Cognitive decline and trouble finding words in 50s

[Anonymous]

I’m a woman over 50 who is noticing cognitive decline, such as losing words. Last time I discussed with the Dr he said it’s just a normal part of aging. But he’s been slow to find other issues, such as low thyroid. I’m going back to see him and wonder if there are any tests I should request. I do have allergies year round but am otherwise reasonably healthy.

[Anonymous]

I also have noticed and worried about this, but beyond age (56), I think an important contributing factor is decline in contact with other people and in the quality/depth of the conversations I do have.

[Anonymous]

Menopause?

[Anonymous]

When was your thyroid last checked when my hypo is bad I forget words all the time maybe your meds need to be adjusted.

[Anonymous]

I talked to a neurologist about this. There’s a difference between not remembering words, and slowly recalling words.

If you are slowly, recalling words, it is normal. If it seems to be longer than normal in your mind, you probably are not sleeping well and it’s probably asleep issue. Do you have problems, recalling words, like dish, fork, spoon? Or are you having a hard time recalling words you rarely use or peoples names you haven’t seen for a while?

There’s a difference between memory and recall.

Work with your doctor to try to get eight hours of sleep every night for two weeks and see if it resolves.

[Anonymous]

With me, it's more like I've got something else on my mind that I'm still thinking about - when to sell real estate, what I can fix up around the house which is an endless chore, how it will affect my career, how to keep things flexible for my kids after college, being there for my aging parent ...just lots of life stuff that has more impact now than than in my 30s or 40s.

It definitely happens when my kids ask me questions - I'm thinking about why the washing machine stops mid-cycle rather than focusing on their questions about, e.g., going out to dinner with their friends after their sports meet on the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Could very well be menopause-related. Consider hormone therapy. Also consider getting a new doctor as this one doesn't sound great, and for menopause and hormones you want someone experienced and good.

[Anonymous]

NP. For me, it’s always words I learned as a small child. I don’t forget words that are specific to my industry or anything like that but will absolutely blank on worlds like chair, oven, fork, etc. sometimes it comes to me after a few seconds but sometimes I have to just describe that I’m thinking of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Could very well be menopause-related. Consider hormone therapy. Also consider getting a new doctor as this one doesn't sound great, and for menopause and hormones you want someone experienced and good.

+1 this

[Anonymous]

Thank you, all.

[Anonymous]

Heard a great podcast about this on Ted Radio hour. The woman who wrote the book that got turned into the movie with Julianne Moore dealing with Alzheimers. She has some great ways of knowing what was normal and what was not. Forgetting where you park your car is normal. I always remember someone telling me forgetting where your keys are is normal; forgetting what your keys are is not.

[Anonymous]

Another vote for menopause. I lost words, would forget why I went into a room, simple memory problems. It lasted about three years. Talked to friends also in menopause and it became a joke with us.

If you are in menopause, befriend it and take it in stride as it will fade.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, op for posting and responders. I’m 51 and can completely blank on words. I have to google “things you put into a lock to open it”. It’s like I know the word exists but I have no idea what it is.

I’m perimenopausal and have long covid issues, but of course my focus goes to Alzheimer’s. This thread was reassuring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks, op for posting and responders. I’m 51 and can completely blank on words. I have to google “things you put into a lock to open it”. It’s like I know the word exists but I have no idea what it is.

I’m perimenopausal and have long covid issues, but of course my focus goes to Alzheimer’s. This thread was reassuring.

For a word as commonly used as "key," that's concerning. (And even MORE concerned if you had keys in your hand at the time but were not able to get the word for them). But long COVID itself would more than explain that. My spouse has it and was told by the PT who referred to the speech therapist that it's treated more or less the way traumatic brain injury is, because it has many of the same effects.

If that is just an example of how you circumlocute to get to a word that is actually less regularly used, or a less common object than "key," I'd say it's completely normal.

[Anonymous]

I’m 52. My friends in my age category tell me it’s post menopause. I just try to read more for fear of having Alzheimer’s. I read an article that reading helps delay it. I don’t really know but it’s good to hear from others here that it’s hormonal related.