Memory problems - when to worry

[Bunnyfuller]

I’m 54, post-menopause.

Have been experiencing increasing issues with memory over the last few months, noticeably. This weekend I threw my phone in the bin outside Ikea and set some kitchen foil and a metal tray on fire in the grill I had forgotten to turn off. I’ve had a couple of instances of being on a familiar roundabout and not knowing which exit I should be taking. I have some trouble with words, and have to write lists for all my work stuff.

I have no genetic background info so no pointers there. Just wondering if this is normal for the age I am, is is stress (teenagers, exams/Covid etc), a side effect of the meds I’ve gone on for inflammatory arthritis or is this a sign of early onset Alzheimer’s? Of course I don’t expect a diagnosis here, just any common experiences or views.

Honestly, it could be any one of those things you've mentioned. I'm same age/stage as you and I've had all of those things, but it is noticeably worse when I'm tired and stressed. I think the only way to be sure is to see your GP for a check-up.

Have you considered hrt?

I’m not sure day to day activities when you’re stressed and on medication are good indicators.
Try some memory tests, recalling information etc and see how that goes.
It must be worrying x

Thanks all. I cannot take HRT as I had a heart attack in 2019.

I will Google memory tests, thank you.

I don’t think it’s unusual at your age, to be fair. But a chat with the GP might put your mind at rest.
I’m younger than you, and am finding words are becoming a problem. DH is a bit older than you and also got lost on a very familiar roundabout last year. It’s not been a problem since.

@Bunnyfuller

Thanks all. I cannot take HRT as I had a heart attack in 2019.

I will Google memory tests, thank you.

Eh? Is that a thing? Maybe revisit that?

HRT is contraindicated following an MI. I’ve seen the NICE Guidelines, GP had to show me them as stopping HRT was more terrifying than the heart attack 😂😂😂🙈

OP, I would go and see the GP, but how bad was your heart attack? Is it possible that it caused a temporary lack of oxygen to your brain which in turn could have caused some issues?

I had a cardiac arrest in 2019, and while I by no means have those issues, I’ve noticed that occasionally I just can’t find a word I’m looking for. My day to day memory or my long-term memory aren’t affected, it’s just this one thing, and it’s been put down to the fact that my brain had a temporary reduction in oxygen during my cardiac arrest, although as I was given CPR very quickly (in hospital) it wasn’t of concern, iyswim.

@AlternativePerspective omg how scary. I hope you are ok now - was the cardiac arrest due to a heart attack or something else?

My troponin levels were very high, damage to both ventricles and mitral valve, but I remained conscious throughout, no cardiac arrest, although it was query ICU just after the angioplasty.

If it’s just age I just need to suck it up, but the phone yesterday, and the fire today have shaken me up a bit, it seems a bit more than just absent minded.

Anyone else with experience of memory issues with a parent perhaps?

Stress can effect us more than we realise. I thought that I had alzheimers at one point ( ny mum had been diagnosed) because I was forgetting things. Forgot where I'd parked the car in town & felt lost & panicky. Convinced I was going down the same route as my Mum. Turns out it was stress & anxiety because of the amount that was going on at the time. I went on antidepressants for a while. The start of Mums problems was that she had undiagnosed vitamin B12 deficiency which then contributed to her losing some of her brain function.
I would ask the Dr to run some blood tests for you to rule things out, and maybe look at what else is going on to contribute to stress levels. I think in our 50's a lot of us start to forget things. Try not to worry until you've spoken to the Dr. Keep us updated x