is this an age thing or something I have to worry about?
Okay so it’s no secret that I’m 42 years old. If I want to be factual, I am actually almost exactly 42 and a half years old this month on the 14th…. to be exact. I hate being exact. But there it is.
So now I’m wondering if everyone my age is losing their short-term memory? I know they blame pregnancy on short-term memory loss (some research claims) so I’m wondering if I perhaps had one to many? Pregnancies, that is. Did I totally fry my brain cells away with all these pregnancies? I’m really staring to wonder.
Lately, not only do I forget things easily (like for example the kids will give me their money for “safe keeping” and two days later I won’t remember where I stashed it) but I can’t remember doing more important things, like say…taking OFF my wedding ring!
Back in the summer months, we had a string of burglaries in our neighborhood. Thankfully, our home was not targeting. But I took precautions, just in case. One of the things I swore I would never do again was to take off my wedding ring. I just couldn’t bare the thought of it being taken from me in some random robbery. So, I stopped putting it in my jewelry box at night. Instead, I kept it on my ring finger and NEVER took it off. I have never taken it off since the summer of 2011.
Well, the other day I was driving the kids to school and I looked at my left hand which was on the steering wheel at the time….and my ring was GONE! I said, “Oh! My ring!” and the kids said, “What, Mom?” and I said, “Where is my ring!” Of course no one knew what I was talking about, and then my mind raced back to the night before. Did I take off my ring? No. Am I sure? Yes. I haven’t taken off my ring since June 2011. WHERE IS MY RING! I had no recollection whatsoever of taking my ring off. None!
And NO, I hadn’t been drinking the night before, lol. This is my completely sober and drug-free mind not remembering. I was seriously freaking out. WHERE WAS MY RING!
Once I got home, I searched my room. I looked on my night stand. I looked on the bathroom counters. Finally, I searched my jewelry case… and there in the waaaaay back of one of the smaller drawers was my wedding ring.
I had absolutely no memory of putting it there. And it’s not an easy thing to take my ring off. It’s about a size smaller than my ring finger and to get it off I usually have to soap my finger or put lotion on my hands. So I was trying to remember doing that… and I just couldn’t remember doing it! I had no recollection of taking my ring off. None!
Brain cells. I must be losing mine to some extent. How could I not remember taking such an important piece of jewelry off my hand? So this left me a bit worried about myself. Am I getting some kind of early memory loss? I am now second-guessing everything that I do around here. The baby is in her high chair: Don’t Forget!!!!! Andrew is in the bathtub: Don’t Forget!!!! Pick up Alex from soccer at 5:00pm: Don’t Forget!!!! Never mind the bills and the mortgage that needs to be paid every month, but I worry about my children’s safety. Gosh darn it, if I can forget about taking off a piece of jewelry, what else am I capable of forgetting?
I just don’t trust my mind anymore. What is going on? Is this just me, or is this an age-thing that everyone goes through at one point or another?
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It’s called perimenopause and it’s no fun at all! No matter what anyone says, it’s mostly hormonal. I started perimenopause at the age of 45 (I’m now 50) and when I got to the point a couple of years ago where I thought I was going to go crazy (perimenopause also causes anxiety, depression and mood swings – just like PMS!) I finally went to a doctor who specializes in bioidentical hormones and got on hormone cream. It’s not like it automatically fixes everything but it certainly made a difference. Over time the doctor has adjusted it based on my symptoms.
The kind of absolute memory loss you describe – and believe me I’ve been there and it’s scary, especially if you still have young kids (and I have a nine-year old!) – it’s actually caused by a drop in testosterone. Yes, testosterone! Women have a lot less testosterone than men but our body still produces it. But when our hormones get whacked out from perimenopause, testosterone is one of the hormones our body starts producing a LOT less of, and it affects memory, concentration, etc.
Not every woman has a bad time with perimenopause. One of my cousins just stopped having her periods at age 45. That was it. No craziness, no nothing. Unfortunately, I also have battled adrenal fatigue for over ten years and one thing I learned is that women who have adrenal fatigue also, usually, have a real bad time with perimenopause. Lucky me!
I suggest you get a hold of Suzanne Somer’s book “Ageless.” It gives a very good overview of what happens to women’s hormones and how bioidenticals can help.
too much other stuff going on in your life to remember everything! 20 yrs ago all you had to worry about was you! those days are long gone!! My 4 oldest kids call me every other night say whats new? and then proceed to tell me all about their day and then say ok thanks..bye. meanwhile I am doing 12 other things while they are talking….no wonder I forget what I am doing, if i did it or where i put it?!
yes, it happens to me, too. now I see why my Mom used to write everything on postit notes so she wouldn’t forget. my best friend has permanently misplaced her wedding ring!
