Frightening memory loss 😂

Women's health
1

Hi all,

Had a horrible horrible day today.  My memory loss seems to be getting worse, which is just frightening me to death.  I had a referral at work to occupational health and of course barely sat down before dissolving into tears.  I nearly took the wrong road to get there ( which of course should be a familiar route).  Before I went, I tried to phone to confirm I had the correct date and time, but, despite staring at the letter, managed to phone the fax number. The letter also stated "unit 12", so I turned up at "unit 10", thought I must have the wrong place, so drove out of the site completely.  He acknowledges I have a problem calling it "mild but significant memory loss". Now it's a horrendous wait of blood tests, before they consider doing proper memory tests.  He said it could be hormonal, deficiencies, anxiety.....I am frightened to death it's dementia and am now in a complete state.  I don't have any other symptoms you ladies speak of, no aches or pains.  I did have several night sweats going back a few months, but it all came on in September with sudden "spaced out" feelings, which has turned into total forgetfulness on a really scarey level.  And yes I am the one who drove off without paying for fuel and had the police around. I am also the one who works with aluminium and God knows what other metals.  I'm only 45, but with a prolactinoma I am back on medication for.  I have just spiralled into complete despair 😪 

2

Hi bubbins 

sounds like brain fog, had this in peri myself 

and also when people talk and you cant get your brain to take it in

jay x

3

Try not to over worry sweetie

maybe its just hormonal or the prolactinoma like the doc says 

try and relax ... Maybe just brain fog ... 

big hugs 

jay x

4

Hello Bubbins. You are having the worst time ever so sending you hugs. They say our brains turn to cotton wool when we are pregnant and then again in the menopause. Have you spoken to your GP? Occupational Health doctors have their place but often side more with the employer. Make an appointment, write everything down that's happened to you and how you're feeling. You could need a blood test to see if there's anything else going wrong. It could be there is and it can be resolved easily. Keep in touch.

5

Hi, I had some bloods done back in September which came back normal. Also the FSH was normal.  Thyroid normal.  Saw my GP yesterday and had a further blood test today to look more specifically at B12, magnesium, folates, liver function I think.  My sister is a doctor and she says it's probably stress/hormones, but I haven't told her how bad I am 😥x

6

All sounds like me on a regular day. Try not to worry. Get a printout of your blood results when they are back and post them on here so we can help you to understand them. B12 deficiency can definitely cause brainfog and can so easily be rectified. Chin up, this too shall pass for everything does.

7

Thankyou x

8

If you explain to your sister just how bad things are she may be able to help emotionally and in a practical way. After all she is a doctor. Try not to worry too much. Added stress will only make things worse. I know you must be mortified having the police knocking on your door. I just hope they were sympathetic.

9

Thanks.  I feel like she thinks I am neurotic as I seem to have had a few health anxieties in the past year.  She hasn't said as much, just my thought.  I am sure she would be sympathetic.  At the moment I think she is trying to help by making light of my forgetfulness.  Her last text said she is making up the spare bed for me to come and stay!  The police were absolutely fine.  It was, however more embarrassing than anything as I actually work for the police as well......but totally scared me, the fact that I could do that, and on the date it happened, I think I had felt ok.  Has made me nervous and stressed about what else I've done or not done 😥x

10

I also had the same...I can say the brain fog or spaced out feeling has really been tons better...Also went thru not being able to concentrate and just couldnt remember events and would forget conversations I would have with my husband...He would look at me and say "we just talked about that yesterday dont you remember"?So I would have to say its hormones and wouldnt get all worked up...One thing I learned thru this journey is dont get yourself all upset about symptoms and think its a serious illness...Been there and all I did was get my anxiety out of control and then things seemed that much worse...Been a year or so for me in peri and took saliva test and found my estrogen is low so just started a natural and hope it helps me soon!!!!Hope you feel better soon!!!

11

Hiya Bubbins

You sound like you've had the mother of all days!

Personally, I've always had problems concentrating - genetic I believe.  Plus I can switch off if someone's talking cr*p - but that comes in handy sometimes!

