Hi Just wondering if any of you suffer with memory loss and concentration difficulties? I mentioned this to the very first neuro I saw, who was as much use as a chocolate teapot (although you can eat the chocolate, so scrap that) of no use at all. He dismissed it being related to my numbness etc. so I have no mentioned it for a while and assumed it could have been stress. However over the last month or so it seems to be worseining to the point that I struggle to absorb any information, which is worrying as I’m starting a university course soon. Forget my children’s names a lot, get words muddled etc. does anyone have any ideas for solving this problem? I write things down, then forget to read the notes… I’m only 28 a bit young to be going senile! All help welcome, thanks. Laura x
My cognitive abilities have seriously declined and I often have memory issues. I easily and readily recall things I learned way before MS but often have trouble with recall of things I’ve learned since!
Dom
i have a habit of getting lost when driving even to a familiar place.
i get stressed out because of it which makes it worse.
i got lost on the way to an appointment with my lovely neuro - because the Netto that i used as a landmark had changed to a Morrisons!
i told the neuro and he said that its normal for ms and not to get upset because my brains are still there but just hiding
carole x
I agree with Carole, I’m always getting lost when I’m driving and I even managed to lose my daughter in a sports centre once! My house resembles a stationery store with notepads and pens everywhere and a huge whiteboard in the kitchen!
It is a known problem with MS. Google ‘cognitive problems & MS’.
Some of these neuro’s don’t seem to have read the text book!
Pat x
(oh I’d give anything for a chocolate teapot right now…)
I write lists and then forget to take them, sometimes and I know this sounds really stupid, I write things and then I can’t read them back. My kids are used to reminding me more than once and have in fact become very patient with me! I use the calender app on my phone with reminders and alarms. My Dr’s , Hospital and Dentist all send text message reminders of appointments. I should have shares in sticky notes!! I’ve used a large white board for many years, my children write down if they are going to be late or have something special on so that I don’t panic, but… I’ve also been known to NOT worry and thats a bit more distressing if i’m honest! I have pill boxes for my meds which my daughter makes up at the start of the week but the pain is a good reminder to take them!! Anne for Mum x
Yum Pat - with a chocolate cup and saucer on the side filled with melted chocolate! Sorry, didn’t mean to be flippant during a serious subject folks! Teresa xx
Thanks for all you replies. He was the first neuro i ever saw and for a good 9 months told me it was all in my head, so i started to believe he was right and told myself to not worry. Now i have my dx im sure it is all linked, just struggling to deal with it! Have not mentioned it to my new neuro, perhaps i should have? Guess i will have to invest in a noteboard and set an alarm on my phone to read it! Pretty sure my eldest (4y) is going to disown me if we turn up to nursery school on the wrong day again!
Laura x
p.s) A chocolate teapot does sound yummy!
there must be something in it. my memory has vent down hill acording to what my wife says but i carnt…well… remember!
its very frustraiting at times when i struggle to get my words out
The Callander and reminder functions on your mobile phone and really useful tools to have, you just have to get into the habit of putting everything in there, my phone probably goes off 20 times a day telling me to do something, if you link your phone and something like a skydrive, you can link your PC Calendar to your phone and have everything in sync. Once you’ve got used to it you will wonder how you managed before.
I told my neuro last week that I was having a lot of cognitive issues. He has started me on a drug called Aricept to do if it will help.
Mary
Mick there are an awful lot of thingymagigs and whasit do dahs in my house 
I have been using cinnamon again over the last few days. It has really helped with my cognition. I take 1/2 a teaspoon in hot water. I thought I would give it a go as I am in relapse as it has really good anti-inflammatory properties. It seems to be really helping.
Adrian x
You can order a free copy of MS ESSENTIALS Booklet " memory and thinking". http://www.mssociety.org.uk/ms-resources R
Don’t worry Laura, you are far from alone in that one Sometimes the dodah tag is the only way at times. Comical sometimes, in my office the other day I asked my partner “have you seen my…the black one that’s usually on my desk, you know the um? …the…you know the…?” (calculator?) “no the um…the…dodah…you know, the thing you make holes in paper with…” (hole punch? ) "THAT’S IT! " Hey Adrian, not heard that before, sounds quite nice, will try it. Paul
so comforting to know I am not the only one playing “give us a clue”. Staff at work often join me in this game when I can’t remember what I want or what I was doing. Only yesterday I managed to pass the road where I live, walk down the next road and then be surprised that my house wasn’t where it normally is! At least I managed to retain a sense of humour over it.
Thanks again…Adrian the cinnamon tip is great, love the stuff anyway so will give that a try…don’t suppose cinnamon pastries count though do they?! It is re-assuring to know i am not alone in this (although i could forget this soon!) Think you are right Dinks, got to keep a sense of humour about the whole miryiad of symptoms…laughter is the best medicine after all! x
A new study from the University of Notre Dame finds that the human mind compartmentalizes memories according to rooms and different spaces. The passage through doorways causes a lapse in memory as the brain tries to adjust to a new series of memories and episodes:
“Entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an ‘event boundary’ in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away,” Radvansky explains.
“Recalling the decision or activity that was made in a different room is difficult because it has been compartmentalized.”…that does to me all the time!! My kids are used to be called the wrong name, i was trying to ask for pavlova the other day it came out as fluffy white stuff!! confussed the hell out of the shop assistant…
i had these symptoms years before i had ms. after my first child was born i went into my local greengrocers and couldnt remember the word for cabbage. so i said “it looks like a lettuce but you boil it”
my midwife said that brain cells come away with the afterbirth!
carole x
Ha ha, yes Carole baby brain has a lot to answer for too! Never stood a chance really! X