Your doctor will do an exam and may give you tests like imaging, bloodwork, urinalysis, or a referral to another doctor who specializes in your issue. Sometimes memory loss and physical and mental symptoms are related — for example, people with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to have high blood pressure.

You may need medication, lifestyle changes, therapy, or other treatments to help address your symptoms.

This can help you set your expectations. Something like depression may take longer, while a bladder infection can be cleared up with antibiotics in a short amount of time.

If you’re having pain or depression, for example, it could be keeping you from getting physical activity, which could cause a slump in your cognition.

This may sound like a vague question, but in my mom’s case, my dad’s illness and death had an impact on her health. She spent a lot of time at home with him as opposed to moving around and being active and social, and that likely contributed to an increase in her memory loss and other symptoms.

Medication changes can cause mood changes and physical symptoms. Your doctor will also be able to cross-check what you’re taking to be sure nothing is interacting in a negative way.

This is when your appointment prep work will come in handy. Having a timeline of your symptoms will give your doctor a better snapshot of what’s going on.