Memory (not likely MS)

[Buffy1970]

Can someone direct me to research regarding transient holes in memory.  These are small events but they are totally gone.  Nothing, not even someone else telling me what is missing or seeing what I can't remember brings any amount of recall.

[DebinLimbo]

"I somehow knew it was my husband, but it took me a minute to figure it out." OMG - this happens to me sometimes as well.  Do you also wake up within a couple of hours of having gone to sleep and spend a minute or two staring at the clock - trying to figure out what is this thing with the glowing numbers and what exactly do those numbers mean? Some of my most confused moments happen when I wake up in the middle of the night - or just an hour or two after falling asleep. I wondered if anyone else has this, and if so, what is the cause of it?

[jensequitur]

Hubby knew when I'd lose my train of thought, because then I'd stop talking.  But if I'm listening to what he's saying, quite often I'll lose track.  Then it's just a question of whether I can get back on track, or whether I have to stop him and tell him I don't remember what we were talking about.

I think that I'm behaving normally during those times that aren't being recorded.  It's just that for some reason that experience didn't get encoded.  

[Sumanadevii]

Anxiety can cause memory loss.  I know this from my own experience.

[Buffy1970]

One more question for you all... is anyone aware of what is going on with you (barring a mid-sentence break)?  

No one knows I'm having an episode unless I stop talking.  I even missed part of the neuro's exam at Mayo.  It was only faith in her thoroughness and her report that kept me from thinking she didn't leave out part of the exam (testing both feet).

I've also had what I'm sure many experience in not remembering a portion of commute home from work - when I was working.

[Buffy1970]

That must have been very scary for many reasons.  The only problem I have with people (except for once not knowing someone I was dating a couple weeks prior) is that I see many people I think may be the person.  HOWEVER, when I do see them I know their face.  It seems to be a problem with look alikes (which probably aren't look alikes at all).

My big question is why my memory thing seems to be getting worse (or am I just learning about things missed)?  And how could it work this way?  What determines what will be missed?  Why this page and not that one, why this part of a movie and not that?  And so on.

The mind thing scares me most b/c I've always been able to come back from anything.  I've always been able to count on me if nothing else.  But ME may be going.  I would not be happy but I could lose my legs and arms as long as I had my brain.  

I'm scared now b/c I don't know how far it will go; I don't even know what IT is.  I had thought the memory thing was getting better but now I know it isn't and I'm having new trouble with words.

[jensequitur]

I've had a couple of times when I just didn't recognize the person, and that scares me.  People I should have known well - an old friend from college, a sister-in-law.  I even had one odd moment when I was in bed, asleep, and this strange man got into bed with me.  I somehow knew it was my husband, but it took me a minute to figure it out.

[Sailorsong]

What you are describing very well could be MS related memory problems. Several months ago I had a Neuro Psych Testing done and the doctor explained what is happening in my brain due to the MS. It is a general slowing of the processing of information in the brain. In this process something in are short term memory doesn't making it to the long term memory due to distractions and other information going through are brain. As a result we completely forget things as the short term memory is very limited in the amount of information it can hold. I heard somewhere that it only holds about 10 seconds of information at any time.

I have had all of the same problems you are describing including not recognizing my own car, getting lost in a store, etc.

Dennis

[jensequitur]

Yeah, I know what you mean.  

[Buffy1970]

Tired and broke.

[jensequitur]

It's tough when you don't have a big sign lit up in neon in your head that says "I have MS!" or "I have ADEM!"  I looked at your profile and saw several punctate lesions, however.  Have you thought about getting another opinion?  Or are you tired of the runaround?

[Buffy1970]

I'm not even sure what I have.  Mayo Clinic says to continue monitoring but I can't afford it.  Only def diagnosis is FM.  I have many symptoms that are neurologic and I'm told not to over attribute to FM but no one knows what is going on.

[jensequitur]

My memory holes are like the memory never existed.  I don't vaguely recall it - it's like it never happened.

I have problems like the ones you describe all the time.  I would lose track of the conversation and what I was going to say, and sometimes don't recognize familiar faces or places.  There's been entire movies that I could have sworn I'd never seen!

Have you been diagnosed with MS?  I just took a look at your profile - seems like you're in limboland.

[Buffy1970]

My holes are not induced by substances.  They are brief... a page in a children's book, a small portion of a movie, a conversation, character(s) in a novel.  I also get lost in familiar places temporarily.  I also stop in a conversation with no idea I'd been talking.  I've been told this is not from MS.  My blood work is good with only a mild low vit D.

Jen - is your memory completely gone or just confusion/forgetfulness?  Mine never comes back even with prompting.  Total blank.

[jensequitur]

Buffy, memory loss can come from several problems.  It can happen because of overindulgence - sometimes I have too much to drink, and can't remember driving home.  That's scary.  Traumatic brain injury can also cause memory loss.

I've had memory loss from MS activity, and it happens most often when I'm not feeling well.  There's something about how the memory is stored - it may not be in my short-term, or if it is, then I can't access it.  However, when it gets put into the long term memory (after a good night's rest) I can access that memory.

[Red_Star]

I have many holes in my memory due to vitamin B12 deficiency. I'll send you some info. :)