Clusterheadaches.com Message Board


    
      
        Clusterheadaches.com Message Board
        (http://www.clusterheadaches.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi)
      

        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Cluster Headache Specific >> Tired with Memory Loss
        
(Message started by: cardogman on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 8:49pm)

Title: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by cardogman on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 8:49pm

Since this Cluster thing started I feel like I am losing my memory and I am tired a lot. I can't remember names and the wrong words seem to come out of my mouth sometimes. Anybody ever have these symptoms?

Burt

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by E-Double on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 8:54pm

yup

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Jonny on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 9:04pm

Shit!!, you should try some Lithium to beat that.....LMAO ;;D

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by BobG on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 9:06pm

Ditto what,.........uhmm..............ahhh.........be right back, have to check on a..........name...........I think.....I'll be right back.........OK, I back..

E-Double said, yup, that's it.

What was the question again?

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Spike_Inmyeye on Dec 23^rd, 2005, 10:10pm

If I remember correctly, probably don't, the memory loss and fatigue come from the lack of meaningful sleep and the Lithium and whatever else you are taking. That is why I am careful with the dilithium crystals and use lots of o2 which is wonderful for the headaches and welding.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Phil L on Dec 24^th, 2005, 1:12am

Hmmmm. I agree, well maybe not, with whatever they said, but can't remember who said it or what the exact wording was. Other than that I'll try to remember where I put my list of things to remember or was that my to do list?

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by joke ten dam on Dec 24^th, 2005, 3:53am

My memory los and speach difficulty is always a lot wors when taking verampamiel.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Spike_Inmyeye on Dec 24^th, 2005, 4:28am

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Thomas_Martin on Dec 24^th, 2005, 5:27am

I can relate to that as well. I do have problems with names and dates. But it is, IMHO, related to never really getting enough sleep.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by burnt-toast on Dec 24^th, 2005, 7:28am

Sleep deprivation = poor memory/speech and an unrested brain will generally result in poor overall motor skills. I'm certain the meds. don't help much in this area either but I believe the lack of good solid sleep is the root cause of these fairly common issues.

Tom

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Barry_T_Coles on Dec 24^th, 2005, 9:47am

Hi Burt
Yes it’s common, with the sleep deprivation and the shit that’s being kicked out of you right now; doesn’t leave a lot of space to let the mind do the thing that you want.
Your not the person everyone expects of you right now, give yourself some space and don’t expect a lot of yourself, think of it as having been on a month long drinking binge and trying to get back to normality.
Take time if you can, don’t let people get up your nose, and with time things get better.

Bad time to say Merry Christmas but make the best of it you can I went through the same last Christmas and I feel for what 's happening.

Kind Regards
Barry

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by akadanny on Dec 24^th, 2005, 9:59am

Cardogman
I also have been using depomeditrol can you share more info?

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by jon019 on Dec 24^th, 2005, 3:15pm

Hi Burt,

It has always been the meds that did the memory loss number on me. One of the reasons I avoided them for years.

As for tired.. mental, physical, emotional, it was all CH.

Regards

Jon

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by cardogman on Dec 24^th, 2005, 4:56pm

AKA Danny,

I don't know what you want to know about the Depomedrol but I will tell you my experience. You know with this cluster thing at least me there are certain areas like the base of my skull sort of behinfd my ear and the scalp on the affected side that seem to have these for a better word bumps. They are really pseudo ganglion type lesions that some get in a cycle. I have them and there is also one right above my left eyebrow. You can feel it. It feels like a very small bump and when you palpate these things they hurt.

The Doc injected them with Depomedrol and the headache went away for about 5 days. Unfortunately the Steroid even though it's injected under the skin and not taken by mouth it made me feel awful for about 3 days. It is absorbed systemically.

This stuff is suppose to do what Prednisone does. Calm the inflamation and hopefull put you in remission.

That's about it. He did say he would like to repeat it once more.

