Poor Memory and vertigo.

[steph6]

Hi I was diagnosed with limited SSc & Raynaud's 3 years ago. I have all the usual symptoms, hands, feet, oesophagus, lungs, achy joints/bones, fatigue & a year ago I had an heart attack. What I have noticed this past year is bouts of vertigo and a very poor memory, [if I don't write things down within 2 days I have forgotten, appointments, bills most things]. Has anyone else noticed this? I'm not sure if its connected to scleroderma directly or maybe indirectly through the fatigue I suffer, my medication, or depression or completely separate. I'm 53 so don't think its old age YET! Any ideas?

[Karina]

Hello Steph6

I to have Raynauds and Scleroderma. 2 years ago I also had a heart attack and had quadruple bypass. My memory was bad after surgery however that was one of the side effects. My memory returned somewhat normal but lately it has been really bad. When Im having a conversation I am forgetting words and throw any word in my sentence. I forgot to call people back I have to write everything down now . I used to take pride in my great memory conversation remembered almost verbatim but not anymore. I'll be asking my GP about this sorry I'm at a loss like you.

Karen

[Vtoria in reply to Karina]

I wonder if your ammonia level is high due to all the meds? Just a thought as I experienced this they put me on yet another med for that but it did the trick. I am not a doctor but perhaps you could ask your doctor. Best wishes to you!

[tall-tim in reply to Vtoria]

Can you explain what you mean by 'Ammonia levels' please, Vtoria.

I had not heard of that one.

[steph6 in reply to Karina]

Yes I think it will be another thing to ask the doctors, if I remember by the time I see one, of course Ha Ha! gotta see the funny side I suppose

[winifred]

Hi Steph 6

I have had Raynauds since 1969 and CREST for the last 15 years. I also have vertigo which starts when I am not looking straight ahead. I have to sit straight in front of the TV, not look out of the side window the car and be careful not to turn my head when talking to people. If I do all these things then I do not have an attack. I don't know if there is any connection to CREST. I was offered medication but turned it down as I am on so much already!

[steph6]

The vertigo only happens occasionally and I know what you mean about having to take more medication, sometimes I feel its only the medication holding me together. I am defiantly going to get my ammonia level checked, Thank you, Take care all.

Steph

[Kingfisherblue]

Hi Steph6 Yes I have the usual symptoms like you. I suffer with odd bouts of Vertigo and a very poor memory. I have to set reminders on my phone or like you write it down too. I think it is part of the illness. Depression if horrible too.

[steph6]

Thank you, it is good to know other people are experiencing the same bad memory, [not sure that sounds right] but to realise that I'm not dippy alone.

I always feel I have excepted my LOT!. So I have trouble believing I am depressed about it [most of the rest of my life is fairly straight forward] but sometimes the least bit of thing makes me annoyed and very anxious, and the extreme tiredness seems to cloud my mind.

I try to practice LIVING FOR THE DAY! I only wish it was easy.

[tall-tim]

I have bad memory compared with what I had. I am now 57. I put it down to age and the side effects of medication.

One of the galling things is saying you have done or said something then finding out later that you didn't. Liar, liar... Can others trust me and can I trust myself? I now put a mental bracket around my memories in situations when dealing with other people. All my memories are now provisional ones.

[steph6 in reply to tall-tim]

Hi,

Tim lovely to meet you on here; it always amazes me how quickly we all adapt. 5 years ago I could of confidently say YES I remember doing this or that, now I simply won't stick my neck out, because like you say I can't even trust myself. My personality especially at work has now changed, in my previous work place occasionally I would get taken advantage of, because I stopped sticking up for myself. I finally decided that other peoples personalities are not my problem and in the end the truth usually unveils.

[JayneO]

My memory also is rubbish, after always having a good memory it comes doubly hard!!! My bad memory has only been prominent since being on so many drugs!! But I also can use the excuse that I'm now in my late sixties. There are some compensations for getting older after all!!! I am convinced that one day I will wake up and not know who my husband is??? Ha ha.

[steph6 in reply to JayneO]

Hi Jayne lovely to meet you too; Ha! this is now exactly the attitude I'm adapting, "I'm sorry I am not only blonde, but I have a memory problem too". If I wake up one day and not know who my partner is, then I will have a great time getting to know him again

[Wengc]

I think that my memory got worse after I was diagnosed...I thought it was due to the hydroxychloroquine although the theory nurses said it wasn't down to that. I live by my lists now...although I seem to have lists of lists some weeks ! Decided just to laugh at myself and hope everyone else does too, the alternative is just depressing with everything else.

[gindy]

I've been diagnosed with non limited SSc, although I believe it's actually limited. And I've had Raynauds since my early teens.

I can't say my memory has gotten worse, but I do know my short term memory is rubbish. I can recount conversations word for word from years ago, but ask me what I had for breakfast and I'm often stumped 😱

I definitely think that it's too do with opiate pain meds, it's apparently a side effect and has certainly become more noticeable of late.

The ppl I surround myself with, and my family all know that I'll probably forget to do something requested if I don't do it immediately. It's a considerable bugbear for my father who at 80 prides himself on his sharp mind. But even he's beginning to accept it.

Here's to all of us forget-me-nots trying to live our lives with as many smiles as possible. Even if we have forgotten we smiled 😉

[Emfrenette]

I hear you and I'm glad I'm not the only one . My memory is bad I can focus at work if I'm doing repetitive stuff but multitasking is hard now my speak is slurred people giggle when I mix my words. I'm from calgary ,,Canada and not alot of info and research done for crest,reynauds or just auto immune diseases such as ours . I've kind of just started this new journey when I told my new family doctor all my symptoms she said wow I'm glad you changed doctors and chose to pick me so I would help you she right away sent me for all the right test I was booked on to see a rheumatologist within the few months of doing those test .and then the meds started nefedipine was horrible for me crazy migraine then she decided to change my meds but my rheumy was the one who had me on nefedipine so she proceeded to change it to propanolo wich is a beta blocker and just yesterday I found out at my rheumy appointment is not good at all for someone with reynauds and crest to be on a beta blocker he was very upset with my doctor and told em to STOP my meds ! Now I'm worried about the side effects from stopping this med . Has anyone ever just stopped taking beta blocker ? I feel at a loss and not pleased about my doctors decision for putting me on it in the first place . I wich all this was so much easier to deal with