I have always been able to articulate my thoughts well as well as convey them in written form (i.e. typed, hand written, etc) but lately the simplest tasks as typing a simple sentence has become challenging. I cannot get through a single sentence it seems, without correcting spelling errors. I never had this problem before. I take 200 mg Tegretol three times a day, Hydrocodone 10-650 three times a day, as well as other meds for other chronic conditions, none of which causes impairments. My short term memory is spotty at times.I do find myself having to pause during conversations to search for the word I am wanting to use. I been able to convey my thoughts without hesitation. Now it seems that I almost have to plan ahead, even practice it before talking. (Maybe that's not such a bad thing). But it is troubling me. I have written entire Policy manuals (700+ pages), spoken before groups of people, maintained logs and reports that were subjected to legal scrutiny. Now coming up with a grocery list is difficult. Anyone else having similar experiences?
LT Ron,
It is a big problem with the medications we take. Jackie has a discussion on here about verbal forgotfulness. If you follow it, you will see you are not alone. i just resigned from my position. Call it vanity but I am making way too many errors while taking these meds. Besides, I have so little "feel good time" anymore I want to save it for my family.
Is it me or this computer. Maybe I'm hitting the wrong keys but I was almost finished with a thank you repsonse to Yvonne when it just disappeared and returned to this page. (Fingers... don't fail me know!)
I'll wait awhile and try again.
Tegretol is the culprit most likely - + the narcotic -- I went and had MVD operation because I felt I lost 50 IQ points from the generic form. I couldn't handle it
searching for words made me feel sub-human
I lost the ability to write several years ago. I was on Neurontin at the time, but the doc said that it might have been a lesion in the wrong spot.
I find that it's easier to write when I'm not taking meds, but my original skill level never returned.
LT Ron,
It’s not you, many of us struggle with this.
I really believe its the meds…at 800 mg of Tegretol I managed, but since May I’ve been at 1600mg and more recently some Baclofen too, and I’m really embarrassed at times…
I shouldn’t be, I know, but I used to pride myself on my spelling, articulate conversation etc
Now …well I struggle to find everyday words, it’s like charades …my family are used to it and we laugh but when speaking to friends I now explain in advance… Makes me feel better.
I sometimes hit “add reply” after commenting here on the site, read back what I wrote and think Oh my! The grammar, the spelling horrible! Thank goodness for the edit feature…I use it daily!
: )
I too have to plan my conversation ahead sometimes, I don’t trust my brain to function the way it once used too.
It was disconcerting at first, BUT I’m adjusting, it’s not me, it’s the meds! I sometimes recite that as a mantra as a reminder.
Mimi
Bless you Ron,
Tegretol is being a pain in the arse is it? You are not crazy or losing it from the info you give at least, fits perfectly with tegretol usage. I often say im like half a brain on tegretol. Some moments i can be ok but generally i spell wrong, use a completly wrong word, forget what im saying, use the wrong meaning word, stop midsentence and forget what im saying, even forget simple short term things. I remeber seeing many sites online calling it the 'stupid drug' and after some time of taking it i know why. I am on 1200mg a day and hope that i can stop taking it in the near future so i can feel i have regained my wit an intelligence, it annoys me so much!
I want to thank you all for your replies. All of them were insightful and helpful. Again I am finding out that indeed, we share much more than just a diagnosis. The daily challenges, medications, ups and downs, are the common threads that seems to connect us. I have also learned through reading the many messages that an important part of dealing with a chronic illness is the strength in numbers. Again, thank you.
By the way, has anyone else discovered that their sense of humor is changing? I find myself laughing at things about myself that I didn't find humorous before. Just wondering....
Best Wishes
Here is a link Ron to a discussion we had on this topic
http://www.livingwithtn.org/forum/topics/word-retrieval
Have a good laugh on us, we don’t mind! There is also one on Spelling, or the lack of it, another funneeee read!
Tegretol made me too, too foggy, too sleepy, too emotional, too thick…
Mangamel,
The half brain is very familiar to me... my wife says I have had that since shortly after our wedding 25 years ago. You know.. "If you had half a brain (fill in the rest)" mostly meant with love of course. Because of the amount of pain I have been having latley, I am going to discuss an increase of the dosage with the Neuro Doc soon. I think it is necessary. Perhaps he will have other options for me to consider. I just want to be able to regain a little more of my life back. The Hard-headedness in me refuses to allow me to submit to this. I have always refused to be anyone's victim for any reason, and this includes medical conditions. I have memories of me as a child with leg braces on trying to ride a bicycle, just because the doctor said I could never do that. After many crashes and scraped knees, I finally mastered it. Stubborn from birth and got worse ever since!
Besides, my wife is on a new diet and our family menu has changed. I enjoy cooking and have been trying to teach my son to cook. Less pain means more attention to detail. You wouldn't believe the concoctions that I have ended up with lately. Suffice to say, the dogs have run away from it.
Thanks for your kind reply.
Best Wishes
Mangamel said:
Bless you Ron,
Tegretol is being a pain in the arse is it? You are not crazy or losing it from the info you give at least, fits perfectly with tegretol usage. I often say im like half a brain on tegretol. Some moments i can be ok but generally i spell wrong, use a completly wrong word, forget what im saying, use the wrong meaning word, stop midsentence and forget what im saying, even forget simple short term things. I remeber seeing many sites online calling it the 'stupid drug' and after some time of taking it i know why. I am on 1200mg a day and hope that i can stop taking it in the near future so i can feel i have regained my wit an intelligence, it annoys me so much!
I should also add that my neuro gave me some low dose ritalin to take for when I really needed to concentrate and have energy - prescribed them short term till I had surgery.