I could deal with the frustration of the cognitive dysfunction that comes with my multiple sclerosis (MS) when it happened once or twice a day. You know - forgetting if I turned off a light after going to bed or wondering if I added a dryer sheet to the load of laundry that was tumbling around.
However, it got to the point where a good part of my day was spent trying to remember what I had done the other part of the day. It started to get stressful and make me doubt my every move.
Then I came up with a little trick and have changed how I feel about my capabilities to function in a somewhat normal manner. It may not sound like such an amazing breakthrough, but give it a try and see if it helps your day go a little more smoothly.
Basically, what I do is try to employ my senses more as I perform routine actions - I smell stuff, feel stuff, taste stuff and listen to things in new ways to try to engage my brain. It has helped me remember medicine that I have taken (and given my children), and where I have put small items.
Again, not rocket science, but this little tip has helped me gain time and confidence. Give it a try.
Read the full article: MS Cognitive Tip - Engage Your Senses
THANK YOU! There were so many good reader tips and I really appreciate the help. Does anyone have tips for handling the headaches???
I find that for me I also need to engage with the action more so. ie instead of taking my clothes off and laying them neatly on the bed to hang up later. I hang them up right then and there. I find that for me i tend to err when I add that additional step in. I try to do all tasks now! Soon as it comes up or write the task to be done down.
that trick which you think is nothing
helps – and very useful
thank you for sharing that with us
I don’t have MS but I constantly forget things too. My
Dr daughter complains of the same problem & she does not have MS. She calls hers “mother brain”
I do think that when you have an illness like MS you can easily attribute the norm as the effects of the disease.
Anxiety & stress certainly contribute to forgetfulness.
I have lesions on my left lobe that the neuroligist described as HUGE.. I recently found a reminder in my closet that I wrote to remind myself that I put the smoke detector in the closet. Because I needed batteries. That’s not mommy brain Maggie, that’s mush brain.
I love the idea of using all my senses I think its brilliant and I can’t wait to try it. I also force myself to remember stuff even when I don’t want to which is often because its such a struggle. Ill make myself remember last nights dinner or small quotes. I’ve seen some improvement Maggie. Aren’t you glad? I spent 2 hrs forcing myself to remember I had bbq chicken and I had to double the recipie for muffins. No stress there I just wanted to remember something…simple. Does that sound like mommy brian still? Do you know how hard it is to get slower and slower and 5x the rate of my life expectancy…I’m running out of life before it runs out of me I getta watch my body decompose before my eyes. I just wanna read a nice tip Maggie. I’m glad you and your daughter don’t have MS maybe you’d consider doing a fund raiser for a cure. ???
I read what Maggie wrote and then what April wrote. I had a big grin on my face because I love the way April spelled everything out. I completely agree with April. By the way, I have MS.
It is also difficult for those who do not have MS to understand MS symptoms. The symptoms are real and at times we do not want to believe they are happening or we blame them on something else.
So Maggie, how about that MS fundraiser??
Believe me I do know about MS. My youngest
daughter has it. She has very fast relapsing remitting. I most certainly do not wish to upset people. Perhaps it’s denial!
I worry that a lot of newly diagnosed people will feel it’s inevitable.
It can be the placebo effect in reverse at times, well people don’t think too much of being forgetful.
I’m sorry that as re fund raising I financially and emotionally support my daughter and also have a disabled husband. I don’t have any energy left.
Peggy, I take gabapentin to suppress headaches and Rizatriptan when I get a bad one. The gabapentin knocked me out at first but now I’m finding I need a higher dose. Good luck x
April, part of your comment made me cry. You are so right that the reality of it really hurts.
” Do you know how hard it is to get slower and slower and 5x the rate of my life expectancy…I’m running out of life before it runs out of me I getta watch my body decompose before my eyes.”
I want to shout that to the world-copy/paste it to all my family and friends that constantly tell me how good I look, and to those that I know secretly think I am either exaggerating how I feel, or simply think I am lazy. I want to put that on facebook, but I am frightened of thr responses I will get. Here is a cyber hug to all of us with this mean, rotten, wicked disease that no one can understand unless they have it. I have PPMS-dx in Oct 2010. 45 yrs old. hating my new life.