Lack of Short Memory

[Guest guest]

>For a while, when I was in graduate school, I could tell you the name of

Freud's dog, but I had trouble remembering my own telephone number.

Yes. We tend to think that we're getting AD when we can't remember something

when we're older. But I can remember studying for exams when I was young,

having to go over and over foreign language vocabulary words or chemistry

notes, and still sometimes not coming up with them during the exam. When I

did come up with then during the exam, I promptly forgot them as soon as I

handed my bluebook in.

Young people forget things too. Especially things like taking the garbage

out <G>.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

I was taught (eons ago) that Freud couldn't remember his own phone

number. He was obviously NOT losing it, he just had more important

things to remember!!

Robin G.

> >For a while, when I was in graduate school, I could tell you the name of

> Freud's dog, but I had trouble remembering my own telephone number.

[Guest guest]

Carol Fox wrote

> I have a friend who is 2 years older and she's trying

> everything (suppliments) she can to help her remember.

> The problem is she can't remember what she's taking!

> lol No lie.>

Years ago at the psych clinic where I worked one flamboyant female patient -

about 60 yr old was taking many supplements. The psychiatrist agreed to

review her and insisted that she bring in all of her meds.

She arrived on her bike wearing as usual her pink track suit and large pink

hat, plus a large shopping bag full of supplements. She was taken off all

meds - and we kept her supplements. Next week she was normal, and continued

to be when reviewed each week in a community activity program for seniors.

As I moved on to another job about a year later so no idea how she fared

after that. She also stopped riding her bike on the busy roads, and enjoyed

the seniors programs including camping, boating etc.

Many of the patients who came in for assessment could not be relied on to

take their medications - young or old. But often the first clue that the

patient was suffering from one of the dementias was confusion about their

meds. It was fairly common for son or daughter. or community worker to

report the person was using up a weeks supply in a couple of days - or that

they were not taking them.

In assessing dementia confusion about time is an early sign. Confusion about

place comes next, and later confusion about people - including not

remembering that a person has just visited, or the person's name etc.

So confusion about when and which meds to take would be something to watch

for. For those of us who do BG readings several times a day and record

them - I suspect that our records would stop, or we would be days ahead or

behind etc.

Bea

[Guest guest]

Those of you who are having trouble with short term memory, have you ever

considered it could be sleep apnea? My husband has sleep apnea and before he was

diagnosed he could not remember a thing. He would be looking at someone he had

known for years and not be able to think of their name. I would tell him things

over and over again. It was frustrating for both of us.

Carol , member of PANSAR (Panhandle Search and Rescue), K-9 handler.

Jax of My Heart, SAR dog

Jill of Our Hearts, SAR dog

PANSAR website: http://pansar.voices-inc.com/

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

The best solution is to let YOU adjust your pressure so that it works, but the

DME establishment won't let you - perhaps better programming will make the

automatics actually work. See if you can convince somebody to show you how to

tweak your machine.

EC

----- Original Message -----

Sleep apnea can do a lot of bad things. I go for another sleep study

(titration) in a week as I am having problems sleeping again and I am tired

in the morning. I have been for many studies over the years since I was

first dx'ed and they always have to re-adjust the cpap after each one.

Les

-----Original Message-----

Those of you who are having trouble with short term memory, have you ever

considered it could be sleep apnea? My husband has sleep apnea and before he

was diagnosed he could not remember a thing. He would be looking at someone

he had known for years and not be able to think of their name. I would tell

him things over and over again. It was frustrating for both of us.

Carol , member of PANSAR (Panhandle Search and Rescue), K-9 handler.

[Guest guest]

> The key to AD is that if you're worried you have it, you don't; it's when

you don't worry - then you've got it!

Unfortunately, this is not true. In the early stages, people are aware of

their memory problems. I've read several books written by people who had AD.

They were enough with it that they were able to write books. It's later that

they don't appear to be aware of their problems, but of course we don't

really know.

I figure having advanced AD is probably similar to the split second after

one has woken up in a strange place or after taking an accustomed nap. For a

few seconds you don't know where you are, don't know if it's morning or

night. But for them those few seconds are constant.

Gretchen

[Guest guest]

You are correct Gretchen. After my parents came back North from Florida

because my mum scared herself when she could not remember how to turn

the car off & had to call me here in Boston to tell her how, she cried

on my shoulder pitifully saying she wished she could jump off a bridge.

She absolutely knew what was happening to her but could do nothing about

it. It damn near broke my heart & spitit too.

cappie

Greater Boston Area

T-2 10/02 9/04 A1c: 5.3

max 100 carb diet, walking, Metformin.

ALA/EPO, Coq10, B12, ALC, Vit C

Cal/mag, low dose Biotin, full spectrum E,

Policosanol, fish oil cap,

fresh flax seed, multi vitamin,

Lovastatin 20 mg, Enalapril 10 mg

12/04:143 lbs (highest weight 309),

5' tall /age 66,

cappie@...

[Guest guest]

This is an interesting topic. I can relate to most of the things

that has been mentioned and I can rationalize a lot of things.

Getting lost has always been a big problem for me. I think I have

the worst sense of direction possible. I am 71 and have had a life

of moving having lived in Europe, Asia, Africa and almost every state

in the US. My husband is as good at that as I am bad. So I have

always depended on him and I think that has added to my problem. I

am equally poor at names and faces.

There is one aspect that I have never heard anyone talk about. I can

enjoy a rerun of a movie or television program almost as much as the

first time because I don't remember much about it. Scenes will be

familiar but that is about all. When watching such there are very

few times that I would ever have a reason to store the information.

With that I practice forgetting or not remembering the information

presented. The problem is when I am in a situation that I need to or

want to retain the information I have become very good at letting the

information go in one ear (or eye) and right out the other. Adding

that to the problem birthdays cause makes a bad situation. Our

present day society has an overload of information. Does anyone else

feel that being bombarded with useless information affect you?

It was comforting to read that loosing words is very common. I do

that and had no way to explain it away. At this stage in life the

thing that is the most troublesome is loosing things I have in my

hands. I have it and a few seconds I don't know where it is and the

hunt is on.

Betty