Worried about my memory

In the last few months I've found my short term memory is getting to be noticeable. This morning, I freaked out when I couldn't remember taking my pills. I could remember taking the big antibiotic pill (Bactrim) because I have to bite it into several pieces to get it down, but I don't remember any of the others! (5 in all). I tried and tried to jog my memory, but.... nothing. I checked my pill dispenser--thank goodness I have it, labeled with each day of the week), and the pills I normally take in the morning were missing. So I HAD to have taken them. It really bugs me and scares me that I might be headed toward dementia. I'll be 60 this month. A few times, I've forgotten to feed the dogs and my husband had to remind me. And I went in to make my bed on a couple of occasions just to see I'd already done it. I've never been this forgetful before. Does this happen to any of you?

I am a person that lives on notes. Notes and lists for everything. I try to keep my mind from racing off to other places. I also try to mark on the calendar when I have to do things. Appointments are especially appointments. Phone alarms can help too.

My memory improves when I eat food regularly that has sufficient protein so the brain can work well.

Yep. It is normal for me that I can't remember (or have to think very hard about it) that I took my pills (when I don't get withdrawal symptoms I know I must have taken them). It is normal for me that I can't remember what happened last month or how I felt the last couple of months (I also forget my symptoms). I think about a task and minutes later don't know anymore what I actually wanted to do. I forget appointments - important or not - and would be screwed without my calendar where I note everything. My family tells me things that really happened in my past and I think "what, I (we) really did that?"
I learned things for university and days later it was like I never looked into the books once. Sometimes I read complex sentences and at the end I have to restart 'cause I've forgotten the first half of it.
Pretty normal to me...

Yes, I especially do the thing about not remembering taking the pills. I think I've been taking medication regularly for so long that I do it mostly by muscle memory now. Very often I'll be thinking about what I'm going to do next while I'm taking the medication instead of focusing on what I'm doing.

If I'm tired, haven't eaten, or am distracted or anxious or trying to do several things at once, I very often start misplacing things or forgetting things.

I'm in my 50s.

The thing with the pills, though, I really think is because it has become such a long-standing routine, more than a memory problem.

seaecho, those days-of-the-week pill thingies are really helpful. Psych meds (and other kinds of meds) can REALLY mess with your memory. I have such short-term memory issues I don't socialize as much as I'd like to because I frequently cannot recall the most familiar things.

I picked this forum out of pure curiosity, and found I am not lone with the memory problem! I am afraid to find out what really causes such substantial memory loss with my short & long term memory? it helps to know, now, that I am not alone.

Thank goodness for you guys! I was really getting freaked out. And yes, Laurabeth, I've heard the psych pills can have that side effect. I also don't socialize as much as I used to, because it can get very embarrassing when someone says, "I told you that already, remember?" And it's so true that taking the meds is kind of an automatic reflex, where you're on "auto pilot" so to speak, and you take them without actively thinking about it. I'd be in big trouble without that pill dispenser for each day of the week, for sure. And I do always write down appointments, etc., or I'd never remember them. Thank all of you for putting my mind at ease!

i often go into differrent rooms in my house and forget why i went there for. this happens alot and it is scarry

i have to write everything down, everything. (down tto remembering to come on here and post)

sometimes i even forgett if i've written it down or not.

my memory is, to put it in the most simplest terms, barely in existance

My memory took a terrible beating while my depression wasn't under control. Once the doctor finally got the right medication to help me get my depression under control, then my memory came back with it. For "clinical" or major depression, the brain activity is stunted leading to ... well, depression and memory issues as well.

I am exactly the same way, >.< i have forgotten what i have done only a few hours before. Like one story for example, my mother came home, asked me what i had ate ( i have anorexia, so she is always making sure i have ate.) i replied with... I don't know.
Short answer, she made me eat something else considering i have such crappy memory and i couldn't remember if i had ate anything.
Take care
~
MissLabarinth

A slight sidenote: Considering your age I think that your memory is at least slightly affected. When I read your report the first thing I thought was "And that's all she/he is frightened of?" That doesn't mean that your observation isn't worthy enough, but for your age - for me - you seem to have still a very good memory. If it wasn't like that you would have reported other things than 'I can't remember taking my pills'. Because severe damage of your ability to remember your own biography would show a more desastrous image.

Your worries shouldn't be taken lightful but in my opinion you seem to be lucky as it could be worse.

If you are on meds I would kind of suspect them. My brain isn't what it used to be, but I prefer a bit of forgetfulness if I can avoid severe anxiety.

Exactly, Jimi. I prefer relief from anxiety rather than some forgetfulness. It isn't just forgetting to take my pills either, Sentinel. It's a lot of little things. None of them seem connected to each other. My husband will tell me something, and I'll forget about it until he reminds me. Then I'll say, "Oh yeah, now I remember you telling me that." Having been on Propanolol and Xanax for many years I'm sure has a lot to do with it, as I read that both can cause memory problems. But both meds are necessary, so I guess I'll just have to deal with it, and write everything down!

If you use one of those pill organizers where you put your pills for each day of the week then you can tell if you've taken your pills or not.

i'm seriously thinking about taking a memory test. (if such a thing exists)

it worries me to know how bad it's become

Same here, Shattered.

I would highly suggest that everyone use the drug interaction checker on drugs.com
You enter all the meds you are taking and it checks to see what happens when drugs are combined.
Nearly all of the interactions I have for my meds are impaired thinking, poor judgement, poor memory, and many more.
Plus it tells you if the interactions are serious, moderate or minor and also any interactions with food/alcohol.

There are. I was sent to a neurologist because of my memory issues and blew the short term memory test. But then I had something to work with. We knew there were memory issues, but no signs of seizures or anything like that. So, it came back to the depression being the culprit.

And any results from the test are good because then you have information you can work with and fix anything that may be wrong. Not knowing is the scary part.

And again, now that I'm on the right medication, my memory is like a steel trap that's full of holes.

i forgot what i was going to write!!!

If you take propranolol for blood pressure there are other meds. If you take it off label then maybe not.

I take Propanolol for several reasons. Mitral valve prolapse, my thyroid, and migraine headaches. It's not even needed for my b/p, which is normal.

LOL, avlady!