Cognitive issues and feeling down

[tanyamt]

Today I'm sitting here filling out this what feels like 100 pages of paperwork for the new GP and I am having a real hard time. I am feeling really down because this is where my things come to light. I forget things. Can't remember names. How to spell words. Remember my address. Really the simplest things but dang it when I am trying to writ it it's not there.

I am feeling so upset. Is this common. How do you all do it? I feel like I need to start having someone else do my paperwork for me :(

[supermum_ms]

Cognitive issues in MS have been difficult for researchers to predict, stats are around 65% so it's not an uncommon issues for MSers to be dealing with. Unfortunately research is still fairly slow on this particular topic, there are commonalities noted but like many MS symptoms, cognitive issues genuinely vary with each MSer.

The consensus seems to be that the MS cognitive issues fluctuate for various reasons eg pain, medication, fatigue, mental health, relapses etc and vary in severity. Cognitive issues are suppose to be more typically mild to moderate, which (imho) doesn't seem close to the truth of it, if one of the most common reasons for an MSer to leave the work force is actually cognitive.....  

"What kinds of problems might I have?
Like other symptoms of MS, cognitive symptoms vary greatly from person to person. Just because you have some cognitive symptoms, it does not mean that you will experience all of them. Problems with language, visual perception (recognising what you see) and spatial relations (judging distances and position) are less common in people with MS.

The most common difficulties are with:
There are different types of memory and the brain organises these in different ways. MS most commonly affects remembering recent events and remembering to do things. Some people with MS also say that it may take more time and effort to actively search for a memory. This is known as recall and it can often be affected. Fortunately there are lots of ways that you can compensate for these kinds of problems (see pages 10-13).

In contrast, recognition is rarely affected in MS. Recognition is the power to instantly remember something when you see or hear it remembering both what it is and the memories attached to it, without actually trying to remember.
People with MS rarely have problems with other types of memory and can remember skills (like riding a bike – things that are ‘second nature’), general knowledge or things about the past.

Memory difficulties experienced by people with MS are not like the types of problems experienced by people who suffer from Alzheimer’s. Most often, people with memory problems due to MS continue to know who they are, have no major difficulties with communication and are able to carry out normal daily activities.

Some people find it more difficult to concentrate for long periods of time or have trouble keeping track of what they are doing if they are interrupted (they ‘lose the thread’). It may also be more difficult to do several jobs at once or carry on a conversation while the TV or radio is on.

Many people describe feeling as though they can’t function as quickly as usual. They can still achieve tasks but it requires more time and effort than before. Research also suggests that the ability to process information may slow down.

Some people experience difficulties when making plans and solving problems. They know what they want to do but find it difficult to know where to begin, or find it difficult to work out the steps involved to achieve their goals. This can lead to confusion and stress, which in turn can hamper learning and memory.

People with MS may also experience difficulties finding the right word. (‘It’s on the tip of my tongue’ – you know the word but just can’t think of it.) It may be difficult to take part in a discussion because it takes too long to express an opinion or find the correct word, by which time the discussion has already moved on. " http://www.mssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/Documents/Essentials/Memory-and-thinking-Jun-14.pdf

Personally, fatigue doesn't help me one bit, i definitely can't concentrate on walking and talking at the same time. I have to stop speaking with the slurr and articulation issues so I can get a word out, which often leaves me stuck locating the rest of the sentence, locating an alternative word i can say, trying to find a missing word etc. one issue compounds another...

lol For awhile there, the word 'dishwasher' would come out of my mouth instead of the correct name eg will you turn on the dishwasher so I can watch the DVD dad got for me....why on earth my brain was spewing out 'dishwasher' i'll never know but it 'was' :D

I've never doubted that a persons mental health can positively or negatively affect their cognitive skills. I've got a very gifted teen who's cognition turns to sludge when ever his anxiety is running high, and a gifted mother who finds it very distressing filling out personal forms when ever she's depressed, they are both incredible cognitively when their mental health is stable.

My advice if anxiety and or depression is a major problem, is to actively get what ever additional M/H support you need that is available to you and to really work on understanding how your M/H issues specifically affects you.

Try to utilise any cognitive tips and tricks that may help with your specific issues, eg flagging unfinished and moving on, having all your information in one easy to access location etc.   Remember to take distraction brakes as soon as you think you are starting to get frustrated, annoyed, fearful, anxious etc with the aim of always trying to emotionally set your self up to succeed....

Hugs.........JJ      

[Sailorsong]

That is one of my main cognitive problems. I had gone to the SSA office to file my appeal for disability. When it came time to sign the form I had to ask the woman helping me to write (sign) my name so that I could copy it. I had no idea of how to make the letters in my name. It actually probably was a good thing as the woman put in my records that she had to help me sign my name and I got my disability.

