I'm worried that i am going mad

[thinkimgoingmad]

I am a 28 year old male, I've been taking antidepressants for the last 6 years due to an anxiety disorder apparently.

I've never had memory problems but over the last few months i forget things like what day it is and other simple things, Although i am very aware of my memory problems and know that my memory is letting me down recently.

Tonight i had the worst memory lapse i have ever had and it really worried me.

I put the central heating on at 10, Around 10.10pm i felt the warmth in my room and i thought it's relaly warm in here and felt the radiator and i could not remember putting the heating on at all.

I felt bad and worried because i could not remember doing it, After around 20 mins and really thinking hard i did remember putting it on and remember what i was thinking about when i went to put it on, It's just that my memory went blank for around 20 mins or so and i could just not remember.

Now i am very very worried about this, First thing that i thought was i'm going mad and probably have some form of dementia.

Then i thought i am only 28 surely i wouldn't have dementia at my age? I've never heard anyone have dementia at my age.

As my 75 year old nan appears to have some form of dementia and after what happened earlier i am now even more concerned with the fact that i could be going mad.

What i done earlier, Would any normal person do this? I've never done it before in my life.

I guess the good thing about it is the fact that even though i forgot and was shocked to find the heating on, I did remember within 20-25 minutes and it came back to me and i thought i remember doing it now, I don't know whether a demented person would have ever remembered doing it?

Also i do not know whether me having very good awareness of my memory problems is a good sign or a bad sign?

I can remember everything else i have done today and where i have been what i have had to eat, what i have watched on tv and what happened and basically everything apart from that one thing.

I hope someone can reassure me because i really need it.

 

[Sandy]

Hi thinkimgoingmad,

Welcome to Talking Point (TP).

I'm sorry to hear that you have concerns about your memory. It certainly would be extremely unlikely at your age to have a disease like Alzheimer's.

Really you do need to seek medical advice on this as it is causing you so much distress. My understanding is that there are many conditions/circumstances that can cause temporary problems with memory - including stress and depression.

You might also want to look at the Alzheimer's Society's website where there is a section for people worried about their memory:

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents.php?categoryID=200316

Take care,

 

[margaritaadios]

i know the feeling

I know the feeling
I am 35 years and I look after my mother in law who suffer AD I am under a lot of stress. Recently I had to have a brain scan because my ears haven making funny noises I did not know why so I went to the specialist who wanted to see what was happening because he could not find an apparent reason for my noises.
When the results came, they did not show anything wrong. So the doctor ask are you under a lot of stress? I explain my situation then he said I think that is the reason why your brain is responding in this way by creating noises that are not there. Probably that is the reasons why your memory is not good. You are not going mad just mentally tired and stress.
Take time to meditate every night. It could help you.

 

[thinkimgoingmad]

Sorry that i have not posted for a while.

I am still worried and concerned about my memory, Everyday my memory is letting me down.

These are some of the things i have done in the last few days, I don't know whether they are things that any normal person would do or whether they are the kind of things that someone with dementia would do.

Yesterday I planned on going into the kitchen and putting the kettle on, I planned on putting the heating on in half an hour's time, I went into the kitchen and put the heating on, 5 Minutes later i thought hang on didn't i just put the heating on and i thought yeah i did and i thought i meant to have put the kettle on and put the heating on in a little while, So i put the heating on instead of the kettle, That seems very stupid to me.

Then today, I went into the kitchen and put the kettle on around 6.30pm and i turned the heating off at the same time, At 7.30pm i went into the kitchen and discovered that the water in the kettle was still warm and i thought i can't remember boiling the kettle, I then thought for around 10-20 seconds and i thought oh yeah i remember boiling the kettle now but i totally forgot about it.

Also earlier i went to the chip shop and got some chips, When i got back in i made some bread and butter.

I thought i will have a chip butty in a minute, I then started eating the chips, I had put the bread and butter behind the chip wrapper so i couldn't see it, 10 mins later i had a glimpse over to the right and i saw the bread and butter and i thought i forgot about that for a minute, I nearly eat all my chips without having the bread and butter but i did not forget that i had made the bread and butter or anything like that just forgot it was there for a minute.

I just keep forgetting loads of things, sometimes when i go out i plan on setting my house alarm and i forget or i plan to put some deodorant on before going out then i go out then i remember that i forgot to put some on, It's things like that, My memory seems so bad and i am really worried about it.

I shall be turning 29 soon, Surely i haven't got dementia at my age?

 

[Vonny]

It's unlikely you have dementia, but it can't be ruled out. Firstly I really think you should see your GP. There are many other things which can cause memory problems, including stress and depression as Sandy mentioned in an earlier response.

Your GP can, if he thinks it necessary, refer you to a consultant for further memory tests. I would make a list of all the things you forget...as you remember forgetting them, if that makes sense...so you have a bullet pointed list for the doctor which will be easier and quicker for him to read than a narrative.

Please do see a doctor and take care

Vonny xx

 

[thinkimgoingmad]

It's unlikely you have dementia, but it can't be ruled out. Firstly I really think you should see your GP. There are many other things which can cause memory problems, including stress and depression as Sandy mentioned in an earlier response.

Your GP can, if he thinks it necessary, refer you to a consultant for further memory tests. I would make a list of all the things you forget...as you remember forgetting them, if that makes sense...so you have a bullet pointed list for the doctor which will be easier and quicker for him to read than a narrative.

Please do see a doctor and take care

Vonny xx

Thank you for your message Vonny.

Isn't the fact that i remember what i have forgotten a lot of the time mean that it's unlikely to be dementia? As i thought people with dementia do not remember what they have forgot? I may be wrong.

 

[danny]

Hi,I would go and have a chat with your doctor,better to find out what is wrong than worrying,I had a scary time several weeks ago,I made a shepherds pie in the microwave and took it out,I got called away and when I went to get my tea I could not find it anywhere,it took me 20 minutes to find it,I even thought the dog had eaten it,I eventually found it in my bedroom,whilst distracted I must have put it there.I too thought I had every illness under the sun.It was purely stress and fatigue.However,if this forgetfulness had continued I would have gone to the doctors.Hope you sort everything out,all the best.

 

[Vonny]

Isn't the fact that i remember what i have forgotten a lot of the time mean that it's unlikely to be dementia? As i thought people with dementia do not remember what they have forgot? I may be wrong.

I do think it's unlikely to be dementia and, as Danny says, stress and fatigue can cause the unlikely event of finding a Shepherd's Pie in the bedroom! Dementia sufferers can sometimes remember what they have forgotten, but it's more likely that they can't remember what something is for. For example, with dementia it's unlikely you'd remember that bread and butter was to be eaten with chips.

Whatever the cause it is clearly giving you cause for concern and I'm sure a GP would investigate other reasons for memory loss first.

 

[alfjess]

Hi there

Could it be the antidepressant medication which is having this effect??

It would be a good idea to see your GP to have a review of meds, before you panic

Alfjess

 

[thinkimgoingmad]

Hi there

Could it be the antidepressant medication which is having this effect??

It would be a good idea to see your GP to have a review of meds, before you panic

Alfjess

Thankyou for replying to my message, Maybe it is caused by them but i would think that is very unlikely, Surely they wouldn't really mess up your memory?

 

[Sandy]

This is also worth looking at:

http://www.mind.org.uk/help/diagnoses_and_conditions/memory_loss

Take care,