So I guess I am back in limbo??

jennibf · 02-12-2009, 08:09 PM

My neurologist is at a loss. At our appointment yesterday, due to some memory issues my husband told him about, he has decided that I need a full neuropsych work up and I am scheduled to have the whole thing next Wednesday. They called and said it was EVERYTHING and is even listed under major medical for my insurance. I am now on two meds, baclofen and lyrica.

I have left our keys in the front door twice in the last week, lost my cell phone outside in a puddle, ugh....Tonight I stood in the pharmacy talking to a woman I worked with for years up until last June and could not remember her name!!! I finally did remember her first name! I have been told I keep asking the same questions, only to forget the answers.

I have also been ordered by my neuro in a not so nice voice, to go to my regular doctor and have a FULL physical, including a pap and mammogram as well as a cancer work-up! He said some cancers affect the neurological system.

This is insane.

Has anyone here had a neuropsych eval?

:

Al · 02-12-2009, 11:04 PM

Not me but if it helps you get answers it'll be worth it.

AL.

Zaphoon · 02-12-2009, 11:36 PM

Jenni,

Wow! This is really turning out to be some road for you. I hope they find answers for you on this next go-round of testing.

rose · 02-13-2009, 05:10 AM

Jenn, how upsetting! BethU has spoken of the cancer connection before, maybe she will give you some more information about this.

I took the Lyrica when it first came out several years ago, my osteopath doctor thought it might help with me sleep when I was having back pain, but all it did was give me dry mouth. Then, a year or so ago, my my rheumatologist had suggested I try it because he'd found it "perked" some of his patients up (I declined), so this drug must have a wide array of uses, but it can't have that long of a track record of being in use. I've also seen ads for it for those who have fibromyalgia.

Please let us know what you learn.....

crystalkk · 02-13-2009, 06:26 AM

Jenn,

Look at the side effects of lyrica, it put me in la-la land.
You memory problems don't seem to out of the ordinary for someone going through alot and being distracted.
When was your last brain MRI?

wheeler641 · 02-13-2009, 07:07 AM

How long have you been taking the Lyrica and what dose? I was given Lyrica for my neuropathy pain in it put me in a stupor. I felt like "Alice in wonderland", kind of like nothing was real. I stopped taking it when while driving I had to keep reminding myself red means stop, green means go

Needless to say I stopped taking it before I killed myself or someone else. It also is a pain to get off the stuff, I felt like my brain was swollen for about 2 weeks. I think memory loss and some confusion is a side effect of the drug. Hope this helps, margaret

awieleba · 02-13-2009, 07:50 AM

Jenn~

I agree with crystal, your memory issue's dont seem that bad for the stress your under. Mine is like yours but worse!
Get this one, I got home from picking up the kids from school at 4 00, my husband got home at 7:00, and I left my keys in the car and it was running and dvd movie playing for 3 HOURS! I brought in the kids and forgot to go back out and shut off the car. I burn food in the oven all time because I forget to go back and get it, I loose my cell phone daily. I ask the same questions and dont remeber the answers, I chalk that up to I must not be listening or caring. I word search daily and forget names. I have chalked this up to being stressed about my illness and having 3 kids involved everything known to man. ANd, I forgot to show up in my sons class room as a helper, I use a planner these days. If I dont write everything down for myself and kids........I would look like a bigger flake than I already am.

hang in there!

ktmj · 02-13-2009, 10:33 AM

I agree - I think the stress of the unknown has affected a lot of me. Memory, focus, concentration, mood at times, you name it.

Heck, I've always had a few loose spokes in my wheel.

I try to push it in the back of my mind as much as possible and I do deal it better than a few months ago, but it creeps up on me fairly regular.

Hope everything goes well with the eval.

BethU · 02-14-2009, 02:59 PM

Jenn ... the cancer connection that I was told about by my first neuro is discussed a lot on myasthenia gravis forums, as there is a big overlap in symptoms.

LEMS (Lambert Eakins (sp?) myasthenia syndrome) is one of the auto-immune conditions. It occurs when a few cancer cells appear in the body and the immune system goes bonkers trying to get rid of them and produces excessive antibodies that interfere with normal functioning. It is most often associated with small cell lung cancer, but it can "predict" many different cancers, including breast cancer.

The good thing about it is that you get an early warning of cancer, and the cancers can often be knocked down quickly. (lung cancer doesn't go down without a fight, but at least you get the jump on it.) The bad thing, of course, is that LEMS is another difficult neurological condition to deal with .... plus cancer.

The other good thing is that it is very, very rare. Much rarer even than MG. But it's good that your doctor is testing for it, because it shows that he/she is not going to ignore any possibilities.

Good luck!