  I still have trouble signing my name, but no longer worry about it. It has become just a squiggly line on the paper with just an occasional actual letter in it. On the bright side I know no one will ever be able to forge my signature now.  LOL

  While I still get down from time to time about my cognitive problems, most of the time I just laugh at myself when they occur.

Dennis

[ConfirmedRachel]

Hiya chick

This is the one thing that hung on for me where other things have improved again. Prob not as bad as it was but still not great. I forget words, mid sentence usually, then by the time I've found the word or alternative I've forgotten what I'm talking about!

Can forget mid sentence anyway! Also, forget I've said something shortly after saying it. I'm fairly academic and my job relies on good verbal and written skills, these are proving more of a challenge of late!

Forgot my post code/address last week too, names of people I know, shopping, etc etc

Have a few ways to help myself (alarms, notes on my phone, post-its, diary, loads of pre-meeting prep notes etc) but sometimes there are no methods to assist really. I'm normally a pretty upbeat person but I had a few tears the other day of frustration and prob a bit of shock when I forgot my post code.

I guess we have to learn not to be so hard on ourselves and not to be embarrassed to let others know this can be a problem.

You can be sure this group of people understand though and will offer any support or try to answer whatever you might want to share.

Who are you again ;-)

Nx

[tanyamt]

Ya that's how I am feeling today. Very depressed.  Ever time I think about it I cry.  Oh well tomorrow is another day. :) trying to think happy thoughts :)

Thanks everyone so much!!!!!

[jensequitur]

This is one of the symptoms that makes me really feel depressed, because it takes away my self-reliance. I'm unable to function and need somebody elses' help desperately.

I'm lucky that I'm in remission and don't have as many problems as I used to. I just hope that if it happens again, I'll have the same support that I did before.

[TLC1104]

Hi,
I've had a few occasions when this happens to me, it's all new to me so have taken note of all the help people have given you too.
The first time I noticed it was when I was on an important phonecall and I was not getting words out and I didn't know what was happening!
I've found it a little easier now if I write down what I need to say/explain so I don't get frustrated thinking of anything.  
I'm going to take on the things now that have been advised to you myself and relax about it more.  
Take care of yourself.
T

[tanyamt]

Thank you all!! I really appreciate it! I think it's just really starting to get to me now because all these doctors keep shrugging it all off.  Something is seriously wrong here. I'm not getting better. I'm getting worse.

It's embarrassing!! I don't like this!

[shannon_xray]

You are definitely not alone here.  It is embarrassing when those cognitive issues happen around other people.  I hate it and it happens to me a lot.  I am an x-ray tech and sometimes I have to stare at the patient and xray machine for a bit to figure out what I am doing and I have been doing xrays for 23 years. My coworker notices the changes in my cognitive ability as much as my husband does.
Best thing you can do is try to relax, remember it isn't your fault, you aren't crazy and you are not alone!!!
Shannon

[bbassel]

When I had a bad relapse my whole right side became weak. I cnt even sign my name (talk abbout frustrating) and can't walk without a walker because my legs giveout.

I have been colouring with my left hand very slowly and it has been building strength. Eventually I am going to teach my left hand to sign my name.

I have all the brain fog to and it took 3 times to get the correct address last time I ordered books lol. What a disaster!

You will finnd what works for you. I was very upset for a year or two because I was 33 at the time. Now it is my norm and I hardly remember what it was like before.
All the best,
Barb

[immisceo]

I break things into chunks of time with my pomodoro app (it's a time management concept that will be googleable). I alsouse apps for checklist making. In other words, I got strategic. Everything is simultaneously broken down into smaller, do-able parcels and accounted for by something other than my memory!

I do paperwork via email when possible so it is searchable and timestamped and I may have a personal point of contact. I scan all important documents so I can find them on my computer and not have to search the whole house or lug around a big binder, etc. I keep contacts/addresses up-to-date in digital formats.

Basically, I outsource my memory and time management to various forms of technology. My memory's not always bad, but I like to be able to continue what I was doing even when it is!

Also, doing things on computer gives you spell check (and grammar check, if it's turned on). My 'day job' involves tutoring the elderly on technology, and they usually don't guess I can recommend so many uses for it based on personal experience!

[Corriel]

Hi there, that is the most frustrating thing for me. Thankfully my cognitive issues come and go but I do think they are fairly common in others. At my worst I was in a room with 4 work colleagues and we each had a stack of files that needed to be sorted alphabetically.

While I knew how to do it, I knew it was going to take me forever to get through my stack so I made an excuse and left. When I needed to fill out paperwork, I dictated everything to someone else to write it for me.

It is worth mentioning to the new GP that you have issues with this sort of thing. In my case it was caused by a lesion on my frontal lobe which has gone down to about 1/2 its original size but I still have minor issues when I am fatigued.

Hang in there and don't be afraid to ask for help, we are often our own worst enemy in trying to do it all by ourselves.

Corrie