Short term memory loss/work/DH... AIBU?

[whatwouldblairdo]

I think I'm going insane... I don't know what's happening to me, but lately I've been experiencing some sort of short-memory loss.

I've been forgetting to complete simple tasks at work, forgetting to do things at home. This morning I went to make some coffee so I put some water, coffee and just left the pot by the cook! Completely forgot to put switch the cook on. Last Monday I was coming home by tube and got off at the wrong station...twice in a row! I spoke about this to my DH but he didn't care, I think he doesn't realise it's serious to me. He thinks I just need some sleep but my struggle is real.

What worries me most is my job. Im worried about going to work next week and forget to do things again. I've been working at this place for only over a month and I can tell my manager is losing his patience because he needs to explain the same things to me over and over again, I always commit the same mistakes.

Everyday my manager tells me to do something and I forget few minutes later and I need to ask him again. I forget where I left documents, or if I handled something over to a colleague. It's not that I need to organise myself. I just completely forget. It's like my brains switch off. I can tell people around me are finding me very "weird".

I don't know what to do... I'm starting to freak out thinking "what should I be doing now? "Have I forgot something?". I'm 32 years old.

Any big stresses in your life at the moment? I'd be tempted to see your Gp. It could be somdthing as simple as low iron. But it's worth getting it checked.

I'm not being facetious, but DO you need more sleep? Things like the coffee thing happen to me a lot and, although I don't tend to forget what I'm doing in work, I set my own workload and timetable so if I do forget it's only me that realises it. I do find I take much longer to do things though and sometimes overlook things-I know, or at least strongly believe, that this is lack of sleep as I have broken nights every night and only get a few hours at the most. I'm told vitamin D supplements and Omega 3 help. Could there be some merit in your DH's thinking?

When I've been in a bad memory phase, I have found that the more I worry about it, the worse it gets. I once saw my GP because I was so concerned, but the lapses I described were down to stress at the time. Once she had put my mind at rest, things got better. So try to relax, although this is the type of advice that is easy to give out and harder to actually do. A chat with your GP might help with your anxiety and this could help with the memory stuff. And never underestimate what lack of sleep can do, it's not used as a form of torture for nothing.

Can you write things down at work? Have a sort of running 'to do' list? Tell your boss you are aware you are forgetting things and that things will get better as you continue in the job. If you are up front, he might feel confident you will improve.

A multivitamin might also help, endless grey skies don't help anyone with anything.

Good luck.

See your GP.

She can test your thyroid and B12 and anything else she can think of.

Write everything down at work, it's so frustrating to train a new person when they don't bother to write anything down then ask five minutes later! Definitely agree with seeing your gp, could be lack of b12, vitamin d, or even a thyroid problem. Malabsorption, any toilet issues lately? But you must write everything down, date and time it so you know when your last instruction was. Best of luck

About 2 months ago I felt like my brain was shutting down. I described myself as feeling 'fuzzy', I needed things explained repeatedly, I forgot stuff and all sorts. One day i began craving a big bloody steak and I suddenly realised that I was probably anaemic as I'm virtually pescatarian usually and normally the thought of eating red meat repulses me.

I called my GP and arranged a blood test for the next day and by the evening my GP had texted to say I had low iron and vitamin D. I picked up a prescription for some supplements and within a few days felt much more human.

Go and get yourself checked, it's probably something simple that can be sorted out.