I was diagnosed in late March with MS and I wasn't doing so well. It took a lot out of me. Lately my fatigue has gotten better. People say I look better. I am spending more time with my son. I haven't had a flare and haven't even felt any heaviness in my arms or legs in weeks. I thought I was doing so much better.
But now I have been having memory problems. In five minutes I forgot that my spouse gave me his keys. I actually got in an agrument about it. I was so sure he did not hand me the keys. So I back tracked to were I was and the keys were lying by where I was sitting. I had a conversation with a co-worker and I couldn't remember what she said 30 seconds before. It was confusing to me. She said a certain question and I couldn't remember her saying that. She laughed about it, but I got very concerned. Lost my ID had to get some more. Pretty soon I going to forget my name!!!!! It is freaking me out. I have been forgetting to do things at work, nothing to get fired about but it does make it harder to finish things up at work.
Just the past couple days I have lost my registration of my car. No clue where it is. It is so wierd, this stuff only happens to old people, not a 32 year old women.
Will my memory get better, maybe it is like a flare.
Anita
Post Edited (AnitaLynn) : 7/4/2006 1:13:19 AM (GMT-6)
Sounds like maybe you're dealing with short-term memory loss. You're forgetting things that happen in the last few minutes (or hours), while your memory about events that happened longer ago seem intact.
Short-term memory loss is something a lot of us struggle with, one of those issues that we talk about when we talk about "cognititive difficulties". You'll see us talking about making lists...then forgetting where we keep the lists. Going to the store for just two items, and not remembering both of them. Driving along, and forgetting where we're going.
It is part of a flare...but sometimes also a residual thing, or one of those symptoms that doesn't go away, completely. Like everything else with MS, it's impossible to predict what will happen in your case.
But now that you're aware of it, you can help yourself by paying careful attention to things happening around you, especially when it's important stuff like the keys, or things at work that you need to deal with, -- the careful attention will help cement it better in your memory. And try to pay attention to just one thing at a time. Many of us can no longer "multi-task", but do fine if we do THIS thing..then that, then something else...just not all 3 at once.
Talk with your doctor about it, if it gets particularly bad. There are some meds that help with it, if you choose to go that way.
...I am not a doctor, nor health professional, and don't pretend to be one, here.....
Hi Anitalynn,
I am 31 and was diagnosed in April, and am having the same problems as you! When I'm out I hang onto my keys like my lifeline... yesterday I left them in a restaurant bathroom... never done that before. Uppity was right about the multi tasking too... I used to be able to listen to several things at once, now it's overwhelming and my boyfriend has had to repeat himself a lot lately. My 1st flare since diagnosis started a couple days ago.. and it seems to be worse now, but has been there since the beginning.
Take care, you are not alone
Shar
Hey Anita Lynn
Same here. I'm un-dx's, but can certainly relate to this prob. I can tell u that for me it seems to be worse at times. When i'm stressed it's much worse. When i'm not stressed it's there, but not too bad. I was at church a few weeks ago and my youngest daughter came to me cold. I took her home ( we only live a few mins from there) and went to get her some jeans on. On my way out the door i was asked to bring something back, so i got home and used my 'hidden' key to get in the house. I left my purse at church cause it was just a quick trip home..so my own key was at church. Well i got whatever it was that i was asked to get...and locked my door and left. After that my daughter asked about some jeans. I couldn't find my key. I looked where it should be, no key. I ended up getting some stored away jeans from my storage shed out for her...a BIG ORDEAL..and goin back to church. Later i found that key in my pocket. I too try to make a point to put my keys in my pockets so as not to lose them...tho u have to remember they're there!! I hope u'r memory gets better, but be prepared that it may not get back to U'R normal...u may have to compensate somehow. I can't really suggest any 'plan' or otherwise way to compensate..as u can see it's still a work in progress for me...but come up with a way that works for u and put it into action. I hope ur memory will improve and u'll be u'r self again soon. U are definitely not alone in this symptom!
rhonda