[x123]

I am 48. I used to be very smart. I was an excellent speller and excellent with numbers and math. Now I am less smart.

But what I really notice is weird mistakes like alzheimer's. For example, I couldn't remember my sister's name. Sometimes I make spelling mistakes, write down numbers wrong, etc. I never made those kinds of mistakes in the past.

This is especially bad when I'm depressed. Yesterday, a customer asked me a price that I use every day, but I was totally clueless for 30 seconds or so until I remembered again.

I worry a little about a medical problem, but my doctor wasn't concerned about it when I mentioned it a couple of years ago.

Anybody else notice this?

[winter4me]

I am 62. And I can relate. This kind of thing has happened to me off and on over the years; I attribute some of it to fluoxetine (losing words can be a side effect/that blank)---and I do make more spelling and number mistakes than in the past (& with a family hx of dementia I get more uneasy with it with age...but I don't think it has changed much)-------
I do find that anxiety also increases these events. Sometimes the kind of "stress" that I used to welcome.
Lately, I think I have just been "in my head" for too long this time around --- I know physical exercise helps and I have been neglecting that except for periodic outbursts...
What do you think is happening with you? I am curious. Also, I would bring this up again with the doc. next time---you are concerned and That is what matters.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((hug))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[Altered Moment]

Are you on any medications? If so which ones and what dosages?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vital]

Originally Posted by x123

I am 48. I used to be very smart. I was an excellent speller and excellent with numbers and math. Now I am less smart.

But what I really notice is weird mistakes like alzheimer's. For example, I couldn't remember my sister's name. Sometimes I make spelling mistakes, write down numbers wrong, etc. I never made those kinds of mistakes in the past.

This is especially bad when I'm depressed. Yesterday, a customer asked me a price that I use every day, but I was totally clueless for 30 seconds or so until I remembered again.

I worry a little about a medical problem, but my doctor wasn't concerned about it when I mentioned it a couple of years ago.

Anybody else notice this?

The same sort of thing happened to Dr. Mark Hyman. He had memory problems, "brain fog", depression all together and no one could figure out why. He eventually figured out that it was caused by a combination of Mercury toxicity, a horrible diet and a bug that he picked up on a camping trip.

See this video

and the book

"The Ultramind Solution" by Mark Hyman.

- vital

[Altered Moment]

It's hard to figure out because depression can for sure cause it. And as we age our memory gets worse. I type very fast and when I go back and read it I notice I typed had instead of has or on instead of in or if instead of of. Simple mistakes but always the same type of word. Prepositions I think they are. Whatever they are it is always the same type which makes me suspect. I too draw blanks sometimes. I am 50 and attribute some of it to age but I think my meds are causing something too. Years ago at high doses of Efffexor it affected my short term working memory. Especially driving. I had to lower the dose and I was fine.

[x123]

Originally Posted by winter4me

I am 62. And I can relate. This kind of thing has happened to me off and on over the years; I attribute some of it to fluoxetine (losing words can be a side effect/that blank)---and I do make more spelling and number mistakes than in the past (& with a family hx of dementia I get more uneasy with it with age...but I don't think it has changed much)-------
I do find that anxiety also increases these events. Sometimes the kind of "stress" that I used to welcome.
Lately, I think I have just been "in my head" for too long this time around --- I know physical exercise helps and I have been neglecting that except for periodic outbursts...
What do you think is happening with you? I am curious. Also, I would bring this up again with the doc. next time---you are concerned and That is what matters.
(((((((((((((((((((((((((hug))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

I think that is a good insight about being "in my head". Sometimes I wonder if my endlessly repeating depressed thoughts have simply burned ruts in my brain.

I worry sometimes that parts of my brain are not getting enough blood and simply dying. My mother apparently has some dead areas in her brain. She had a mental breakdown 25 years ago. I also had a mental breakdown 5 years ago.

(I worry a lot as you can see. )

[x123]

Originally Posted by zinco14532323

Are you on any medications? If so which ones and what dosages?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No medications. I have been drinking licorice tea for several weeks (1 to 3 cups per day). Once in a while I take 200mg of SAM-e (it makes me feel bad when it wears off, so I don't take it often).

[x123]

Originally Posted by vital

The same sort of thing happened to Dr. Mark Hyman. He had memory problems, "brain fog", depression all together and no one could figure out why. He eventually figured out that it was caused by a combination of Mercury toxicity, a horrible diet and a bug that he picked up on a camping trip.

See this video

and the book

"The Ultramind Solution" by Mark Hyman.

- vital

I definitely don't have the best nutrition. I don't eat enough vegetables and fruit. As I age, my appetite is lower so it is hard to eat.

[x123]

Originally Posted by zinco14532323

It's hard to figure out because depression can for sure cause it. And as we age our memory gets worse. I type very fast and when I go back and read it I notice I typed had instead of has or on instead of in or if instead of of. Simple mistakes but always the same type of word. Prepositions I think they are. Whatever they are it is always the same type which makes me suspect. I too draw blanks sometimes. I am 50 and attribute some of it to age but I think my meds are causing something too. Years ago at high doses of Efffexor it affected my short term working memory. Especially driving. I had to lower the dose and I was fine.

I make a similar typing mistake all the time. I can't blame it on medications though.

Another thing I notice is sleepiness. Sometimes I am so incredibly tired and practically pass-out while I'm sitting and thinking. My head might fall over sideways until I wake up an hour later.

I get plenty of sleep, but I wake up a lot.

