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14 Dec 13 - 07:25 AM (#3584006) Subject: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: VirginiaTam I am becoming more and more alarmed about some issues, mainly the inability to construct thoughtful, coherent responses to any number of issues, posting here, on facebook or in a work email. My vocabulary has been sliding downhill for the last 3 years or so, as have my spelling and grammar skills. I constantly ask my husband, "What is the word I need" and can't even provide any reasonable description to help him find it for me. Typing is laughable because my fingers get letters mixed up. The words are all there but letters not in the correct order. After several embarrassing incidents, I now check my emails (and some posts) line by line (several times because of concentration problems) before I hit send. This problem afflicts my writing too, which is why I never take notes in ink. Pencils with erasers are more forgiving. What makes me the most sad, is I have no desire to read anything long or complicated. I don't write creatively or critically any more, which once was a source of joy for me. Memorising a new and remembering once known song lyrics is about impossible now, no matter how much I practise. I tried to bring this up to my GP and RA consultant, a could of times, but they dismiss it. Told them both that my Dad's sister died at 48 after a couple of years of what they called at the time, "arthritis of the brain." It was the 1960s so nothing was known of autoimmune diseases. She just became forgetful in the extreme until she didn't know who or where she was. I think perhaps my cognitive issues are to do with the raft of immune diseases I am suffering, all of which can affect the brain. Maybe I am just getting old (if 55 is old). Or maybe I am lazy. Anyone else experiencing these language fail symptoms? |
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14 Dec 13 - 07:36 AM (#3584010) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: VirginiaTam I guess I should clarify that the problem seems plague me worse in the evening than in the morning and more in winter than in the summer. I am often afraid to write anything of a serious nature for appearing ignorant, simple or silly. |
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14 Dec 13 - 07:37 AM (#3584011) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: maeve You are not old, or lazy. You are dealing with autoimmune diseases, medications, depression, frustration, and extreme stress. I hope you can find the right supports to address each causal agent, Tamara. I've experienced something like what you describe when in migraine mode, and it's very like repeated small strokes for me...so far reversible. |
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14 Dec 13 - 07:49 AM (#3584014) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: maeve Add exhaustion to my list. :) I'm impressed you can communicate at all. |
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14 Dec 13 - 08:14 AM (#3584020) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Bonnie Shaljean Gosh VT, I'm afraid I can't be much help at all in answering your question, but just wanted to weigh in and say I'm thinking of you. From what you describe, it doesn't sound like a mental health issue per se - and certainly NOT "laziness" or any of those other negative terms above. Don't be critical of yourself, even by mere frame of reference! Please consult an expert and get professional guidance, so at least you have some answers/expectations. And do keep us posted. We're here if you need us. Hugs. Bonnie |
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14 Dec 13 - 08:19 AM (#3584022) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Jack Campin Are you on high doses of steroids? That can cause dementia-like symptoms. |
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14 Dec 13 - 08:47 AM (#3584023) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Pete Jennings Well, VT, I guess making sure your GP starts taking it seriously is an obvious step, but one other thing you could try is taking all your prescriptions to the local chemist and asking him/her their opinion on the combination of medicines. I remember when my first wife was in hospital and the resident chemist would come round every few days just to check what the doctors were prescribing. She said she had to keep an eye on them because they did, on occasion, prescribe conflicting drugs. |
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14 Dec 13 - 08:49 AM (#3584024) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Morticia Have you had your vitamin levels checked? How about liver function? I would ask the GP for a complete MOT if I were you. Often what we think is the start of memory/ concentration problems has a simple solution. |
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14 Dec 13 - 08:49 AM (#3584025) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: gnu Good point, Pete. |
