I'm Finding It Very Difficult To Remember Things .

[willows]

Crumbs this is so worrying , I've started to have problems recalling what things are when I speak to people.

Like for instance , I was talking to my son yesterday and I wanted him to bring me the black shopping bag with all the toiletry items in .............but I could'nt remember what the bag was , the colour or the size ,all I kept saying was 'the thing with the stuff in ' which had my son saying what thing , what stuff? But how ever much I tried I couldnt name the bag or contents , I could see it in my mind but not name it .

I've been noticing this for the past two weeks now , I can see what I want to say , I can see the item , but I cannot remember what its called at all and it takes me 10 or 12 more attempts to get anywhere close to what it is , sometime's I just cannot get the name at all .

I've never had this before , Ive always been able to think and to say what I mean , so this is quite worrying and somewhat frightening for me to experience .

I've racked my brains for anything different I've taken , done or eaten in the past few weeks , but nothing has changed.

I'm now resorting to have to write things down when I think of ideas etc in case I forget them again ,which is another things I've always been so good at , I've always had a really wonderful memory for faces, names, places etc , but this to seems to be being effected as well .

I'm going to make an appointment with my own GP for next week to discuss this problem before it gets out of hand, out of all the problems I have this is the most concerning so far , because of the implications it has for me , I know what this could be the start of and at 50 + no way do I want to 'lose it all' I have to much of my life left to spend with my family and with my charity.

A very worried Ami.

[corina]

ami,

i have been having that for the last three years or so. i can't remember words and at times i don't understand words (that i read i.e.). also, at times i don't understand what people say. i don't feel well enough right now to go into thsi a bit deeper but i fully understand how this is scaring you (as i felt exactly the same). i will come back to you and i'm sure there are others who experience this too.

take care,

corina

[Guest tearose]

I just went through this type of wonderment period where I thought I must me loosing my marbles!!! It was a long stretch of the types of things you are doing willows..and corina. I swore I was loosing my memory and speech ability and worked hard at doing memory games and trying to write stuff down... I just took a sleep class(and a sleep study) at Mayo and learned that we really do underestimate the effect of poor sleep on our daily life. It can be for some people, worries about family problems that disturbs sleep. It can be environmental for others...I knew my husband snored but I didn't realize that if we have little aches and pains or we are cold or hot, it deeply effects our daytime cognition!

So, either you are not getting adequate restorative sleep...or you are having cognitive losses... Do you have any instinctive sense of what is happening?

Have you ever done a sleep study?

Worry will only make it worse so try to deal with these concerns dear willows.

best regards, tearose

[pat57]

I do it too willow, my MD said it was deppression.

I don't have classic signs of it and don't take anti deppressents.

beats me

[willows]

Thanks for your replies guys all very interesting indeed.

Corina , blimey girl your having a rough time with it at the minute wish I could do more to help you , when you come over to the UK I'll give you a special hugs and pass some of my silliness on to you , I swear that a lot of the things that the POTS condition throws at us I just will not entertain in my body .

Tearose, I do get sleep problems , but normally make up what I loose in the night by sleeping in the daytime, like today , I was up at 4 am then this afternoon I slept like a log from 2 pm until 5 pm , so sound son couldnt wake me when the phone went , my GP has told me to sleep when I can , anywhere , anytime, any place .............so I jolly well do . The holiday has knocked me for 6 becuase I was trying to do to much , then the photo's are on site you will see my face is starting to swell up rather ( michelin man here I come) this is a sure sign that I'm struggling as fluid always sits in me first then I tend to 'hit the deck ' .

I haven't had any sleep tests done , do you want to know why ? it would take a year or 18 months wait for me to get seen then another year or so after this before I'm tested , so my Doc has said its not worth the wait or the effort as they life to mess about with drugs a lot ..........NO WAY yep, my hubby's snores, sings , dances, rows oats, flys kites , talks to pirates, wallpapers , decorates, cooks, becomes a 5 year old and cries , See's ghosts and becomes dracula in his sleep every single night , but what the heck ..............I live with a lunatic and so does he .........ME the difference is I do my lunacy daytime and with a certain amount of flair .......he just lets rip every night , bless him

Pat, this is the one thing I dont have , my Doc did wonder a few years ago if I was getting down , but since I started doing my charity work and having to think about what to do, make and where to get it etc I've never felt so 'uplifted' even when its grey and raining outside I'm singing away to myself ( or out loud and annoy hubby ) I dont take any of the antidepressant drugs for depression but for the other effect they give , like helping you to sleep and relaxing the muscles as I have SOOOOOOOOOOO much pain it takes my breath away at time .