Burt

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by llreed on Dec 24^th, 2005, 7:38pm

:-/ Burt - I believe it is what is, sounds like everyone in here knows whats going on. I use post it notes and keep my mouth shut - which is not an easy task for me. Hang in there, wish you all the best. llreed

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Wendy on Dec 27^th, 2005, 8:23am

on 12/23/05 at 21:04:17, Jonny wrote:

Shit!!, you should try some Lithium to beat that.....LMAO ;;D

[smiley=crackup.gif] [smiley=crackup.gif]
Yeah, right ;;D

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by MJ on Dec 28^th, 2005, 12:14am

on 12/24/05 at 04:28:25, Spike_Inmyeye wrote:

What? ;;D

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by BarbaraD on Dec 28^th, 2005, 6:40am

Yep, I'll be in the middle of a sentence and forget what I'm saying, but I'm old and blame it on that. I write a lot of post it notes and "lists" so I'll remember what I'm supposed to be doing.

The headaches and the meds we take do take their toll on us, but we just have to learn to live with it. Write notes and keep someone handy to supply words when you forget them. Or keep your mouth shut (that is one option - never could do that myself). Before I retired, my assistant was really good about supplying words for me. About half the time she finished my sentences for me anyhow (we worked together so long, I'd start a sentence and she'd walk away in the middle of it - drove people crazy).

Just hang in there. You'll work out some tricks that will get you thru this....

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by seasonalboomer on Dec 28^th, 2005, 9:33am

Full sentences are a real weakness for me when in cycle. Words with more than 3 syllables, same thing. Just glad I've never been in cycle for any major school reunions, I would probably appear as though I had some type of amnesia in trying to pull out names from the past.

scott

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Ghost on Dec 28^th, 2005, 12:00pm

Shoot What was the question again? ;) ;;D

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Goblin on Dec 28^th, 2005, 4:46pm

Always seem to be tired and constantly having people repeat what i was told ..... i swear i am loosing my mind, but it only seems to be short term memory loss.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by ben_uk on Dec 29^th, 2005, 2:35am

http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/11/1/126
Neuropsychiatric features of cluster headaches R. E. Jorge, J. L. Leston, R. G. Robinson (Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA)
Background: This is a case-control study of the prevalence of mood and anxiety disorders among patients with cluster headaches. Methods: We have compared a group of 21 patients with episodic cluster headaches (ECH) and a group of 21 patients with tension headaches (TH) carefully matched for age, sex, and educational level. Psychiatric diagnosis was made using a semistructured interview and DSM-IV criteria. Quantitative measures of depression and anxiety were obtained using the Ham-D and the Ham-A. In addition, all subjects received a neuropsychological evaluation that was designed to explore basic memory and executive functions. Results: Of the 21 patients with cluster headaches, 5 (23.8%) met DSM-IV criteria for an anxiety disorder during the year previous to the episode. Panic disorder was diagnosed in 2 patients (9.5%). The remaining 3 patients (14.3%) met criteria for generalized anxiety disorder. Of the 21 patients with tension headaches, 2 (9.5%) met diagnostic criteria for an adjustment disorder with a depressed mood and 1 (4.8%) met criteria for an adjustment disorder with mixed anxiety and depressed mood. Ham-A scores were significantly higher among patients with ECH (Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, P=0.01). ECH patients also showed significantly lower Auditory Verbal Learning Test scores (Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, P=0.004) Conclusions: When compared with a group of patients suffering tension headaches, ECH patients showed a higher frequency of anxiety disorders (panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder) during the year preceding the onset of headaches and significantly greater Ham-A scores during the clinical episode. In addition, patients with ECH appeared to be selectively impaired in a verbal memory measure.

:o

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by FramCire on Dec 29^th, 2005, 11:32am

ben: Thanks for the info. I read this thread just for kicks and I found your info very interesting. Makes me feel better about my increased anxiety.

