"The one about, um... the um, you know..."

"The one we saw Friday night with what's-his-name?"

"Uh-huh, that one."

Oh yeah, and I'm not kidding. That's how we communicate. And it seems to work for us.

Not coincidentally, I find myself eating blueberries, drinking green tea, consuming daily doses of Omega-3 fatty acids, engaging in competitive scrabble matches with my sister and solving the lingering French references in crossword puzzles after my husband diligently fills in every other single square.

So today, when I came across an article at The Huffington Post, Memory Loss can be Caused by Over-the-Counter Drugs by Leo Galland, MD, I was intriqued. I confess that in the past, I would often default to Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications when it would likely have been beneficial for me to stick it out or take a walk. I've always been lazy that way. Take a pill and get back to business at hand. But recently, I've become more mindful of healthier alternatives and quite frankly, more suspicious of medications with which I am not familiar. Partly because of an increased awareness and partly because I've had my share of atypical systemic responses. So I am more cautious.

Dr. Galland points to a myriad of OTC and prescription drugs that have memory loss and/or cognitive impairment as a side-effect. As I perused the long list of medications, I was stunned to learn how many different kinds of meds are associated with this mild cognitive impairment, referred to as MCI.

These drugs that cause MCI have an "anti-cholinergic" characteristic. I'm not going to pretend to completely understand this, but suffice it to say these drugs interfere with the neurotransmitter that is associated with memory and cognitive function. The drugs highest on the list are anti-spasmodic medications, such as those which help stomach or bladder cramps. Interestingly, the article points out that there are 17 other types of medications that also have these anti-cholinergic properties and people need to be aware of this. Common drugs, such as antihistimines, acid blockers, and antidepressants are included on this list. Clearly, the more medications a person takes, the greater the risk of side effects.

I worry about how easily people take these medications. Particularly, I worry about women I treat. In my clinical practice, I see postpartum women who already feel compromised simply by their current state of being. Sleep deprivation doesn't help. Neither do hectic schedules, constant demands, high levels of anxiety or poor nutrition. All of these factors can further tax a fatigued brain. Women affectionately refer to this transient mental state as "mommy brain" or "baby fog." Difficulty concentrating is something that just seems to go with the territory.

That being said, I want to send a shout out to all moms who might be concerned about the way they are feeling. Take the medications that are prescribed for you, as prescribed. Ask about adding OTC drugs and ask about potential interactions. Sometimes, it's hard to know if the medications you are taking are helping or if they are contributing to the problem. The warning here is this: make sure you tell each of your doctors, all of the medications and supplements you are taking.  Remember you are your own best health advocate. Therefore:

Be advised.

Read the article linked above.

Read labels on the OTC medications you take.

Ask questions of your pharmacist and doctors.

Monitor your side-effects.

Don't settle for less than feeling the way you want to feel.

© 2011 Karen Kleiman. All Rights Reserved postpartumstress.com