scary forgetful first yesterday

[arnie]

For years I have had short-term memory problems which seem to be getting worse, but I'm mostly used to that, even though it's starting to get me down a little. Yesterday something new happened: I was preparing to cook a dish that I've made a number of times. I looked in the vegetable bin to see what I would need to buy, and I saw that I needed an onion, green onions, and . . .
I could NOT remember the name of the herb I needed, even though I use it a lot. I knew what it looked like (kind of like parsley) and where it was in the store, but the name was gone. On my list I put "not parsley". I got to the store and bought it, reading that the name was, of course, cilantro. I went home, made the food, saw the name in the recipe several times, and figured all was well. Later in the afternoon I was talking to my daughter on the phone and told her about that, and the word was gone again!! I could think of persimmon, rutabaga, diamond (of all things!) but nothing even close to cilantro. My daughter, of course, figured it out when I said it was like parsley. That was kind of scary, to say the least.
Also, I had a partial sz last night when I was about to start my truck, and I couldn't figure out how to start it. That was scary, too, since I've been driving for 40 years and starting a car should be totally automatic by now.
What do y'all think? Anyone else have the loss-of-a-word thing?

 

[Cint]

Memory loss and word retrieval or aphasia is a very common thing for folks with epilepsy. Some of it could be due to the medication you are taking or it could be from where the seizures are originating from in your brain. And it is very common to forget things immediately before and after a seizure. I forget words all the time and/or cannot remember people's names immediately or names of objects. Speak to your neuro if it becomes an issue. For more info, check this website:

http://www.epilepsy.com/epilepsy/memory_problems

Problems of retrieval

Sometimes you may know that the information is in there, but you just can't get it out. In this case, it has been encoded properly and it also has been stored adequately. The problem is in gaining immediate access to it. This kind of difficulty in "retrieval" is a common cause of memory failure in people with epilepsy and many other neurological disturbances. Some retrieval problems might result from deficits in speed of access. If you are asked to remember something "on the spot" you may not be able to come up with it, but a few minutes later it comes to you. It is clear that the information was always there, but access to it was delayed. At times, access might become blocked altogether. Some form of distraction, like another piece of similar information, might get in the way of remembering.

 

[masterjen]

Also, I had a partial sz last night when I was about to start my truck, and I couldn't figure out how to start it. That was scary, too, since I've been driving for 40 years and starting a car should be totally automatic by now.
What do y'all think? Anyone else have the loss-of-a-word thing?

Although it's not the focus of your post, what are you doing driving if you have active daytime seizures? You say you forgot how to start your vehicle . . . what if next time you forget how to STOP your vehicle if you have a seizure while driving??

 

[arnie]

Unfortunately, it seems that things are changing for me. I've been on the same med (Lamictal) for probably 15 years, and although word retrieval problems are not uncommon in epilepsy, this is the first time (at least that I can recall!!) that I have had that issue. Also, masterjen makes a good point about the driving. Because of the nature of my seizures, and the fact that I have not had problems with "alteration of consciousness", my neuro has said that driving should be OK for me. I'm not so sure now, and I will probably let my wife do the driving until I see how things shake out for me. Fortunately, I don't have to drive to get to work, and I can ride my bike to the grocery store. I'm going to leave a message for my doc about the events of yesterday. I'm also waiting for my insurance company to approve coverage for the VNS implant, which I hope will reduce my inter-ictal seizures, which I am convinced are my main problem now. More comments are certainly appreciated. Thanks, guys!

 

[MAB]

Unfortunately, it seems that things are changing for me. I've been on the same med (Lamictal) for probably 15 years, and although word retrieval problems are not uncommon in epilepsy, this is the first time (at least that I can recall!!) that I have had that issue. Also, masterjen makes a good point about the driving. Because of the nature of my seizures, and the fact that I have not had problems with "alteration of consciousness", my neuro has said that driving should be OK for me. I'm not so sure now, and I will probably let my wife do the driving until I see how things shake out for me. Fortunately, I don't have to drive to get to work, and I can ride my bike to the grocery store. I'm going to leave a message for my doc about the events of yesterday. I'm also waiting for my insurance company to approve coverage for the VNS implant, which I hope will reduce my inter-ictal seizures, which I am convinced are my main problem now. More comments are certainly appreciated. Thanks, guys!

My neuro has never mentioned driving to me, one way or the other. I assumed it is because I have only had partial seizures. I do live in a state that requires doctors to report seizures but she hasn't that I know of.

