Headaches, memory loss and deepening levels of des[pair.
My headaches started in Oct last year accompanied by dizziness, blurred vision and some memory loss. They returned intermittently but last week saw a disturbing increase in the memory loss. This week on attack on Monday night and one Tuesday than today two in one morning.
The chunks of memory loss are disturbingly random and not connected with specific moments of extreme stress. I haven't written here for a while as I forgot. Seems funny but there are gaps where there used to be detail.
Shrinks, neurologists and now a homeopath who is concerned with my massive intake of caffeine. At this moment I am desperate and am writing this on the offchance that somebody can throw some ligght. Or just some links to research or whatever.
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Do
How you doing? Any improvement? Hope you feeling ok today.
Dreaded_Outsider
A CT scan should suffice, it will cost you about R3-4 thousand.
If you are 60+, it's most probably CA. Under 60 yrs of age, 85% of cases proved to be benign cysts, operable, treatable and the prognosis is likely to be for a full recovery.
Good luck.
Get a scan as soon as you can
I don't want to say the word but it starts with a T.
DO
A friend of mine was suffering from extreme pain in his back causing him to want to just sit in the corner and whimper, I kid you not. He was in fact misdiagnosed by numerous people and they in fact got it so wrong that it caused more problems. Eventually he went to Life Scan at the Rosebank clinic and they did their scan, which is an incredible process and found the problem. Turns out that he has TB that has attacked the spine. (It happens in around 25% of the cases) He is now well on the path to recovery (18 months total recovery time needed) so the point I am trying to make is that the diagnosis is incredibly important and perhaps a trip to Life Scan wouldn't be wasted.
symptoms
my brother had these symptoms.
they found a marble-sized hole in the middle of his brain.
use it, don't use it.
Dreaded
I have no idea if this is the same thing, but I recently discovered that the headache pills I was taking were what was causing my headaches, memory loss and possibly even my anxiety and moments of depression.
Same here...
The headache pills had the same effect on me!
FuziJuzi
What were you taking?
hey dreaded
Sorry to hear about the headaches and the memory loss. I'm reluctant to give advice without knowing the full details of your situation. And from what you say you've had a pretty comprehensive check up.
But if you want a quick word of advice from someone who knows a little bit about neuropsychology then here are some pointers. I would say that a neuropsychologist would be more helpful at this stage than a clinical or counselling psychologist. It sounds like there isn't enough of a problem to be picked up on an EEG or a scan so the problems could be more subtle. That's where a neuropsychologist could help in terms of establishing a full picture of current brain functioning. Basically they look at your current functioning and compare it with previous functioning (and consider family history and norms for your age group, any previous brain injuries etc.) Then they can advise ito how to address current short-comings.
When considering current functioning they would look at a range of things from your motor functioning to speech and language to memory to executive functioning (which includes planning, organizing, abstract thinking, insight and judgement etc.) Just taking memory for example, there are many facets of this so can be quite complex: visual, auditory, immediate, delayed, shor-term, long-term. Your history is the most important consideration here (any head injuries with loss of consciousness etc.)
Maybe this is too much information and there's a simple solution in terms of upping your Vit B12 intake or changing your diet etc. I hope the lead from the homeopath works out. Best, Pete
bluepete, you raised some interesting points. My experience
so far means your advice about a neuropsychologist could be spot on. However good someone is at their game if they don't see and recognise specific they tend to think nothing is there. The homeopath is the first to look at things a little more laterally and not suggest I'm fabricating. As far as history goes there have been questions as to whether this new or an older condition manifesting differently. Further detail about diagnostics is beyond me at the moment. What I have learned is that 1st, 2nd and even further opinions must be sought. The people I have been to are not, actually the opposite just exceptional at analysing from a specific angle.
Dreaded_Outsider
Not sure if you are on private or public medical. If you have good medical go to the Millpark Clinic. They have brilliant Neuro and other specialists. My mother used to be the Matron there so you are welcome to speak to her for an inside track on who's who in the zoo. If you don't have medical she could also let you know which neuro experts are at which public hospitals and how you can get to see them. Dolce and Mica know my details, so you are welcome to get them and use them if you'd like.
Then it could be chemical, a blood issue or anything from a tumour to toxins. I had a minor stroke late last year which precipitated a chemical imbalance in my brain. This caused memory loss, blurred vision, major fatigue and severe depression that I have dealt with with chemical intervention. I am more or less back to 'normal', whatever that is.
Shout if there is anything I can do to help.
Dreaded
now you know you don't look after yourself, dreaded man. Take some time out. Take care of yourself. Stop with the toxins. The smokes and the caffiene. Eat better. Find someone who will stroke your forhead and whisper kind, soft words in your ear. Take care of yourself; or I'm coming up to Jozi to kick your arse.
Better yet, get the fuck out of Jozi. You're better down south, aren't you?
I know an excellent neuro down in Slaapies, if you ever do make your way here
DO
Please accept my apology for that terrible remark. I don't know where that came from. It's so not like me. I sincerely hope you get to the bottom of this and get well soon.
