Do You Worry You Are Losing Your Memory?

[Barsel]

I've never worried until recently, I've always thought my memory was good, but just recently I've realised I can't remember names of songs or singers, faces of famous people etc and I find it worrying. I know I know the answers but the answers just won't come to mind.
Is this how dementia starts?

[pat2604]

What age group are you in Barcelona. I think a lot of us oldies have fear liked this, including me. But it's very common!

[pat2604]

Barcelona!!! Ha ha. That's not dementia - it's Blooming predictive text for your name!

[pat2604]

Sluggish!

[teacake44]

It part of ageing, I've spoken to many many people who go through it, don't always assume it dementia, it can be that you have a lot on your mind and always over thinking what if this or that happens, just try to relax more, and don't see every problem has a major problem, and don'rt worry about things that are out of your control. Minor problems should be seen as a challenge, thats how I handle it.

[Barsel]

pat2604 Lol @ Barcelona (Freddie Mercury) Remembered that but can't quite remember the opera lady's name.:-)
I'm in my mid 70's, and I do appreciate our minds deteriorate as we get older, but sometimes I sit here for ages trying to remember names , not just famous people, but people I know, and it drives me potty.

[Ken4155]

Montserrat Cabelle, Barsel :-)

[Barsel]

Up until recently, friends of mine who are a similar age, turn to me when they can't remember things, but now I'm not able to help them as I can't remember either.
Sometimes we laugh about it, but underneath I am worried.
Is there such a thing as a dementia test?
I'm sure I was told once that when you turn 70 your GP asks you to do such a test.

[RATTER15]

No. that is not how dementia starts. The first signs of dementia are typically not being able to do something today that you could do yesterday, like getting lost in your hometown, forgetting where you keep the sugar or forgetting the name of your nearest town. These are typical but every case is different depending on which dementia, there are many, the most common one on of course Alzheimers. The word dementia is basically an umbrella term used for many different types of diseases affecting the brain. We must also consider that a little bit of memory loss and confusion is also associated with old age, that is nothing to do with dementia.

[Barsel]

That's the one Ken. Did you look it up or did you just remember?

[ladybirder]

Me too Barsel and I'm older than you. I do remember in the end though, well most, perhaps not all. Usually the next day or the middle of the night LOL.

[RATTER15]

If you are seriously worried about dementia, talk to your GP, if he thinks that dementia is likely he can do a memory test for you. I have worked with people with dementia for over 15 years, from what you have said, it just sounds like the memory is just not as good as it used to be, like due to your advancing years and very normal.

[Ken4155]

Being an absolute Queen nut, i knew who she was, Barsel, but i must admit to Googling for the correct spelling of her Christian name :-)

[Ken4155]

The time to begin worrying is when you get halfway up the stairs and can't remember if you're going up or coming down :-)

[Barsel]

Ratter, I have done many silly things over the years, turning left when I should have turned right, putting things away in the wrong place etc but I've always put that down to lack of concentration. Going into a room for something and then forgetting what it was when we get there, we all do that. I have ways to get round that, but if I know a name and I can't remember it, that to me seems different somehow. I don't consider it to be a lack of concentration.

[Barsel]

Ken fortunately I live in a bungalow :-)

[Ken4155]

^
Then i really would begin worrying if you got halfway up the stairs :-)))

[RATTER15]

Barsel, if you were to forget the names of your close family members, sons and daughters, parents, etc. I would be more concerned, otherwise I would put it down to just a natural decline in your memory. like I said earlier, if you are worried, then go to your GP ASAP, there are some great medications that can slow down the progression of dementia.

[Barsel]

Perhaps I should read up about it as it's strange how I know some peoples memories are better than others but I've never understood why.
I wonder if it has anything to do with lifestyle or diet, what makes some people remember things better than others do?
For those of you who don't have a problem, what do you do to keep your mind active and fresh?

[DTCwordfan]

Barsel - we all forget things - Ratter's spot on....let me give you an example, you go into the garden and you see a neighbour's friend in their garden. You forget their name......that's not dementia, just aging.

However, if you forget the context of why you are in the garden, then I would be more concerned - and, one more, thing, usually it's a question of two or three symptoms coming together, not just one. Context though is very important......

[DTCwordfan]

I do all the puzzles and crosswords in the D-Tel to keep my brain 'exercised' - you may remember from various threads/comments on her that my mother has advanced Alzheimer's.....and I have written a book on caring for her - that begins by describing the various forms of dementia and then the myriad selection of typical symptoms, what I called in the book a 'Woolly's Pick 'n Mix'.

Can I ask a strange question - have you ever had any form of Obsessive Complusion Disorder (OCD)?......