Mind Games

    • Anonymous
      February 18, 2009 at 1:00 pm

      I know how important it is to try and keep our minds sharp with the brain fog many of us have. I ran across a site today that has at least 5 free mind improving games for free. They have different levels for different abilities. I thought I would share the site. It is: http://www.happy-neuron.com/index.php

      Hope you can have some fun with this. I know I did. ๐Ÿ˜Ž

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2009 at 4:28 pm

      Thanks Jan! I’ll have to play some:D

    • Anonymous
      February 19, 2009 at 10:33 pm

      Well thanks to you Jan I now have very low self-esteem . Obviously I should have started those games years ago as I am a big dummy. The ladybug game is the only one that I am competent at. I am determined to keep playing and sharpen up my mind. Very enjoyable Jan. Thanks.
      Laurel

mind games

    • Anonymous
      April 29, 2007 at 11:09 pm

      Has anyone noticed any change in memory as in short term???? Also in the spelling and trying to find the word you want to say?

    • Anonymous
      April 29, 2007 at 11:39 pm

      Unfortunately the answer is yes. However, I not sure it is for CIDP or age. As far as spelling goes, that was never my strong suite. Give a differential equation [OK, that was a while ago] and I was at home, but spelling…that problem started in kindergarten and got worse each year. Thank God for spell check, or I would look like a complete idiot. ๐Ÿ˜€

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 1:43 am

      Tim, That’s a Big YES!:) seems to get better to a point in between my events. But it is still very annoying to me.

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 7:55 am

      Short term memory isnt too much of a problem, however trying to find words, specially easy ones, while speaking is a huge problem. (i.e. I can see a big yellow school bus in my mind, I just cant think of the word as I speak, then stutter and stammer trying to find it ๐Ÿ˜ฎ ) As for spelling , well just like Jim, unfortunately my problem I also seemed to start in Kindergarden ๐Ÿ˜€ )

      Edit : its far worse if im stressed or tired or having a bad day, my conversation almost comes our as if im drunk and dont know what im talking about, and I seem like an idiot

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 10:15 am

      I am much the same as Ali, just cannot seem to remember the simplest of words when I am speaking. Yesterday it was the screens on the windows, just couldn’t remember what they were called. I have always been an excellent speller (used to be an English teacher), & now have to ask my husband how to spell many words. I am worse when I am tired, but with CIDP that seems to be much of the time. I don’t even like talking on the phone past 7:00 PM for that very reason. I find that when I read a book, I can’t remember it like I used to be able to, even the newspaper, but I am better than I was 5 years ago about these things.

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 12:15 pm

      Yes, Yes, Yes. To all of the above………Have a nice ….ummmm o’yea day ….gg

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 1:04 pm

      Same here on finding the simplest words sometimes. It’s kind of embarrasing. I’m wondering if some of the medication is a reason for this.
      Anybody have ideas on that?

      JayDee

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 2:01 pm

      Yes, is the answer. Some loss due to GBS and some due to Age.

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 2:13 pm

      Another YES! My sisters always laugh at me because I seem to come up with new words that don’t exist (yet). I was just saying that even with stopping one of my drugs (amitryptiline) that my short term memory has gotten even worse.

      It was embarrasing one day at work when I was giving new members a tour of the facilities and had been walking a lot and getting very tired, and I couldn’t pronouce words over two syllables.

      Nice to know I am not alone ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 3:03 pm

      That’s a big 10-4. However it was much worse when I was on Neurontin. Still I have to proof anything I write 5-6 times with the same accuracy that I use to get from 2-3 proof reads.

      Here’s a weird phenomenon I’ve noticed. When writing I notice when I go back to proof the piece I will find words that I have no idea how they got there. They weren’t even close to something I was thinking about. For example I’ll write a sentence about summaring some statistical data and in the middle of the sentence is the word apple or something equally off the wall.

      As far as the typos I think it’s worse and I think it is due in part to damage in my hands. My feet and hands were badly affected by GBS.

