Why do I forget conversations almost instantly??

[DriftGames]

I've noticed that I forget conversations I have with people almost instantly.. to the point where if I'm in an argument, I can forget what the argument was even about. If I take a phone call, someone could then ask me what it was about and 9/10 I've no idea..

For reference, I'm 25 years old. I haven't always been like this!

[RemyHadley]

Are you paying attention during the conversation? Sometimes I’m talking on auto pilot while thinking about other stuff, and then can’t remember the conversation.

But if your memory has noticeably declined recently then you should probably see your Gp.

[DriftGames]

@RemyHadley I do feel like I'm paying attention, I know what's being said at the time but afterwards I've no idea. My DM called me today to ask me about a conversation I'd had with DH last night and I knew the vague gist but couldn't tell her any details.

[RemyHadley]

And that’s changed recently? Honestly I’d see my GP just to check if there’s a medical reason. You’re very young for any kind of change in your memory. Are you otherwise happy/stressed etc?

[Elieza]

See your gp. Get bloods done. Could be your low in B vitamins which affect memory. Or your hormones are out of whack. Or you’re pregnant. Or stressed, depressed, sleep deprived.

[DriftGames]

@RemyHadley I'd say the last year if not more. I do have an 8mo DD so who I EBF so could it be an affect of hormones?

@Elieza I've had bloods done since this has happened, would that be something that would've been picked up on by chance?

[Elieza]

Yeah you would expect your gp to look at every bit of info on the blood test results. If anything is a bit low he should say.

The problem is that the NHS’s opinion of what is low and other countries/people experiencing symptoms opinion of what is low varies.

We’ve had people on here with iron deficiencies whose gp has told them she’ll redo the blood test in a couple of months time and consider meds then, meanwhile the individual is feeling faint and awful. Someone else with a better result was immediately given iron on prescription. So there is no continuity in that. There are people in other countries where there idea of low is our idea of ok.

So I’ve come to the conclusion that you need to find out what is vaguely low and amend your diet accordingly. So a good talk with your gp.

However I don’t know how much b12 or the whole range of b vitamins being low could affect your memory.

Are you stressed? Or really really busy jumping from one thing to another?
Are you exhausted? Do you sleep well?
Is there a history of anything memory related in your family?
Has anything changed, new meds or new diet etc?

Are you lacking in energy, bursting into tears, having nightmares, falling asleep randomly during the day, anything else - tell the gp all that stuff so she can build a picture of what’s going on.

[DriftGames]

@Elieza so it would be worth mentioning to GP and making sure tests were taken and analysed properly?

I'm stressed & busy at the moment but this has been happening for over a year so I don't think it's to do with that, as I've been all different levels of stress/tired etc over that time!

[Elieza]

You could mention all your symptoms and then say that you had bloods done recently and wondered if anything showed up in those which could explain it.

That way you are not accusing the gp of not taking action, more just mentioning it in case he wants to look at them again while considering all the symptoms you’ve told him. Write the symptoms down and read them off when he phones so you don’t forget anything. Write the list now and you can add to it in coming days as you remember other symptoms. That way you’ll be ready for the phone call / appointment.

It could be the stress that you’ve been under for a long time, even though you were fine before. Your body might just be telling you that it’s not coping and you need less stress. It could also be hormonal. My incredibly capable friend went like that after her baby was born. At first I thought it was sleep deprivation but she didn’t recover years later so I don’t know if it’s an oestrogenic thing!

[DriftGames]

@Elieza that's a great idea, thank you!

I write everything down these days haha! If I think of something I might need for later, it goes straight in my notes!

I sound much like your friend. I have a first class degree in a law & science subject that required some serious memory skills and that was only 3 years ago! Now I can't even remember what my husband said we were doing this evening 🤦🏻‍♀️