FORGETFULNESS

 

It’s aggravating, frustrating, and sometimes worrisome when you’re having memory slips. They can trigger fears of looming dementia or Alzheimer’s disease when they happen more  than they should.

 

Causes of Forgetfulness

  1. Lack of sleep.Perhaps, not getting enough sleep is the greatest unappreciated cause of forgetfulness. Anxiety and mood swings cause by lack of sleep contribute to problems with memory.
  1. Medications. Some medications may cause sedation or confusion. This may make difficult for someone to pay close attention to new things. if you suspect that a new medication is taking the edge off your memory, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Alternatives are usually available as shown in the table below.

Medications that may affect memory and possible substitutes
If you take these drugs… … ask about switching to one of these drugs
paroxetine (Paxil) another antidepressant such as fluoxetine (Prozac) or sertraline (Zoloft), or a different type of antidepressant such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) or venlafaxine (Effexor)
cimetidine (Tagamet) a different type of heartburn drug, such as lansoprazole (Prevacid), omeprazole (Prilosec), or esomeprazole (Nexium)
oxybutynin (Ditropan) or tolterodine (Detrol, Detrusitol) other medications for an overactive bladder, such as trospium (Sanctura), solifenacin (Vesicare), or darifenacin (Enablex)
amitriptyline (Elavil), desipramine (Norpramin), or nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor) another type of medication, depending on why your doctor has prescribed a tricyclic antidepressant (neuropathic pain, depression, etc.)
captopril (Capoten) a different type of ACE inhibitor, such as enalapril, lisinopril, or ramipril
cold or allergy medication containing brompheniramine, chlorpheniramine, or diphenhydramine loratadine (Claritin) or other non-sedating antihistamine

 

  1. Underactive thyroid. A faltering thyroid can affect memory. A simple blood test can tell if your thyroid is doing its job properly.
  1. Alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can interfere with short-term memory, even after the effects of alcohol have worn off. The word “too much” may vary from person to person. However, it’s best to stick with the recommendation of no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one a day for women. One drink is generally defined as 1.5 ounces (1 shot glass) of 80-proof spirits, 5 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer.
  1. Stress and anxiety.When a person is under stress, he or she cannot concentrate and lock in new information and skills. This can lead to memory problems. Stress as well as anxiety interfere with attention and block the formation of new memories or the retrieval of old ones.
  1. Forgetfulness can be a sign of depression—or a consequence of it. People who are depress experience stifling sadness, lack of drive, and lessening of pleasure in things they ordinarily enjoy.

Have a conversation with your doctor if memory lapses are bugging you. They may see any reversible causes that roots the problem.Something like getting more sleep, switching a medication, or a stress reduction program could get your memory back on track.

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