I went to the Dr. last Friday and had to make a list of all my concerns due to the fact that i couldn't remember any of them ! This has been slowly coming on since last year . I was diagnosed with EM and COPD in early December of 2011 . I am on Gabapentin 300mg. 3xday . Also meds for RLS and blood pressure . This is so distressing to me , i put things away and don't know where they are . Also i just break down and cry at the drop of a pin !! He set me up for a brain scan on the " melon " part of my brain to see if certain particles are not bomb-barding my brain causing this memory loss . He also thinks that i might have had a few strokes !!! GEESZ .... I am 59 , but my sister died at 64 . My blood pressure is great and has stayed that way for along time . I am having SUPER BAD headaches and kinda dizzy. Now , we all know that Gabapentin has some weird side effects , maybe that is playing a part in this . I would really like some advice on this , or maybe some of you have had this to .
Yes! I have a lot of memory loss and concentration issues, But I have been told by my neurologist at Mayo Clinic and My local one that Gabapentin does and can cause these issues, I am just ramping down from 600MG. 3xday and slowly going onto Lyrica which can cause this same issue.. Same thing happened to my daughter on Gabapentin and has since come off of it as she received no pain releif from her MS and her memory and concentration issues have all but been resoled... Just an FYI... The higher the dose of Gabapentin the more side affects you can and or will receive. Headaches and dizziness can also be a side affect of Gabapentin.
I have a terrible memory now. I find it very upsetting as I've always had a really good one, now I constantly forget stuff, including birthdays etc, which makes people think I don't care because they know I always remember stuff like that. I don't know if it's the drugs, EM or if I'm developing fibromyalgia, something I've suspected for the last 18 months.
I was self diagnosed with EM about one year ago and "officially diagnosed" in January of 2012. WOW, what a coincidence I am scheduled to see my rheumatologist {she has been doing the EM follow up}, because I feel like I am loosing my mind. I am on Gabapentin/neurontin 600mg in am and 900mg at bedtime. It takes the edge of the pain but I am about due for another increase..every 3 or 4 weeks we increase it...I know the dose can go much higher. Anyway...I forget names..I couldn't recall the name of a dog I have had for 10 years the other dog I've had for 3 years. I was calling them by names of dogs I had 10 and 15 years ago. I flip words...like USE for WORK or Soccer for Hockey. I am forgetting entire blocks of conversations. I used to easily to remember a grocery list of 10 even 15 items...I struggle with 5 now. It is causing relationship issues with my children and so on. I had a conversation with a friend the other day..and had to explain what was goin on..I am seeing visions of myself sounding like the teacher on Charlie Brown..blah, blah, blah..and not making any sense at all!
I will post as to how the rheumatologist percieves it. I do not want to go through titrating down on neurontin and up on another medication as I ma having neurosurgery for severe cervical stenosis on 11/6. I do think it is all related to the pressure on my spinal cord. I've always had Raynouds but the EM of face, hands, feet..can be just excrutiating..as we all know. The memory impairment on top of it..to me is more than just an inconvenience..it is scaring me!
Hi Cindy .... Glad to get your reply , any feed back that i can come up with might help me to think that i am really not crazy. I only take 300mg. of Gabapantin at bed time . Through the day i take 100mg. 2xdaily , but i am also on RLS meds at night for my legs . I am a walking zombie as it is just being on that much !!! He added Paxel - depression this time because i was so upset and crying . I go this Friday for the MRI at 2:00. They want a brain scan to rule out effects or damage from the EM.... makes no sense to me at all . I make constant notes , forget what i am saying or where i put stuff. Worse thing for me is i am talking to myself now saying things like , Calm down , just think about it ... you know where it is , just keep looking !!! Haha I don't know names either or don't remember events . I have Raynouds as well . I can go from on fire in a full blown EM attack to freezing to death.... horrible ! Keep in touch with me , i will let you know how the scan turns out .
CindyStyle said:
I was self diagnosed with EM about one year ago and "officially diagnosed" in January of 2012. WOW, what a coincidence I am scheduled to see my rheumatologist {she has been doing the EM follow up}, because I feel like I am loosing my mind. I am on Gabapentin/neurontin 600mg in am and 900mg at bedtime. It takes the edge of the pain but I am about due for another increase..every 3 or 4 weeks we increase it...I know the dose can go much higher. Anyway...I forget names..I couldn't recall the name of a dog I have had for 10 years the other dog I've had for 3 years. I was calling them by names of dogs I had 10 and 15 years ago. I flip words...like USE for WORK or Soccer for Hockey. I am forgetting entire blocks of conversations. I used to easily to remember a grocery list of 10 even 15 items...I struggle with 5 now. It is causing relationship issues with my children and so on. I had a conversation with a friend the other day..and had to explain what was goin on..I am seeing visions of myself sounding like the teacher on Charlie Brown..blah, blah, blah..and not making any sense at all!
I will post as to how the rheumatologist percieves it. I do not want to go through titrating down on neurontin and up on another medication as I ma having neurosurgery for severe cervical stenosis on 11/6. I do think it is all related to the pressure on my spinal cord. I've always had Raynouds but the EM of face, hands, feet..can be just excrutiating..as we all know. The memory impairment on top of it..to me is more than just an inconvenience..it is scaring me!
