Forgetting whole conversations-Alzheimers? Dementia? Health anxiety back??

[sfm]

Forgetting whole conversations-dementia? Alzheimers?

Hi, friends,

I have posted previously, but apparently so long ago that I've forgotten the email I used and password. At any rate....

I have been diagnosed with OCD and have been dealing with health anxiety for a long time. I have been better with a few relapses into Googling symptoms now and then but rarely.

For the last several months, however, I've been gripped by the fear of early onset Alzheimers or some other kind of dementia.

As background, my mom was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor after some worrying symptoms. She is fine now, and it was benign! Of course, my anxiety brain is now convinced that there is something wrong with ME, only naturally I think it's Alzheimers or dementia instead of something benign and treatable.

I know this is likely a good indicator that I'm dealing with anxiety, but some of my symptoms are really alarming

-When my mom was in surgery I asked my sister if my mom's new boyfriend (we were out to dinner) has children. An hour later I asked her the exact same thing! Even she remarked on it.

-Today I went to look for a basket of laundry. It was upstairs. I have NO memory of carrying it upstairs.

-My husband came home from work today and told me we had had a conversation about getting my son to a haircut today. I have NO memory of this conversation at all.

-I teach with another teacher in the room, and she will often ask me to do something and then have to remind me because I've gotten distracted by the students.

My husband feels that I'm distracted generally-I am on the computer or fb or something practically 24/7. I guess that could be part of it. I also know my mom's condition may have triggered something for me. I guess what has me panicking is that I have zero memory of these events. It's not like, "Oh, yeah, I forgot that....." It's like as far as my brain concerned they just never happened. I have sat and sat trying to recall even some bit of them-like the haircut conversation-and I just can't.

Anyway, that's it. I will probably call my doctor next week if it persists, but I'm really in a bit of a state at the moment. Terrified I'm losing my mind and frustrated that I might have health anxiety again.

Oh, and I'm 47, if that matters. We have two teenagers, and yes, loads of stress. lol

Thanks for reading.

[CanadianLady]

I have blank spaces too. I am 45. I think it is caused by multi-tasking, news reading and social media, and health worries. I notice I don't forget anything terrible I have read, or anything I am really worried about!! I need to get off the computer. Just bought myself a couple of books, and picked up some knitting. I am thinking of picking up a book of crosswords or something, as well. I have 2 daughters - 8 and 12. My schedule is packed.

[Scass]

It sounds very much like anxiety / stress to me. You’ve been through something quite traumatic. You need to be kinder to yourself and stop picking up on everything.
My memory is awful, but I know it’s because I have too much going on in my head & it makes me stressed. My mum had dementia and I know what I have (and what you have) is not the same.


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[Darksky]

I think it's nothing more than anxiety. I know even when I think I'm really concentrating on what people are saying, there's part of my brain that's not giving 100%. People say to me, remember I told you. Thats usually followed by, you never listen.
it doesn't bother me and I don't over think it because it's nothing more than anxiety.

[Cuckoo8]

It sounds pretty normal to me (for someone who’s been through a lot and suffers from stress and anxiety). Also, you’re the appropriate age for a TGA (transient global amnesia) episode. Basically it means that you forget all conversations you have, meaning that if your son calls you, you forget about it and then he calls you again 20 minutes later, you won’t remember you already just spoke to him. Nothing stays in your mind. It doesn’t sound like you’ve had one of these episodes, but it can happen, especially since you’ve had a lot to deal with on an emotional level.

TGA symptoms require immediate medical attention because you need to make sure it’s just TGA, though. My own mother recently had an episode like this and we were sure she was having a stroke, but they took a CT scan at the ER and it came back clear. She was back to normal the next day. What I’m trying to say here is that sometimes you can have really serious symptoms and they still turn out to be nothing to worry about.

[ErinKC]

My husband feels that I'm distracted generally-I am on the computer or fb or something practically 24/7. I guess that could be part of it. I also know my mom's condition may have triggered something for me. I guess what has me panicking is that I have zero memory of these events. It's not like, "Oh, yeah, I forgot that....." It's like as far as my brain concerned they just never happened. I have sat and sat trying to recall even some bit of them-like the haircut conversation-and I just can't.

I agree with your husband. You are almost certainly more distracted because of the stress of your mom's situation. Plus, being on your phone is SO distracting. My husband is a super easily distracted person AND is also always looking at his phone. I have had MANY, MANY entire conversations with him, in which he has responded and participated and then has absolutely had no memory of it. It makes me INSANE. But, there's nothing wrong with his brain, he just can. not. focus. sometimes. and the phone is a major part of that.

When he's under more stress at work or something this gets so much worse. So, this sounds absolutely like the same thing and nothing to worry about - beyond trying to be less stressed and turn off your phone!

[sfm]

Oh, my God. I had like three good days in a run, but just now I found that I'd left the stove on practically all day!
Isn't that classic Alzheimers???

I wasn't stressed or anxious. I was on my computer non stop. My husband is still convinced it's all about that and being distracted, but now I'm terrified.

Sigh.....this is so hard.