Memory loss

[Chocc21]

For the past 6 months I have been having daily problems with memory problems which have been escalating of late to include issues with my judgement. Its gotten to a point where I no longer can read a book as I forget what I have read the previous day. I am finding I am fixated on worrying and my mind is buzzing, sometimes an actual electrical buzzing. There is no silence other than when asleep. I wouldn't say I was depressed before but I am now as the memory has affected my ability to work or social activities. There are times I do have suicidal thoughts of late as my life is literally vanishing in front of me. I lost the house keys the other day and found them in the ice box and I have no recollection putting them there. I used to be always in control of my environment and now I don't remember anything from yesterday unless it's written down. Is this depression or something more serious?

How o!d are you?

I'm 45.

Hmm. Thought you'd be about that age. It's what happens to us all I'm afraid. I can't tell you how many times I've found my cat keys in the fridge, or raced upstairs to then not remember what I came up for! I can't remember the name of the chap I met yesterday, but can recount in great detail something that happened in 1972.

Hi

I think this all sounds quite worrying. It could just be age but it's really worth getting it checked out as it doesn't sound normal to me. I hope I haven't alarmed you. Please go and see your GP. It might be nothing but it's worth getting checked out especially as it's making you feel suicidal.

Do you do crosswords or puzzles? They are supposed to help! I have a dreadful memory these days.

MrsLeigh - where exactly do you insert the cat keys?

I'm the same age as you with very similar symptoms. I'm not worried about it as such but it's definitely causing problems at work. I assumed it was age / hormones.

If it's troubling you to this extent you must go to the GP. Please let us know what he or she suggests.

CAR KEYS!!!!

shggg in work I write everything down. Every little thing.

Yes i'm going to have to do that. I got a serious telling off at work, as I have so many crappy but essential procedures to remember.

All the managers are very school marmish so make me feel like a naughty 10 year old who 'needs to take much more care'.

I'm fantasising about jacking it in and just doing my garden. It's terrible, I also struggle to concentrate for longer than 10 minutes.

It's liked someone's hacked my brain. I'm also thinking about seeing my GP but worry he'll think I'm a hypochondriac.

I'm not sure what the GP can do. My similarly aged friends all have the same problem, and I can remember my parents discussing it with their friends years ago.
We can't halt the ageing process, no matter how hard Amanda Holden and her like try.

I'm reassured that is not just me. Lists are def the way forward.

Hmm, I'm a couple of years older than you and s lot of my friends complain of memory problems. I think it can be linked to the menopause. I'm not experiencing it to the same degree as you though at all, so I think I would check st the doctors.

The keys to the car are next to the bed in a little dish where the house keys are. My driving is another concern I have started to speed when I never have before in my 20 years of driving. I've never had an accident or ticket for anything but worrying constantly about getting them. Sometimes I cannot remember how I got home and that scares me. My concentration seems so poor so suddenly.

No I don't do cross words, I've never been good with words though I did suduku for a while until I started to forget how to do that. I now that very aggravated I can't when I used to be able to do them very quickly hmm

Depersonalisation?

HildurODegard: No. Just blankless. Having some memory even if remote would be nice.

I wonder if your memory is worse because you are so worried about it - kind of viscous circle. I absolutely can't remember what I read yesterday, or the same day but I am 72. I don't think it's depression and I'm sure you're worrying about dementia. It's highly unlikely but I think it would be wise to see a GP given that it's been going on for 6 months. Having said that, it's true that the mid 40's is definitely a time when memory loss starts to affect us.

NanaNina: Yes I'm worried about early on set dementia which can start in the 40s. Or something called Mild Cognitive Decline comes up too. Why I'm not sure as I worked for a long while in IT solving other people's problems but don't any more. I have an appointment on Monday with a doctor. Yes I am really worried and just tired. Even walking around the supermarket today I was all light headed and just really odd.

Before worrying about dementia I would go and get things like your thyroid B12 and iron levels measured by a blood test.

I am 39 and felt like this recently including getting lost driving back from the shop twice. I had low iron levels and was pretty much completely back to normal within about 10 days of taking iron tablets

chocc don't worry too much…I get memory issues due to depression…CPN reassures me that I've not got early onset dementia (I am obsessed). I can do the following easily:

-go somewhere and have no recollection of the journey
-get lost in familiar places/on familiar routes
-forget to press the bell to get off the bus (not allowed to drive) this happens A LOT
-I've not been able to read for over 5 months now and was an avid reader before.
-making cups of tea with about 3 bags/cold water

You mention being worried. Perhaps you are, as my CPN suggested for me, preoccupied? Whatever it is, please see your GP- but don't assume that you're losing the plot as there are probably more sensible and less worrying explanations x

BTW similar to your keys in the ice box I've found my purse in the fridge on top of the marg (I was only 25 at the time) it's a running joke now. "I can't find my purse!" :"have you checked the fridge?"

Choc21 I think feeling light headed and a "bit odd" is probably due to anxiety, and you will be anxious, and that can cause all sorts of symptoms, some very weird ones, so try not to worry about every symptom. Easier said than done I know. I have a mental health issue and I was worried about memory loss but the psychiatrist said it was my concentration that was the problem. Having said that my memory is crap, and I used to have a really good memory.

Be interested in the G.P's thoughts although there isn't going to be a diagnosis - probably "wait and see"

Do have your hormones tested. My mum had similar and almost instant 'cure' on HRT. I'm not saying it's definitely this but lack of estrogen can restrict blood flow in the brain and make you feel very very foggy. She forgot her pin having used it 10mins before and was scared she had demetia!

Thyroid test worthwhile too

Some interesting suggestions there for me to think about rather than the frightening ones. I shall take your suggestions on board and demand the doctor taps away on his computer really hard.

ihopeyouhadthetimeofyourlife: Well I'm having to take the Sat-Nav with me locally now as reassurance so I know how to get home from places I should know.

NanaNina: My long term memory is really first class. My earliest memory is at 18 months with my parents on a beach. The rest of my memory is pants. For example is if meet two or three new people I forget their names within 20 seconds which was annoying. I think anxiety and awareness of seemingly my mind slowing down is making it worse, I agree.

Dangermouseisace: very funny. And I remember danger mouse and penfold (hamster was he?) . Yes I will see a doctor on Monday. I actually got an appointment really fast normally it's like trying to get to see the pope.

PrimeTeach87: I'm glad your mum got sorted out. HRT is a wonderful thing so I've heard. I didn't know the lack of estrogen did that - Interesting!