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Memory loss and MS
monyetta09 posted:
Hi, i have been dx since i was 14 and i am now 20. I have noticed that my memory has been slipping more often than usual and i am really getting worried. I can barely remember what i done last week without someone reminding or much less remember the conversation me and someone had a day or two ago. Can someone please help me out. I dont know what else to do and i have tried talking to my neurologist.
7 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSHi, i have been dx since i was 14 and i am now 20. I have noticed that my memory has been slipping more often than usual and i am really getting worried. I can barely remember what i done last week without someone reminding or much less remember the conversation me and someone had a day or two ago. Can someone please help me out. I dont know what else to do and i have tried talking to my neurologist.
hackwriter responded:
Memory loss is pretty common, mine is getting rather comical.
Here are some links to basic info:
http://www.mslifelines.com/pages/what-is-ms/symptom_detail_difficulties_with_memory_concentration_and_problem_solving
http://www.msactivesource.com/ms-and-memory.xml
You can investigate the cause of your memory problems by having a mental function evaluation. This is done by a neuropsychologist. Various testing can help determine whether your memory problems are being caused by brain lesions, fatigue, medication side-effects, sleep-deprivation, etc.
In the meantime, you'll have to do some things to help jog your memory such as writing things down, leaving your phone, watch and keys in the same place each day, doing a task when you think of it rather than waiting until later (and forgetting about it).
I write things down constantly--and I have a cooperative husband who serves as my second brain, LOL.
Hope this helps.
Kim
Here are some links to basic info:
http://www.mslifelines.com/pages/what-is-ms/symptom_detail_difficulties_with_memory_concentration_and_problem_solving
http://www.msactivesource.com/ms-and-memory.xml
You can investigate the cause of your memory problems by having a mental function evaluation. This is done by a neuropsychologist. Various testing can help determine whether your memory problems are being caused by brain lesions, fatigue, medication side-effects, sleep-deprivation, etc.
In the meantime, you'll have to do some things to help jog your memory such as writing things down, leaving your phone, watch and keys in the same place each day, doing a task when you think of it rather than waiting until later (and forgetting about it).
I write things down constantly--and I have a cooperative husband who serves as my second brain, LOL.
Hope this helps.
Kim
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSMemory loss is pretty common, mine is getting rather comical.<br /><br />Here are some links to basic info:<br /> <br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.mslifelines.com/pages/what-is-ms/symptom_detail_difficulties_with_memory_concentration_and_problem_solving">http://www.mslifelines.com/pages/what-is-ms/symptom_detail_difficulties_with_memory_concentration_and_problem_solving</a> <br /> <br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.msactivesource.com/ms-and-memory.xml">http://www.msactivesource.com/ms-and-memory.xml</a> <br /> <br />You can investigate the cause of your memory problems by having a mental function evaluation. This is done by a neuropsychologist. Various testing can help determine whether your memory problems are being caused by brain lesions, fatigue, medication side-effects, sleep-deprivation, etc.<br /><br />In the meantime, you'll have to do some things to help jog your memory such as writing things down, leaving your phone, watch and keys in the same place each day, doing a task when you think of it rather than waiting until later (and forgetting about it).<br /><br />I write things down constantly--and I have a cooperative husband who serves as my second brain, LOL.<br /><br />Hope this helps.<br /> <br />Kim
Neil S Lava, MD responded:
I think it is very important that you make your neurologist understand your difficulties and concerns. You should have formal cognitive testing and may be able to get cognitive rehabilitation.
Either way it is important to document what is happening especially if you are in school or working. We don't want you to be at a disadvantage because of cognitive difficulties that you can not control. So if you needed more time to do a test in school or needed your job modified to accommodate your needs we would be able to use the cognitive testing to support your needs.
Either way it is important to document what is happening especially if you are in school or working. We don't want you to be at a disadvantage because of cognitive difficulties that you can not control. So if you needed more time to do a test in school or needed your job modified to accommodate your needs we would be able to use the cognitive testing to support your needs.
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSI think it is very important that you make your neurologist understand your difficulties and concerns. You should have formal cognitive testing and may be able to get cognitive rehabilitation.<br />Either way it is important to document what is happening especially if you are in school or working. We don't want you to be at a disadvantage because of cognitive difficulties that you can not control. So if you needed more time to do a test in school or needed your job modified to accommodate your needs we would be able to use the cognitive testing to support your needs.
monyetta09 replied to Neil S Lava, MD's response:
Thank you this has really helped. I will talk to my neurologist about it on the 31st of this month.
