2yrs SVR memory issues

[slideman]

Hey all,
I will soon have 2 years SVR under my belt. I am having problems with remembering things that I had little or no problems with before tx. Times and dates are very important to me in my career, but I seem to blow it a lot. I even have a struggle remembering conversations from a week ago. I am doing my best to fool my coworkers about all this, but I know some of them are on to my lapses in memory. Anybody else still have this going on? I know I am not any younger, but my 75 year old father dose not have any of this at all!!

[smaug48]

A wonky thyroid can cause brain fog and memory issues, and tx can mess up your thyroid. Some blood tests and an appointment with a good endocrinologist might be in order to rule out the possibility.

I'm doing that now because I'm almost 5 years out from tx and have had memory issues, among other things.

[working dog]

hi slide......for me i found i need two things to feel sharp......#1...a good 7.5 to 8 hours sleep...and #2 staying hydrated.......billy

[deb373]

Hi slideman,  I'm going on 4 years post treatment and having memory problems, I'm "cured" of the virus but somewhat feel worse off, I'm female and suffering many problems. I get upset when I look at the German and Irish anti d studies were women were give contaminated anti d in pregnancy and were infected with hcv, The study has been following the patients for 35 years and give much lower statistics of damage than what my gp and liver consultant told me  I realise how much my gp  and hostpital docs sound like Drug pharmacy reps, has anyone else seen these studies or feel the same ?

[dontworry_behappy1]

As Pooh says ... we can train ourselves to compensate for memory loss.   Memory loss can be related to treatment or just product of our age.  Hepatitis C treatment like many intense drug treatments...are harder to handle as we age.  Many who treat hepatitis C are in their fifties and sixties.  We think we are going to bounce back like were twenty and shock when it doesn't happen.

What surprised me about treatment the most was the strain hepatitis C put on my mind.  I felt what it was like to have dementia ( a mental state often associated with aging) and found this to be a devastation side effect.  I couldn't connect with my feelings for my partner of many years.  Who I love so very much and just couldn't wrap my mind around why.   It was like I didn't really care about anything.  This intense feel left shortly after stopping the treatment drugs but the journey to completely regaining my mind... took a great deal longer.  If I was younger I don't believe this would have produce these effects to this degree.

During treatment I use to put 3 rubber hair bands around my wrist.  Every time I took my medication that day.... I took one band off.  Before going to bed I put the 3 bands back on.  Resulting in never missing a dose which was extremely important and a relief to not have to remember if I took the medication or not.

I have seen a big jump in my ability to remember in recent months.  I do know that most was treatment related.  Treatment seems to zero in on our bodies weaknesses.  So if your older....that might be your age.  If you have pre existing conditions ..... those seem to surface like never before.

I know many people who are mid sixties who have memory related issues.  
The best treatment for memory loss is stay active, challenge your brain by doing it yourself.  Instead of looking it up on the internet....go to the library and look it up.  The physical experience of doing this is a mental super shot
and you seem to retain the information longer.

Sure some will have lasting effects from treatment.  The same happens with cancer chemotherapy.   Drugs effect people mentally.  Some more than others.  Is like your brain is clogged with fat.  Your brain needs exercise to get back to it lean trim fast self.

FYI:  Co-workers know people do have short term memory loss as they age.
It's a natural event of aging.  I worked a job with many older workers doing a job that required mental alertness.  Many in their sixties and seventies.  All of these workers at times searched for the right word, forgot what they were saying, drive somewhere and have a moment where they didn't know where they were.  Short term memory loss effects many people as they age.  It might just take you a little longer to pull it all together.  

Best to you

[otterwatcher]

Only trouble is,by the time I,ve picked up the pen I've forgotten what I was gonna write!

[Dee1956]

Good suggestions.  Thank you.  I have a calendar hanging on the wall, old school.  I write everything down, events that happen,  etc so that I can look back and see when I did what.
I like your theory that all of it can affect us
I am improving.  Of course life gets in the way as well.  I was doing well, then had to have back surgery before Christmas that took months for me to recover from, I was diagnosed as having PTSD so that probably affected me.
Take Care

[Dee1956]

Hi, I am a little over 2 years since tx. I finished Feb 2012.   Yes, I had problems after finishing tx and I would say that I am just now getting my cognitive abilities back.  I know how hard it is to be having a conversation and can't remember a specific word so I look for another one in the hope that others will not notice the pause :)  Or I do sometimes just fumble through a conversation, I blame it on the tx.  Before tx I could multi task.  I now find I have to do one thing at a time or I trip over myself.

I searched for help for a long time, recently started taking supplements to help my diabetes and as they help my sugar levels they seem to be helping me.

I have tried to tell myself that it is going to get better. DWBH has a good suggestion of having a physical just to make sure your thyroid is ok, that you have not developed diabetes, etc.

Take Care, good to see you :)  Dee

[pooh55811]

I had some issues with remembering appointments and things like that prior to treatment. Of course, on treatment, I could not remember a thing, literally. Since treatment ended in Aug. 2012 my memory has improved and is actually pretty good, but I still don't always remember dates and appts.

How much of this is due to the effects of the virus, how much is due to treatment, and how much is due to my Autoimmune Disease (Sjogren's) is unclear. All three have the potential to impact cognitive function.

I would suggest a couple of things. If you have a very competent PCP you could go to your PCP for a full evaluation of your memory and cognitive issues as well as all of your symptoms if you are having others. While the memory issues could still be a residual problem from treatment, you may have another disorder or abnormality going on. If so, you would need to have that evaluated and treated. In addition, you may want to make an appointment with a Neurologist for a full evaluation. I would if I was you.

In the mean time, there are things that one can do to help with the memory issues. Try to keep things organized. Keep a calendar with every single appointment on it. This would include actual appointments and also anything else you want to be sure to remember such as birthdays, events, trips, visits, etc. Make lists. These lists would include everything you need to do the following day (taken from your calendar), who you need to call, etc. These lists could also include everything you need to bring with you when you go some place.

I make lists all of the time. Every night I make sure the list for the following day is sitting right on the kitchen counter where I know I will see it the following am when I get up.

Figure out what works for you. For instance, I am going to the doctor tomorrow. I made a list of everything I need to bring. Yesterday I gathered everything together. As soon as I finish this PM I am going to put the entire packet in the car so it is in the car and I don't drive off without it tomorrow. I don't trust my memory enough to set it on the counter by the door and hope to remember it as I leave tomorrow. So it goes in the car now.

More time may help with this issue. Or, if it is some medical problem, I do hope you can figure out what the issue is and remedy it if possible.

Best of luck.

[dontworry_behappy1]

i have noticed a increase in my ability to remember as time goes on.  I have read if you still have these issues from treatment at 2 years....it's time to find out the cause.  There are many health conditions that can cause memory issues.   Thyroid, vitamin deficiencies, age and many others can effect your memory.   See your doctor for a complete physical including your memory issues.   You might just be diagnosing yourself that your memory issues are connected to hepatitis C treatment.    It could be something easily corrected with the right diagnoses.

Best to you