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14 Dec 13 - 09:48 AM (#3584038) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: GUEST,leeneia Some ideas - you be the judge. 1. Print out your first post above. Then have your husband read your e-mails and select one that is really flawed. Print that, then show the two of them to the doctor and ask why one is fine and one is not. 2. Get a female doctor if you don't have one now. Britain is a deeply sexist nation. 3. Contact the associations for your various disorders. Maybe somebody can tell you what is a good drug and what is not for that condition. 4. I'm 68 and I find it harder to memorize songs now. 5. When you say you can't read anything complicated, are you talking about books or about on a computer? I can't stand to read even a long paragraph on a computer, but books are fine. |
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14 Dec 13 - 10:18 AM (#3584044) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: VirginiaTam Wow. Thanks all. My GP is male, but he is more in tune with my autoimmune symptoms than my RA consultant who is a woman. I was on high doses of steroids but am weaned down to 1mg per day now. This is not counting the occasional use of inhaler for the habitual cough (caused by blood pressure meds). My husband reads to me at night. I can't settle myself into reading anything long or complex on paper or screen. The latter very worrying because my job requires occassional extensive and complicated reading. I worry about the depression bit Maeve. I think this might be making it difficult for me to write on the obit and Jane's Rainbow threads. I feel bloody awful for what people are suffering but I can't draw forth words to show it. That makes me feel ashamed. I like the idea of printing out some of my poor writing and typing examples to compare with ones that show better functioning. Another thing. I recently started picking up logic puzzle books in an effort to exercise my brain. It is really weird that occassionally I crack them quite easily but most of the time, I just can't deduce the solutions from the few clues provided. I had to rewrite this post several times to get it to make sense (switching paragraphs around, correcting basic grammatical and spelling errors). It took 25+ minutes. |
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14 Dec 13 - 10:39 AM (#3584047) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: GUEST,leeneia Forget the logic puzzle books. "That way madness lies." Half the time they leave out something you need to know or they've made assumptions without telling you they made them. Or they simply may be the wrong kind of puzzle for you. At my house, the newspaper has several kinds of puzzle. My husband can unscramble words with mixed-up letters easily, but I can't. But I can come up with the rhyming pairs (such as 'thimble symbol') and he can't. All the emotions you have over your problems - worry, shame, frustration, feeling bloody awful - make your problems worse. Tell the part of your brain that produces them, "Shut up. You're not helping." |
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14 Dec 13 - 11:22 AM (#3584059) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Rapparee Try some of the games on your computer, like Solitaire (Patience) or Free Cell. Remember that you can't win all of them. These actually do help with cognition and the ability to focus on a task. You might ask for a cognition test as well. THAT would really help you and the doctors to know what's going on (assuming it's something other than drug interactions, which should be easy to fix). |
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14 Dec 13 - 12:10 PM (#3584071) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Elmore Not to oversimplify, but one of my wife's doctors told her the other day that a vitamin D deficiency can be responsible for all sorts of problems, including memory loss, and worsening of RA. You might want to check that out. |
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14 Dec 13 - 12:42 PM (#3584084) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Jack Campin Most of your brain is devoted to entirely unintellectual tasks like standing up without falling over. Logic puzzles only train a tiny and not very important art of the brain's capabilities. Physical activity is a better way to keep the brain active. |
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14 Dec 13 - 12:59 PM (#3584087) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Big Al Whittle I need glasses to read nowadays -books at ahy rate, I make the print very big on my kindle. my memory is stuffed with songs.I don't work professionally any more so the songs that have stayed with me are the ones that I actually liked. Learning songs is hard graft. Reading them thoroughly to make sure they can work for you. the mindless business of being able to do the words even if a dozen other things are going on in the room. finding out if you can really sell it. one forgets how bloody hard that is. no one but the young and naïve would embark on it as a way of life. |