I'd query the depression thing as to me it doesn't make sense at all and I know my Doc would ( if I suggested it ) blow it away telling me I'd less depressed than she is !

Well I'm now about to add some pictures to the chit-chat sight from Cornwall ......you will see what I mean about face swelling .

Thanks all ................Ami well at least I can remember my name alright

[pat57]

I never did take anti deppressents and have another Doc because he died of a heart attack. He and his brother- both doctors- died of congenital heart defects-

SAD, SAD, SAD

but I mention what he said because- he's the expert and that was his opinion. I have not mentioned it to my current doc because by now I've become use to it and luckily they love me at work and we just laugh.

I was hystercail yesterday. I was telling someone at work that there are 2 main symptons of dysautonomia. One; fatique and the other

?

hmmm

i can't remember.

and THEN it hit me!

poor memory

ya had to be there!

[pat57]

http://home.att.net/~potsweb/POTS.html

this is the web site that says poor memory is a major sympton. This fellow is not a proffessional- but a patient. So thats my disclaimer...

[Tessa]

I have the same problem. It is frustrating. I had to stop my studies because I could not remember what I had studied the previous day... Furthermore, it took me a whole 3 hours to study 1 single page...

I also cannot remember how to spell normal and usual words, or cannot find the word or description of something I need to say...

Do not worry about it... It seems to be another symptom...

Love,

Tessa

[P SUDIK]

I have the same problem especially, with individual words.I just cannot think of a very simple word.,but I do want to tell you the best one.

I had a repair man coming,and he asked me where I lived? I had no idea,I gave him my prior location,not even an adress, just a location.

My 85 year old father had to straighten it out,the repair did get here. Soooooooo,I really know where you are coming from.

P

[Rachel]

Ami,

This is probably just another symptom. It has been happening to me for 2 years now. I even forgot my telephone number and address once! And I'm only 26! I have difficulty with short term memory, word recall, following long conversations (especially on the phone), following "confusing" movies. Somedays it is better than others.

So sorry you have to deal with this. I hope you can find something that helps.

Rachel

[persephone]

I get it all the time. I get it more when I crash and when my bp is very low- if there isn't enough blood getting to your head then you're not going to be able to think clearly. That's the take my specialists have on it, and it makes logical sense, not just medical!

[masumeh]

I used to get pronounced word recall problems...I used to feel that it was like a gap or diconnect between my thoughts and my tongue. I'd stop mid-sentence and ppl, even used-to-be-close friends would walk away freaked out. That was the first 6 months of POTS, the most severe period for me. It was a big change from the old talkitive, public speaker me. Well....it passed, and partly it helped to take classes that required composition (English lit.). I regained some of my old skills. I guess I had some brain damage going on and needed to buff up afterwards. I now know that my brain was probably getting about 20% the oxegen and blood it needed. Then three or four years after becoming solid and connected word-wise, I started getting memory problems in regard to visual images and number or counting. That's been going on for almost a year now. Like, ask me what my friend looks like, I can remember less and less. When I travel, I even forget what my husband looks like and get nervous returning home, that I might not like him if I see him. Thank God, I always fall in love at first sight....again. Counting...big problem now. Ask me how many times I took my pill. I can't remember, even if I just took it two minutes ago. I have to write important things down. No other choice for the time being. It coincides with a general deterioration of my health and increases in fatigue, nausea, sound sensitivity, fainting, etc. It might have to do with stress because it also coincides with some events in the family.

Hope this can help someone.

Thanks for the sleep comment....don't remember who posted it....but that gives me another factor to consider.

Peace,

Masumeh

[bttrflyamby1981]

Ami,

I too have done this same thing and I understand how frustrating it is. It's brought me to tears I was so besides myself.

