Memory/word loss.

[gymrat827]

I had a wonderful word loss event this afternoon. I wanted to ask a gentleman who worked in the gardening department if he could suggest a potting soil for something I was going to grow and if they had a certain type of potting pots that I wanted but couldn't think of the words. I kept trying to think of potting soil then I saw a bag of it on the shelf and pointed to it so we got that one but I still could't figure out potting pots. Finally after describing them and playing a guessing game with the gentleman for a few minutes he did figure out what I was looking for.



I try to associate a persons name with something/someone. For example if their name was Nick there was a Nick I was good friends with when I went to school. Other times I might have a relative with the same name and try to remember it that way. I might also try to remember it by rhyming it with something. If their name was Brian then it rhymes with Lion.

Same here, sometimes need to find an object close to what word i am trying to think of.

Its just terrible when its the guys talking old sports figures in Football, hockey, baseball.

Your trying to think back 5-25yrs, think of what they accomplished, what team, etc. Just too much to recall, but you do it anyway.

To feel and appear normal i guess.

 

[seizing more]

down in the dumps

My seizures are back strong, having a few a week always at night & really scrambles my brain, messes with memory, speech, it's a big tip off for family.my supervisor doesn't want to know anything & can't understand how I can remember things from long ago but not yesterday or 2 days ago, I work retail, I'm a numbers guy, I'm really having problems remembering, it's worry some, I've really been down lately , usually I'm a very positive person. This is why I'm back, to read and reinforce I'm not alone
So, yes it goes hand in hand

 

[Sabbo]

I often hate how I have problem recalling even silly or needless things from childhood but thanks to the AEDs important things from a few days or weeks ago are difficult to recall.

 

[KoiKamsahamnida]

Oh gosh, this happens all the time. I am an English major and it makes me feel horrible! but yes... can you imagine... I can sit here and look at say, my computer... and ask my daughter to turn on my computer and be all "Lily, can you turn on my... my... my **points** my... that thing... that thing I look up things on... that... that thing you know.... **keeps pointing**" and she says "Computer?" and I say "Yeah!" But I feel like an idiot when I try to introduce her to people and I see the word "Lily" in my mind... but I can't SAY the word Lily. She will usually catch on though and introduce herself. I am pretty good though, when I get to that point I'll just explain to people that I have epilepsy and when I get to a point like that I can't say certain words... sorry! Most are pretty good when I explain its a side effect of both of my medicines. It sucks!

 

[Sabbo]

I understand about the inability to speak. Especially because 'Dopamax' causes me to be able to see what I want/need to say literally written on paper in my mind, but my brain & mouth can't connect!

 

[Freda]

I sympathise with all of you, it must be so frustrating and also embarrassing at times. My daughter is learning the art of staying quiet and pointing too, when it first started happening just a random word would fill the space but now she's aware she stops in conversation.

Is it the meds, in her case Keppra, or is it the condition or a mixture of both?

As from tomorrow her dose is increased to 1000mg morning & 1250mg evening for one week - then 1250 twice daily for one week - then 1250mg morning & 1500mg evening. Because she had another Tonic Clonic last Friday at work.
Silly question but will this affect her speech all the more?

 

[Nakamova]

Silly question but will this affect her speech all the more?

Hard to know since everyone is different. But IF her speech issues are due to the Keppra, there might be a dose-dependent increase in side effects. All the more reason to keep a journal tracking not just seizures but med doses and any suspected side effects. Keppra can be increased to a working dose fairly quickly (though that level is different for different people), so you should be able to note any effects -- good or bad -- relatively soon in the week after the increase occurs.

 

[gymrat827]

She had bloods taken today to look at her auto immune system in case her seizures are related to that and not true epilepsy. The bloods have to be sent to a specific lab for the testing and it will probably take a while to be analysed. It's a long shot but they have to rule it out, especially as her meds aren't working too well at present.

Ive been tested for everything under the sun for issues that could cause seizures.

the spinal tap was the worst.

I do not want to be negative, but those are shots in the dark. My wife was very big on testing for everything but for some, the test was just horrible.

 

[Freda]

Yeah we pretty much know that and her neuro has said it's very rare and not likely also. I don't think she'd go for a lumber puncture at this stage anyway, not that one has been suggested and I've had one with meningitis so I know they're not nice. They can run other tests, more EEG's, MRI's etc because we don't have to pay for them and if they think they may show something then why not?
As for invasive tests, not just yet.

 

[gymrat827]

I had a wonderful word loss event this afternoon. I wanted to ask a gentleman who worked in the gardening department if he could suggest a potting soil for something I was going to grow and if they had a certain type of potting pots that I wanted but couldn't think of the words. I kept trying to think of potting soil then I saw a bag of it on the shelf and pointed to it so we got that one but I still could't figure out potting pots. Finally after describing them and playing a guessing game with the gentleman for a few minutes he did figure out what I was looking for.



