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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Memory Worsening
        
(Message started by: Gator on Dec 8^th, 2004, 3:59pm)

Title: Memory Worsening
Post by Gator on Dec 8^th, 2004, 3:59pm

I am losing more and more of my life. My neuro and psychologist say it's normal to "forget things" when a person is under extreme pain and depression. Problem is, I am not getting forgetful in the sense of mislaying my car keys or losing my glasses. I am losing significant events. One of the boys asked me about when Jane and I got married. I couldn't remember a fuken thing. I know I am married, (our marriage certificate is hanging on the wall in front of my desk) but I don't remember getting married. This is just the latest and most disturbing loss.

How could anyone forget this:

http://www.brightok.net/~mnjday/2.JPG

Gator

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Apple on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:04pm

Are you on the dreaded Topamax?

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by marlin on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:04pm

on 12/08/04 at 15:59:57, Gator wrote:

How could anyone forget this:
Gator

Gator, You might be surprised by the responses you get. I know plenty of guys that WISH they could forget they were married. Not me BTW. I know a guy still paying $2400/mo alimony going on year 16 with no end in sight. You can bet he wishes he could forget that fateful day....

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Jonny on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:08pm

Lithium has fucked my memory some, but not enough to forget something like that.

See, I was married 3 months before you, after about six months ive had daily thoughts of suicide, I have them to this day. ;;D

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by nani on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:11pm

That really sucks Gator! I have lost significant events now and then as well. I attribute my memory issues at least partially to the Neurontin I take (instead of Dopeymax). I also have had brain surgery, so some could come from that. It's scary. My Mom has Alzheimer's, so I'm a little afraid of that, too. I have resorted to writing stuff down, so I can keep up with my crazy life that has little routine. :-/

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Jeepgun on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:41pm

Ditto. My wife calls me the "absent-minded professor." I'm forever forgetting stuff, and sometimes, major stuff! I don't know if it's because our lives are busier, the medications, age, diet, or a combination of all of those factors, but .... er.... lost my train of thought...

Anyway, you're not alone, Mike. If it's rather sudden and pronounced, it could be your medications. If it's not attributable to medications, then you might want to get some tests run to rule out any kind of ischemic incidents. (mild strokes; that sort of thing....)

-Frank

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by BarbaraD on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:42pm

While I was in depositions Monday, the lawyer kept asking me stuff and my standard answer was , "I just can't remember." I"ve forgotten so much since the onset of CH and all the meds.

Try post it notes -- they work pretty good - if you stick them on your person somewhere.

This morning I forgot to put clothes in the washer - put the water and soap in, but got to work and remembered I'd forgotten the damn clothes.

But I'm OLD so don't go by me.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by cschick on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:50pm

The only experience I have had with this is after I had a car accident I forgot I had a brother for 3 days. They kept telling me but I didn't remember him. I also lost a lot of memories from the previous years. I still don't remember a lot of stuff. What kind of meds are you on? That has got to be so scary for you. I will be watching for replies to this post. I will be thinking of you!

Hugs!
Karen

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by becky8 on Dec 8^th, 2004, 4:52pm

Gator,
First I want to say what a nice looking couple! Yea, what meds do you take? I know this is gonna sound really strange but my memory is better now and I'm doing the verapamil and the lithium combo. The only thing I can think of I was always in so much pain my brain never worked right? Go figure???

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Gator on Dec 8^th, 2004, 5:36pm

I did take Topamax way back in February. Did tons of stuff: All the OTC junk, Fioricet, Percoset, Demerol, Indomethacin, Prednisone, Depaokte, Verapamil, Lithium, Trileptal, Nortriptyline, Halcion, Zomig NS and Imitrex. It seems there are others, but I don't remember what they were. Currently, I am only using O2 and Imitrex Injections. None of the prevents I have taken worked.

Alheimers does run in the family, but the docs seem to think I am too young for that to be a factor. Like I said, this is just the latest in an ever growing list of lost memories. Yes, it is scary as hell as well as very upsetting. I look at that picture and try hard to remember the day, but I can't.

Gator
Yeah, those two do make a good looking couple - whoever they are. :-/

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by john_d on Dec 8^th, 2004, 5:57pm

This may help. (http://www.gamicon.com/music/now.wav)

hehehe, just kidding.

anybody know what movie that is from?

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Charlie on Dec 8^th, 2004, 6:22pm

The anti-convulsants have done some of this to me, I think. Sometimes it takes me a minute to really get it that I don't have to worry about bumping into others here. It happens now and then. It's usually a relief though when I learn that I don't have to deal with them. Sad, I suppose.

