Memory Issues

Does anybody on this site, suffer from short term memory problems?

There are a lot of people here with short term memory loss, including me. I use notes and a ā€˜to do listā€™ to help me remember important things, as well as a calendar. Some things still slip through the cracks, but it definitely helps.

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Donā€™t be worried it happens to the best of usā€¦I sometimes get it happen to me and may be talking sometimes and lose my train of thoughtā€¦if itā€™s really bad then you should consult someone to be safeā€¦ God bless!

Andy, Yes I did have and still do have this. Have a small notepad on hand, write things down, and carry one of those small date/calendar books with you, like the ones you get from Hallmark.
Improvements do happen, patience and time needed.

I went back to work, at first part time, at about six months post operation, and I had tons of
short term memory problems. The worst was remembering scheduled work that I needed to
do within a certain period. For me, my daily calendar was the most helpful thing, and
I made notes on it with every phone call, and referred to it very often. The best thing
for this problem is time, time, and time. I used to also give myself lists to memorize and
then I would test myself on how many I could recall. It was several years before this improved
a great deal. I used to joke to others at work that "I don't remember if I have any memory problems."

I have short term memory problems. My work is reasonably adjusted at work to help and i use all the usual aids to memory like callenders diaries and my phone. It has got worse since gamma knife treatment which was done many years after my bleed and my seizures always affect it. But there are ways round it o find. But it is a pain and i often feel a fool.

Can I ask John, was that following a few seizures, or a Avm?

Hi Andy, yeah I have loads of short term memory problems and sometimes totally forget the word I am trying to say or forget the name of an object and can call a chair a banana for example. My family and my friends know all about it and are very understanding. Even if I find it a little frustrating. Like everyone else here, I use all the memory aids I can, especially the electronic ones. Good luck with your AVM and donā€™t worry about the memory thing, itā€™s just part of you and people will understand once they know what the cause is. Take care my friend, love Pauline

I am a chemist who had AVM surgery and has virtually no memory. This is a difficult combination. However, it is there so I have learned various tricks. One is my fellow workers are all trying to be superior performers so they get promoted into management. That used to be my goal and I was moving up. But, when this AVM stepped in, my plans have changed. Now, I concentrate more on survival and enjoying life.

With this change in focus, I am trying to use the notebook like the others here. It's not easy as I keep forgetting about the notebook. I have many other systems such as Excel, Microsoft Project, etc. Sometimes they work, sometimes I forget them. The main thing is I keep going on trying to use them.

Andy,
This was following an AVM, which had caused a cerebral bleed.
For me to get back close to what was normal for me took about
5 years. Hope you do better than I did!
John

I like to think that I'm not affected by this, But know that I am :( , The main problem is that I was forgetful before also, And now I tend to listen less as I'm less interested in some things, I'm much more easy going and I was very easy going before. But it does help as Tim mentioned to have reminders and to do lists, I use my online calendar for everything and have reminders also so usually remember the "main" things :)

Thanks, Martin.

It helps that I was using electronic devices before for work. Now I use them for personal reminders. Everything is interconnected - my phone, tablet and my brides phone. I can keep my better half up to speed with one click of a button, so I also have a ā€œhuman backupā€ if needed. You can imagine how much she likes thatā€¦ Lol!

My son who had an AVM 5 months ago had short term and long term memory loss for a short time but the short time memory is taking longer to repair.

It's been 7 years since my bleed and I still have problems with short term memory. It's much better than it was before but still and issue. My iphone has been a life saver for me. I jot notes down on it, leave myself voice messages, take pictures of things I need to remember, put all of my appointments on a calendar that will send me reminders via text or email, etc. It has really helped me keep track of everything I need to do.

I do

I found your notes and was going to write a reply.

Then, I found that I had already written one.

I guess that proves the lack of memory.

Oops.

It's been 26 years since my surgery and I still have problems with short and long term memory. I hope your son is luckier than me and he gets all his memory back.

Had a craniotomy in February, my short term is lagging, and everything from seizures to surgery is at a loss. Thing pop up as time goes on, regardless, kinda weird but par for the course, hang in there, it should level out eventually.

I think a compromised memory is something we have to get used to. I use my cell for remindersā€¦and post it notes galore!

My memory issues are from situations and done people previous to my AVM.
Sometimes I see photos, I meet people that knows me by my name and I donā€™t know who they are.
But with other people, I could say the close people I have no problems.
I lived away from home to many years, I lived in the UK, exactly in Less neon for 16 years, then moved to Asia, to Malaysia for 10 years, now I am back in South America, Colombia my mother land.
Maybe that explains a bit about my memory issues, but still want someone to say something about their own experiences.

Thanks all for the comments.
As I see many of you had surgeries, or any kind of treatment.
In my cast nothing.
Since the accident happens I am only on medication.
I am taking Kepra. Three times a day.