I honestly can't tell you when my peri symptoms became that obvious to me as I gather they can start and hang around for a very long time before proper meno hits us. Aside from the insomnia and occasional flushes, I've always been a bit of an 'Anxiety Annie' (sorry if we have an 'Anxiety Annie' on here for real!), a bit of a 'But what if....'-type. 

Haven't experienced your 'spaced out' feelings, but do you do what I do VERY OFTEN:  I saw words that start with the same letter, but often have absolutely nothing to do with the subject in question??  

I think woman are commonly thought to be able to competently multi-task. I'm the first to admit that yes, I do many things at once, but I don't really do any of them very well!  I don't beat myself up about it as I know that's what I've always been like.

Listen, I thought I was the Queen of ringing Fax numbers!! And have for a very long time been in the habit of repeating whole phone numbers as I often transpose numbers.  I think where you're probably experiencing other symptoms, however subtle at the mo, all the things you've mentioned as issues are sort of par for the course I fear.

I agree with Matron: tell your sister how it is.  If she's younger, she'll probably appreciate what she may have to expect when her time comes.  Why not ask her, hypothetically, how she'd deal with one of her patient's who presented the same symptoms as yourself?

Take up your sister's offer of a break.  I think you sound a lil' fragile at the mo and need a bit of support from those you love.  With her medical background, she'll be able to help you put things in perspective:  you've been to see your GP and they are exploring all avenues via blood tests.  I think you'll feel much better once you have a little more info, but for the time being, why not think you're just another fully paid-up member of our Peri/meno Club??!!!  it's membership's growing by the week!

(If its any consolation, just to confirm how befuddled I am, I've had to re-read your original post as I kept seeing the ref to the 'Police' in other posts and had no idea what that was referring to!!  Speed reading was never my forte!!redface)

Cheer up gal, and kick back tonight.  x

 

12

Thankyou.  I made myself go and play football tonite to see if that helped. Felt really weird when I got there and struggled to sort the teams out as there was an uneven number of players.  Again that worried me.  Called in to see a friend on the way home who said " I'll look after you no matter what" which gave me comfort.  Thankyou all again for your support x

13

Hi bubbins

Well done you playing footy tonight. 

You see .. Your energy levels must be good, lets say alot better than mine. 

I wouldnt be able to play footy, i would be off on a stretcher 😀

Be kind to yourself hun. 

Dont over think this brain fog. We all get it. 

Wasnt so long ago i went shopping put it all away and lost my cheese, swore blind i must of left it at the checkout, searched car boot, no where. 

Few days later i found it ... 

I put it in the freezer .. 😳

Jay x

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x

15

OMG this is so awfull to read about and so many of you suffering from it too, i do get brain fog but nothing like you are describing hear, must be very worrying but the quicker you get to the cause  the quicker your get the help you need.  i agree, do talk to your sister, she is a doctor so let her know just how bad things are for you. I hope you get this sorted and feel better soon, is there any part of the body menapause doesnt affect im wondering.

16

Meant to say you have a good friend there and yes well done for  Bubbins for making yourself go to football, you struggled but you got there. x

17

Thankyou.  It's all very odd. Was relieved today to find that my brain seemed to be working fine.  Had a quite involved job to go to with lots to think about and multitask and I managed it all fine, as well as supervise someone else and make decisions.  Was late off work, and now at home and feel wired.  Totally hyper which I haven't felt in ages.  Maybe just relieved.  All very odd.  Bodes well for getting some housework done tho!x

18

Hi bubbins

Try and relax and switch off, warm bath and chill for the evening.

😃

This brain fog can hit at any time some days worse than others then days of none..

I have had people talk to me and brain foggingly not really taken it in, and then 😳 they've asked me about it, Ugh.. Well.. My response is.

' run that by me again' 😃

Blame the hormones dont over think about it

Big hugs

Jay x

19

Bubbins - Hang on to that pal they sound a God Send!

Hope you're feeling a bit more relaxed. Sx