Of course I'm 58 and as so often happens, I don't do well with recent stuff but things from 1955 get clearer all the time. Not all bad, I loved the 50s. No one had a better childhood.

In short, whatsyername, you're not alone.

Nice little picture too.

Charlie

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Apple on Dec 8^th, 2004, 6:55pm

My mind is a steel watcha ma call it! [smiley=laugh.gif]

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by LeLimey on Dec 8^th, 2004, 7:20pm

My memory is shocking, I can't remember anything short term, I have to write everything down. My long term memory is very good though. Scarily good according to my husband bless him!

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by BarbaraD on Dec 9^th, 2004, 6:47am

I'm with Charlie - long term memory is still pretty good, just the short term is the pitts. I lose words when I'm talking. I know the word, but just can't get it out. Mostly simple things like that.

But the drugs you've taken could be the culprit. The effects of them don't just go away when you quit taking them. Topamax is a really bad mind altering drug.

Charlie, you're right - the 50s were a great time. And I remember most of them -- it's the 60s where I get confused. But they say if you CAN remember the 60s you weren't there! :P

Gator hang in there. Use notes and try not to worry about it (yeah right!).

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by don on Dec 9^th, 2004, 8:00am

Quote:

How could anyone forget this:

If you come up with the answer please forward it to me promptly.

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by JJA on Dec 9^th, 2004, 8:30am

Are you sleeping? I once forgot where I lived after about a week of insomnia. I'm not exaggerating. I could remember that I grew up in Pennsylvania; I knew I didn't live there anymore, but I just couldn't remember where I lived. It came back to me after about 5 minutes, but really freaked me out.

Jesse

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by OneEyeBlind on Dec 9^th, 2004, 8:55am

Lack of sleep caused me some memory problems. Once out of cycle, the memory came back. The older you get, the better the long term memory, and the worse the short term memory. Just a fact of life.

Nice pic !

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by becky8 on Dec 9^th, 2004, 10:30am

Yea, they're right about the sleep, and that's probably why I think my memory is better now, cause before meds I NEVER really slept. Gator, not to change the subject but you have been on alot of different meds in the past. Did they work for a short time and then just stop? So will my preventives do that too? I am doing the verapamil/ lithium combo and its working pretty good. I still get hit just not as often and not as hard.

Wendy
becky8

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by kissmyglass on Dec 9^th, 2004, 11:31am

ummm...what was the question?

k

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Jeepgun on Dec 9^th, 2004, 11:41am

Mike, if it makes you feel any better, (which it probably doesn't, but what the hell...) I get people that I went to school with, mixed up with people I was in the Army with, mixed up with people I used to hang out with in Japan... I can't keep anything straight anymore. It's like seas of people moving in and out of my life, and sometimes it's like I see faces of people I think I know in all sorts of places, and other times, when I'm surrounded by people I know, I forget everyones' names. :-/

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Gator on Dec 9^th, 2004, 12:08pm

on 12/09/04 at 10:30:26, becky8 wrote:

Wendy, the meds just never did anything. My doc thinks my liver metabolizes medications at a very fast rate and that is probably why I get few side effects and even less relief. As far as will your meds stop working - who knows. It's an individual thing. Some people stay on the same meds for years. Some people find that over time meds become less effective. Even stranger is that meds that did not work in the past suddenly start working in the future. This is such a screwed up disease.

I know lack of sleep can be a brain killer and that may be part of it. I'm sure all the high doses of so many medications is also a part of it. It would seem that I am not alone in my suffering of the memory thing. Still scares the hell out of me and quite frankly it's all I can do not to break down every time I look at that picture, because I do not remember the day. I also don't remember turning my garage into a master bedroom. I know I did, because I'm the only person that could have. I know my 17 year old helped me, because he's the only one that would have. I see the room, but I do not remember building it. Much more where that came from.

Headache my as$. The person that named this $hit a headache needs to have his skull caved in.

Gator

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Woobie on Dec 9^th, 2004, 12:14pm

on 12/08/04 at 16:08:45, Jonny wrote:

See, I was married 3 months before you, after about six months ive had daily thoughts of suicide, I have them to this day. ;;D

DONT DO IT JONNY!

We LOVE YOU! ;;D

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Donna_D. on Dec 9^th, 2004, 4:10pm

Who are all you people...

...and WHY am I here?

;)

DD

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Kirk on Dec 9^th, 2004, 4:22pm

Sieves use my memory for a role model. [smiley=bigcry.gif]

Title: Re: Memory Worsening
Post by Karla on Dec 9^th, 2004, 5:56pm

I have virtually no memory. I can't remember someone that got married last week. I don't remember invites, I can't remember anything anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of hours past. My dr thinks it is the severe depression I suffer from that is causing this.