I detected my Alzheimer's at 57 and received early treatment.

A retired internal-medicine physician says he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 57 after a positive p‑tau217 blood test and confirmatory PET and spinal tap, and reports improvement after anti-amyloid treatment while arguing the U.S. system often delays early diagnosis and access to care.

I was a practicing internal-medicine physician for 31 years and began having trouble with routine tasks in my late 50s. At 57 I lost my job after supervisors noticed memory and performance problems; it later took nearly a year to reach a confirmed Alzheimer’s diagnosis. A blood-based biomarker test (p-tau217) came back positive, and PET imaging plus a spinal tap showed the abnormal brain changes associated with the disease. After starting an anti-amyloid medicine prescribed by his care team, the author reports clearer cognition and improved daily functioning two years after diagnosis. Known details: - The author was diagnosed with Alzheimer's at 57 following a positive p-tau217 blood test and confirmatory PET scan and spinal tap. - It took nearly a year to navigate the health system from first concerns to a confirmed diagnosis, during which he lost his job and employer-sponsored insurance. - The author reports clinical improvement nine months into an anti-amyloid treatment and continuing engagement in daily life. - He cites broader barriers: routine cognitive testing is uncommon in primary care, long specialist wait times, insurance denials for treatments, and reduced access in rural areas. - The piece cites population figures and prevention estimates reported in the article, including that some cases of dementia may be preventable or delayed through lifestyle change. Summary: The author describes an early diagnosis that allowed medical and lifestyle responses and says the experience exposed systemic delays and access problems in U.S. care. He calls for wider use of blood-based tests like p-tau217, clearer insurance coverage for FDA‑approved anti-amyloid therapies, stronger primary-care screening, and more caregiver planning to help families manage Alzheimer's earlier in its course.