I am going through the menopause but I'm fearful that I have the onset of dementia. I find it difficult to find words, even simple words. It's not all the time, but the more I think about what I'm going to say, the more the words will not come out. Please can you help me?

Loss of memory and concentration is very common during the menopause and most women will experience this at some point, even this morning I tried to put the washing powder in the fridge!

I do believe that as women today we have so much to think about all the time that, like an over-worked computer, our memory banks sometimes just 'crash'.

I know that it can be very embarrassing, especially when this happens in front of other people but trying to relax can often get your thoughts back.

For me it felt like someone had just pulled the plug on my brain and it was empty but I learned to joke that I was having a 'black hole moment' and this seemed to help reduce the anxiety.

Falling hormones at this time are known to trigger the nervous system which can result in affecting the memory and concentration.

I would suggest a magnesium supplement to help support the nervous system and also Concentration Essence to help with focus.

However, it is important to see your doctor about this as well just to put your mind at rest, the more you worry the worse it can be!

Eileen Durward