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSThank you this has really helped. I will talk to my neurologist about it on the 31st of this month.
zonny2000 responded:
- what I do for my self is crazy to the average person:carry a pad and pen ask as many questions as it take for you to get the big picture.ask folks to slow down and even repeat what what said,i eat a lot of blueberries and mullberries read somewhere that they were brain food????most of all I know I'm disable... that effect alot of me. I do say this lot " I don't understand" and keep working on it until I get it sometimes it takes awhile!!! you will get it...time tells all
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MS<ol><li>what I do for my self is crazy to the average person:carry a pad and pen ask as many questions as it take for you to get the big picture.ask folks to slow down and even repeat what what said,i eat a lot of blueberries and mullberries read somewhere that they were brain food????most of all I know I'm disable... that effect alot of me. I do say this lot " I don't understand" and keep working on it until I get it sometimes it takes awhile!!! you will get it...time tells all</li></ol>
emikojohnston responded:
I have been diagnosed approximately 4 years ago. However, aafter going back through my medical records for 30 years, my doctor and I believe that I have gone my whole adult life being incorrectly diagnosed.
With that said, I have had slight memory problems most of my life. They have gotten very bad lately, so bad that my husband teases me that I have developed ADD with my MS. I lose focus so quickly that I will literally forget within seconds what I was supposed to be doing and start something completely unrelated. I will come back so proud of myself and tell my husband about my accomplishment, then I just have to laugh it off when he asks if I completed what I set out to do.
We all have a sense of humor about it, but I do have to write everything down. I also carry my cell phone with me with all of my appointments, and all of my alarms with the times I need to take my medication.
I have also promised my husband that I wouldn't go to store without a list ever again. I went grocery shopping three days ago with my "mental" list, and I spent $175 and came home with duplicates of what we already had and nothing that we needed. Lesson learned; write everything down.
These are just ways you might cope until your neurologist can help in some way.
With that said, I have had slight memory problems most of my life. They have gotten very bad lately, so bad that my husband teases me that I have developed ADD with my MS. I lose focus so quickly that I will literally forget within seconds what I was supposed to be doing and start something completely unrelated. I will come back so proud of myself and tell my husband about my accomplishment, then I just have to laugh it off when he asks if I completed what I set out to do.
We all have a sense of humor about it, but I do have to write everything down. I also carry my cell phone with me with all of my appointments, and all of my alarms with the times I need to take my medication.
I have also promised my husband that I wouldn't go to store without a list ever again. I went grocery shopping three days ago with my "mental" list, and I spent $175 and came home with duplicates of what we already had and nothing that we needed. Lesson learned; write everything down.
These are just ways you might cope until your neurologist can help in some way.
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSI have been diagnosed approximately 4 years ago. However, aafter going back through my medical records for 30 years, my doctor and I believe that I have gone my whole adult life being incorrectly diagnosed. <br /> <br />With that said, I have had slight memory problems most of my life. They have gotten very bad lately, so bad that my husband teases me that I have developed ADD with my MS. I lose focus so quickly that I will literally forget within seconds what I was supposed to be doing and start something completely unrelated. I will come back so proud of myself and tell my husband about my accomplishment, then I just have to laugh it off when he asks if I completed what I set out to do.<br /> <br />We all have a sense of humor about it, but I do have to write everything down. I also carry my cell phone with me with all of my appointments, and all of my alarms with the times I need to take my medication. <br /> <br /> I have also promised my husband that I wouldn't go to store without a list ever again. I went grocery shopping three days ago with my "mental" list, and I spent $175 and came home with duplicates of what we already had and nothing that we needed. Lesson learned; write everything down.<br /> <br />These are just ways you might cope until your neurologist can help in some way.
Csewhappy replied to emikojohnston's response:
Emiko,
Glad we can laugh about these issues ... I'm exactly the same; I spend a fortune using my mental shopping list (often despite having made a list - either left at home or , I've taken it with me, but haven't even thought to lok at it!!). I have been gently banned from shopping, we simply can't afford my shopping style.
I'm also a bit of a book freak (especially anything to do with sewing
) and I'm an Amazon-aholic. That's virtually had to stop ... a few minutes after I've ordered a book, I've forgotten I've done it and ordered another. I repeatedly try to order the same book again - fortunately, Amazon kindly tell me I've ordered it already!
I do carry a notebook and ocassionally I jot things down ... but sadly, I hardly ever remember to look at it. (Monyetta - please DO try it though! It DOES work for many many people.)
I usually have at least 6 or 7 tasks on the go. None of it's deliberate. I mean to finish what I've started, but the moment I've left the room to take something somewhere ... or collect an item, the task I'm on erases and I see another pressing issue and start on that! I've just learnt to accept that I'm a multi-tasker ... LOL.