DO:mort
i spent a little time browsing for the obvious and obscure possibilities and i must admit that this is one for a super sleuth - google isn't very forthcoming and a lot of what is available is pay-per-view medical journal entries.
i've gathered a few that might be worth looking at:
Basilar artery migraine
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_basilar_artery_migraines
Transient ischemic attacks
http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2002/03_02/pn_tia.shtml
amnesia overviews
http://www.faqs.org/health/topics/34/Amnesia.html
http://www.ahealthyme.com/topic/topic100586419
migraine
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/m/migraine/symptoms.htm#symptom_list
Transient global amnesia
http://archneur.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/41/1/75
i don't know that there's anything here that you haven't researched, but it's the best i could do.
good luck.
Ta, morts, for these. There are some I didn't track and google
ain't to brilliant for this topic of amnesia.
Headache update. Acetylcholine has been spotted as a
defficiency in my system. These the neurotransmitters that work in both nervous and the brain. One of the signals in Alzheimers. Some people mentioned caffeine and medical people are horrified at my daily. It's something I have tried to ditch, in fact most recently after the headaches started but been unsuccessful. Migraines don't have the memory loss. More discussion today on way forward. There have been suggestions about going all veggie, taking up yoga as well as other extreme ideas more suited to pseudo psychiatry in the years between the world wars.
I'm resisting panic and am only prepared to work with something based on fact. Been the route of psychologist, (very good but only at changing my view of the world around me which didn't hold out because the headaches didn't stop and have now increased), had eeg done which showed nothing and neurologist was at a loss as to how to beging analysing me.
Currently working with a homeopath who found the defficiency and after extreme reticence which she noticed and I was moved to adnit that I am desperate, it looks like takig a more reassuring course.
DO
Hectic, man...I take it you've had an MRI? Hell, I feel for you. Try not to panic over it, I know it's nearly impossible when suffering as you are and no-one seems to have a "cure" ....Strekte.
Good stuff DO - at least you're getting somewhere
Good Luck.
Headache update. Acetylcholine has been spotted as a
defficiency in my system. These the neurotransmitters that work in both nervous nervous systems and the brain. One of the early signals in Alzheimers. Some people mentioned caffeine and medical people are horrified at my daily intake. It's something I have tried to ditch, in fact most recently after the headaches started but been unsuccessful. Migraines don't have the memory loss. More discussion today on way forward. There have been suggestions about going all veggie, taking up yoga as well as other extreme ideas more suited to pseudo psychiatry in the years between the world wars.
I'm resisting panic and am only prepared to work with something based on fact. Been the route of psychologist, (very good but only at changing my view of the world around me which didn't hold out because the headaches didn't stop and have now increased), had eeg done which showed nothing and neurologist was at a loss as to how to beging analysing me.
Currently working with a homeopath who found the defficiency and after extreme reticence which she noticed and I was moved to adnit that I am desperate, it looks like takig a more reassuring course.
DO
I cannot even pretend to understand what you are going through or how scary this must be for you. Or even help.
Even if these are not the answers you are looking for, at least your homeopath is making some progress and that is a good start.
I dont think panic is going to help and maybe you should look at changing your lifestyle/habits. Yoga is also brilliant for the body.
Good luck, DO and may all that is holy and good be with you.
DO
Well, that sounds hopeful in terms of progress in diagnosing your condition. Good luck!
DO
That sucks! I get migraines but usually they don't include memory loss. Caffeine is one of the number 1 migraine triggers so maybe try cutting it out and see if it makes any difference?!
I'm sorry DO...
I wish I had some advice. Try not to panic just yet. It will only increase your stress levels.
Keep us posted on this sugar.
Do
Cut back on all stimulants and take up yoga.
a little ironic
coming from the woman who pees in half hour stints.
Dex
Whiskey (the good stuff) is NOT a stimulant - it's a sedative. And you're just jealous cos I can pee like a race horse....
Ouch DO
no advice here - but good luck man.
DO
Are you serious or just looking for attention? I suffer from migraines...yours could be induced by stress and all the caffeine...men are prone to whats called "cluster migranes".... this is quite informative...or this
green gods of gormlessness! looking for attention???
i'm f*cking flabbergasted.... thats about the most emotionally obtuse/insensitive a response i've come across in a while.
illness and a request for assistance is a good way to get petted?
DO doesn't strike me as an attention whore... so bugger me if i know where that came from.
fekkit. maybe it's a piss poor attempt at humour that's just way above my head?
Mort/Arb/Do
I apologise for the insensitive remark...it's just that I have been caught out with a 42 joke while trying to give my 2c worth of advise before....I meant no disrespect, at all. I honestly sympathise with DO.
nos - no need to apologise to me
see.
Agreed...
...very 'off' comment.
I've sat and chatted to DO about his headaches and memory loss and he's at the end of his tether at this point... the visit to the homeopath was almost a last ditch attempt to try and find a solution, and hopefully what turned up from that visit leads him in the right direction for a cure...
gotta say Morts - that one blind sided me too
sheesh.
Nos
You too? Nasty little affliction with too many variables to treat effectively.
TL
I have been able to narrow it down to a few triggers....stress, stimulants - especially wine, champagne and certain cheeses. Regular excersize helps too. But you know when one of those are coming...take your meds before it gets to the full blown stage, get into a dark, quiet place and wait it out. Really shitty.
Nos
Everyone's triggers are different. I get two kinds. One from neck being slightly out of whack and the other from unknown factors which may or may not include diet, weather change, hormones, stress, posture etc. etc. And the worst thing is that they're indistinguishable from each other and all end up the same way. Yeah, bummer.