Katie Price reveals she sought out professional advice over fears she may have Alzheimer’s: ‘I’m forgetting things’

Katie Price has revealed she sought professional advice after fearing she had Alzheimer’s.

The former glamour model, 46, says her concerns first arose when she started regularly forgetting people’s names.

Katie said the stress of the situation was driving her ‘crazy’ and admitted she was so worried she decided to seek professional advice.

The reality star even said that she still considers herself “crazy, crazy (and) fun,” but that she has to learn to accept that she’s getting older.

Speak about The Shift with Sam BakerKatie explained, “I said to my therapist, and this is not a joke, ‘Do you think I’m going to get Alzheimer’s? At what age do you get Alzheimer’s?’

Katie Price has revealed she sought professional advice after fearing she may have Alzheimer’s

The former glamour model, 46, said her concerns first arose when she started regularly forgetting people's names

The former glamour model, 46, said her concerns first arose when she started regularly forgetting people’s names

“He said, ‘What do you mean?’ and I was like, ‘Because I just forget things or people’s names that I see every day.’”

“I’m like, ‘Don’t think I’m weird, but what’s your name again? I know your name because you’re here all the time.’

“And when I say things, it comes out differently than I think. I know that’s a little bit of ADHD, because that’s what I’ve been told, but the Alzheimer’s stuff that they just say, that’s ADHD and it drives me crazy, because I forget things.”

Alzheimer’s disease usually begins in people in their 70s, but in rare cases it can occur in people in their 40s and 50s.

Symptoms begin with difficulty remembering recent events or conversations, repeating questions, or having trouble remembering where you put things.

In later stages of the disease, the patient loses awareness of his surroundings, can no longer communicate coherently and has difficulty swallowing or eating.

Katie was speaking ahead of the launch of her seventh autobiography, titled This Is Me, which she describes as the most candid account of her life to date.

And while she admitted she “hated” writing the book, she said she felt it was important to be in control of the “narrative” surrounding her own life.

The reality star even said that she still considers herself

The reality star even said that she still considers herself “crazy, crazy (and) fun,” but that she has to learn to deal with getting older.

Katie explained,

Katie explained, “I said to my therapist, and this is not a joke, ‘Do you think I’m going to get Alzheimer’s? At what age do you get Alzheimer’s?’

But when she delved deeper into her concerns about Alzheimer’s, the Brighton-born media personality said she could also be suffering from symptoms of perimenopause.

She said, ‘(Maybe) that’s what I’m going through too, it’s so weird. No one understands it until you’re there and it’s driving me crazy.

“But I’m 46 and when I ask the therapist, ‘Are you sure I’m not going to get Alzheimer’s?’

‘Because I thought: yes, I sometimes forget things: even things that are so well-known.

‘It’s horrible. I feel young, I don’t think I look my age, I don’t dress my age, and I’m still crazy, crazy, fun, but the realistic thing is I’m 46, so I’m going to go through all of this.’

What is Alzheimer’s?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease of the brain in which the build-up of abnormal proteins causes nerve cells to die.

This disrupts the transmitters that transmit the messages and causes the brain to shrink.

In the US, more than 5 million people suffer from the disease. It is the sixth leading cause of death there. More than 1 million Britons have the disease.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

When brain cells die, the functions they perform are lost.

These include memory, orientation and the ability to think and reason.

The disease develops slowly and gradually.

On average, patients live five to seven years after diagnosis, but some live for 10 to 15 years.

EARLY SYMPTOMS:

  • Loss of short-term memory
  • Disorientation
  • Behavioral changes
  • Mood swings
  • Problems with money matters or making a phone call

LATER SYMPTOMS:

  • Severe memory loss, forgetting close relatives, familiar objects or places
  • Becoming anxious and frustrated by the inability to understand the world, leading to aggressive behavior
  • Eventually losing the ability to walk
  • May have problems with eating
  • The majority will eventually require 24-hour care

Source: Alzheimer Association