OT - Been suffering with CRS lately.

epcotisbest

Can't Remember Squat. It has been happening frequently lately and has me a bit worried. I run into someone who talks like we are lifelong friends and I don't have a clue who they are, much less remember their name.
Put things somewhere and cannot begin to remember where.
Suppose to pick my brother up at the airport and forget all about it till he calls wondering where I am.
This evening on the way home I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some shrimp for shrimp and grits. I prepare dinner several nights per week and enjoy doing it, especially on egging meals. Tonight was indoor cooking but I still make some pretty tasty shrimp and grits, especially with the stone ground grits I bought the other day at a nearby gristmill.
Anyway got home with some oranges, mustard, chocolate syrup, chips, drinks and several assorted odds and ends, but no shrimp at all. I went there specifically for shrimp and completely forgot them once I went inside.
Frustrating at best, early signs of a bigger problem? I'm in my late fifties and this did not used to happen this often, or if it did, I don't remember it.

northGAcock

You know they make memory meds......you just have to remember to take them.

I think it comes with age....as I am of the same age bracket with the same problem. My wife calls me anal but I religiously use a iPhone app for grocery list. I lay it out like the store....and really allows me to get in and out without forgetting things. Wif is always telling me things I need......put it  in the app. Ha, we need all the hep we can get these days.

bucky925

epcotisbest said:

Can't Remember Squat. It has been happening frequently lately and has me a bit worried. I run into someone who talks like we are lifelong friends and I don't have a clue who they are, much less remember their name.
Put things somewhere and cannot begin to remember where.
Suppose to pick my brother up at the airport and forget all about it till he calls wondering where I am.
This evening on the way home I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some shrimp for shrimp and grits. I prepare dinner several nights per week and enjoy doing it, especially on egging meals. Tonight was indoor cooking but I still make some pretty tasty shrimp and grits, especially with the stone ground grits I bought the other day at a nearby gristmill.
Anyway got home with some oranges, mustard, chocolate syrup, chips, drinks and several assorted odds and ends, but no shrimp at all. I went there specifically for shrimp and completely forgot them once I went inside.
Frustrating at best, early signs of a bigger problem? I'm in my late fifties and this did not used to happen this often, or if it did, I don't remember it.

I usderstand completely .  I refuse to drive in the early AM.  I can remember things in my distant past with perfect clarity, but not what I had for breakfast. 

I went to Duke University hospital to have tests and they said I was "over reporting"  They didn't know me before I started having some problems ( I was the quickest smart a!ss you could ever encounter. They also said I could have once had  mulit task  skills but now I can't.  Go figure.  

It is very fustrating when YOU know something's missing but the Doctors don't. They also told me I would be the last to know I was having problems. ????? ie limiting my own driving and such. 

Like I have said before it's very very fusturating.  

GrateEggspectations

I can sympathize, as I too can be forgetful. For me, a partial solution is to use lists, reminders and a calendar, as well as things like sending myself emails and setting timers. This may provide some relief with all of the scenarios you describe, save one - the bumping into an old acquaintance and not being able to place them/recall their names - for this, I have the old "have you met my wife" routine, which goes something like this.....

Me: "Oh, hi. Have you met my wife?"
(Wife introduces herself and the unknown acquaintance reveals their name in turn, and if I'm lucky, maybe even how they know me).

Dobie

Do you get regular blood test? My pops was showing signs, turned out it was real low B12 levels. We followed up with a neurologist anyway to be sure. B12 deficiency can cause these symptoms.

Mattman3969

Sounds all too familiar to me, but I know mine was lack of nicotine induced.  Did you just happen to quit smoking or dipping?   

epcotisbest

northGAcock said:

You know they make memory meds......you just have to remember to take them.

I think it comes with age....as I am of the same age bracket with the same problem. My wife calls me anal but I religiously use a iPhone app for grocery list. I lay it out like the store....and really allows me to get in and out without forgetting things. Wif is always telling me things I need......put it  in the app. Ha, we need all the hep we can get these days.