As for memory, if it isn't the exhaustion of not sleeping, or the energy expended fighting the pain, or figuring out what to take when to take it, or where your O2 tank is, or your meds, it could just be the anxiety.

Whatever it is, a little (or a lot of) memory loss seems mighty appropriate. As for being tired, well read the above and replace memory with tired... I think it still makes sense.

If not, maybe I got something else wrong with me.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Spike_Inmyeye on Dec 30^th, 2005, 4:37pm

I have the same problem with sentence completion and word finding. The only thing I can say or write with any clarity and completion is "when is this fucking headache going to be over."

The headaches are awful. But when they are over, they are over. Unfortunately the lack of meaningful sleep caused by the headaches creates a constellation of problems that just seems to get worse.

"Of all the things I have lost the one I miss the most is my mind." Great quote. I can't remember who said it. Figures.

Happy New Year to you all.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by E-Double on Dec 31^st, 2005, 8:56am

on 12/30/05 at 16:37:52, Spike_Inmyeye wrote:

I hear ya!!
Been a mental midget for the better part of nearly 2 years.
It's a huge change and tremendous adjustment for someone who was always witty and very sharp both socially, academically and professionally.

“Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.” - Mark Twain ;)

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by AllanP on Jan 9^th, 2006, 5:58am

Thank goodness... I always thought it was just me. The onset of episode is always the worst for me.
Sorry to hear about it. I have learned to develop strategies to help when I realise um .........
AllanP

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by suziq on Jan 9^th, 2006, 11:58am

Hi. I get memory loss, too. For me it's linked to the extreme pain I'm in. Trying to function and work while suffering seems to overload my brain, and I forget names and words.

Recently, my neuro put me on Lamictal. I believe it too caused some of my memory loss because I was unable to connect thoughts and even forgot how to perform parts of my job. (Very scary!) I was on Lamictal for about 3 months, and when she uped the dosage, I had an allergic reaction. I've been off it for about a month and my memory is better and I can perform those tasks again.

It's very aggrevating to have memory loss.
Good luck.
Suziq

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by MyKeppieHurts on Jan 9^th, 2006, 1:54pm

Hi all, I'm new here :) Reading what a lot of people have been saying really drew me in, because I know exactly how you are feeling. Even thought I have not been diagnosed w/ Cluster, I was diagnosed last year with New Daily Persistent Headache (NDPH), and tomorrow is my 2 year "anniversary" of the onset of my headache. It's all day, everyday, and the levels go up and down - I can be a 2/10 and then spike to 8/10, then back down to 4/10 within 10 minutes. I'm not sold on the idea of NDPH, it sounds like a cop-out: I interpret it as "We don't know what's really going on so we will just call it NDPH since there's no cause of onset and no set treatment."

I feel the exhaustion and the memory loss as well - at first I just said that it was just forgetfulness, since I've always tended to be forgetful. But it does get hard to get through a story without stopping and confusing details, and it's even hard to remember if I've taken my medications. I am on Lyrica for the headache and Effexor since my mood has not been great the past few weeks.

I feel for all of you, and I know that it is so frustrating to forget things and be too tired or in too much pain to even eat a meal.
I hope it's ok that I joined this group :)

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by BarbaraD on Jan 9^th, 2006, 4:23pm

Keepie,
Have you taken the Cluster Quiz on the left? A lot of us went undiagnosed for a long time or mis-diagnosed for longer. Read all you can on this board and then go armed to a neuro and DEMAND some answers. There is NO known cause or cure for Clusters, but there is HELP available. And this is the best place to get it.

Hugs BD

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Guiseppi on Jan 9^th, 2006, 4:30pm

Spike, nice job of putting it into words..."having trouble with word finding!" My wife says I stutter when I'm in cycle but I swear it's because I'm halfway through a sentence and the word disolves just as it gets to the tip of my tongue. My kids just assume I'm getting old and senile and start talking about nice rest homes with really sweet nurses and nicely manicured lawns....sigh.

