Hi AllI have been soldiering on with my PMR relying solely on pred for what is coming up to 4 years I think. I am sustained by reading all your requests and advice daily.
Sadly over the last year I have noticed I am having more and more difficulties locating a word I need to use. It could be an object, like a table, or a medicine like Biofreeze. I can see the object of my thought clearly but cannot locate the word. I keep worrying away at it and eventually, usually after 5 minutes or so I will locate the word.
Does anyone recognise this as a symptom of pred or even PMR. Is this part of what people describe as brain fog or am I on the way to dementia?
Thanks
Steve
Written by
ValleysBoy
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
The best thing is to speak to your GP. It can be part of PMR, it can be associated with pred. You don't say what dose of pred you are on - but low doses of pred and adrenal insufficiency can probably also be blamed. The fabled "adrenal fatigue" is claimed to cause brain fog - so it is likely that the real case of adrenal insufficiency could do so too.
Thanks PMR Pro. I am currently on 12.5mg, so not a low dose. I got down to 10mg and held there for 6 months on the advice of the Rheumatologist. In Feb I reduced to 9 and very quickly was hit by a flair taking me almost back to the start. I had to raise to 17.5mg to get a lid on it once again. Then have reduced to 15mg and then reduced by 1mg a month to now. PMR symptoms have so far been very well controlled, although I am still fatigued most of the time. But no real pain which is the main thing.The memory thing has come on gradually over the last year and seems to go in bursts. Sometimes I can go days without noticing the problem then I will have days with lots of incidences. Its really weird, and worrying. There is so much experience of everything PMR related on this list that I felt that maybe someone could say if they have suffered similar things and whether they went away when they got of the pred. Until now I have been pleased to suffer several side effects of pred to be pain free, but if this is one of its effects I need to try and do something to get of it, or as low a dose as possible, as soon as possible.
I have almost exactly the same issue and it is worrying when it happens. MY OH looks at me strangely when I'm struggling to find a word, and it can be a simple thing like identifying a plate, spoon. I'm 81, fit and active. I'm on 7.5mg, have been since October 2020. Mine also comes in bursts but it doesn't happen if I've had a decent nights sleep. I will still wake up periodically (bathroom breaks which have occurred since being on pred) but get back to sleep quickly. Last night, for example, I slept for 8 hours, and also had 2 hours sleep in the afternoon which is really unusual. If I have a restless night then locating words is much more of a problem. Do you have an active social life? We don't, preferring to spend time gardening, walking, sight seeing, etc. Sometimes, spending too much time alone can lead to memory issues, so I've been told. It can also be the simple fact of getting older - a friend of mine thought she had dementia. Her GP carried out a series of tests and told her that, in his opinion, it was part of the natural aging process. It didn't make her feel any better though! Hope you can get some good advice. Please keep us posted if you have any success. Thank you.
Hi. I have the same thing. But I was using a whole Zopiclone to sleep and when I cut this to a half my memory was noticibly better (Aphasia, remembering steps in a procedure). A lot. Are you taking anything other than prednisone that might be suss?
The symptoms checklist on this site may help you sort out whether your brain fog is related to dementia or not. Normal aging, period of stress, medications, and physical illness can all mimic dementia and worry folks lots. The advice given by others to consult your GP is pretty sensible.
Hi, yes I suffer from the same problem, forgetting words and particularly names. I put it down to increasing age and social isolation. The brain fog of adrenal fatigue makes me feel generally blurry a lot of the time. I do mind games on my IPad to try and retain alertness. Some days are more difficult than others.
yes!my first week on zero Pred after 3 1/2 years - I’m aware of a 2 second delay before I can get a word and am exceptionally fatigued , but I do lead a busy life with church, grandchildren and gardening and I reckon 3 1/2 years with never more than 2-3 hours at a time must take its toll?
Hello! My brain fog in my opinion was definitely related to my prednisolone and it improved quite a lot as the dose came down, but as it took my pain away I put up with it and started a page in a wee book with the words that commonly escaped me. I also did weird things like continuing with something even though I knew I wasn’t doing it right… I wasn’t sure I knew who I was for a while.
I have been off steroids since the end of 2021 and I noticed recently that my brain was not working right and on talking to the Pharmacist I have stopped several drugs which should not be prescribed to the elderly for fear of them developing Dementia as a result. Great!… Some were drugs like non steroidal pain killers like Ibuprofen but also Solifenacin and some other drugs prescribed for insomnia like antihistamines. Anyway, the point is that it isn’t just Prednisolone that does this. I have been off the offending drugs for about 1 month and am hoping that my poor old brain will recover. I believe that there has been a bit of an improvement so far.
hi , sorry to hear this, I find if I’m struggling to find a word, I tend to recite the alphabet, ABC etc. to jog my memory and in the hope that the word will come to.
I also do this and 9 times out of 10 it works! I don't give up though and eventually it will come to me, sometimes in the middle of the night! I should write it down though because by morning I've forgotten it again 🤣
Yes I'm coming up 4 years and second time round.I am definitely noticing my memory is not too good.Whether it's just part of the Tiredness and weakness from reducing.I hope it's not steroid induced dementia.God help me .I don't need any more awful things to happen to me.Hopefully may just be age related!
Normal ageing plus any disease that causes fatigue explains 'brain fog' up to a point. If it's becoming more than an annoyance, you could seek a memory test from your GP.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Inertia/Brain Fog and PMR
Memory impairment?
At a loss
Brain fog
~Short term memory loss 4 anyone on their PMR journey with steroids?~
