Hello everyone,

I lost my dad to Alzheimers 13 years ago, but I have questions about myself. I am a 60 year old female and I live alone


I had surgery 3 months ago and have been taking ultram and flexaril for pain, and I don't know if my meds are causing my problems or not, and I don't remember how I was before the meds.

I do some really crazy things, for one I can have 2 or three things on the counter, and I need to get one of them, and several times I pick the wrong one up. and I when I want to say something, I either forget a word, or I say the wrong thing. and I get lost in conversations all the time, seems to me this is short term memory thing, and I am kind of worried that I may have early alzheimners. I believe it is heriditary.

Is there any kind of a test you can get to know for sure.

If so, I would like to take it, and if I do have it, I can start early treatment.

Any replies will be appreciated.

Peg :wave:

PS I wanted to mention I met up with my two brothers and sister last week, and my one brother, I hadn't seen for a long time, and the other I am not around alot. They got the biggest kick out of me because thiings were said or a joke was told, and I didn't catch on, my one brother laughted til he cried, he had no idea.

Hi Peg.

My first impression - since your brothers found you funny and not scary, stop worrying. (When my Mom went off the deep end it was NOT funny, at all - it was terrifying.)

Secondly, you may be having side effects from the medicines. I have no knowledge at all of pharmacy or side effects but the rule is, if it has an effect, it will also have some kind of side effect. Any chance you could cut down on the meds? or ask your doctor if memory loss is a possible side effect?

As far as testing, there are all kinds of scans of the brain which can rule out other causes (brain changes, tumors etc) but nothing can 'prove' Alzheimers. Usually a person is said to have "Alzheimers or one of the related dementias" when nothing else explains the changes. A doctor can give you a short memory test, but just from the lucidity of your post, it is clearly too early for anything to show up on such a test.

I encourage you to get a checkup if it will make you feel happier, and otherwise continue to live a full and varied life and don't worry about getting what your Dad had.

I am 68 and also live alone, after having lived with my Mom for many years. I keep busy at various activites incuding grandchild minding - and read a lot, and of course like anyone else I can also forget something, or even say a wrong word by accident, or cannot remember a name - but some of this is normal, I think !!

Keep us posted on how things go for you!

Martha

Flexeril is a muscle relaxant, but the biggest side effect that people complain of is either fatigue or sluggishness - "foggy thinking". Unfortunately, all of the muscle relaxers can do this to some degree, including Soma, Norflex, Skelaxin, Robaxin, Zanaflex, etc. If they're really helping you, I guess it's worth the trade off; if it's scaring you, I would probably ask for a trial of a different med. Muscle relaxers are more for spasms and stiffness than for pain relief anyway.

Peg...I think probably each of us who gather here have seen hints of this disease in themselves also! Before being introduced to the many aspects...mostly by simple observation...we ALL had behaviors that we questioned after realizing the symptoms. I know I did...and all of my siblings also!

We were told there are more than 60 different kinds of dementia...and Alzheimer's is only one. Personally, I often think I may have 3 or 4!! I did talk to my Dr. soon after Mom's diagnosis because I noticed subtle changes in myself that scared me. Her answer was that loads of stress....and age....can bring about forgetful pauses and worrying about just the right word. I'm trying hard to believe her!!.................p;)

Peg, I know that flexeril can cause mental confusion. So can Ultram but that seems to be pretty rare. Call your doctor ASAP and let him/her know about this. A change in meds just might do the trick.

Let us know what you find.

Love, Barb