Memory loss: When to seek help

Everyone forgets things. How many times have you lost your car keys or forgotten the name of a person you just met? Forgetfulness tends to increase with age, but there's a big difference between normal absent-mindedness and the type of memory loss associated with Alzheimer's disease.

What's normal?

Normal age-related memory loss doesn't prevent you from living a full and productive life. You just need more time to remember a name or the task you had set out to do. You're aware that you're forgetful and may even joke about it.

People with memory loss due to something other than normal aging, such as Alzheimer's disease, may feel that something's not quite right, but they're unable to pinpoint what's bothering them. Rather than call attention to a memory lapse, they may behave as if everything is fine.

Additional symptoms

Memory loss associated with Alzheimer's gets worse over time, but it certainly is not the only symptom of the disease. Some of the earliest signs and symptoms of Alzheimer's disease include:

• Asking the same questions repeatedly
• Difficulty finding words or use of inappropriate words
• Not being able to complete familiar tasks, such as following a recipe
• Misplacing items in inappropriate places, such as putting a wallet in the refrigerator
• Becoming lost while driving on familiar streets
• Undergoing sudden changes in mood or behavior for no apparent reason

Reversible conditions

Many other medical problems cause symptoms similar to Alzheimer's. That's why it's so important to consult a doctor if you've noticed memory lapses or uncharacteristic mood swings in yourself or in someone close to you. The problem may be a potentially reversible illness, such as depression, a metabolic disorder such as hypothyroidism, a reaction to a drug, or a vitamin deficiency.

Ask your doctor

To help rule out some of these other problems, here's a list of questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Could some of my medications be interacting? If you take more than one medication a day, there is a chance that these drugs could interact in your body, producing such symptoms as dizziness and memory loss. Give your doctor a list of all the medicines you use, including herbal remedies and over-the-counter items such as arthritis cream.
• Have I lost or gained any weight? Your weight is a factor in the dosage for some types of drugs. Losing or gaining even 10 pounds could make you have too much or too little medicine in your body, which might result in symptoms that mimic Alzheimer's disease.
• Could I be dehydrated? Older people are at higher risk of dehydration because the ability to feel thirst decreases with age. While dehydration itself can cause confusion, it can also increase the concentration of medicine in your blood, which can affect your mental processes.
• Might I have a concussion? Some people can lose consciousness after a fall and not realize it. Ask your doctor to check you over if you find an unexplained, tender lump on your head. Also talk to your doctor if you start to feel mentally fuzzy after what seems like a minor fall.
• Could I be depressed? Sometimes, family members and even health professionals suspect Alzheimer's disease in older adults who are really just depressed. Your doctor can use neurological and psychological evaluations to test you for depression.
• Could I be drinking too much? Alcohol is really just another drug, which can cause memory loss all on its own or by interacting with your medicines.

Detective work

A multitude of things can cause forgetfulness, and many of them are reversible. Work with your doctor to determine what's going on with your memory and what can be done about it.