Is it foggy out today, or is that just me?

A few days ago I was walking out to my car, keys in hand, and I suddenly forgot where I was going.  I’m standing in my garage, purse slung over my shoulder and I had no idea where it was I wanted to be. It was a Tuesday, my regular day off from work, so I knew I had to be running some kind of off-from-work-day errand, but for the life of me I didn’t know what it was. I went back into the house, took off my coat, laid down my purse on the table and then rifled through it. When I saw a grocery list and a wad of coupons, it dawned on me: I was heading out to the grocery store.

Phew!  That mystery was solved.

I would have laughed this incident off it was an isolated, one-off. But it wasn’t.  Since I’ve been in FBM ( Full Blown Menopause), my short term memory has taken a decided hit, like a linebacker getting tackled, and it isn’t funny, pretty or cute by any means.

I distinctly remember when my mother was going through menopause. I’d tell her something in the morning, then she’d ask me a question later on that she already knew the answer to, because I’d told her. She would swear on a stack of bibles that I never told her anything and was only trying to make her crazy.

No I wasn’t, because she already was.

There are whole chunks of memories that she doesn’t have about this time period. Events, occasions, people that she can’t bring to mind, even today. When I started forgetting little things, like paying a bill, or the above trip destination, it got me worried. When I forgot what the next word in a sentence I wanted to say started happening, I got scared. Was this brain fog related to my menopause, or is it some sort of early onset dementia? Was it a brain fart, or a brain tumor?

As usual when I’m worried I may have a potentially fatal disease, I went into research mode and found the following data.

Scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center gave 75 women from the ages of 40-60 a plethora of cognitive exams. These tests included determining attention span, and the ability to learn and retain new information. Women who complained of having “foggy memory” ( like me)  didn’t do well on the tests to determine working memory, or the ability we have to learn new info and use it. Although they could find no hormonal link to these findings, the researchers did make an issue of stating that women with memory problems during menopause were more likely to exhibit other menopausal symptoms as well, such a problems sleeping and feelings of anxiety.

So which came first: the chicken or the egg? Do the problems inherent in menopause actually cause the forgetfulness? Or is the forgetfulness just another symptom to add to the others?

Hormone depletion can lead to memory problems, though, a fact that should be addressed. I found one study that stated thyroid problems, adrenal fatigue and primary low estrogen levels can contribute to this fogginess feeling and short term memory problems.  When estrogen is low, neurotransmitters become unbalanced, Neurotransmitters help regulate our moods, cognitive functioning, and help us deal with stress. Low estrogen + out of balance neurotransmitters = mood disorders, brain fog ( the inability to think clearly) and short term retention problems. Insomnia can also lead to mental fog, due to the brain’s not getting enough rest. And who do we know suffering from insomnia? Hot flash women, that’s who.

Hello!! Does this sound like you, because it sure sounds like me. I used to be able to repeat a series of 6-8 numbers in a row with only seeing them once. I tried that today and I got 3 right. HALF! I find myself with more lists that I ever needed before. Lists to remind me to go to the bank, pick up milk, take the clothes from the washing machine and put them into the dryer. Oh crap! I need to go do that now. See? I should have written that one down, but I forgot to!