Worried about my memory. Would this concern you?

[MemoryConcerns]

So I'm mid 30s. Family history of dementia in later life (normal age span expected)

But I'm so concerned about my memory.

I've been on antidepressants for more than a decade, I don't know if that is relevant.

I used to think I was quite smart. Did well at school. Particularly in English literature and language.

Never had the opportunity to progress in Education.

So the last 5 years or so I've got a reputation for being ditzy.

I forget things like why I went into a room. Why I wanted a particular shop. To take meat out to defrost.

Things that I think are quite normal.

But then I forget things like names of people. TV shows. Song titles.

It feels like it's just there in the peripheral of my memory but theres a fog I can't quite break through to retrieve the information that I know is there.

I will not be able to finish a full sentence.

For example "Do you know where the um... The thing is. You know the thing for crushing the things. For dinner. The umm...

Someone will chime in" the potato masher? "

And I will feel silly.

The thing that really pushed this worry is a few days my son was talking about sliding down the stairs in a washing basket or something.
We were walking to school.

I thought 'could he do that? Or would he hit a wall?'

And for a solid 3 or 4 minutes I couldn't remember what my hall looked like or the formation of my stairs.

I've lived there 15 years.

And I could not remember what my hall and stairs looked like.
In my mind I could see a bend with a large step at the bottom.

That simply doesn't exist.

Would this worry you at 34?

Its not a few incidences. I'm like this all day every day.

I also get pressure around the base of my skull a lot.

Which also worries me

Hello MC, I'm sure all this must be upsetting for you, so I think it would be a good idea to make an appointment to see your GP.

If it were me, I'd ask for a double appointment, to make sure I had enough time to explain my worries fully to the GP, and not feel rushed.

They may well refer you to a Consultant for some tests.

The memory is an interest area for very advanced research at present, with beneficial developments coming almost daily, so try not to worry about the future.

Your post doesn't give any idea of time scale, if these were irregular events it's probably quite normal. But it is obviously often enough for you to be concerned, which I guess means you didn't use to struggle. So I would make an appointment to see the doctor. Struggling with names (people and objects) is a very specific issue (type of aphasia) and should be checked out.

Watching because I’m similar op. I can’t remember anything. Forget what I’m mean to be doing, lose my train of thought, I forget people’s names all the time. Have you had your thyroid checked? I think it can make you pretty foggy sometimes.

This is me to a tee!!!! I’m in my 40’s I just assumed it as due to getting on a bit

I am 10 yrs older than you OP but v v similar.

Interested to see that you have been on long term ADs - I have too. (Low dose after not being able to stop them following PND - but it’s been a long time.) I do wonder if this has had a negative effect on my memory.

Name recall terrible. Having to write down EVERYTHING at work. I used to have a brilliant memory.

I'm the same and I'm also 34. Never been on anti depressants but I did have a period of depression a few years ago, it didn't last long but the memory issues have since been much worse.

Did you GP check your thyroid (all of them) and vitamine levels?
After I was properly treated my brain started working again.

I'm 43 and exactly the same and have also been on and off anti depressants for years, it has got worse lately though but I put that down to age. Do you suffer from anxiety at all OP just cos I do quite badly and sometimes think my brain doesn't function properly because it's always in anxious mode so kind of shuts down iyswim

I think everyone experiences that thing where you go upstairs and can't remember what you went up for, but I'd be worried that you can't remember the formation of the stairs in your house. It would be a really good idea to get a doctor's appointment.

Has anything happened? Any bumps on the head, car accidents? Have you given birth recently? (I found my memory was shocking after giving birth and thought I'd damaged my brain somehow with the pressure of pushing for three hours.)

could be something simple like a vitamin deficiency, or stress or anxiety. If you've got a young child your brain is likely taken up with all the millions of things to do with sorting him / her. I'm sure your GP will reassure you. Also these days they are making huge progress on treating dementia etc, so even if it is that (which is unlikely) you could start to find a treatment (Google the person that cured their mum's dementia with diet!).

The stairs sceario is quite worrying. I think you definitely should see your GP.

Hmmm - I have memory and speech issues now after taking ADs. I suspect that it’s fairly common but not discussed.

When I had anaemia my memory was rubbish, after always having had a good one.

Maybe a trip to the GP would be helpful?

I had this on antidepressants but since I’ve been off them my memory is improving. However I’d go and see a GP

My mother has recently been put on ADs for nerve pain, so a lower dose than you are probably on but there's no question that she is a bit more confused and scatty than she normally is.

Also, lots of women can think that they are getting early onset dementia in the prei-menopause. Is it possible that you are beginning to experience it quite early?

I definitely find myself half way through a sentence and forget words. I wonder if it's just that as you get older you have so much to think about and your brain concentrates on the important stuff so you can't retrieve things as quickly. I've definitely had your potato masher moment.

I am sure it is nothing to worry about

If you can get a GP appointment to chat it through it will reassure you.

Another one like you here. My problems started when I had my DD and then got worse when I bought Dhorse. I'm constantly forgetting anything that isn't written down. My absent mindedness is a source of great amusement to those around me and DD gets frustrated with me. Some days I can laugh it off and others I want to hide away and cry for being so stupid.

I forget people's names the minute they tell me, I forget my dog sometimes and have to bother his walker out of office hours which I hate, or one day I got halfway up the motorway and realised he was in the car still and I'd forgotten to drop him off. I forgot to cancel a hotel for work the other day which cost us £75. I'm not on any medication and general consensus seems to be that my brain is just very full day to day and the older I get the more it struggles to retain more recent things. I also rely heavily on patterns and routine to get things done so if something falls out of that I will often totally forget.

I have fibromyalgia and I'm exactly the same OP. It's called Fibro Fog. However still see GP. Only proper medical tests can say for sure.

Here's some info on Fibromyalgia

How's your sleep? When I'm not sleeping well or particularly stressed, I struggle with finishing sentences, will walk into rooms, forgetting why I'm there etc.

I have also wondered if I have fibromyalgia. I get body aches, hormonal headaches, bad PMT, so I suspect it's all connected.

Do you have any of those symptoms OP?

I think it's normal as we get older also we are multitasking so many things - modern lives

It's most likely side effect of ADs - maybe see your GP to see if you can work out a plan to come off them?