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?

I'm 34 and had this through extreme stress and anxiety

I am exactly the same! I am 43. It started off that I couldn't read on my kindle as I literally had no memory of what I had read before. Now I find even normal books challenging - but better as the cover acts as a memory prompt. Do you use the internet a lot? I find that makes my concentration worse, especially reading say Mumsnet . I do suffer from anxiety and am going through a particularly stressful time (my hair is also falling out) so am hoping that when this resolves, things might get better.

I think one of the things I find most scary is my drives home sometimes. There are periods, not every day but occasionally where there are gaps in my memory or concentration where I don't have a clue what I was doing. This happened last week on a duel carriageway that drops suddenly from 40 to 30 and has a speed camera on it. I have traveled that road many times so I'm expecting a nasty letter which has not done my anxiety levels any good. I have never had any tickets or ever had an accident before but worried obviously I might as result of this, whatever it is.

To tell you the truth I had a similar serious lapse at a service station 6 months ago. A sharp pain in the head so I came off into a service station and I then I remember buying a drink and snack. Then I was sitting in the car again. I went to doctors (locum) and was referred to neurology as he expected epilepsy (waking seizure). So wasn't able to drive for 6 weeks. Once I got to hospital the consultant took 5 minutes to say I don't and cleared me to drive again. Then I heard nothing.

Nothing else in the car happened much until last week again where I had another headache in the morning approximately an hour before so I took a paracetamol which seemed to work. So I went upon my way. Each time these memory lapses have occurred I've had an headache prior but they don't very often. Mostly I am just getting symptoms as previously described where I am getting increasingly forgetful and having concentration problems and I'm very anxious almost paranoid driving now. I only stay local but even that with a camera on every corner is stressing me so much as I don't feel confident any more.

I did try to stop driving for a while when my car died and I thought great and then he buys me a car to cheer me up! I mean, great lucky me but I don't really enjoy driving now.

allegretto: yes. Get my reading from the tablet now. I have tried reading books many times but it just doesn't go in. Shorter magazine articles I can read or short books but if I can't read something in one day then it doesn't work.

i have mental health problems ,and while memory loss can be a symptom ,
i still had to see a neurologist who diagnosed a functional neurological disorder( i have other symptoms)
my memory is frighteningly bad , i cant recognise faces , words ,colours ,let alone things like i have taken my meds ,fed the dog ,had a drink ect.. but i have a photographic memory of the past .which is bizarre as i would give anything to be able to forget my past (ptsd)

How did it go today with the GP Chocc hope s/he could put your mind at rest.

I find I'm like this when I'm having a bad episode with my bpd, like my brain is using so much effort just being and doing normal stuff that anything extra is just too much to cope with.

I'm 34. It isn't necessarily dementia but tbh if you're having even slightly suicidal feelings you need to speak to someone.

Well he/GP decided it was more likely to be anxiety and depression rather than anything else given me some Sertrline 50mg. I've got some blood tests next week to do; Hormones, Ameania and diabetes and have my blood ptesure taken - Apparently doctors don't do that either.

I stil feel pretty nasty and totally out there. I stil feel there is something more to this but I will be good and take my medicine.

Kitty: I feel like that because I feel like I'm losing my intellect. It's about been one of the few things I been able to rely on but no more it seems. I don't like being able to remember things.

Sorry to hear that wfrances. I don't remember faces so sometimes it seems like total strangers are chatting to me who appear to know my name, where I live and personal things. Yes I know.. stalkers!

Oh well so far so good - I take Sertraline 150mg for depression. Tbh 50mg isn't really a therapeutic dose, but since you don't feel depressed it probably won't work. Think it's much more likely to be anxiety. The other thing that struck me was Vit B12 - some people can't absorb it from their food and need injections. My DIL has to have injections but before she was diagnosed all sorts of strange things were happening. Don't know whether your blood tests include B12

Can I ask has anyone else (DH) or close friend/relative noticed any difference about you. It's just they do say those close to people who have MH issues usually notice something before the patient. My DP can tell whether I'm having a bad day just hearing me walk from the bedroom to the bathroom, mind I know myself as soon as my eyes are open.

I tell you one thing you haven't lost - your sense of humour!

Nina: He never said anything just a car appeared and he told my mum he bought it to cheer me up. Mum then told me. At least he got the colour right on his own.

How long does it take to feel better on Serraline? He's only given me a box of 28 at one a day.

Hmm - it's difficult to say because I've been up and down on whatever meds I'm on, for 6 years! I'm working my way through the pharmaceutical options with not much success. Also you don't feel depressed do you - they might help with the anxiety but 50mg is a very low dose and it's a "trial" dose really to see if you get any side effects.

Has he given you another appointment?

Nice gesture with buying you a car.