Share your early symptoms of forgetting: What can help?

Posted by hudsonlady @hudsonlady, Sep 22 1:58pm

82 and experiencing sproratic episodes of forgetting names, nouns, and some past events. Tests show E4 gene but no AD. Looking for a support group for how to go forward, e.g., what can help in daily life, treatment, how to communicate with professionals, etc..

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@writernana

i appreciate you all sharing these helpful suggestions. The only thing I might add is just stay calm and move to another subject, the misplaced word usually pops up again....eventually.

Also, I envision my brain as a vast library and imagine there's a Librarian living there.
She's on call 24/7 !
In her youth she was perky and quick , running to and fro delivering immediate responses to my inquiries.
Later.....as I have aged, she has also ..... We will be 77 in a few weeks.
I picture my Librarian today as a sweet elderly woman; hunched shoulders and her sweet white hair bent over her cane. She peers through thick lensed glasses as she carefully considers my latest inquiry. Then she happily begins her search for my answer. Her response may be in a few minutes or days . I have learned to appreciate her consistent best effort no matter the result 🙂

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I like the librarian image I will share this tonight at a memory loss meeting. Thank you.

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I find that it helps to just be patient with myself when I don't immediately find a word or name.
Sometimes it's a pleasure to work through my life associations until I find it.
It's good to enjoy the richness of my inner library.

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@edsutton

I find that it helps to just be patient with myself when I don't immediately find a word or name.
Sometimes it's a pleasure to work through my life associations until I find it.
It's good to enjoy the richness of my inner library.

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I love this.
Good reminder to be patient with myself!
I had a fall about a year ago, two nights in a hospital, cost was over $3500, but the best thing was that one test showed no atrophy of the brain! Hallelujah! So when I do struggle to remember a name I remember the test results.
Am not mentally gone yet!
Old age takes patience.

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I have the same question. Support group for. Starting to lose it. ??

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I need to join too!!
I have a question for you all… Do you try to hide the fact that you are having trouble remembering words from your family and friends?
For me I don’t. I will just say “I can’t think of the word “can you guys help me with it?. My family will usually pop in with the word that I am missing and then we can go on with the conversation. Yes, it can be embarrassing but to me anyway that’s better than trying to hide it and stumble and fumble All over the place in trying to hide it

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@judyingenes

I need to join too!!
I have a question for you all… Do you try to hide the fact that you are having trouble remembering words from your family and friends?
For me I don’t. I will just say “I can’t think of the word “can you guys help me with it?. My family will usually pop in with the word that I am missing and then we can go on with the conversation. Yes, it can be embarrassing but to me anyway that’s better than trying to hide it and stumble and fumble All over the place in trying to hide it

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That's good....I try to do the same thing...except when some of my family will say "Come on! I told you already! You can remember." Which makes me very pissed off!I mean, like why would I ask if I could remember.??? Their answer is "to get attention!" So I limit my conversation with these kind of people....Thank God there are not many....But I resent the fact when someone 65 or younger forgets a word etc... they laugh and say "Not the same....good times and good drugs" It is pure ageism and fear of getting old themselves. So don't let these kind of responses get down. Tell them to get lost!

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In my town in Northern California we have an institution called The Buck Center on Aging. They have scientist from all over the world. Years ago before the actual buildings were built I was part of a volunteer team to have scientist usually from Stanford come and speak to the public at our Frank Lloyd Wright building. This was thirty years ago and I was in my fifties so I didn't pay much attention because it didn't have much to do with me. Now at 83 it sure does. One of the speakers subjects was memory. What he said I repeat to myself a lot now. He said all the memory is still in there it just takes longer to retrieve. I especially have trouble with names. Like I'll see a celebrity and I know that face but I just can't think of their name at all. All I can say is thank you google.

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I will be 84 next Sunday, doing well, but just recently I couldn’t come up with a name, again.
I do get aggravated with myself, but trying not to.

Am having a glass of red wine right now. Was realizing ... it would be better if I do not hv that afternoon wine! I am torn, do I continue this pleasure or give it up. It doesn’t interfere with my daily activities, it is enjoyable, but I think it does interfere with clear thinking, like remembering names.
I do know that this is a minor problem, and I do feel for anyone who has REAL problems - having been a caregiver of two husbands with serious illnesses.
Just keep wondering about my wine habits.

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@margotcc

I will be 84 next Sunday, doing well, but just recently I couldn’t come up with a name, again.
I do get aggravated with myself, but trying not to.

Am having a glass of red wine right now. Was realizing ... it would be better if I do not hv that afternoon wine! I am torn, do I continue this pleasure or give it up. It doesn’t interfere with my daily activities, it is enjoyable, but I think it does interfere with clear thinking, like remembering names.
I do know that this is a minor problem, and I do feel for anyone who has REAL problems - having been a caregiver of two husbands with serious illnesses.
Just keep wondering about my wine habits.

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Feeling silly, sorry I posted.

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@margotcc

Feeling silly, sorry I posted.

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Not silly!
It's something to think about.
Maybe try a week without wine and see if it makes a difference.

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