 

[JaneP]

Ahhh, I seen a mirror image of myself with your issue! I have the EXACT same issue which has caused me major trouble with communicating with people because I'm so slow at finding the right word so often. My mind goes blank like the flip of a switch for something so often it even gets to me all the time -let alone others who aren't in my shoes. A pharmacist recently told me that Lamictal can do that. But also added that any "mind altering", if you will, drug can cause this. It seems to be getting more intense for me too.... forgetting things that I walked away from a few seconds ago then having to go back & get it. -Like having everything ready to go shopping, setting my list down, going to gather my keys, jacket and purse, walking out the door and then like the flip of a switch, "GRRR! My list!" AND I WAS LOOKING RIGHT AT IT ABOUT 5 SECONDS AGO! I keep hearing this brushed off as "That happens to everyone on occasion", etc. Yeah of course (I keep trying to get people to get it through their heads) but NOT A DOZEN TIMES A DAY!

 

[arnie]

I think most people don't understand the difference between forgetting something and losing something, if that makes sense. When I forgot the word "cilantro" it was completely gone. It wasn't something that I could sort of rummage around in my mind and "find", it was absolutely, completely, gone and, at least for a while, totally irretrievable. It's like when we "lose" some event that has happened in the past. If we have merely forgotten something, we can be reminded of it and then pull up the details. When those of us with epilepsy lose something it may be gone forever and ever, amen! I'm sure everyone here can relate to that, can't they? Even important happenings can completely disappear. I'm used to that because it's happened to me for years, but having "cilantro" disappear was too weird. I hope that doesn't start happening more often! Cheers!

 

[JaneP]

Exactly what I was referring to with me. I could sit & try like all living heck to pull the word that I know I need back in my mind but it just doesn't WANT to. There are times I have to have someone tell me something several times before I won't forget it again 30 seconds later. I was in a class in college once where there were a list of things to write down for a test. I'd read through them, shut the book, start writing them down, and "blink" the last 2 were gone. I couldn't for the life of me recall them. I'd open the book & see them there and be like; "Uhhh OKAAAAAY how could I forget those instantaneously?" So I'd close the book, start writing them down and again be like; "Now what WERE those again??" This happened literally AT LEAST a hundred times before they clicked, and 20 years later now I can STILL recall them all! (A heck of a lot of good it does me NOW!) So often I'll repeat the same thing to someone and they'll say "You already told me that". I'm like; "Huh? Really?"

 

[MAB]

I think most people don't understand the difference between forgetting something and losing something, if that makes sense. When I forgot the word "cilantro" it was completely gone. It wasn't something that I could sort of rummage around in my mind and "find", it was absolutely, completely, gone and, at least for a while, totally irretrievable. It's like when we "lose" some event that has happened in the past. If we have merely forgotten something, we can be reminded of it and then pull up the details. When those of us with epilepsy lose something it may be gone forever and ever, amen! I'm sure everyone here can relate to that, can't they? Even important happenings can completely disappear. I'm used to that because it's happened to me for years, but having "cilantro" disappear was too weird. I hope that doesn't start happening more often! Cheers!

One day I was at work and I was talking to one of our contractors. He asked me if Jo contacted me about something. I said no, that it was someone else from the company but I couldn't remember the name. He went through the list of names of everyone that worked for the company and I kept saying no. I finally remembered the name. I told him it was Joe. He told me that's the first name he said and I remembered he was correct but for some reason when he said Joe, I was thinking he meant Jo (as in female). That kind of left me shaken all day wondering what was wrong with my mind. I've had that kind of stuff happen several times since then. It's kind of scary.

 

[DayDreamer]

Hopefully you were having short term side effects from irregular activity in your brain. Whether that was the case or not, I would still mention it to which ever doctor you see soon, especially the forgetting of skills. Those are things people don't lose very easily. Aphasia can also be a pain, but can be almost like playing a game of charades.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procedural_memory

 

[chmmr]

I have a pretty good idea of what you mean too. My daughter who is almost 4 has suddenly started having the same problem. Words/things she has known for years just suddenly disappear (words like cheerios which is one of her favorite foods and has been something she said since she was a year old, or nose, white etc) All things she knows very well she has at times not been able to say. Other things too, like for entire days she will forget the name of a favorite character in a book, i'll tell her its name and then 5 minutes later it's gone again.
One other thing we have seen with her too, not sure if you have experienced it as well, is that she will say a word but it will come out garbled (like some combination of words).
So frustrating for me to watch, i can only imagine how hard it is for all of you that experience it firsthand

 

[MAB]

So frustrating for me to watch, i can only imagine how hard it is for all of you that experience it firsthand

chmmr, I would think it's harder for you, seeing it in your own child. My 3 1/2 year old grandson has autism and it is much harder for me to see his frustrations not being able to communicate, than the problems I have.