I have been way too stubborn to get a smart phone. I do have an old flip phone with an actual keypad. I carry it with me in case of emergencies, but don't even turn it on unless I need to use it. Maybe trying to adapt to smart phone use and apps would help. 
Had I have written "shrimp"  on a shopping list and brought it in with me, that may have helped. But, since I forgot all about the shrimp, I might have forgotten to look at the list. Memory meds...I take a lot of meds, maybe another would not hurt.

bgebrent

See your doc annually, he/she is your friend.  More than you know.

lousubcap

I would leave this to the doctors on the forum, 'cept they are on the forum  
I only hope you can find/adapt and use coping mechanisms.  I occasionally have a momentary pause but nothing like you describe.  Best of luck.  

epcotisbest

bucky925 said:

epcotisbest said:

Can't Remember Squat. It has been happening frequently lately and has me a bit worried. I run into someone who talks like we are lifelong friends and I don't have a clue who they are, much less remember their name.
Put things somewhere and cannot begin to remember where.
Suppose to pick my brother up at the airport and forget all about it till he calls wondering where I am.
This evening on the way home I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some shrimp for shrimp and grits. I prepare dinner several nights per week and enjoy doing it, especially on egging meals. Tonight was indoor cooking but I still make some pretty tasty shrimp and grits, especially with the stone ground grits I bought the other day at a nearby gristmill.
Anyway got home with some oranges, mustard, chocolate syrup, chips, drinks and several assorted odds and ends, but no shrimp at all. I went there specifically for shrimp and completely forgot them once I went inside.
Frustrating at best, early signs of a bigger problem? I'm in my late fifties and this did not used to happen this often, or if it did, I don't remember it.

I usderstand completely .  I refuse to drive in the early AM.  I can remember things in my distant past with perfect clarity, but not what I had for breakfast. 

I went to Duke University hospital to have tests and they said I was "over reporting"  They didn't know me before I started having some problems ( I was the quickest smart a!ss you could ever encounter. They also said I could have once had  mulit task  skills but now I can't.  Go figure.  

It is very fustrating when YOU know something's missing but the Doctors don't. They also told me I would be the last to know I was having problems. ????? ie limiting my own driving and such. 

Like I have said before it's very very fusturating.  

I have had that happen too. We were somewhere up in the mountains a little while back and I told my wife there was a motorcycle shop I wanted to visit in a town we had never been to before. She wanted to know how I remembered there was a place there and I even remembered about where it was located. I told her I had read about it somewhere.
She pointed out I could remember that, but could not remember to put the clothes from the washer into the dryer.
I agree...frustrating.

epcotisbest

GrateEggspectations said:

I can sympathize, as I too can be forgetful. For me, a partial solution is to use lists, reminders and a calendar, as well as things like sending myself emails and setting timers. This may provide some relief with all of the scenarios you describe, save one - the bumping into an old acquaintance and not being able to place them/recall their names - for this, I have the old "have you met my wife" routine, which goes something like this.....

Me: "Oh, hi. Have you met my wife?"
(Wife introduces herself and the unknown acquaintance reveals their name in turn, and if I'm lucky, maybe even how they know me).

Thanks. These are good suggestions. I do like the "Have you met my wife?" trick. Very clever.

epcotisbest

Dobie said:

Do you get regular blood test? My pops was showing signs, turned out it was real low B12 levels. We followed up with a neurologist anyway to be sure. B12 deficiency can cause these symptoms.

I will have to mention that during my next Dr. appointment. Thanks for the tip.

epcotisbest

bgebrent said:

See your doc annually, he/she is your friend.  More than you know.

lousubcap said:

I would leave this to the doctors on the forum, 'cept they are on the forum  
I only hope you can find/adapt and use coping mechanisms.  I occasionally have a momentary pause but nothing like you describe.  Best of luck.  

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback.

epcotisbest

Mattman3969 said:

Sounds all too familiar to me, but I know mine was lack of nicotine induced.  Did you just happen to quit smoking or dipping?   

No, I have never smoked or dipped. Can't think of any lifestyle change of any significance, maybe a bit of weight gain, but not drastic.

Eggcelsior

epcotisbest said:

Mattman3969 said:

Sounds all too familiar to me, but I know mine was lack of nicotine induced.  Did you just happen to quit smoking or dipping?   

No, I have never smoked or dipped. Can't think of any lifestyle change of any significance, maybe a bit of weight gain, but not drastic.