Guiseppi

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by DisneyRN on Mar 20^th, 2006, 6:04pm

I've just been thru a week long bout with the C/H's...not bad. I wake up, have c/h for 3 hrs or so...go to sleep for 2-3 hrs, wake up with c/h, ecetera, ecetera. It's a wondor I know my own name.

I have tried elavil, tegretol, sansert, verapermil, zoloft, various antiseizure meds, and mood elevators, oxygen, I even wore a Duregesic patch (Fentenyl) for 6 yrs. That helped...but, was in the "Ozone" until I detoxified myself a year ago. Opiates are NOT the way to go!

My Carotid arteries tighten up with Imitrex and Zomig. Even had pain in my neck, across the shoulders and down both arms...yikes!! DHE45 /w phenergan IV has help in the ER, when I had it 10 yrs ago. I live in Florida now and they don't seem to give it...they go right for the Toradol, now. I'm allergic to Stadol (hives), Darvon, Demoral, Codeine and Percodan.

Yeh, Dr's ask ME what I can take!!

ANYWAY..........
I have a notebook I use to write down people's names, addresses, spouse's and kids names and ages, pets names, job....anything to trigger a memory. I even draw pictures...write down when my favorite TV shows are on, have 3x5 cards on a ring describing various procedures for my job. I use a "Franklin Speller", to help with getting the words from my head to my tongue(My learning disabled son used this in school).

I carry a calender book with me. In the back, I have written, " I have Cluter headaches and migraines. I become Aphasgic. Here are my usual (1)Symptoms.......(2) Meds I am allergic to..........(3)Meds that help

When I was director of the Family Activities Committee in Parents w/o Partners (a looong, loong time ago), I kept a box of 3x5 cards next to the phone, so when ppl called I could go right to their name, pull out their card and know who I was chatting with.

My children are grown now, and do grow impatient with me. I just have to go with it, and they know now when I have a h/a there's just now sense to talking until the cycle is over. And when it comes to talking with other people, I explain that I am having "migraines/clusters" and have trouble talking and thinking. Haven't met a person yet who has not shown some compassion.

Well, I hope some of this email makes some kind of sense.....and maybe some of these coping skills may help. (Thank god for "Spell-check!!)

take care and pf,
Bethe

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by Charlotte on Mar 20^th, 2006, 6:55pm

Bethe,
I get aphasic sometimes also. Sometimes I do not recognize familiar surroundings. Often, I can not tell right from left when I'm trying to get somewhere.

Back to the anxiety factor. The only reason I even noticed the panic disorder was that I reached my pf time 2 1/2 years ago and there was something else in my pf time slot.

I wrote down every little thing happening and went to the dr - thought it was a new kind of headache without pain, and they gave me a written test and freaked out. I almost laughed because this was so much milder than my real problem which they ignored.

The paxil which I took for about 14 months didn't work at the higher dosage they recommended but worked ok at 5 mg and reduced the panic attacks so that I could drive. I stopped having panic attacks as soon as I found out that the people at my current job wanted me.

I think Drs cause anxiety. Thanks, you guys, for telling me to change drs.

Title: Re: Tired with Memory Loss
Post by rapunzel on Mar 20^th, 2006, 8:04pm

um....
oh yeah- a girl at work said to me, "You are talking like Dr Suess again", "It always cracks me up when you talk like that."...and of course I didnt know what she was talking about- she said "The little rhyming half sentences that you use"...and I was clueless, but hey- whatever...probably because I just forget what I was going to say, or got lost halfway thru a sentence.

memory loss? is that what this thread was about? Yeah, I have it big time...realllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllyyy bad lately- but I am four weeks in cycle, and figure that I havent slept much over an hour or two at a time each night so that has to be part of the reason. Either that or the part of my brain that deals with short term memory melted. That is a great possibility.

Kim