My Memory Is Slipping" - 6 Reversible Causes Your Doctor Should Rule Out First

"My memory's slipping" — before anyone calls it dementia, there are 6 reversible causes that need to be ruled out first. Most people are never screened for a single one. 🧪 In this video, Dr. Ethan Cole — family medicine physician with twenty years of practice — walks through the six most common reversible causes of memory decline in adults between forty and sixty-five: obstructive sleep apnea (with the STOP-BANG self-screen), vitamin B12 and folate deficiency (and the two drugs that silently deplete them — metformin and proton pump inhibitors), subclinical hypothyroidism, depression masquerading as cognitive decline, anticholinergic drug burden (what's in your medicine cabinet right now), and alcohol above seven drinks per week. Each cause is backed by peer-reviewed evidence. Three real patient cases illustrate how reversible causes are found and removed. The video also covers the three true dementia red flags that warrant urgent neurology referral — and the four questions to bring to your next doctor's appointment to start the right workup. This is not about supplements. This is not about miracles. This is about the differential that should happen before the word dementia is used. 00:00 Introduction to Memory Concerns 00:20 The Importance of Screening for Reversible Causes 00:39 Overview of Six Reversible Causes 01:27 Cause 1: Obstructive Sleep Apnea 02:43 Cause 2: Vitamin B12 Deficiency 05:12 Cause 3: Thyroid Dysfunction 08:09 Cause 4: Depression and Pseudo Dementia 10:03 Importance of Depression Screening 16:31 Essential Questions for Your Doctor 17:20 The Reversible Causes Workup 17:43 Conclusion: Taking Action on Memory Health 18:03 Recap of All Six Causes The information in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult your physician or qualified health provider with questions regarding any medical condition. Discussion of medications and supplements is general — never start, stop, or change a prescription without speaking to your prescriber. Hit subscribe — I post one new breakdown every week. New labs, new evidence, same straight answer. #memoryLoss #dementia #brainHealth #sleepApnea #B12Deficiency #anticholinergic #DrEthanCole #FamilyMedicine #HealthAfter40 #reversible