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Cognitive evaluation

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Lyme Disease
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Agmaar
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 376
Posted 3/18/2009 12:04 PM (GMT -8)
Like many, I've had cognitive issues - inability to multi-task, can't handle distractions, periodic memory and focus problems, and problems with retaining things from hearing.  I'd like to have an evaluation done to see how much I'm impaired.  I know there are issues. 

Tomorrow I have an appt. with my psych ARNP and I'm going to see if she knows someone who can do this type of testing.  I assume it would be someone like a developmental psychologist.  I was just wondering what is involved in the testing and what the tests are like (this probably shows my anxiety issues shocked )

This relates a little to return to work, but really - it's for me.  I want to know where I'm at and I think this is something we can measure.

I'd appreciate any input.  I think Scorp has mentioned that she has had this type of testing done.. 

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scorpio1960
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 914
Posted 3/18/2009 3:13 PM (GMT -8)
Hi Rich, Please don't be nervous and just do the best you can. I really don't remember too much from three years ago so I copied some of the categories from the actual report below. The testing was done over a period of a few days because of the fatigue I was experiencing. It was given in segments and each segment had to be completed within a certain timeframe. The testing reminded me of tests given in grammar school with rest periods in between each segment. The test itself was not stressful at all. What I found difficult was the realization that there was much I no longer remembered or could do. I was just diagnosed with LD last month after many years of being ill and was told that with treatment I can expect improvement. So try to concentrate on where you will eventually be and not where you are now in terms of your cognitive ability. The testing was a very humbling experience for me but I'm now optimistic and hope you are too. Good luck! Valerie

Verbal and Performance Abilities: The Verbal score is a measure of acquired knowledge, verbal reasoning, and comprehension of verbal information.

Working Memory Abilities: The Working Memory Index (WMI) provides information regarding an individual's ability to attend to verbally presented information, to process information in memory, and then to formulate a response

Processing Speed Abilities: The Processing Speed Index (PSI) provides a measure of an individual's ability to process simple or routine visual information quickly and efficiently and to quickly perform tasks based on that information.

Some of the categories consisted of Reading, Math, Written Language, Attention/Concentration, Memory, Verbal Memory, Visual Memory, Reasoning and Executive Skills, Effort.
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scorpio1960
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 914
Posted 3/18/2009 3:17 PM (GMT -8)
P.S. If you're in the NY area, I highly recommend Dr. Leo Shea. If not, maybe his office could give you a referral to someone in your area. He is extremely knowledgeable about Lyme Disease and very understanding.
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bcaring
Regular Member
Joined : Feb 2006
Posts : 346
Posted 3/18/2009 5:23 PM (GMT -8)
Yes, if you are in the NY area or can get there, Dr. Leo Shea is the best at recognizing issues specific to Lyme patients. I had my done in Philadelphia - by two different doctors and in retrospect I wish I had gone to Shea who was recommended to me. I think it would have made me feel the testing was more relevant and productive. The first doctor I saw was not very nice, the second very nice. The test is not bad but I do remember being very aware that my abilities were definitely lower than what they were before I got sick. Reading the report made me upset too - it was a very dark time with all the physical and mental changes that I had gone through.

Now, after treatment, I know that I would do so much better. I don't worry as much about the cognitive issues because a lot of it has cleared up. Treatment has defintely helped.

bcaring
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minerals
Veteran Member
Joined : Jul 2007
Posts : 943
Posted 3/18/2009 5:44 PM (GMT -8)
As a psychologist I was painfully aware of my cognitive decline due to lyme and its buddies. However I never wanted to have a psychological evaluation because I didn't want to be more discouraged than I was, so I don't really know how bad I got. But I can tell you that there were times I got lost in my own town, would go into rooms for reasons I forgot, was lost for words and had to refer my clients to other therapists because of my illness physically and mentally.

Now 2 years after treatment began I have been working again as of a few months ago and other than a slight short term memory deficit, I believe I am for the most part back to my old self mentally (not physically). So there is certainly hope and light at the end. Hope this helps..........Blessings
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Sulma
Regular Member
Joined : Apr 2008
Posts : 366
Posted 3/18/2009 7:08 PM (GMT -8)

minerals said...
As a psychologist I was painfully aware of my cognitive decline due to lyme and its buddies. However I never wanted to have a psychological evaluation because I didn't want to be more discouraged than I was, so I don't really know how bad I got. But I can tell you that there were times I got lost in my own town, would go into rooms for reasons I forgot, was lost for words and had to refer my clients to other therapists because of my illness physically and mentally.

Now 2 years after treatment began I have been working again as of a few months ago and other than a slight short term memory deficit, I believe I am for the most part back to my old self mentally (not physically). So there is certainly hope and light at the end. Hope this helps..........Blessings

I was certain I remembered someone mentioning a while back they were a psychologist as well. Couldn't agree more with every last word in your first paragraph.

I'm glad I'm not a clinician at this point in my career as I know without doubt there would be many days I'd be lousy. I still maintain my license, but thankfully work as a program manager now in a psych hospital which frankly is far less demanding than doing therapy and constantly creating and updating treatment plans.
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scorpio1960
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 914
Posted 3/18/2009 8:54 PM (GMT -8)
bcaring & minerals - Your stories are so encouraging.

I had the cognitive testing done mainly because I was applying for disability for CFIDS and was told that the test results would be good backup.

After the testing, Dr. Shea advised me to go to a llmd. I ignorantly checked with all of my other doctors who were treating me for CFIDS and since each one ran a standard lyme test at some point they, and I, thought that lyme did not apply to my condition. If only I would have listened closer to Dr. Shea.

Hopefully, someone can learn from my mistakes.
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Agmaar
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 376
Posted 3/18/2009 9:21 PM (GMT -8)
I sure aprreciate the info.  I'm probably letting my anxiety get to me.  An ID specialist for the ins. co. reviewed my short term disability but really wanted to defer to someone else (he did agree that I have LD).  So I think they will appoint a pdoc due to the psychiatric and cognitive issues.  I was just wondering if there was even any way I could slowly phase back into work.  Probably not realistic at all right now - I do engineering stuff and there are safety concerns with what I do. 

Ya ... I think the test will be a humbling experience.  I'd like to know tho.  I think the cognitive stuff will improve with treatment .... slowly ....

I live on the west coast - Seattle area - so I hope I can find someone like Dr. Shea out here.

 

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scorpio1960
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2009
Posts : 914
Posted 3/19/2009 2:44 PM (GMT -8)
Good luck Rich. Maybe Dr. Shea's office could refer you to someone.

If there's anyway you can get it done by a doctor of your choice, before the insurance company assigns one to you that would probably be the best way to go. I've been very fortunate so far but have learned from many others that insurance companies can be very underhanded and unethical. All they care about is the bottom line and not the people they insure. They frequently pay off doctors to make determinations that are not necessarily correct. Their main goal is not to insure people.

Anyway, I recently contacted www.turnthecorner.org for referrals for in-home nursing services and maybe they can give you a referral for a doctor in your area to do the cognitive testing.
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