Mimi, it might be your homocysteine levels then that are the primary factor. High homocysteine levels are a serious problem, so I hope you read up on it and ask your doctor how to lower the levels, if possible. My mother had extremely high homocysteine levels, and what it did to her, other than the OS, is it narrowed the veins and arteries into her brain, with the result of cerebral atrophy (shrinkage of the brain.) She was not tested for her homocysteine levels until after the dementia was obvious, and at that time it was given as an explanation for her strokes, cardiac and lung problems. Since high homocysteine levels can be genetic in a family, everyone in my family got tested. A brother who is only two years older than me had high levels like my mother, and during the years since he was tested, he has had numerous brain stem strokes, just like my mother had, and he is now mostly blind, is in the first stages of dementia, and is no longer able to work as a doctor; he is only age 55, and he was physically fit and of normal weight before the onset of the strokes, with healthy cholesterol and all other stroke factors being healthy, other than the high homocysteine levels.

Kelownagirl, if you have a history of OS in your family, you should get tested. At the minimum, a test will go into your medical records so that in future years and future tests there can be a comparison. If there is no history of OS, most doctors will wait until you are menopausal. But if there is a history of OS, you should get a test earlier in life, and have one every 5-10 years, being careful with your diet, exercise and supplement.

Darcy