(((HUGS)))

[gwen]

i'm sorry so many others have this problem, but in don't feel so low.

midodrine wasn't altogether helping my blood pressure and i had read here somewhere that adderal might help. boy did it! my blood pressure is in a much more stable range although i still have spells. but the best side effect was it helped my memory so much!!. still isn't perfect and if i have info overload well ijust have to stop. the dr triedincreasing it from.25 mg but i was having some jaw clenching problem. i do get a hot spell for about twohrs in morning after i take most of my meds, but i just change shirts. insurance doesnt want to pay because i'm 45 but its first reason for taking was for blood pressure. straterra was better for my memory but did nothing for bp. so i'm hoping since i've been on adderal fo a while i'v built up a resistance that will allow to bump up dosage without side affect. hurray for a drug counter indicated fo adults with high! bp!

[the_dancer_grl]

Yeah, i do that to unfortunatly...it can be embarassing when the thing you're trying to say is so easy like that.

[MNsue]

I noticed the same issue right before my last flare with my neurological symptoms. My POTS was bad, but I was trying to live in the world of denial for a while over the holidays. I was noticing memory loss, then my left side decided to take a holiday. The good news is that my memory is better now. I dont feel like I have scambled eggs for brains.

I hope this passes for you.

Rhonda

[jhjd]

I do the 'thing with the stuff' bit all the time! So long as it's not in front of a whole meeting, I can normally laugh about it. But there are times when it's really embarrasing. And I can defintely tell a HUGE difference if I haven't slept well, or am sick, or am dehydrated, or sometimes just if the wind is blowing wrong. And worrying about it or getting stressed doesn't help a bit- though I know not worrying is WAY easier said then done. (Whenever somebody tells me not to worry about something, I end up worrying about the original problem plus what the worrying is doing to me!)

I hope the doctor can help you, whatever the cause!

[lthomas521]

The problems that people are describing here could probably be documented by some neuropsychological tests. Tests of word finding and verbal fluency, in particular. The tests are designed to detect neurological abnormalities.

[willows]

Wow , guys so many of us again have this........ 'what , where, when and who syndrome ' .......I think thats what I'll call it sounds better than just 'I cant remember' .

I've just had a few days of the old sleep , sleep and more sleep , still tired but still doing the old 'what , where, when and who' so sleep doesn't seem to be the problem with remembering .

I'm just taking it in my stride now , as I said to hubby . 'As long as I can remember who I am , where I live and who you two are , well I'm OK ' also take a tip from an oldy ............. I take everywhere I go now a small note pad and pen and if someone says something to me out comes the paper and I write down the address or their name or what it is I have to do , I've got tiny little pads and pens in my coat pockets , handbags ,the car, in the bedroom, anywhere and everywhere I think I may need one ................ well that is as far as I can remember I have

I'm not going to let this tip me over , yes it is very worrying and I'm about to have a word or two with my doctor about it , but in the long haul of things it could be worse , I'm intelligent enough to know somethings going on inside of my head , I am wondering if it is now something to do with the amount of really bad blows I've taken to the skull ( a total of 6 in all and a broken skull) so in all I'm doing well for my advancing years and creaky old bones ..............you know me by now , I have to think in the way I do ' self preservation' laugh at yourself and make fun of yourself and the world looks much better , as well as that people wonder what you've done when you giggle all the while .

Ami ...............sticking feathers onto bums of plastic owls still................ter-wit...ter-woo be blowed .

[kmpower]

I get it too, at times, and sometimes use the wrong word for the right item.

I spent a while digging into the neurophysiology books when a dear friend of mine who had once been an articulate public speaker began to show signs of Alzheimer's. He described what it felt like to lose the names of things while speaking which always came easily before.

What I learned was that the most complex memory functions involved remembering the names of things -- more complex than functions of things, events, etc. The reason is that names are arbitrary (not logical like functions or linear like events). We link the name with the item by all sorts of roundabout neurologic pathways and connections, all in rapid sequence. If one thing slows down -- a single pathway, a single connection -- then the name does not come to mind or tongue in the time-span of your sentence.

Many things can slow down these connections: low fatty acids, low B12 or folic acid, toxicity, hormonal deficiency, low glucose, poor circulation.........

So we may lose names and think we are losing our marbles, but we are just experiencing a momentary slowness at the moment which may speed up when the factors are fixed.

Still, it isn't fun.

OLL

[willows]

I've just come back from the Doc's having spoken to her for some length about my ,memory and another 4 problems that I'm trying to deal with at this time she's suggested that I just do as I've suggested and write everything down that I need to at the time.

