Have memory issues. Fail to recollect incidents. When tested, came out age related normal. Treatment?
Patient: Hi Dr. Grief,I am a healthy 66 yr old female with a happy marriage , 3 children , and 7 grandchildren.  I'm retired.  I have been having loss of memory issues for about (?) a year.  Nothing horrible like getting lost, forgetting to take my Rxs , or how to get through my day.  My recall of incidents is lacking strength. My  husband forgets nothing which makes my lousy memory seem even more exaggerated and exasperating.  I have had various degrees of anxiety since my early 20's". I get in an "overload" status quite easily depending on my environment at that time (does that make sense to you?) A houseful of my kids, their spouses and my grandchildren does not overwhelm me. But what is upsetting is  constant anxiety over my husband's Hep C contracted from blood transfusions due to a spontaneous ruptured esophagus occurring @17 yrs.ago although his only symptom is he tires easily; he has had several liver biopsies which indicate no cancer  - he has been on 3 treatment plans, the first 2 lowered his liver viral load count to 0 but he is a "reactor, not a sustainer";  shortly after going off  2 treatments the viral load goes up again; the 3rd & last treatment was intolerable and he had to come off it.  Now he has a cyst on one kidney discovered during a cat scan and they're pretty sure it's cancerous and will be operated on quite soon. No sign of cancer spreading as far as they can tell now. I feel like I can't be strong for him anymore and I'm always stressed inside. When someone (spouse or kids) say things like "remember when we did such & such or  why can't you remember we had a whole conversation about this or that. ?" That's when I feel like something is wrong in my head; and they do not mind sharing their disbelief that I've forgotten whatever it is. "You need to see someone about your memory" is an often response. They don't beat me up about it and are well-meaning because they care about me, but I can sense that they are all getting more concerned.  I went to a neurologist and everything came out age-related  normal and  that I should get cognitive remediation therapy. I do not have any dementia or any sign of early onset Alzheimer's. I've been searching the internet to find a therapist  in my area (Frederick or Montgomery County Maryland) who deals with C.R.T. /memory function and anxiety issues as stated above. Would you be able to give me some direction on what I should be looking for in a professional mental health person? I prefer a female. Thank you and I'm sorry this is so lengthy.  Barbara K. of Frederick  Md. Doctor: Hi thanks for asking to HCM, the friend you talking about, has a sign depression. Need consultation from psychologist.  don't be solely depend upon medicine. Give him support, do join a sport or exercise. Let him do his hobbies and give him challange in between. Take care. Soon things will be fine.