Steroids and Memory

[anng18]

Does long term use of steroids affect the memory? My mother's memory is not as good as it normally is and I wondered if it could be due to all the steroids she has had recently.

[peege]

I'm afraid I don't know about the steroid angle. I do know though that other things in the older person can effect memory or behaviours. Generally being unwell for one. A urine infection - UTI - in the older person can present like dementia which is so worrying for family when a simple dip stick test of urine will show a lot and so easy to treat.

Perhaps others with more experience of steroids will add to information for you. Don't hesitate to get her to see the GP though.

[anng18 in reply to peege]

Thank you for responding. Yes, it could well be some sort of infection. It's very unusual for my mother's memory not to be good.

[Hidden]

Old age affects your memory, that is generally accepted. I'm inclined to think that steroids are in fact beneficial to ones memory, certainly in the short term.

[anng18 in reply to Hidden]

Steroids normally make my mother quite perky, but don't seem to be working at the moment. I suspect she has some sort of infection. Her GP is not brilliant.

[kflatt]

More likely to be cholesterol lowering pills - statins do affect memory.

[anng18 in reply to kflatt]

Interesting, but she has no problems with cholesterol. Thank you for replying.

[Bronchi1]

I discovered the other day that it is the decrease sodium in the system , amongst other things , that contributes to deteriorating memory in old age. Not a lot you can do about it. I have been on high dose inhaled steroids for 30 years and my memory is deteriorating but I suspect it's age and my blood tests show decreasing sodium.

[anng18 in reply to Bronchi1]

Thanks for your answers. I suspect that she may have low potassium/magnesium and possibly, like you have said, sodium, but her Dr. forgot to send the nurse around to take blood samples. I also think that she may have an infection, as this has happened before. She has been on Doxycillin, but I think she may need a different antibiotic to clear up an infection, which I suspect is in her chest, as the Dr. heard rattles etc.

[B0xermad]

Hope it's not steroid use , I would be in fire straits with the amount I have to have ,would stand a chance of remembering this conversation even lol

[B0xermad in reply to B0xermad]

Dire straits

[Gary56]

Sorry, can’t resist a flippant answer

Don’t remember, sorry