Very scared

[flatterycat]

Hope this is the best place to post this message?
I really need some advice as I am convinced I have early signs of alzeimers! I have had two scary episodes recently which have left me very worried. The first was before Christmas. I was driving my car with my husband in tow. It was very thick fog and we were deep in conversation. The next thing I arrived at a roundabout (one I know well) and for a few mins was very confused as to where I was. This terrified me. My Husband said it was the fog which had disoriented me, but I was left feeling very scared. The next episode happened yesterday. I was driving my car when I came to a set of traffic lights. My phone rang and I went to turn it off, but had trouble because I am currently using My husbands phone whilst mine is repaired. Anyway as I was fiddling with it the petrol sign beeped. Now I was driving MY car, but thought to myself oh it doesn't matter, Hubby can refill it. I thought I was driving HIS car!!!! Then as I was sat there I suddenly realised what I had thought and that I was in my own car. Again I felt really scared and a bit shaky. As well as these episodes I always find myself wondering what I have gone into a room for? Forgetting things and generally having to think hard about what I was going to do next. Sometimes I even forget what I was talking about! I'm really worried about it all and keep thinking about how I felt during those two episodes where I felt confused. Has anyone else ever experienced something similar?

Thankyou so much.

[trish1955]

yes i do a lot of things like that i am chatting away and stop as i cant rember what i was about to say and for going in a room i often do that and stand there thinking why have i come in here in fact not so long ago i put ten ciggerets in the freezer i kept looking for them for days new i had got a pkt and went in freezer for somthing a week later and there they were thought thats it i have gone compleatly gargar now but they say if your getting alzimeirs not sure how to spell it any way or any thing along them lines you are not aware of the the things you have just done wrong so i guess yr ok bye for now trish

[davidthegnome]

You know, I have similar experiences pretty frequently myself. Short term memory loss and confusion is very normal with anxiety. I don't know the why and how of it, but I know it's normal. As for me, I keep losing my wallet and I used to always keep it in my pocket before, almost never lost it. I lost the jeep key a few times and never used to do that and I fretted about that too.

Some times, I'll be thinking that I'm going to go upstairs and check my email but instead will find myself walking into the living room to find a movie to watch. I'm sorry Trish, but that thing about putting the ciggs in the freezer, well it made me laugh, because I put mine in a drawer somewhere once and forgot where I put them and then searched for hours near frantic. Finally I found them and then worried more cause I never, ever put them in a drawer before.

This kind of stuff is very normal with anxiety, I think it happens to most of us at one point or another. I really doubt it's signs of alzeimers, particularly if you have panic disorder or something similar. This kind of stuff can happen from time to time and isn't really anything to worry about. It can be scary, but you're not losing it. As Trish said, too, with alzeimers you generally don't realize that you're forgotten anything or pick up on the symptoms yourself.

Good luck and God bless you,

Dave

[sarah1984]

Relax-I can see from your post a rational explanation for both occurences: the first was a result of the fog and the second, because you were focusing on fiddling with your phone and the petrol running out. These are completely natural and I can relate to them both-I'm only 22! I doubt anyone with such self-awareness of yourself could have memory loss.
Sarah

[flatterycat]

Thankyou all so much
I feel much calmer now! I didn't mention in my last post that I suffer from health worries, so that would make the situation even more major in my mind! I also laughed at the post about the ciggies being in the freezer! I'm actually a deputy head at a large primary school and seem to be fine there, though I do sometimes forget the names of the kids, which they find hilarious. Rationally, I can see how I would be so forgetful - stressful job, being an anxiety sufferer (very severe in the past)...

Anyway thanks again - your words have all helped heaps. x

[Phill2]

Hi sarah
I've been walking into rooms and forgetting why for years. I think we all do it
Phill

Don't believe everything you think.