Glad we can laugh about these issues ... I'm exactly the same; I spend a fortune using my mental shopping list (often despite having made a list - either left at home or , I've taken it with me, but haven't even thought to lok at it!!). I have been gently banned from shopping, we simply can't afford my shopping style.
I'm also a bit of a book freak (especially anything to do with sewing
) and I'm an Amazon-aholic. That's virtually had to stop ... a few minutes after I've ordered a book, I've forgotten I've done it and ordered another. I repeatedly try to order the same book again - fortunately, Amazon kindly tell me I've ordered it already!I do carry a notebook and ocassionally I jot things down ... but sadly, I hardly ever remember to look at it. (Monyetta - please DO try it though! It DOES work for many many people.)
I usually have at least 6 or 7 tasks on the go. None of it's deliberate. I mean to finish what I've started, but the moment I've left the room to take something somewhere ... or collect an item, the task I'm on erases and I see another pressing issue and start on that! I've just learnt to accept that I'm a multi-tasker ... LOL.
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSEmiko,<br /> <br />Glad we can laugh about these issues ... I'm exactly the same; I spend a fortune using my mental shopping list (often despite having made a list - either left at home or , I've taken it with me, but haven't even thought to lok at it!!). I have been gently banned from shopping, we simply can't afford my shopping style.<br /> <br />I'm also a bit of a book freak (especially anything to do with sewing <img src="http://img.webmd.com/community/images/smile.gif" align="top" border="0"> ) and I'm an Amazon-aholic. That's virtually had to stop ... a few minutes after I've ordered a book, I've forgotten I've done it and ordered another. I repeatedly try to order the same book again - fortunately, Amazon kindly tell me I've ordered it already!<br /> <br />I do carry a notebook and ocassionally I jot things down ... but sadly, I hardly ever remember to look at it. (Monyetta - please DO try it though! It DOES work for many many people.)<br /> <br />I usually have at least 6 or 7 tasks on the go. None of it's deliberate. I mean to finish what I've started, but <b>the</b> moment I've left the room to take something somewhere ... or collect an item, the task I'm on erases and I see another pressing issue and start on that! I've just learnt to accept that I'm a multi-tasker ... LOL.
Csewhappy responded:
Monyetta,
Sorry you're having such problems ... especially for one so young and I'm sad that you're neuro doesn't seem to have responded helpfully when you've tried to talk to him/her.
My neuro is kind; but sometimes I feel he hasn't listened as well as I'd have liked ... however, I have decided that it could well be down to me! Because I struggle with my memory, especially when I'm under any form of pressure, I ramble when I get to him. I leap from issue to issue - in the vague belief that he's understanding me.
My new plan is to take a written version of my main concerns with a copy, which I'll request he puts with my notes. He then has something concrete to go on and something to jog his memory before we meet again. In the case of your neuro, it may force him/her to take it more seriously, as it will then be part of the documentation about you.
I hope this helps ... as well as knowing that you really are NOT alone in this issue ... strategies are key to coping - as the others have mentioned.
Best wishes and do let us know how you get on.
Sorry you're having such problems ... especially for one so young and I'm sad that you're neuro doesn't seem to have responded helpfully when you've tried to talk to him/her.
My neuro is kind; but sometimes I feel he hasn't listened as well as I'd have liked ... however, I have decided that it could well be down to me! Because I struggle with my memory, especially when I'm under any form of pressure, I ramble when I get to him. I leap from issue to issue - in the vague belief that he's understanding me.
My new plan is to take a written version of my main concerns with a copy, which I'll request he puts with my notes. He then has something concrete to go on and something to jog his memory before we meet again. In the case of your neuro, it may force him/her to take it more seriously, as it will then be part of the documentation about you.
I hope this helps ... as well as knowing that you really are NOT alone in this issue ... strategies are key to coping - as the others have mentioned.
Best wishes and do let us know how you get on.
Report This| Share this:Memory loss and MSMonyetta,<br /> <br />Sorry you're having such problems ... especially for one so young and I'm sad that you're neuro doesn't seem to have responded helpfully when you've tried to talk to him/her.<br /> <br />My neuro is kind; but sometimes I feel he hasn't listened as well as I'd have liked ... however, I have decided that it could well be down to me! Because I struggle with my memory, especially when I'm under any form of pressure, I ramble when I get to him. I leap from issue to issue - in the vague belief that he's understanding me.<br /> <br />My new plan is to take a written version of my main concerns with a copy, which I'll request he puts with my notes. He then has something concrete to go on and something to jog his memory before we meet again. In the case of your neuro, it may force him/her to take it more seriously, as it will then be part of the documentation about you.<br /> <br />I hope this helps ... as well as knowing that you really are NOT alone in this issue ... strategies are key to coping - as the others have mentioned.<br /> <br />Best wishes and do let us know how you get on.
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