I have raynauds and em but recently i have noticed i forget things i searched this on the internet and i found out that people with Em can get MS symptoms include bladder weakness, memory loss, etc
Marsha: I did go to my rheumotologist last week. She indicated that yes it could be the neurontin but wanted to order consult with a neuro/psychiatry group that specialized in brain procssing and functioning. However insurance issues would not allow me to see this group..and she planned on ordering a repeat MRI of my brian which I had done in January of 2012. Anyway, the office called 2 days later..and said no MRI but they had scheduled an appointment with another group..Meanwhile, due to loss passed in Kentucky she could no longer order Ambien ..she put me on trazadone 50mg for sleep and left the neurontin at the same dose. WELL...about 2 days after stopping the Ambien..though tired because the trazadone doesn't work near as well...I seem to have gotten my brain back. I've been monitoring myself the last few days..and I've only had one slip up.."I feel like a mat in a raze" as opposed to "I feel like a rat in a maze"!!! So..after doing some research..I found that ambien is a real culprit when it comes to memory loss..long term and short term. People getting up out of bed making sandwhiches having conversations and doing Lord knows what..and having no recall. Please post on your Melon Scan!!! Thank you. In pain..Yes..I was worked up for MS..and so many overlapping symptoms!!!
Is there a spellcheck on this toolbar..I sound ILLLETERATE?? lol!
CindyStyle said:
Marsha: I did go to my rheumotologist last week. She indicated that yes it could be the neurontin but wanted to order consult with a neuro/psychiatry group that specialized in brain procssing and functioning. However insurance issues would not allow me to see this group..and she planned on ordering a repeat MRI of my brian which I had done in January of 2012. Anyway, the office called 2 days later..and said no MRI but they had scheduled an appointment with another group..Meanwhile, due to loss passed in Kentucky she could no longer order Ambien ..she put me on trazadone 50mg for sleep and left the neurontin at the same dose. WELL...about 2 days after stopping the Ambien..though tired because the trazadone doesn't work near as well...I seem to have gotten my brain back. I've been monitoring myself the last few days..and I've only had one slip up.."I feel like a mat in a raze" as opposed to "I feel like a rat in a maze"!!! So..after doing some research..I found that ambien is a real culprit when it comes to memory loss..long term and short term. People getting up out of bed making sandwhiches having conversations and doing Lord knows what..and having no recall. Please post on your Melon Scan!!! Thank you. In pain..Yes..I was worked up for MS..and so many overlapping symptoms!!!
Is there a spellcheck on this toolbar..I sound ILLLETERATE?? lol!
Hi Cindy !! Good to hear from you . I am waiting on Dr.s office call about the MRI . In the meantime , i did some research myself , at least as much as i could see to do . Come to find out that ALL my weird symptoms are listed on the pharmacy printout as SEVERE ... seek Medical Help right away !! Wow , i am so upset over this , and to think that with all my complaints to the Dr. ..... and he didn't see this as a HUGE RED FLAG . On NBC NEWS last night a big story on Generic Drugs and why you can't press charges against the drug maker . Neurontin has some suites going on now in court , according to the Web , the laws are up for a vote on changing them to include Generic Brands as well . Gotta Go ...Can't see the screen very well ! Talk to you later today , when i know something .
Good luck! Thank you Marsha.
Cindy
Marsha Patterson said:
CindyStyle said:Marsha: I did go to my rheumotologist last week. She indicated that yes it could be the neurontin but wanted to order consult with a neuro/psychiatry group that specialized in brain procssing and functioning. However insurance issues would not allow me to see this group..and she planned on ordering a repeat MRI of my brian which I had done in January of 2012. Anyway, the office called 2 days later..and said no MRI but they had scheduled an appointment with another group..Meanwhile, due to loss passed in Kentucky she could no longer order Ambien ..she put me on trazadone 50mg for sleep and left the neurontin at the same dose. WELL...about 2 days after stopping the Ambien..though tired because the trazadone doesn't work near as well...I seem to have gotten my brain back. I've been monitoring myself the last few days..and I've only had one slip up.."I feel like a mat in a raze" as opposed to "I feel like a rat in a maze"!!! So..after doing some research..I found that ambien is a real culprit when it comes to memory loss..long term and short term. People getting up out of bed making sandwhiches having conversations and doing Lord knows what..and having no recall. Please post on your Melon Scan!!! Thank you. In pain..Yes..I was worked up for MS..and so many overlapping symptoms!!!
Is there a spellcheck on this toolbar..I sound ILLLETERATE?? lol!
Hi Cindy !! Good to hear from you . I am waiting on Dr.s office call about the MRI . In the meantime , i did some research myself , at least as much as i could see to do . Come to find out that ALL my weird symptoms are listed on the pharmacy printout as SEVERE ... seek Medical Help right away !! Wow , i am so upset over this , and to think that with all my complaints to the Dr. ..... and he didn't see this as a HUGE RED FLAG . On NBC NEWS last night a big story on Generic Drugs and why you can't press charges against the drug maker . Neurontin has some suites going on now in court , according to the Web , the laws are up for a vote on changing them to include Generic Brands as well . Gotta Go ...Can't see the screen very well ! Talk to you later today , when i know something .