I just turned 47 and I definitely agree with your theory! Sometimes I can’t remember the simplest things. I think it’s because my brain is full of a dozen schedules for other people… Thanks for following my blog! Sandy
I do that all the time, and am never sure what to blame it on. I do think having so much going on, so many kids, so much responsibility, makes the mind just go blank sometimes. Glad you found your ring!
This is totally me. I forget more than I remember. I don’t know when this started but it’s concerned me a bit lately too. It could be inevitable given how busy and pulled we all are. Age? possibly… Stress? Likely… Overscheduled? Definitely.. Wine? Please…
Oh my gosh, I lost my wedding ring last week and still cannot find it. Im about ready to give up and just start crying. I hope you gain your memory back! I bet that can be a scary thing.
Ah, it’s not just you! I think the business of life (which looks like to me, your life is full of with all those kiddos! ) just gives us one (or two or three) more thing to forget about! It’s easy to seriously question our sanity sometimes when these things happen, but it’s good to know we’re not alone in our absent-mindedness!
your mind must just put things in order of importance and the kiddies came first! I am so glad you found your ring. I take mine off to wash the dishes sometimes and totally forget to put it back on.
It’s called perimenopause and it’s no fun at all! No matter what anyone says, it’s mostly hormonal. I started perimenopause at the age of 45 (I’m now 50) and when I got to the point a couple of years ago where I thought I was going to go crazy (perimenopause also causes anxiety, depression and mood swings – just like PMS!) I finally went to a doctor who specializes in bioidentical hormones and got on hormone cream. It’s not like it automatically fixes everything but it certainly made a difference. Over time the doctor has adjusted it based on my symptoms.
The kind of absolute memory loss you describe – and believe me I’ve been there and it’s scary, especially if you still have young kids (and I have a nine-year old!) – it’s actually caused by a drop in testosterone. Yes, testosterone! Women have a lot less testosterone than men but our body still produces it. But when our hormones get whacked out from perimenopause, testosterone is one of the hormones our body starts producing a LOT less of, and it affects memory, concentration, etc.
Not every woman has a bad time with perimenopause. One of my cousins just stopped having her periods at age 45. That was it. No craziness, no nothing. Unfortunately, I also have battled adrenal fatigue for over ten years and one thing I learned is that women who have adrenal fatigue also, usually, have a real bad time with perimenopause. Lucky me!
I suggest you get a hold of Suzanne Somer’s book “Ageless.” It gives a very good overview of what happens to women’s hormones and how bioidenticals can help.
too much other stuff going on in your life to remember everything! 20 yrs ago all you had to worry about was you! those days are long gone!! My 4 oldest kids call me every other night say whats new? and then proceed to tell me all about their day and then say ok thanks..bye. meanwhile I am doing 12 other things while they are talking….no wonder I forget what I am doing, if i did it or where i put it?!
yes, it happens to me, too. now I see why my Mom used to write everything on postit notes so she wouldn’t forget. my best friend has permanently misplaced her wedding ring!
I just turned 47 and I definitely agree with your theory! Sometimes I can’t remember the simplest things. I think it’s because my brain is full of a dozen schedules for other people…
Thanks for following my blog!
Sandy
I do that all the time, and am never sure what to blame it on. I do think having so much going on, so many kids, so much responsibility, makes the mind just go blank sometimes. Glad you found your ring!
So glad you found your ring! I’ve noticed that I forget things so quickly if it’s not THAT important.
Um, I’m 36 and this happens to me more often then I would like to take responsibility for.
btw-found your blog through Coach Matt (my husband) love it!!! And you have such a beautiful family.
This is totally me. I forget more than I remember. I don’t know when this started but it’s concerned me a bit lately too. It could be inevitable given how busy and pulled we all are. Age? possibly… Stress? Likely… Overscheduled? Definitely.. Wine? Please…
Oh my gosh, I lost my wedding ring last week and still cannot find it. Im about ready to give up and just start crying. I hope you gain your memory back! I bet that can be a scary thing.
Ah, it’s not just you! I think the business of life (which looks like to me, your life is full of with all those kiddos!
) just gives us one (or two or three) more thing to forget about! It’s easy to seriously question our sanity sometimes when these things happen, but it’s good to know we’re not alone in our absent-mindedness!
Glad you found your wedding ring!
I wouldn’t worry about it, it is entirely normal. I m 65 and every once and a while I ….ah….
Cranky Old Man
At least you found it!
I have trouble remembering the things I do automatically. If it doesn’t take thought to do it, I won’t remember that I did it.
I thought I lost my rings a few weeks ago. One was in my back jeans pocket and the other was in my son’s lego box. OMG.
your mind must just put things in order of importance and the kiddies came first! I am so glad you found your ring. I take mine off to wash the dishes sometimes and totally forget to put it back on.
Well, stress and anxiety can affect your short term memory too! Try Fish Oil, they say it helps brain function (I’m trying it too, lol!)