Complications from A-Fib or Medication or What?

[COLSWIFE]

My husband has been experiencing A-Fib since 12/10. He is currently on Tikosyn, Pradaxa for Clot Prevention/Stroke, Hyzaar for his 40-year-history of HPB, Zoloft for anxiety/depression following a job loss in 3/09, Gabapention for sciatica, and Vitamin D and multivitamin. He has started experiencing mental confusion in the past 3-6 months. Is this related to the transient A-Fib or one of the medications he is taking, or is it transient due to his age of 62. In 2010 he obtained a Doctorate of Management and is a really smart guy, but he often times cannot remember what he is going from one room to another room for? Can anyone shed some light on this?

[DeltaDawn23]

Check out the Gabapention (I believe it is the generic for Neurotin) and it can cause extreme drowsiness.  My husband and my aunt were on it for some time and I saw changes in both their personalities.  I, too, forget what I go into another room for and have been doing that for years.  I am 66.  I have heard dementia described as, not forgetting where you parked your car, but forgetting that you HAVE a car.  That said, it wouldn't hurt to get it checked out.  There are doctors who specialize in diagnosing dementia.  Good luck.

[MichelleP_3811]

You should discuss any side effects and or interactions between medications with the prescribing doctor or pharmacist but I will say I have that happen to me and I am only in my 40s.  From what I understand, memory loss becomes concerning when a person starts having issues remembering how things function or understanding basic concepts.  Like forgetting how to drive a car or make corffee or wandering off not knowing where one is going.  I knew my grandmother was going downhill when she started to get confused about the difference between a zip code and area code.  So it has more to do with forgetting how to do and operate things that you use everyday.  But I think loosing ones train of thought is not anything to worry about.  If he is still depressed it could be partly due to that but you might want to go and get his oxygen levels checked just to make sure his brain isn't being deprived of it but I really think it is nothing to be concerned about but I am not a doctor so use your best judgment on whether he should go see his doctor or not.  Take care.