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14 Dec 13 - 01:23 PM (#3584101) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: VirginiaTam Hmmmm... I play card games, drop words and majong on my phone in the insomnia periods almost every night to help me get drowsy. Usually works. I was diagnosed several years ago with serious vitamin D deficiency for which I was treated with 60,000 units per week. About a year ago my RA Consultant reduced that to daily Calceos 500mg/400IU Chewable Tablets 2 per day. There were and have been no blood tests since then to determine if I am getting enough D. I will follow this up with GP. That NOT falling over thing is a big deal lately, especially on the flight of stairs leading to/from our flat and getting into and out of the car AND bed. |
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14 Dec 13 - 03:07 PM (#3584123) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Jeri My provider has told me I should take 2,000 mg vitamin D3 daily, and I don't have a deficiency. As for all the advice, the most important thing I can tell you is to let your GP how important you feel this issue is. It sounds like he may not be paying that much attention to it because you don't appear seriously upset. One of those cases where a controlled freak-out may be called for. You need the problem addressed, not blown-off. |
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14 Dec 13 - 03:49 PM (#3584130) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Richard Bridge One issue. Sleep. We need it properly to function. I am REALLY crap at it. I ignore - and it looks like you ignore - one of the basic rules. DON'T GO ON THE COMPUTER (even a small one). It makes the brain active and you don't want that in order to sleep. Another issue. Eyesight. I am finding it harder and harder to read text (on screen or any other way) for long periods. After too much computing or newspapering (or reading 100 page contracts) I can barely see the TV and I got that HUGE one to avoid the need for specs to watch TV. I have new specs but I am considering PAYING for a fresh eyetest somewhere else. A thought (possibly unwelcome). Aphasia. Jacqui was prescribed beta-blockers for migraines and it upset the blood flow to the brain and cerebellar ataxia accompanied by aphasia resulted. I know it's not an exact parallel to your situation but I wonder if there is something similar going on. She dropped the beta-blockers, semi-retired to reduce stress, had a bone-wiggler (DANGEROUSLY) wiggle the top bones in her neck - that reduced the migraines - and her ability to nag me without self-interruption returned. Mixed blessing from my point of view. Doesn't Mither fly a desk for the NHS or something? Had you thought of PM-ing him? |
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14 Dec 13 - 04:21 PM (#3584141) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: VirginiaTam I do stare at monitor screen all day 4 days a week at work (damn jobbie stuff) and Wednesday and weekends quite a lot too at home (damn Facebook). Had the eyes checked (test is free due to my father's glaucoma) in October. Prescription had not changed at all, though optometrist was concerned about the dry eye and eye pain I get. She wanted me to see opthamologist, but i saw my RA consultant shortly after and she took me off the meds for Sjogrens because it was causing the eye pain and not really helping with the dry eye. Turns out the drug could have caused irreversible sight loss. I get periods of distinct blurred or double vision, but I now have a nice mild eye wash which helps the dryness. The eye pain is very rare now. Going to ask the GP about the growing language skill loss and inability to focus on complex lengthy reading and about the Vitamin D thing. There is an easy self done test that indicates vitamin D deficiency. It was shown to me by the pain consultant who first suggested the problem to me. He pressed one finger not too strongly directly onto my shin bones. The pain was excruciating. I mean I yelped, jerked and maybe even swore. It is not excruciating now but the pain is unpleasant enough to avoid doing it again. And my long bones ache sometimes as they did when I was first diagnosed. That aphasia thing is too scary to think about. My dad had that due to arteriosclerosis in his late 50s. He passed away at 63. But he was a chain smoking (unfiltered Camels), alocoholic with diabetes. I am none of these things. |
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14 Dec 13 - 04:51 PM (#3584146) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: GUEST,olddude Tam Honey, you are beat up that is all. We have all been there. It will pass once your health gets better. Gosh I could not remember my kids birthday after a bunch of surgeries. It will pass. You just have had several years of hard time Honey ... most would just curl up and not even try to post or do anything. I admire you for your courage. Hang in there we are all with you love dan |
