Ok, not really, but I have had memory problems lately. This is not something that’s been ongoing in my life, it’s something I’ve noticed and has been pointed out to me only within the last 6 weeks or so.
I can remember stupid trivia, like it’s the male seahorse the has the babies, not the female. But when it comes to simple, easily remembered things, I’m having trouble. I ran into an old friend from high school not long ago and we were going to swap phone numbers. I wrote the first three digits and then went blank. I had no idea what my phone number was. I felt like an idiot and told her I would call her when I remember (now doesn’t that sound like a bad “I really don’t want to talk to you, and this is the best excuse I can come up with at the moment” line?) She actually seemed surprised when I did call with my newly-remembered phone number.
I was driving to buy some new shoes, following a map to a new place, when I suddenly forgot where I was going. I had to pull over and stare at the map (which had the address and location, but not the name of the place) trying to remember why I was going there. I finally decided just to drive there and I remembered when I saw the building.
Going through my canceled checks while balancing my checkbook, I saw one made out to IREMCO and couldn’t remember what that was for. It was my rent check! The same amount of rent I’d been paying for nearly a year, to the same company, but had no idea what it was when balancing my checkbook. I didn’t realize this till last week when I wrote out another check for rent.
…and you think this is abnormal? Would that I had a dime for every time I stopped in the middle of a room trying to recall why I was there. I’m willing to bet I could give you a run for your money in a trivia match, but don’t expect me to explain why I’m standing in the middle of the garage staring at the shelves with furrowed brow.
Reply based on subject alone: “Then don’t hit the submit button, dumbass!”
Reply based on actually reading your post: Brat, are you under lots of stress right now with other things in your life? That could explain some of your memory loss.
Crunchy,
Sounds like you’re just preoccupied. Try not to worry about it too much. Stress can do a number on you short-term memory. You’re quitting smoking, in addition to dealing with other things. Just hang on to that wonderful sense of humor you have, and try to keep things written down for a while.(I’m a fine one to talk; I can never remember where I put my lists of things to do!)
The thing is, I don’t feel stressed out. When at home I feel relaxed. I sleep well at night. I haven’t had an anxiety attack since getting my anti-depressant medication. Everything in my life has calmed down except for the cancer problem Honesty and I are dealing with (and infact, that’s looking up as the doctors now want to try surgery to remove the tumors once she gains a little more strength). My parents aren’t getting divorced. My mom recently went through surgery, but it was just routine carpal-tunnel thing. And this has been occurring since before my attempt at being a non-smoker.
I can remember work-related things, but when it comes to me going somewhere (I forget where I’m going while in the car sometimes) or numbers (especially numbers) I hold information about as well as my 7 week old niece can hold an elephant.
I’ll ask the doctor next time I see her and see if the medication may have something to do with it. I’ll have to write a note on my hand, or call the house and leave myself a message on the answering machine. (That’s something else I’ve had to do lately)
Crunchy, definitely check with your doctor about your meds. I don’t know which particular one you are taking, and I’m not an expert anyway :), but I do know that some definitely have short term memory loss as a side effect.
Well that explains it, perhaps. When I was on Zoloft, six years ago, I could barely remember my own name. I also had this nervous habit of believing that I’d forgotten something when I hadn’t, like thinking that I had to study for an exam for a class I took the previous semester.
Frankly, I’m surprised that they still prescribe it. Doctors here in the UK haven’t even heard of it.