Do you take PPIs for GERD?

epcotisbest

Eggcelsior said:

epcotisbest said:

Mattman3969 said:

Sounds all too familiar to me, but I know mine was lack of nicotine induced.  Did you just happen to quit smoking or dipping?   

No, I have never smoked or dipped. Can't think of any lifestyle change of any significance, maybe a bit of weight gain, but not drastic.

Do you take PPIs for GERD?

Yes, Omeprazole. Can't swallow without it. Been taking it for awhile.

Eggcelsior

PPIs screw with pepsin and intrinsic factor(IF) which are dependent on acid release. IF is important for vitamin absorption at the terminal ileum, so long term PPI use can put one at risk for B12 deficiency and iron malabsorption. This can lead to pernicious and iron-deficiency anemia. This can lead to cognitive effects. Definitely something to ask about with the PCP. 

There were some studies showing relation between PPI use and dementia, but some that found none. Only rec seems to be for more longitudinal studies.

epcotisbest

Eggcelsior said:

PPIs screw with pepsin and intrinsic factor(IF) which are dependent on acid release. IF is important for vitamin absorption at the terminal ileum, so long term PPI use can put one at risk for B12 deficiency and iron malabsorption. This can lead to pernicious and iron-deficiency anemia. This can lead to cognitive effects. Definitely something to ask about with the PCP. 

There were some studies showing relation between PPI use and dementia, but some that found none. Only rec seems to be for more longitudinal studies.

Thank you for this information. I will be making a Dr. appointment and looking into this. Should I be looking for alternatives to the Omeprazole? I suppose part of it might be eating better and trying to control some of the acid reflux by researching what foods contribute to it and what foods to try to eat less of, and in conjunction with that, what foods to eat more of to help reduce the reflux. 
Guess I have some research to do until I can get back to the Dr.

Eggcelsior

Talk to your doctor first, look at articles/data that cite peer-reviewed studies. Internet doctoring is not something I would solely go by. I mean, all that inflammation can increase your risk for esophageal/stomach cancer but the PPI prevents it, you know? So, where does the benefit/risk break one way or the other? Plus, it could be something totally different. Vitamin deficiency is often overlooked, though, as a contributing cause. If it is that, you may just need extra supplementation if the benefits of PPI use is too much to change from the therapy.

Edit: but yeah, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all that. Removing the insulting foods "is" best, but it can be a sisyphean endeavor finding out what your trigger foods are.

milesvdustin

I am 32 and i have my entire schedule, work and personal, in a google calendar. That way I get alerts on my phone. I also keep several lists in the notepad feature on my phone. I think I have 14 or 15 different lists of various important line items. 

I would forget all of it if I didn't. 

epcotisbest

milesvdustin said:

I am 32 and i have my entire schedule, work and personal, in a google calendar. That way I get alerts on my phone. I also keep several lists in the notepad feature on my phone. I think I have 14 or 15 different lists of various important line items. 

I would forget all of it if I didn't. 

Maybe I should get a phone with apps and learn to use that kind of stuff. 

Photo Egg

Don't write it off as normal just yet. Like @Dobie said, there could be a simple reason or contributing factor. And with the rare chance of something more serious at play, early treatment could be good news for your future.

GATraveller

http://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/elevated-urea-levels-linked-to-huntingtons-disease-175433-1.htm

Photo Egg

Dobie said:

Do you get regular blood test? My pops was showing signs, turned out it was real low B12 levels. We followed up with a neurologist anyway to be sure. B12 deficiency can cause these symptoms.

Had a friend that just went through similar issues. Was from taking to much calcium supplement.

epcotisbest

Photo Egg said:

Don't write it off as normal just yet. Like @Dobie said, there could be a simple reason or contributing factor. And with the rare chance of something more serious at play, early treatment could be good news for your future.

Thank you. Gonna have a long talk with Dr. Soon.

epcotisbest

GATraveller said:

http://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/elevated-urea-levels-linked-to-huntingtons-disease-175433-1.htm

Interesting read, thank you for sharing.

Botch

Late fifties and same issues here, brother.  Will be following this thread for possible solutions.  

Legume

Get enough sleep.  I don't sleep nearly as well as I used to and when I've had a poor couple of nights in a row, the voices come back, er, I mean, I become more forgetful and dopey.  It becomes harder to adapt as well.