I try to associate a persons name with something/someone. For example if their name was Nick there was a Nick I was good friends with when I went to school. Other times I might have a relative with the same name and try to remember it that way. I might also try to remember it by rhyming it with something. If their name was Brian then it rhymes with Lion.

the worst is when you chatting with guys on sports and have to reach back for who did what 10/20/25yrs back.

I talk hockey n football with co-workers.....

I know a ton about both, but often times can only remember a portion. Or, i can give a lot of describing info about someone.........and another guy will know or figure how his name based off my descriptions.

It is good having a few people around you who know your condition and can assist with little things like this.


There will be times when i cannot think of, figure out or whatever i am trying to do even when i pull out my ifone and cannot even figure who out whose name or what city once i research it.

Those are the times that just drive me nuts, with a smart phone and others all trying to figure out who/what your talking about.


GL all, i know the feeling

 

[Janus]

S what a great thead. I have such problems with memory. I also have a TBI. That causes brain damage. My doc showed me X-Ray's of MRI he points out where the w word area is. It's damaged and seizures start there for me. DAMN!! Words are so important j to me! If I loose anymore. Where do the go anyway? S so many of mine are gone. My wife and I play Scrabble. That helps incredibly. ( So of that writing about words is because I write poetry. We ordered word play when we were real.

 

[Sabbo]

My simple partials originate in the back of my head--I have scar tissue there because I was a forceps delivery. There really weren't many memory issues until the complex partials. Then the Topamax started.

 

[Freda]

So would it be the more seizures you have the more words you lose or is it just kind of random and the forgotten word comes back eventually? I expect various medication also has an affect too.
My daughter says sometimes she wonders if she'd be better off having the occasional seizure rather than the effects of the Keppra but she knows it's early days and expects things to settle down eventually but if it's the seizures that are causing the word loss I suppose it'll just worsen the more she has - so being on meds which may reduce them will outweigh the side effects. Or so we hope.

 

[Topcat]

I was at a little cafe. I wanted a coffee and a danish. The danish were sitting up on the side of the counter under I glass server.
I couldn't think of the word for a "danish."
So I pointed at it.
I said I want coffee and said: "one of those."
I got my coffee but no danish.
I had to keep pointing at it and saying, I want want; "one of those."
Now who is the idiot? Me or the server?
What did he think I wanted?
A dog turd?

 

[Bubbles]

I didnt see this mentioned in the replies, so i thought that I would add it. Word mix up as in saying -toaster- instead of -coffee maker- is called Apraxia. It is seen with other neurological conditions, such as migraine and stroke. Forgetting words altogether is known as Aphasia. It too can appear in many different scenarios.

Ive been dealing with both for years, though recently the forgetting of words is worse.
Ive also been dealing with the complete loss of speech and stuttering, both of which are realativly new. I don't know if they are realated to the apraxia & aphasia. I also have a bad memory, which seems to jus keep getting worse.

I find the easiest thing to do when i get stuck in a conversation, is just use the wrong word sometimes. It can have some fun results....

 

[Lluscko]

Hello, im new to this forum, just joined today, but i have this same problem with forgetting words, and struggling to find the right one sometimes. It makes it very difficult being that im a college student, and while writing papers and doing presentation i really struggle with finish sentences. I was wondering if anyone has found a solution to this or if there are any tips for helping with this. I am currently taking vimpat, 200mg a day. I have taken many other medications in the past few years, and this medication has the most bearable side effects.
Thanks,
Lauren

 

[Sabbo]

Hello, Llusko. I understand your frustration. Both Vimpat & Topamax (Topiramate) are known for word/memory loss issues. Topamax has actually been nicknamed "Dopamax". I, in fact, am taking 400 mg/day of both of these medications. There are often times when I know what I want/need to say, and can actually see it in my mind, as if it's written on paper, but my brain & mouth aren't able to connect.

. I, too, have been on nearly every anticonvulsant available.

 

[Freda]

I find with my daughter that occasionally she'll say a sentence with a couple of words in the wrong place, each where the other should be. At first she found this frustrating but now will laugh it off. I think humour is a good approach for her to handle the situation rather than her previous frustration.

 

[Elaine H]

Hi Freda It's perfectly normal for these memory and language problems, the Limbic System in the Right Temp Lobe deals with so much, including some parts of our memory. We have several types of memory and the two I struggle with are short term and episodic memory, caused by the epilepsy and two lots of surgery. Episodic memory is recollection of events in our lives, I've forgotten holidays, weddings, concerts etc over the last thirty years, it's best to keep a diary, write everything down, she'll soon learn to deal with it in her best way. Every seizure will damage some of our short term memory, but long term are stored away in our Cerebral Cortex (grey matter) I'd advise anyone newly diagnosed to learn as much as possible about their type of epilepsy as I did and still am, it's both fascinating and great for explaining things to friends and family. keep us posted as to how she's doing.