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 3:57 pm

      My answer would be one big, HUGE YES!!!!! Short term memory and finding the right words is the most frustrating. I call many things the wrong thing but, my hubby has kept me laughing. A sense of humor is so important. I also try to turn lights on and off with the faucet and a lot of other little things. Anyone elso do this too? I hope so…………

      Blessings,
      Barbara

      Lupus 1989
      CIDP 9/05

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 5:57 pm

      I guess it is comforting, in a way, to find out that you are not the only have your mind break right once in a while when you break left.

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 6:40 pm

      I’m so relieved to read this. It’s still early in my recovery, but I’ve been having a lot of memory problems and difficulty articulating lately, whereas I’ve always been quite good with words.

      It seems like words are always on the tip of my tongue but I can never find them quickly enough, and I stumble a lot when I speak. I thought maybe I’ve just been tired, but it appears that it’s just another aspect of the GBS taking its toll on my brain.

      Thanks to everyone for sharing your experience.

    • Anonymous
      April 30, 2007 at 11:41 pm

      Since GBS my wife has had to take over paying our bills and keeping track of what people owe me, as I now screw it up all the time. My neurologist swears GBS does not affect the brain but I am sure that it does. Fatigue is part of it and PTSD too, but the disease itself has an effect too, or I believe it does. Mostly I find a lot of rest helps keep my thoughts straight and dizziness at a minimum. It is good to laugh about it all, though I must admit I was angry at first when my wife even suggested I had made a mess of things. Another blow to the ego.:mad: Jeff

    • Anonymous
      May 1, 2007 at 12:50 am

      I relly haven’t noticed a porblem with spellin or memeory. I hink it was memory we were taking about or was it the weather or ???? well I haven’t noticed a problem any way.

    • Anonymous
      May 1, 2007 at 11:16 pm

      I am at 3+ years post-CIDP and am happy to report my memory is back to normal. For the first year my short-term memory was non-existent. Some of my Docs blamed it on PTSD, others on high doses of Neurontin. It does get better, talk with your Neurologist.

      Jerimy

    • Anonymous
      May 2, 2007 at 1:55 pm

      I have memory problems as well as speech issues. Pre-GBS, I could type 60wpm with no errors. Now, I’m much slower and cannot spell for anything.

      I recently had a major memory lapse…I had an appointment and knew where the office was, but could not remember how to get to the street that would get me to the vicinity. Really freaked me out…especially since I’d driven that route almost daily to go to class before gbs.

      I lose words all of the time. I’ve also developed a sort of stammer – kind of like I have to almost push the word out of my mouth. All of my symptoms are worse when I’m tired. I can’t think or make a decision.

      My neurologist attributes it *all* to stress. I think it’s time I found a new neurologist.

    • Anonymous
      May 2, 2007 at 3:51 pm

      LOL – yes! An infusion nurse explained it this way, since the nerves are affected, it only stands to reason that the brain isn’t 100%!! Don’t know if this is true, but it sounded reasonable to me! So, forget about age, I’m gonna blame my brain freezes on CIDP! ๐Ÿ˜‰ Good luck and good health!

    • Anonymous
      May 2, 2007 at 6:12 pm

      I so dislike this part of the left over, uh, you know, oh yea, residuals!! I [I]was[/I] number 1 in spelling and geography but that left me 12+ years ago. The docs can call it PTSS, or Rx side-effects, or whatever they want. I just know that I have it and it’s nothing like the “former Me” ๐Ÿ˜ก How often have I said that I wanted a “bowl of stairs” for supper . . . or, well, you get the drift ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

      Learning to laugh when it happens is a life saver ๐Ÿ˜‰

    • Anonymous
      May 2, 2007 at 6:21 pm

      Oh yes, yes, yes – have trouble with short term memory, and exactly as Ali described with finding easy, familiar words. This increases dramatically when I’m tired. For someone who is accustomed to being very articulate, this residual is one that I struggle to accept, and find demoralizing at times.

      I’ve learned to “cover” fairly well for these deficits, but I’m SO aware of them. ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

      My spelling has always been terrible, but oddly, seems to be the only thing that has improved since GBS! I’ll still never win a prize for that, but I just find it funny to notice that I now can spell things I have always struggled to spell pre-GBS.