A few nights ago I woke up from a dream and remembered elaborate dialogue and details that I wouldn't have thought possible from my brain. I wish I could use the brain power that creates those elaborate dreams while I'm awake. Maybe my brain is so tired from dreaming that it rests while my body is awake.

[Altered Moment]

See this thread as a possible explanation. Specifically the articles on the hippocampus.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/depre...rogenisis.html

[x123]

Originally Posted by zinco14532323

See this thread as a possible explanation. Specifically the articles on the hippocampus.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/depre...rogenisis.html

Thanks. I had a terrible experience last time I took antidepressants, because they inhibited all forms of pleasure - the exercise high, sexual pleasure, and even food pleasure. The neurogenesis makes me wonder if I should try again. I have thought about taking only wellbutrin, because it has the fewest sexual side effects (and hopefully might not inhibit other pleasure like exercise and food).

I wish the psychiatrists would measure my hippocampus and I could watch the growth or lack of growth in response to medications. That might motivate me to endure the side effects.

[Altered Moment]

So much is in the basic research stage. Not likely we will be getting brain scans soon.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vital]

Originally Posted by x123

Thanks. I had a terrible experience last time I took antidepressants, because they inhibited all forms of pleasure - the exercise high, sexual pleasure, and even food pleasure. The neurogenesis makes me wonder if I should try again. I have thought about taking only wellbutrin, because it has the fewest sexual side effects (and hopefully might not inhibit other pleasure like exercise and food).

I wish the psychiatrists would measure my hippocampus and I could watch the growth or lack of growth in response to medications. That might motivate me to endure the side effects.

If you're interested in Neurogenesis, wikipedia is interesting.

Neurogenesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What's good for it?

Low stress
Exercise
Good sleep

...maybe THC!?

- vital

[winter4me]

Waking a lot is not good sleep-----------even with a lot of it------------I get that overwhelming tiredness when I am depressed (whether I think I am or not...it is a signal)
Hang in there!!

[x123]

Originally Posted by vital

If you're interested in Neurogenesis, wikipedia is interesting.

Neurogenesis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

What's good for it?

Low stress
Exercise
Good sleep

...maybe THC!?

- vital

It's interesting because I had a minor case of psychosis, and that is also related to hippocampus.

On the THC it seems to be a canniboid that doesn't cause intoxication. I hope they might allow that canniboid to be sold as a nutritional supplement. It sounds like normal marijuana has harmful canniboids along with the helpful canniboid.

[x123]

Originally Posted by winter4me

Waking a lot is not good sleep-----------even with a lot of it------------I get that overwhelming tiredness when I am depressed (whether I think I am or not...it is a signal)
Hang in there!!

Thanks, I feel better today. It seems to alternate. One day I feel so exhausted that I can barely think and the next day I feel good. It also might be related to sunshine, but I don't know why, because I work all day in an office with no windows.

Another thing I am trying is to drink some licorice tea before going to sleep. Licorice has some antidepressant chemicals. It seems to help me sleep without waking up every 30 minutes, but I'm not sure. Maybe I sleep better after a bad night of sleep because I am so exhausted. (I used the licorice teas last night, and I only woke up a couple of times.)

You might try the licorice tea and see if it works. It might have drug interactions depending on your medications, so you ought to check that first.

[vital]

Originally Posted by x123

Thanks, I feel better today. It seems to alternate. One day I feel so exhausted that I can barely think and the next day I feel good. It also might be related to sunshine, but I don't know why, because I work all day in an office with no windows.

Another thing I am trying is to drink some licorice tea before going to sleep. Licorice has some antidepressant chemicals. It seems to help me sleep without waking up every 30 minutes, but I'm not sure. Maybe I sleep better after a bad night of sleep because I am so exhausted. (I used the licorice teas last night, and I only woke up a couple of times.)

You might try the licorice tea and see if it works. It might have drug interactions depending on your medications, so you ought to check that first.

Sounds really great x123! Since you seem to be light sensitive, maybe a light box might help?

- vital

[Fuzzybear]

[x123]

Originally Posted by vital

Sounds really great x123! Since you seem to be light sensitive, maybe a light box might help?

- vital

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

I found a light box on Amazon, so maybe I will try that.

The funny thing is that I hate sunlight when I'm depressed. Sometimes I put off errands until after dark and avoid windows. If I go outside I try to wear jackets with hoods even when it's hot outside. The sunshine affects me psychologically like going out in the rain.

My favorite weather is when the sky is cloudy. So it would be funny if sunlight is what I need.

[-jimi-]

I had my worst depression between ages 31 and 33. I was totally out of it. I didn't know what day it was, I didn't understand fully bills needed to be paid, I couldn't have any type of system for remembering things because I didn't understand how to work the systems, I couldn't do simple math, I didn't know how to find my way home if I strayed too far, I forgot to feed my caged pets because they couldn't remind me (yea I know, TERRIBLE)... it wasn't just loss of memory, I had such a short attention span I could not form new memories because I couldn't keep something on my mind long enough for a memory to form, I forgot how to do things (I remember holding a letter that just arrived not understanding what it was for and what to do wit it) and something needing energy (like making proper tea) I couldn't do.

So yea, depression can do really strange things. I was sure not a youngun with dementia. I was just depressed. I have regained stamina, focus, memory and those things. Some I got back as soon as my depression was treated, some I had to work hard to get back.

This is more than 10 years ago now, and I'm developing a new issue. I'm not depressed but I'm losing words. So far it could be normal. It however seems like we have FTD running in the family so I kind of wonder. An older relative had mood issues when he was young and when he got older he developed FTD so I wonder if that was related and if my depression was "just" depression or depression connected with dementia in the future. Ho hum.