The possibility that you (or someone you love) may have a cognitive disorder can be upsetting. After all, our brains are where “we” are. And the thought of losing this sense of self may be something we don’t want to think about. In fact, the possibility may be so scary that we just ignore the symptoms and hope they go away on their own.
But memory problems rarely go away on their own. And, in fact, some of the disorders that cause memory loss are treatable, especially in their early stages.
You can’t diagnose memory loss by yourself
So, if you are concerned about your memory, or the memory of someone you love, it’s a good idea to share those concerns with a doctor. And there’s no better place to start than making an appointment with a primary care physician.
Your primary care physician knows you and you know them. So you can feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and observations with them, knowing they can help figure out what’s going on.
How to prepare for a doctor’s visit
Don’t try to lump this conversation into a checkup or other routine visit. Make an appointment to discuss just your concerns about your memory. That will give your concerns the focus they deserve. In preparation for this doctor’s visit, here are a few things you can do to make it more successful:
- Make some written notes about what problems you’ve been having with your memory and/or thinking. To help you organize your thoughts, download and print out our free memory loss roadmap. It includes space for your observations, as well as those from someone else who knows you well and may have observed any symptoms. Take these written notes to your doctor’s appointment to remind you what you wanted to discuss.
- If you’d like, download, print out, and complete the Self-Administered Gerocognitive Exam (SAGE). This athome quiz assesses how well your brain is working in various ways, including memory. While you can’t score the test yourself, you can bring your answers to your physician, knowing it may help them better understand what’s going on with your brain.
- Ask someone to accompany you to your doctor’s appointment. Having someone you know there with you may make the visit easier. And if that person knows you well, they can share their observations with your doctor since other people may notice problems we’re having better than us. Additionally, this person can listen to what the doctor says and even take notes that you can reference later.
The doctor’s visit: step by step
When you arrive at your doctor’s office, your appointment may start off just like any other doctor’s visit, with someone recording your height, weight, temperature, and blood pressure. When the doctor comes into the room, they’ll probably ask you to tell them about your memory challenges. Use your notes that you made ahead of time to ensure you don’t leave out information you thought was important.
After listening to your concerns, your doctor may ask you some follow-up questions. Some of these questions may be part of a quick cognitive test (sometimes called a “mini-cog” or “General Practitioner Assessment of Cognition (GPCOG)”) to help them assess your basic mental capabilities on that day.
If they feel that more information is needed, they may order some blood tests to understand what’s going on with your body. They may also refer you to a different doctor, such as a neurologist, who specializes in how your brain works and how various conditions may be affecting your memory.
These additional steps don’t necessarily mean something serious is going on. Just that your primary care physician recognizes they’re not an expert in brain health. And that they think you deserve someone who can figure out what’s going on with your memory