The last couple of months I've begun to notice I'm having really bad memory problems. Does anyone else have this? I guess every sniffle I get is automatically blamed on the RA. But last Tuesday I said to my husband "I can't remember what we did this past weekend!" I panicked. Really, I mean, I have a hard time remembering on say a Thursday, what I cooked for dinner on Monday. Is this common or my age (40). Honey,
My memory has never been that good. Right now I'm having trouble remembering what I had for dinner Monday.
I guess the question to ask yourself is was your memory in the past really good.
When we are in a lot of pain. It's what we are focused on. I think in those times it's hard to remember all the mundane stuff of life. I wouldnt worry unless others start noticing you have a problem. I hope that makes sense. Hi Honey, finally someone who feels the same as me. I have memory problems, mainly short term memory, nut it has really deteriorated more in the past 6 months but then again so has eerything else so my GP said to keep that in mind and not to beat myself up all the time. I feel like I have Alzheimers, god forbid. My husband gets quite concerned, as I suffer with confusion too, and depression, I have recently started Gabapentin and I believe that has made things worse again. I don't think it is our age, I am 42, I do think it is all the pain, drugs and different lifestyles forced on us, I used to be a very reliable office worker with a great memory for figures etc, now I find it hard to remember my pin no's!!!!! God help me is all I can say. You have to laugh or you'd go around the twist. Kind regards Janie.
Hey Honey, just a note to say that I never used to make mistakes in my posts either, ha ha, Janie.
YES! I feel confused sometimes too! I can be trying to find something, say, in my kitchen, the olive oil and I know I'm walking to the wrong cabinet but I get there anyway, open it and then say to myself 'what am I looking for here?" Scarey.Honey, I am 53 and I have a hard time remembering things that happened a short time ago. On Monday someone at work asked me what I did last weekend and I couldn't remember what we did Friday night. Short term is bad. I think a lack of good quality sleep has alot to do with it. I don't sleep well ever. Some of the meds you have to take also enter into it. I can't remember names. I used to panic if I had to introduce my husband to someone and couldn't remember their name now I just ask their name. I usualy go thru the alphabet and that helps sometimes, believe me I know my alphabet
I have always been a detail person and have memories of even little details of a past life scenario, etc. People were always amazed with what I could remember! As time has gone on... the memory is not so good anymore! The pain, side-effects of the meds, an "acquired attention deficit" situation.
Also have rarely mispelled and/or mistyped a single word. I now do both! I do not recognize some of the words I come up with. I do not recall how to spell them...and I was always a spelling bee winer! It can be very frustrating. Sometimes I am having such cognitive deficits that I have to use some dextroamphetamine in order to think and/or to communicate at all! Imagine that? Never though I'd see the day!
Oh my godness, do I loose my mind on any of the anti-epileptic drugs! Someone had just mentioned gabapeentin? I had tried the Neurontin and the newer "Lyrica." They are chemically related and Lyrica is thought to have fewer side effects. I have no idea of what is going on in my life when trying those drugs... I am lost! I cannot tolerate those, at all.
Enjoy your day as much as is possible!
Hi Honey, I have memory problems too. I am 42. Although I have read that by this age our memory is starting to deteriorate, I know that mine is far beyond my age. Sometimes I think it is to due the pain & fatigue, but I don't know. I do know that there have been a few times that I was quite afraid. I seem to have more problems if it's quite rainy or at night. I once was attemping to drop my sons friend off at his house (very dark,rainy day) that I'd been to many times. I passed it 3 times before I got him home. It was embarrasing & very scary!!! I know when I get that bad I need to lay down & rest & it goes away. Sometimes maybe it's just that we have other things on our minds & do daily things mindlessly? Peace Honey, If on a Thurs. you can remember what you had for dinner on Tues or Wed. you aren't doing too bad :) We call it "brain fog" and those with Arthur in their lives can experience it even when in their teens. The meds, the pain, lack of sleep - perhaps even the disease itself - does nothing for sharpness of mind. Keep a diary, make notes, and most important - keep your sense of humour - that will help you get thru the day. I found that naproxen made my head feel as if it were stuffed with cotton wool; mtx doesn't help either.
What was the question!?
That says it all!
Susan
Copyright ArthritisInsight.com