      Another funny thing is, although at times when I’m tired or stressed, I sound as if I’m drunk when I speak, having a drink or two doesn’t make this worse!

    • Anonymous
      May 3, 2007 at 7:12 pm

      That I was not the only one with this problem. I can think the words but I can not get them out. I sound smart in my head but once I speak the words its all down hill. :confused:

    • Anonymous
      May 4, 2007 at 12:02 am

      I think of myself as being in the control group – I am not on any pain medication or drugs (except my many vitamins) and did not get IVIG. YET just recently I noticed I am having short term memory loss. I shall be deep in thought, then POOF it is gone and I have no idea what it was. Spelling is also getting a little moire difficult and I am a teacher. My GBS started in September and peaked in October 2006. I wonder why it took this long for this to occur.I am thankful that this subject was brought up. I thought it was just me!! My explanation was perhaps it is my body protecting me from remembering this horrible experience.

    • Anonymous
      May 4, 2007 at 12:02 am

      I think of myself as being in the control group – I am not on any pain medication or drugs (except my many vitamins) and did not get IVIG. YET just recently I noticed I am having short term memory loss. I shall be deep in thought, then POOF it is gone and I have no idea what it was. Spelling is also getting a little moire difficult and I am a teacher. My GBS started in September and peaked in October 2006. I wonder why it took this long for this to occur.I am thankful that this subject was brought up. I thought it was just me!! My explanation was perhaps it is my body protecting me from remembering this horrible experience.

    • Anonymous
      May 4, 2007 at 9:45 am

      I don’t know if any of you take (or have taken) prednisone for any reason during your treatment, but if so, it’s well-documented that this drug also causes memory loss. I was given high doses of prednisone via IV (by a quack doc, I might add) before being dx with GBS and then had to be weaned off of it (by a responsible doc) at the same time that I was getting the IVIg treatments. I’m starting to think that the prednisone is the reason why I have so many gaps in my memory about the lowest point of my illness.

    • Anonymous
      May 5, 2007 at 12:03 pm

      Yesterday my dad CIDP was trying to pronounce the word Turnberry(A golf course) and said “turd fairy”

    • Anonymous
      May 11, 2007 at 3:36 pm

      Just forget it…..
      I feel verbally dislexis at some time, and at others, I know what I want to say but it just won’t come out. URGH! I swear I think people think I am drunk half the time. HMMMM! Almost wish I was, then I would have an excuse. LOL. Have been accused of it though, because when I get really tired I also slurr. Oh well, hell with them, right? Glad you posted. xoxoxoxooxo Roxie

    • Anonymous
      May 24, 2007 at 6:58 pm

      Michael,
      I don’t know if you saw this thread on short term memory.

    • Anonymous
      May 29, 2007 at 1:23 am

      i find that my long term memory has also been affected. and the words are stuck in there somewhere also. i think the worst ive done was call my son’s present girlfriend by his past girlfriend’s name.:o i could feel it coming out but couldnt stop it before it was blurted out. it stopped both of them in thier tracks and i felt obligated to kinda explain so they didnt think it was on purpose.;) but it was an honest accident. usually i cant pull a word up from the old word bank and just sit there with a blank look while i try to find it. sometimes it never comes tho. good to know im not alone. also the right/left thingy and the on/off thingy. or easy mathmatical equations ive used for years. my bill paying went down the drain but am putting extra effort into it so i can keep doing it. i can also tell a difference when i change meds. luck to all, barbara

    • Anonymous
      May 30, 2007 at 12:03 am

      Oh my goodness, thank god I am not alone on this one. I have finally just resolved to admitting I am an idiot. I have given up trying to explain to people why I cant finish a sentence or think of a simple word or call my sister by her name and that I really am not drunk! This is absured! I used to pride myself in remembering schedules months ahead and appointments and spelling and what I just ate 5 minutes ago. Now when I cant think of a word or finish a sentence I just say “Im done” and laugh. Everyone is used to it now and we just move onto the next thing.:o