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14 Dec 13 - 06:16 PM (#3584160) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Gurney I read recently that physical exercise is better for your brain than mental exercise. It sounds daft, but it stuck in my head, possibly because after 50 years of on-my-feet working I now sit about a lot, but I have great difficulty learning and retaining new lyrics. I could learn most lyrics at a single hearing, but now my memory box seems to be full. (The Lampton Worm took listening to three performances.) I suspect my thyroid gland, which has borderline normal function. I take Logol's mixture as a prophylactic. When I remember. No better, but no worse. |
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14 Dec 13 - 06:43 PM (#3584166) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Richard Bridge Guys, Tam is not in a position to do physical exercise. |
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14 Dec 13 - 09:33 PM (#3584198) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Sandra in Sydney Tam said 14th Dec - I feel bloody awful for what people are suffering but I can't draw forth words to show it. That makes me feel ashamed. I've had problems with concentration & memory since my teens. I'm also not a wordsmith. I create with my hands & have always admired folks who can use words easily & beautifully. Office farewell cards & all cards usually just said "best wishes" - other folks would write very moving stuff, etc. I'm the original stupid person - well, that was my mother's favourite word. But I learnt I wasn't (except perhaps with numbers!) If you read my posts on the rainbow thread, most would "just" say hugs, or ditto because someone had said what I couldn't. Hugs & ditto are not patented, or copyright, so use you too can use them if you want to. hugs from sandra (gentle virtual ones) |
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15 Dec 13 - 12:39 PM (#3584321) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: YorkshireYankee Virginia, you said something about insomnia... I have sleep apnoea, and know from experience just how much it can mess up your mental capacities. Take a serious look at how much sleep you are (or is it are not?) getting regularly. Check it out - it makes a HUGE difference. Hugs - and fingers crossed for you, Vikki |
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15 Dec 13 - 08:50 PM (#3584431) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Noreen Hi Tam, Sympathy and positive thoughts for you. I am your age but without your auto-immune problems- and I have some of your issues; particularly the concentration problems and the searching for a word or a name. That one has become a bit of a joke with my children, when I start to relate an anecdote but can't remember the name of the person when I come to it. So, some of the issues may be 'just' age related- I have read that fluctuating oestrogen levels have a detrimental effect on memory- but do get everything else you can, checked out. I know for sure that when I am short of sleep, all of these things are far worse, and with the ensuing low mood, becomes a vicious circle. So, I would see if you can improve your sleep pattern to start with, and other improvements may follow. Good luck. (Leenia- "Britain is a deeply sexist nation." ? That's an amazingly sweeping statement from a non-resident. What evidence are you basing this judgement on?!) |
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15 Dec 13 - 09:23 PM (#3584436) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: McGrath of Harlow "A deeply sexist nation". Is there any other sort? 55 old? Advanced teenage years, from my perspective. |
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15 Dec 13 - 10:04 PM (#3584441) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: GUEST,.gargoyle ...YES! ! ! It is You! Sincerely, Gargoyle You are your OWN Best Physician .... why doubt the original diagnosis? |
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15 Dec 13 - 11:07 PM (#3584447) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Dorothy Parshall Autoimmune MCS - multiple chemical sensitivity - Hit me in spades, starting in May - whatever they put on the fields. That and one thing after another, I have been coughing since May. Sept and Oct I was barely functional, days when I only got out of bed for the bare essentials. Then one day I started feeling like me again and WOW - I really was not being lazy all that time. I really was sick. did not know how sick until I started feeling good. A major air cleaner in my living space after it was closed off from the rest of the mold infested building... But, being on the computer long periods does take a toll on the eyes. The brain damage from exposure to environmental toxins does cause difficulty thinking clearly, reading serious literature and, certainly, writing well. I now have a mask to wear in places like hardware stores and any place where the airborne particulate is going to get to my brain and make me sicker. No, you are not lazy. |
