure something out because he'd be working.

I never told my brother this, never even talked about picking the boys up with him. so I told her no I'll be there like I always am. I text my brother and said why did you tell her I wasn't picking them up today? He says I never said that, never even talked about it.

I asked my nephew who told you I wasn't picking you up today? He says my dad told me you couldn't so I should take the bus or see if mom can pick me up early.

I'm really worried now, what would explain him completely making up a story and then forgetting he ever even said it 12 hours later and a story that literally came out of no where? we never discuss me getting the boys because I just always do. He's never done drugs, drinking, nothing like that. My sister in law told him he needs a MRI and he said we're crazy. I'm driving myself crazy on webmd and I know he needs to see a doctor but any clue as to what we could be dealing with here and how to convince him to go see a doctor if he thinks we're the ones making things up?

Absolutely get an MRI and bloodwork, asap. This sounds organic. I would be alarmed.