Losing My Memory at 28 Year of Age

[BabyMae09]

So I'm losing my memory. It's pretty bad. I'm having trouble remembering appointments, plans, tasks, everything. My short term memory is shot - I can't remember a thing for more than about 2 seconds.

I also have developed lots of allergies to chemicals in the past couple years, and have many new food sensitivites as well.

I'm exhausted - I don't ever sleep for more then 6 hours at a time, and haven't since DD was born almost two years ago. For the first year of her life, I was sleeping 2-3 hours at most at a stretch. She still breastfeeds at night, 2-4 times.

I eat very healthfully, and try to work out a couple times a week.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? TIA...

[pacificbliss]

Hmm, this might not be very popular but have you considered night weaning your daughter. If she still nurses 2-4 times/night I bet you are never getting a 6 hr stretch of sleep.  Exhausted with no memory sounds like sleep deprivation to me.

[Mirzam]

Well, I would consider heavy metal toxcity. There is a long thread in the Dental forum Chelating mamas which might be a good place to start.

[maciascl]

Hypothyroid, chronic fatigue syndrome, firbomyalgia, etc... these types of illnesses can cause cognitive disruptions. Haveing your health care provider run a full thyroid panel might be a good place to start.

[neptunemama]

All good suggestions.  I'd also look into your B vitamin intake.  If you're low in B vitamins, that can also cause memory problems.  If you're not taking any, I'd do so.  If you are, make sure your doc checks for deficiency if you have blood work done.  

[subtlycrunchy]

Stress can sometimes lead to memory loss, due to the cascade of hormonal disruptions it causes (BTDT, unfortunately). Check out this article: Is stress affecting your memory?

[SuburbanHippie]

Don't forget (no pun intended) that as we get older and busier, our brain tends to have a hard time remembering short term memories because we are being constantly distracted.  Without the proper amount of time to process the information, we lose those short term memories quickly.  We just talked about this in my psych class.  It was nice to know that I'm not going senile.  It's pretty common for moms.

[Virginia Mom]

Another thing to think about, and it's more of a concern depending on where you live is Lyme Disease and Chronic Lyme.  (which you have to be really careful about if you are nursing bc the bacteria is passed via breastmilk)......But anyways, I personally deal with CLD,and memory loss was one of my big complaints (plus speech impediments, and the whole list of neurological goes on for miles)---but it's different with every person. And there isn't one specific test that can tell you positive or negative......

[es1967]

Something that really helps me focus and concentrate is a product called E3live-awesome.  About a year ago I started a new job and needed to really focus and concentrate since I work with numbers.  For some reason it just works great for me- I get super clear and focused better than with any other supplement I have tried.  I also have used Dr Schulze's superfood for about 8 yrs on and off and it is great for energy.  I would try the E3live.  The frozen liquid works best for me.  Tried the flakes and it did not work the same. Good luck.  I find the more stressed I am the worse my memory is.  This product really works.  Here is a link.  I just buy mine at the HFS.

http://www.e3live.com/brain_support/e3live_8oz.html?SID=2c7ebd80d8501da0b5e2a6a331111c72
 

p.s I can relate to your lack of sleep.  Ds nursed until he was 3 yrs old. Think the night nursing tapered off though by around 2yrs or so.   I am a light sleeper and we still cosleep.

[liliaceae]

Originally Posted by pacificbliss 

Hmm, this might not be very popular but have you considered night weaning your daughter. If she still nurses 2-4 times/night I bet you are never getting a 6 hr stretch of sleep.  Exhausted with no memory sounds like sleep deprivation to me.

ITA. Sleep deprivation definitely causes memory problems. Your DD is certainly old enough to try night weaning; at her age, it might even be easy. You need sleep, Mama.

[MamaChicken]

ITA on the nightweaning, but a word of warning- I nightweaned my twins at 14 months and it took ME 4-5 months to "learn" how to sleep more than 2-3 hours. More than a year later I don't think I could sleep through the night if I tried.