I'm also having terrible sweat problems again at the minute , chronic pain with almost black feet if I sit or stand still for any length of time ( rock rock rock on them heels girl) and the feeling of running fleas all over my body ( again) which is driving me mental ....................doc has assured me that this is an autonomic problem and is now about to increase my Nortriptyline to between 50-60 or 70 a night in an effort to whack the little d***** on the head

At this time I have the old ' flu but no flu symptoms' so I know my pots is running fast and free ...............I liken it to a bull in a china shop myself , the old crash , bang ,wallop about the body , not knowing which bit will be hit next ...........is it the eyes, the throat or no, no , please not the bum again

I've just sat here and typed this out then re-read what I'd written OMG I'm glad I have a very efficient spell checker or guys you would be thinking I'm a complete and utter lunatic who is not just losing her memory but has in fact lost her brain.

Coffee , one feels now , coffee and an apple coffee an apple and a lay down coffee an apple a lay down and a spot of the old telly coffee , an apple a lay down , the old telly and .............oh, shut up will I.......... AMI

[sandy]

Oh my goodness I can't believe what i am reading. I thought that I was the only one with this problem of memory loss. What struck me the most is not being able to find the words as I am in a conversation with someone. I actually forget everyday common words and look like an idiot in front of people. I was told that beta blockers can cause memory loss. Whether that is true or not I don't know. I have been on a beta blocker for 15 yrs now and i don't plan to go off of them anytime soon. But i have a hard time remembering things and I could never figure out what the problem is. Wow I can't believe I am not alone with this.

[willows]

Hello Sandy and welcome to the ...........................? ur , um, the er yep that club

Sorry couldnt resist it .

My little note book and pen on a length of ribbon attached to my waistband does help no end , I'm finding it quite easy now to say to people ' hang on a minute I cant remember what it is I want or want to say to you ' , so I end up stand there going the .............the , er ............the black er ................ I now just say

' sorry , you're have to bear with me , if you know what it is tell me , I have a memory problem at this time and I just cannot get the word out'

Another thing I've found is that I'm having problems with MONEY , a shop assistant will ask me for say ?1. 55pence and I look in my purse and see the amount but cant seem to be able to give it to her , I give her much less most time or I just cant add up what I have in my hand to make the right amount ( this is from someone who did her own company accounts ) so my son or hubby have to take the rest from my purse or their pockets , this to is very disconcerting , but then I suppose I'll get use to it as well .

In the long term I'll probably save a lot of money this way but sooner or later the local shop assistance will catch on to the problem and help me I'm sure.

Bye for now as I'm a bit sweaty and in real need of a show . AMI

[corina]

hi ami,

as i promised, i found you some topic titles from the past, where we've been talking about cognitive trouble. of course i cannot insert the links (i am to much of a computer dummy to be able to insert the links yet, but in time i will learn i'm sure ), so here are the titles:

need some advise, can't get words from my brain out rigth, started by blackwolf, mar 28, 2005

trouble typing, keeping the characters in order, started by corina, aug 15 2005

having neuro psychological test tomorrow, i'm a bit worried, started by corina, dec 14 2004

happy reading,

corina

[Elegiamore]

I forgot my entire career - how my job worked, over a period of three years of not working. I found that depression and personal trauma, along with a sudden increase of severe insomnia, brough this on.

My heart goes out to all of you struggling with this worst-of-all symptom. I went to a brain damage specialist (while I still had the money) and she was somewhat of a help, allowing me to focus on details better, but I'm still forgetting how to spell (blast that Word for Windows for making it too easy!) and have huge organizational problems.

As mentioned above, yes, worrying and fear makes it much worse. Just plugging along each day with something mentally challenging, even if it's responding or reading this board, is a good idea.

Got a memory software product and failed it so many times I can't seem to make myself try it again.

Let's hear any suggestions on how to improve this cognitive failure. No question that the lack of sleep is a big factor. And as for beta blockers, been on them for over 20 years (first treatment I tried), so kinda scary to think they are involved. Like others, I'm a little relieved to hear that I'm not alone with memory problems. My husband gave me a pocketbook sized notebook to write down things, but I just can't seem to interpret my thoughts.

Any suggestions on how to hold down a job with this problem?

Elegiamore