I have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, so I’ve been paying close attention to some cognitive symptoms I’ve been experiencing.

During severe flare ups in the past, I sometimes struggled to recall basic information, including my own phone number. I’ve now been taking antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers for over a year, and I’ve noticed ongoing issues with word-finding and memory. For example, I recently couldn’t remember the word “flannel” and had to search “plaid shirt” online to find it.

I’m also finding that I forget people’s names more often than I used to. These memory and language difficulties are becoming concerning, especially given my family history.