I'm 56.

HUGE decrease in memory & concentration over the past 10 yrs., luckily I am now a "crafty vet" at my job so it is less critical, but I know I am not nearly at the top of my game that I was in the past.

Increasing stress of parental illness/death/care are a large part of that, I am sure (that continues).

One of my problems is I remember conversations, like the subject or how I learned something new, and I can't recall who I heard it from. I've been embarrassed more than a few times, mentioning the topic of the conversation to the wrong person, and they look at me like I'm crazy and say I must have talked about it with someone else. I usually figure out who it was eventually. I don't know if this is just a continuation and worsening of a lifelong problem I've had with recalling names/faces of people I don't know that well.

considering I got pregnant in my early forties the mommy brain syndrome was very real for me. I have an interview today and I am hoping my memory and brain function hold up to get me through the phone interview. three and half years after the baby I feel like I have recovered my body just to start losing my mind. But, I am studying a new language different than a latin based one and I dance a lot. So, I try to mix things up to keep my brain working. But, it is tough.

it is scary

Is Cerefolin prescribed? Let us know if you notice any improvement.

I am about to start taking Cerefolin for memory. It is a "drug" but seems to be vitamin based.

Sounds familiar. This morning I half emptied the dishwasher then got distracted by something else and later came back in the kitchen and wondered why the DW door was open. I was on a conference call a the time, but still... I get everything done but probably not so efficiently. I find I have to keep track of everything in my calendar or I will forget it. And I often wake up in the morning suddenly recalling that I forgot to respond to an email 2 days ago.

I find I am much spacier overall, yet I can concentrate very well on a single task, in some ways I'm better able to concentrate. But the big difference for me is that I find it very difficult to multitask. I have to stick to one task at a time, which is aggravating because I always have a ton of different things going all at once. I forget things in the short term, forget names, lose words (nouns in particular), walk into a room not knowing what I came in for; have to walk around the house muttering to myself to keep myself from getting distracted and stay on the search for whatever I was trying to find or finish. I used to remember everything, and I find it very annoying that I can't remember where I bought something or got something I've had for a long time. Aging sucks, no kidding.

No biggie- I turn down the radio when I smell something strange

Anonymous wrote:No problems with concentration, but my short term memory is noticeably worse than 5 years ago. The clincher? I don't care that I don't remember anything....

I heard once that not caring was a bad sign so maybe you are on your way to Alzheimers! JK, JK, pp.

Just turned 50 and it's been going on for years, since my kids were little, and they are teens now. You are not alone.

No problems with concentration, but my short term memory is noticeably worse than 5 years ago. The clincher? I don't care that I don't remember anything....

Me too!

I turned 50 this year. I am very forgetful and spacey. It's noticeable. I often forget where I put things and spend alot of time trying to find lost items. Today, I had to have our locksmith at work make more keys for my desk because I lost my original set this week. I start to do something, get distracted, and then forget what it is I started to do originally. I can relate..this is very aggravating.

I've spoken with my sister and others who are over 50. We all do it. I think it is also a symptom of menopause, which I went through at 46 because I had a total (radical) hysterectomy. My concentration is fine buy my sister, who is 53, complains often of dimished concentration at work.

I think this comes with being in your fifties and with menopause, perimenopause.

Ugggh...

I am having a much harder time focusing when there's noise in the background. I have to turn off the radio in the car (especially if tuned to my teen's station) when I'm searching for an address. Even the constant din at work (I have my own office, but no one usually shuts doors) can make it hard to concentrate when I used to be able to block it out.

And I'm so much worse at multitasking. I'll start in on one thing, jump to the next and then forget about the first thing. And then there's the good old walking into a room to get or do something and having no idea what it was for a few minutes. Makes me nuts.

It's not Alzheimer's, obviously, but so annoying to feel my mind is not as agile as it once was. Anyone else dealing with these issues? Should I be worried?