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Default May 22, 2019 at 11:27 AM
  #1
I put this thread here, because it could fit in a few forums, as it discusses substance abuse, psych meds, and physical injury.

I've been worried about my memory for about a month now, along with being concerned that I couldn't concentrate as well. But I didn't do anything about it, until a few months ago, I told my pdoc that I wanted to taper off my clonazepam, since it can cause memory problems and I didn't want to make it worse.

Then in March I fell very badly and sustained a concussion, which I'm still recovering from.


Yesterday I had a followup appointment with the brain injury clinic at the hospital I'm being treated at. First off I met with a psychologist for half an hour of psych testing. Then I met with a neurologist for an hour for more tests, questions, and discussion of my injury.

She said I'd shown memory and cognitive impairment on the psych test. On that particular score, "normal" is consider 26 or higher out of 30, I scored 23. That freaked me out a little, as it was confirmation of what I suspected.

Where I'm stuck is the cause(s). I am an alcoholic currently 7 months sober. So it's possible the impairment is a result of years pickling my brain. It's possible it's a result of Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome from the alcohol since memory is affected by that. It could be a result of the clonazepam, or it could be the result of the fall.

The Dr. was going to write my family GP about it, and she was me to follow up with more testing. They'll also retest me at the hospital in 3 months at my next appointment to see if there's improvement.

I'm really a bit scared about this, that I may have permanently damaged my brain because my brain has always been my biggest asset, and my work has always demanded a high level of cognitive functioning.

I'm going to start researching things I can do to improve brain health.

splitimage

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Memory & Cognitive Impairment
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Default May 22, 2019 at 02:18 PM
  #2
I'm so sorry you're hurting so much, splitimage! Unfortunately things like this can happen! Please try to do your best to STAY CALM! I'm sure that you'll be able to find a solution if you keep working with your Doctors! You're already trying to DO YOUR BEST and that's ALL we humans can do, right? Keep working on yourself AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN and remember that we'll ALL ALWAYS BE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU! I PROMISE YOU ALL OF THAT BECAUSE IT IS TRUE! PLEASE REMEMBER ALL OF THAT AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN BECAUSE IT IS TRUE! Keep us updated as much as you possibly CAN if you want to, ok? We DO want to know how things are going for you and if they're getting ANY BETTER AT ALL and if there's ANYTHING AT ALL that we can do to HELP YOU OUT! Just mention it and we'll DO EVERYTHING WE CAN and we'll TRY TO DO OUR BEST to HELP YOU OUT! Remember that you're a STRONG, WONDERFUL PERSON and that YOU'VE GOT THIS! YOU KNOW YOU DO! THAT'S A PROMISE! WISH YOU GOOD LUCK! Let us know how it goes! Sending many hugs to you, splitimage!
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Default May 22, 2019 at 04:40 PM
  #3
The brain is the one organ in the body that has the ability to repair itself .. especially when it comes to the cognitive and memory portions.

Ways to help it have to do with diet, brain training, and certain kinds of lights - and as less stress as possible.

Here are a few links to help you.

Foods to help:
12 best brain foods: Memory, concentration, and brain health

Vitamins to help:
7 Recovery-Boosting Vitamins for Brain Injury Recovery - Flint Rehab

Excercises to help:
(Physical type)
Exercises for Brain Injury: At Home Physical Therapy – Flint Rehab

(Mental type)
10 Brain Exercises That Boost Memory | Everyday Health

5 Games to Help with Brain Injury Recovery

There are many other things you can do as well - such as things that require you to either preform a sequence or notice a pattern or etc within a small amount of time .. that gets progressively harder and harder, forcing you to concentrate more and more. An example of this (that would be something anyone could do) is "speed solitaire", which is the card game of solitaire with a set amount of time on it - usually 2 minutes, but to make it easier to start, you can start with 5 or 10 minutes and get progressively smaller in time until it is down to less than 1 minute.

Overall suggestions:
https://www.verywellmind.com/top-way...itness-2224137

Light therapy:

https://catalyticcolor.com/how-to-he...light-therapy/

https://infraredsauna.com/benefits-c...light-therapy/

I hope all this information helps you out a bit. ❤

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Default May 22, 2019 at 05:37 PM
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Wow, thanks Crypts of the Mind. I'll be sure to check out all of the links tomorrow when I'm more awake.

And thanks for the support MickeyCheeky

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Default May 22, 2019 at 07:19 PM
  #5
Quote:
Originally Posted by splitimage View Post
Wow, thanks Crypts of the Mind. I'll be sure to check out all of the links tomorrow when I'm more awake.

And thanks for the support MickeyCheeky
You're welcome ❤
I did a lot of research on it bc I was in a coma at one point in my life - and I have always had seizures, so cognition and memory have been of big interest to me. ❤

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