Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

My only Disability is my Cognitive Issues

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    My only Disability is my Cognitive Issues

    Okay, so I'm a medical professional and graduated with honors. Here is the deal:
    I can no longer remember any new info
    I use the wrong words for things
    I feel like I'm losing my mind
    I'm losing my job because of this
    I am so depressed because I've worked so hard at getting to this career and now I'm losing it
    not to mention that I have an 8 year old who I am currently raising by myself
    I have no support (my mom passed when she was 49 due to colon cancer AND MS, and dad was 36 massive MI, no siblings)

    I don't know where to go or what to do for help. I hate asking for help. I am so proud of myself for even figuring out how to get back on this site (after forgetting my user name and password a million times!)
    BTW, I have always been a positive, glass half full kind of lady, but, the water is leaking slowing out of my glass...

    #2
    I am in a similar boat. My mind has hit the fritz. Everything takes longer anymore. Especially reading and remembering things. Been over a year and still a space cadet...

    I recommend applying for ssdi. you can get a lawyer to help.(they work on a % of the settlement, not your monthly amount), it may not be much but its something when your approved.

    I hope things get better for you! Stay as positive as possible, as long as you can!

    Good Luck,

    Billy
    Leave the Heat and Stress for the birds!

    Comment


      #3
      When I was little, I would always wonder how our brains can contain so much information without getting "full". Well, I feel like my brain is full and cannot absorb any more information. It's depressing.

      Before I was diagnosed, I would wonder how come I would have to read directions to put something together over and over again until I understood what it meant. It's almost like I have ADD.

      When I talk to my neuro about it, he just kind of blows me off.

      Something has to give with it!

      Comment


        #4
        I can completely relate to what your saying.......

        To say the least for me it was very frustrating and debilitating on so many levels.

        I work from home so I am not in a position of losing my job, but of losing my mind. I can remember crying and telling my husband I needed help after 24 years of paying our bills I could no longer do it. I messed up our finances and pretty much anything that I had any responsibility for.

        My memory was horrible as well. For me, I created a password and notes book and this did help a lot.

        I personally only had to fight this for about 3 months and slowly my mind and my memory became normal again.

        I remember reading about it and I read that with ms and cognitive issues a person can remember things it just takes a lot of repetitiveness before we will absorb it. For me this helped to know I could get things it was just going to take longer.

        I hope that your as lucky as me and you will get back to normalcy soon.

        Also, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your job and your family. Best of luck to you.
        Tira

        Comment


          #5
          CogFog

          I always like to hear that others with MS don't have the physical symptoms but cognitive problems. I have had cognitive and emotional problems and not physical which makes people think I am just making it up because they can't see anything but that I am just getting old and what I am experiencing happens to everyone when they get old. I have been battling depression as long as I have had MS and not having anybody to understand and support what I experience makes me more depressed. I prefer to stay away from people because I can't always say what I think. I used to work in accounting which I loved but I can't add or subtract without a calculator anymore and I have a monthly calendar with when my bills or due so I want forget but somehow I have managed to forget once in a while. I had an EMG test yesterday that showed that in my arms and legs that my nerves and muscles are fine which supports my no physical problems. I have been tested by a neuro-psych which showed that I suffer from moderate to severe depression and I scored low on the memory part of the test. I have a college degree but I was told that I was average from the test results-I didn't score above the 12th grade level at best and with cognitive problems it isn't going to get better. I had to stop Rebif because it made my depression worse and my neurologist gave me samples of Nuvigil to try to help my brain fog but I am scared of drugs because the side effects are always worse than the problem I take it for. I have decided that I have to be my own physician to figure out what is best for me to deal with my cognitive issues. Keeping things simple and organized is a must and not even caring about what others may think.
          I am going to start writing a daily diary (on the computer because from my brain to the pencil thoughts get lost). I will then highlight things that were important during the week so it will help me remember. What I eat every day will be included because I usually can't remember from day to day. I have to quit spending time being frustrated and just focus on what I know will help.

          Comment


            #6
            Blueflame,

            Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you should apply for disability. Cognitive dysfunction is the most disabling of all MS symptoms.

            Comment


              #7
              congnitive dysfunction

              Hello All,
              I can relate to all of you guys. I also feel like this I never wondered why I was slower then everyone else or why I couldn't understand the material the first time. I would do double work just to understand it because I would listen but nothing would stick.

              Now I feel like I am slower then before which sucks because I have a Masters in Business Administration/Accounting I have to stop working because I couldn't really see so I was putting commas and decimals in wrong places and the work flow was getting to much for me to handle or maintain. I didn't realize it until I was falling behind. I don't know yet what I will be doing hopefully will find employment that suits me as of right now I am only 25.

              Comment


                #8
                The main reason I was approved for disability was because of cognitive issues. The testing day was brutal and exhausting but I flunked the tests.
                Karen

                Comment


                  #9
                  I too have cognitive issues most of the times when I get a flare (hope I used the right word). I mix up the letters in words, I have no idea what some words mean and I am unable to follow a logical conversation.

                  When I was in school I could read my course notes only once and get the best grade without almost any effort. Now it takes me a while to learn new stuffs but I am still able to do it. It bothers me that during the flare and few weeks after I need to wait until my memory is "reset" and each time I lose few memories.
                  Time decides who you meet in life, your heart decides who you want in your life, and your behavior decides who stays in your life.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    so here is where I was supposed to post...

                    After months of silently reviewing this site, I made my first post complaining about my loss of brain under the mental health section. Hmm. This looks like yet another moment of my airheadedness.

                    I see applying for disability keeps coming up regarding these issues. I asked what to do about myself, and maybe that is what I should be doing. I do not know. Years ago when I was first diagnosed that is exactly what my doctors said, but I thought I knew better and passed it up to go to online college, which I excelled at. Now I have two Ba's, no insurance, no doctors, no meds, no career, and no clue what to do or where to begin.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by blueflame30 View Post
                      Okay, so I'm a medical professional and graduated with honors. Here is the deal:
                      I can no longer remember any new info
                      I use the wrong words for things
                      I feel like I'm losing my mind
                      I'm losing my job because of this
                      I am so depressed because I've worked so hard at getting to this career and now I'm losing it
                      not to mention that I have an 8 year old who I am currently raising by myself
                      I have no support (my mom passed when she was 49 due to colon cancer AND MS, and dad was 36 massive MI, no siblings)

                      I don't know where to go or what to do for help. I hate asking for help. I am so proud of myself for even figuring out how to get back on this site (after forgetting my user name and password a million times!)
                      BTW, I have always been a positive, glass half full kind of lady, but, the water is leaking slowing out of my glass...
                      Get yourself into a neuropsychologists office for a neuropsych evaluation. This will do a couple of things. 1. It will confirm or deny any real cognitive problems you have at this time related to your MS. 2. It will give the neuropsychologist structured ways to assist you in correcting some of these problems so that you can live a more close to normal life.

                      It will certainly help build a case for disability if you need it.

                      I hope that you will take this opportunity, I did and it helped me so much with tips and tricks to navigate life with cognitive problems. Ways to rebuild your brain based on your weaknesses.

                      I wish you the best in your journey. It can get better, and it will if you just ask for help. There are professionals out there to help us. We just have to step forward and do it.

                      Take care
                      Lisa
                      Moderation Team
                      Disabled RN with MS for 14 years
                      SPMS EDSS 7.5 Wheelchair (but a racing one)
                      Tysabri

                      Comment

                      Working...
                      X