Sean Fischer’s Mother’s Health Journey

For many years, Sean Fischer’s mother struggled with her health, experiencing a relentless decline. She often repeated herself, succumbed to debilitating migraines, and had trouble maintaining her balance.

In June 2022, after years of uncertainty regarding her condition, doctors diagnosed her with Alzheimer’s disease. Sean reflected, “We had spent so much time worrying about her ailments, but I never thought it would be early-onset Alzheimer’s. That’s something that happens to other families, not ours.”

The Fischers sought advice from leading neurologists and prepared Mrs. Fischer, then 61, for a clinical trial testing a new drug called varoglutamstat. Just as they were moving forward, they received distressing news: she was ineligible. Doctors discovered she was facing a persistent spinal fluid leak, yet they couldn’t identify its origin or correct it.

The suspicion was that this leak stemmed from epidurals she had during childbirth. Epidurals, which numb the lower body, are commonly used and about 61 percent of women opt for them during labor.

After enduring her struggles for over a decade, doctors proposed a new procedure. They would inject dye into her spinal fluid to locate the leak, identified as a small area in the middle of her back.

A few weeks after they repaired the leak, her symptoms vanished, and doctors revealed she did not actually have Alzheimer’s. The tiny leak was behind her myriad issues.

Mrs. Fischer’s health issues began years before her Alzheimer’s diagnosis. In the spring of 2001, Sean received a call from his father stating that his mother had pulled over on the highway due to a sudden, severe headache. Initially labeled a migraine, her condition worsened, leading to a diagnosis of Ménière’s disease when she lost hearing in one ear months later.

She adapted to these changes, taking daily medications and managing her condition to support Sean and his brothers through their childhood. Despite her struggles, she attended every soccer game and school event.

In 2010, neurologists diagnosed her with a Chiari malformation, where the brain protrudes through the base of the skull. They believed this malformation was linked to her previous epidurals during childbirth.

Epidurals are generally safe, administered to relieve pain during labor by injecting anesthetic into the spinal column. However, if the needle damages the protective membrane around the spinal cord, a leak can occur.

This leakage may lead to a severe decrease in cerebrospinal fluid, causing various symptoms, including debilitating headaches and memory issues. Sean noted the subtle decline in his mother’s cognitive abilities as he began high school in 2015. There were moments when she struggled to follow recipes while cooking together or had difficulty interpreting her calendar.

As time passed, phrases like “You already asked me that” became commonplace in their household. Although she consulted with numerous doctors regarding her anxiety, headaches, and hearing, none connected her diverse symptoms to a singular cause. As her memory challenges intensified, the Fischers sought further evaluations at NYU Langone Health’s Center for Cognitive Neurology.

After extensive testing, the result was a definitive Alzheimer’s diagnosis. This news hit them hard; Mrs. Fischer was bedridden for days once she learned there was no treatment.

Hope arrived when they were informed she could eventually participate in the drug trial after fixing the spinal fluid leak. Fortunately, recent advancements in medical procedures meant they could identify and repair the source of the leakage.

Months later, a probe was introduced through the femoral artery in her leg up to her spinal area, successfully sealing the leak.

When Sean visited after the procedure, he was astonished by the improvement in his mother’s alertness. There was a notable difference; she seemed more present and engaged. Within weeks, her vertigo disappeared, and her physical therapist deemed her treatment unnecessary as her balance returned.

Remarkably, after six weeks, any issues with her memory had completely resolved. Eventually, her neurologist confirmed she did not have Alzheimer’s, much to the astonishment of the surgical team; they had never witnessed such a rapid recovery.

Later, the family learned that a year prior to the surgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center had published information urging doctors to check for spinal fluid leaks in dementia patients—a treatable issue often overlooked. They found instances where fixing the leak resolved symptoms for several patients diagnosed with similar conditions.

In Sean’s mother’s case, various specialists had treated her symptoms independently without addressing the underlying cause. Nonetheless, the family held no resentment towards the medical community; they recognized that the system had both misdiagnosed and ultimately saved her life.

“More than anything, we are grateful that a scientific breakthrough occurred at just the right time, uncovering the real source of her suffering,” he stated.