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Just knackered or early dementia?

21 replies

Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 18:32

DD just turned 2 and it’s only in the last few weeks that she’s really started to sleep through the night. Even so we’ve still had a couple nights of sickness, some early wakeups (5 am when I have to get up for work at 6😭), that sort of thing. And I had terrible insomnia during pregnancy, so I’m at nearly three years of not getting a full night’s rest. Lately I’ve been feeling quite addled, don’t remember what ive gone to the cupboard for, or that I’ve already set a spoon out for her breakfast, for example. I’ve taken a few days off this week (when I would usually have worked) and I couldn’t remember what day it was today (I knew it was Christmas but couldn’t remember the day of the week) or what we’d done yesterday! I had to really think about it for a moment and only then did I remember—though once I remembered it, I remember everything in great detail.

I am a nurse and work in outpatients, there’s nothing where I feel deficient in my work life. DH says he thinks I’m just doing too much at once (when I forgot I’d gotten her spoon already, I’d had to get up about six times to get things during the meal already, before I’d eaten!, not because I forgot but because DS and DD were asking for more things, DH forgot to set the butter out, etc.)

I’m wondering if this is familiar to anyone and whether it was related to sleep or dementia or stress or something different? There is dementia in my family but not early onset that I’m aware of. If it is related to a sleep deficit, how long did it take you to recover? DS was sleeping through from his 1st birthday and I didn’t have insomnia during my pregnancy with him, so this is the longest I’ve ever gone with such rubbish sleep.

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Wavescrashingonthebeach · 25/12/2024 18:35

Sleep deprivation is brutal it does awful things to your mind. Are you taking B vitamins too? It's easy to get low on B12 and that causes brain fog.
Get your bloods done when you get a chance x

Softycatchymonkeys · 25/12/2024 18:35

The examples you’ve used are not dementia-esque things (I remember watching a lecture by a dementia expert that going into a room and forgetting why you’re there is NOT evidence of dementia. The logical answer here is chronic sleep deprivation. And I’m in the same boat with my 18month old. I haven’t had 8 hours in about 2 years and my brain is not as sharp as it was 😫😫

mynameiscalypso · 25/12/2024 18:36

I think this is totally normal. Or at least, it describes my life since DS was born 5 years ago!

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olderbutwiser · 25/12/2024 18:37

I had 5 years of sleep deprivation with mine, looking back I have no idea how I held down a demanding job. Just having small kids is discombobulating. It will get a lot better over the coming months and years.

Holesintheground · 25/12/2024 18:41

It's one person's data but those things are totally unlike dementia as I've seen it. In my experience the person forgets long term fundamental things, like where they live, whether their spouse is alive, what year it is. Not the kind of short term memory lapse you're talking about. As said above, sleep deprivation is the logical answer. Is there anything you can do to help that a little bit? I remember that when I was up twice a night and it dropped to once, I felt so much better and sharper.

Wren77 · 25/12/2024 18:46

Could it be perimenopause? I have asked myself the same question as you but now I think its caused by brain fog with a touch of chronic depression

Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 18:48

Thank you all, this is quite reassuring. I’ve had occasional lapses but it’s felt like it’s ramped up in the past few days. I had hoped that after a couple of weeks of sleeping through it’d be a bit better but it actually feels worse somehow? I don’t have that absolutely gutting exhaustion of the newborn days but I am so discombobulated.

I am lucky that DH has been giving me lie-ins this week whilst we’ve both bene home but even if he gets up to get the DC, someone’s shouting or whatever wakes me and it’s quite hard to go back to sleep!

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Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 18:49

@Wren77 i reckon it could be? I’m only 40 but I’ve heard the hormones can start shifting early? I’ve also recently stopped BF DD so also having hormone shifting because of that too 🫠

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hardtocare · 25/12/2024 18:50

Completely normal when you're sleeping badly or have young children. I feel it regularly

HollyBerry873 · 25/12/2024 18:58

Sounds like it’s the sleep deprivation, but I also started getting short term memory lapses in my early 40s when I went into perimenopause. HRT has helped but I still occasionally forget names or other words or have some general brain fog. As others have said, it doesn’t sound like dementia to me though I’m no expert.

Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 19:06

@Wavescrashingonthebeach thank you, I did get my bloods done, they were shockingly okay! I don’t believe they did the B vitamins but iron and vitamin D we’re alright, and I take a multivitamin most days

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Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 19:06

@hardtocare thank you and sorry you’re in the same position, it’s rubbish x

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Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 19:07

@HollyBerry873 i thought I’d have at least a few years before thinking about menopause 🥴

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IceStationZebra · 25/12/2024 19:08

Another one saying take your B vitamins. I got extras on top of a regular multivitamin after I went back to work. It feels like your brain’s been dry cleaned.

Foodylicious · 25/12/2024 19:14

Presume they did your fokate and thyroid bloods too?
Also, if vit D was only just in range it could be low for you.

I'd keep and eye on things and see how you go re ? Perimenopause.
It could well be hormones shifting a bit after stopping by too like you said.
Maybe go back to GP in a couple of months if things still the same (sooner of they get worse).
Is there anyway to improve your sleep or rest?
We have had years of musical beds so we all get the best sleep we can.

HollyBerry873 · 25/12/2024 19:38

Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 19:07

@HollyBerry873 i thought I’d have at least a few years before thinking about menopause 🥴

You might well do! But I thought that too; however, in retrospect at 40 I started having clear symptoms, one of which was brain fog (another more objective one was very clear changes to my periods, as well as suddenly getting acne for the first time since my teens). I think I was quite early to get peri symptoms but not extraordinarily so.

But chronic sleep deprivation seems a more likely culprit. If you’re worried would you consider talking to your GP about it?

Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 21:44

@Foodylicious tgabk you, yes, thyroid was also fine. I reckon musical beds is the way but we’ve not got much space, even if I sleep in the lounge I can hear the DCs. I am massively envious of our friends who have parents nearby who take the DCs for a night or two!

@HollyBerry873 yes I wonder if I’ll have the menopause early. My mum’s unfortunately passed so I don’t know how old she was when she experienced it. Ifyiu don’t mind my asking, what was brain fog like for you?

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VegTrug · 25/12/2024 21:59

Boobsarechanged · 25/12/2024 19:07

@HollyBerry873 i thought I’d have at least a few years before thinking about menopause 🥴

I'm in menopause and turned 40 in August

Boobsarechanged · 26/12/2024 06:45

@VegTrug did your periods stop at 40 or did you start having signs of the perimenopause then?

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EmotionalSupportBlanket · 26/12/2024 10:35

My perimenopause started at 40 with insomnia and brain fog. I'm just about to turn 52 and am still not through the menopause. It can go on for a long time!

Boobsarechanged · 26/12/2024 11:33

@EmotionalSupportBlanket oh dear this thread has gone from reassuring to fairly dire (just kidding sort of!)…i reckon I’ll never get out of the sleep deprivation now 🥴

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