Share your early symptoms of forgetting: What can help?

Will do that.
Appreciate the reply.

@gussie I so identify with you. When you said "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," I said "Ditto...me, too!" 😊

And I've had a similar thought to the speaker at the Frank Lloyd Wright building. I, too, tell people that everything is still in the brain. But we've accumulated and stored so much information and data over the years which is why it takes us longer to recall things. There's a lot to rummage through to get to the information we're trying to remember. Younger people, on the other hand, can recall things quicker because they haven't accumulated as much information as older people have. Hashtag Senior Strong! 👍

When I forget something like a name, place or thing, I try to make a game of it. I tell myself that it's somewhere in my brain and if I can think of what's associated with the word or words I can't remember, usually it comes to me. I take 1200 mg of gabapentin daily and it slows down my mental functioning. I can usually remember the first letter of what I'm trying to remember.
I write down a lot of what I need to remember. I have several types of calendars (phone, journal, wall, pocket calendar) and I update them all. That helps with remembering events and what's on the schedule.
These strategies don't always work and then I resort to Google or one of my lists - but they help.

I answered your post, but don’t know where it went, because I don’t see it. May not have clicked the “Post Comment”.
Anyway, I just said thank you, and I will try your suggestion. But, lol, will finish that wine bottle first. That normally takes me three days.
Too cheap to just throw it out.
Thanks again.

There certainly have been a wide variety of comments and hints on this! Isn't it good to know we aren't alone in this dilemma?! Thank you for all the tips!

For me, I use written calendars for reminders. A small one in my purse, and a larger one at home. Once a week I make sure everything matches. My appointments, my husband's, things we are planning to do. I forgive myself for resorting to this, and know it is because at my age, there is so much that has happened, there is less room in my ol' noggin to recall things without sorting through so much! Likewise, the term "chemo brain" is very real, and my medications can lead to forgetfulness.
Ginger

@gingerw I, too, use calendars and lists...both on paper and in my phone. Really, I'd be lost without them because I have so many appointments and responsibilities to keep up with. And I also use alarms on my phone to remind me when it's time to do something or go somewhere. Sometimes when I look at the calendar or the list, or when the alarm goes off on my phone, I'll say to myself: Oh, I forgot all about that. So I'm thankful for these resources that remind me and keep me on track. They are very helpful to me.

Hi fellow 84 year old!! IMHO (In My Humble Opinion) a glass of wine...if it is just one...will probably do more to help, by way of relaxing you than to do harm if you forget a name. I believe I have earned, in my 84 years, the right to have a glass of wine! And I give you MY permission to NOT torture yourself over one glass of wine a day!
And no, these things are not silly because it's the little things that drive us nuts, right? We need to invite the poster above "fromthehill" to come and have a glass with us....don't ya think??

I say things out loud 3 times. For instance, I need to pick up: Bacon, Eggs, Milk & Cheese at the grocery store. I make a song out of it and sing it 3 times and then I sing it to myself in the grocery store. If it's a long list of groceries, I make a list.

In remembering someone's name that I have just met, let's say her name is "Barb". I connect that with "Barbie Doll" in my brain and when I see her again, I'll remember Barbie Doll and her name is Barb.

These may sound silly but they work for me. Blessings to all of you!

I also forget names. They usually come back to my brain after an hour or so. Then I think how come I couldn’t remember an hour ago so easy. I am better remembering grocery item if I picture a house with rooms I have to go into to find things. If I need milk I picture a room with a baby sitting in a crib and pouring milk over its head. Carrots I see a rabbit sitting eating carrots. Seems to help

@carolina8 When I'm stressing over trying to remember a name, I find that once I stop stressing over it and move on to something else, then that name comes to me seemingly out of the blue. Also, I will sometimes just go through the alphabet and think of names starting with A, then B, then C, and so on. That doesn't work all the time, but sometimes it does. By the way, I like the imagery that you use to help you remember grocery items.