As you are experiencing difficulty remembering, it is understandable that you have concerns about your health. It is commendable that you are inquiring about your health and seeking to become more educated about it. Individuals can become forgetful or lose their memory for a number of reasons, some of which may be reversible. This can be a result of medication, delirium, anxiety, stress, depression, adjustment, thyroid conditions, surgery, accidents or other injuries, and many other reasons. It is advisable that you consult with a physician as soon as possible to find out for sure. If your physician feels that there is a reason for concern, you may then undergo a series of tests designed to rule out certain conditions and confirm an appropriate diagnosis. Although there is a form of Alzheimer's disease known as early-onset, which can affect individuals as young as their 30's, it affects only a small portion of the population. The only way to find out if this applies to you is by undergoing a full-scale evaluation by your physician.
Although it is important to see a physician as soon as possible, I would like to inform you that AFA's National Memory Screening Day is taking place on November 18, 2008. On this day, individuals across the nation can receive free, confidential memory screenings by healthcare professionals right in their community. Although these screenings results do not represent a diagnosis, they can suggest whether further testing is advisable by a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For more information, visit www.nationalmemoryscreening.org.