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16 Dec 13 - 09:45 AM (#3584559) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: GUEST,highlandman at work Tam- So many good suggestions, and I think most of the ones that center around basically taking care of yourself in the diet, sleep and chemistry realms are close to the matter. Only you by trial and error and much patience can arrive at the right combination. Girl, you are NOT old! I understand you are not up to much physical exercise, but I would add my recommendation that you at least spend some time out of doors. Even if you need someone to tottle you out to the front porch to sit for a while -- something magical happens outside (and I don't know where you live, but I have lived in a big city and it works even there -- better than staying inside). And going back and forth to work or the doctor does NOT count. And above all as so many have told you, don't feel guilty about it. -Glenn |
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16 Dec 13 - 09:57 PM (#3584800) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: ollaimh or it could just be you are an American posting on mudcat--not much coherence there. well armed and igernt, but not coherent |
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16 Dec 13 - 10:50 PM (#3584810) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Jeri ...speaking of "not much coherence there". You probably weren't trying to be funny, though. As to helpful, not idiotic suggestions, I think exercise might help, but it doesn't have to be strenuous. Just moving, and going outside is good. Some component of your problem might be depression. You certainly have enough on your plate. Sometimes, I find a change in scenery makes me feel better. Your mileage may vary. |
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23 Dec 13 - 02:31 PM (#3586087) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: VirginiaTam Sorry... I have been very busy or recuperating from being very busy the last couple of weeks. I think you are onto something re the exercise, Jeri. I walk at a snail's pace now, due partly to pain, partly to fear of falling, and partly to being so unfit. I can't really get any aerobic exercise except perhaps in swimming. The problem is the pool in my area has no steps to access, only a ladder or (god forbid) a lift. This pool is not warm enough for me at only 30 degrees (86 farenheit) which to me feels pretty damn cold. It is nowhere near enough to a bus stop for me so I will need to taxi it unless I can convince Chris to take me one or two evenings a week. Not likely as he is up to his eyebrows with work. I have been doing stretching in bed before rising and before falling to sleep and several times during the day. Amazing how much better I feel after a good stretch. Start with feet and ankles where most of my pain is concentrated and work my way up. Still not good on the sleep thing. Pain wakes me and keeps me awake. If I take the heavy pain killers then I am more dozy than ever during the day. I get into "what to do next" predicaments when just trying to perform simple tasks like putting on clothes or getting breakfast. I do things in an odd order or stop in the middle of one stage of task and start another. Example, putting socks and shoes on before putting on trousers, which don't fit over the shoes without a fight. Getting cereal into bowl, cream into mug for coffee, juice into glass to take morning meds, almost pouring coffee over cereal, drinking the juice and forgetting the meds. Ahh well. Whether it is age, ill health, or bone idleness I have to learn to cope with lapses and sluggishness and remember to pay keener attention to the things I am doing and writing. |
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23 Dec 13 - 07:17 PM (#3586147) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Steve Shaw Best advice for you would come from the medical profession. It's great for people to share their experiences with you (as I'm about to do), but we are all different, no advice is good advice and you should, if you're worried, seek help from health professionals. What I read on this thread ranges from lovely empathy to well-meaning quackery. As for me, at 62 I've almost completely lost my ability to hand-write. My hearing is in steep decline (not helped by raging tinnitus), and my back pain guarantees that I never get a decent night's sleep. There was a woman being interviewed on the radio yesterday morning. I'd missed the beginning of the piece, but she was saying that, whatever you do, as you get older never stop doing things, because it's almost impossible to start them up again if you do. It wasn't until the very end of the piece that we found out that she was 105! Keep positive, get all the medical help you can and, above all, don't forget to keep breathing! |
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23 Dec 13 - 07:37 PM (#3586149) Subject: RE: BS: Is it mental laziness? From: Joe_F The doctor asked me to count down by 7s from 100. I had to *think*. At least this time I knew right away who the president is. There ought to be a song in this. The chorus might begin, "It can only get worse". |