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Has anyone experienced a substantial, noticeable personality change since SCA? I have, and family and friends say I am much more calm and I find myself to be much more tolerant of things that used to really tick me off!!
Exercise Heart disease Surgery Anoxic brain injury Sudden cardiac arrest Panic disorder Anxiety Pain Memory Stent Depression Folic acid Stress
My husband says the same thing about me. It's funny because I don't think I'm any different, but evidently I was pretty high strung before! I seem to not be bothered by the small stuff anymore. I also had some memory loss that I wasn't aware of - I went to my mother-in-law's place and commented that I loved her new dining room set and she said that I had seen it twice before. Who knows what else I don't remember because I don't know what I don't know!
Hi. Sadly, I have not become calmer! If anything, there are times when I think I'm more high strung than ever! But I do definitely experience the memory loss thing. Especially when I'm stressed or really tired. My husband told me 3 times this week he wouldn't be home this evening and when he was getting ready to leave, I had no clue! The bad part is that I am really stressed and tired when I'm working, so I forget a lot. I am a teacher, so I'm off this summer. The memory hasn't been quite as bad...
:-(
Has any one else suffer from aTBI because of the SCA because I have and when I was in theraphy for it I told them of this feeling of such calm. It has lifted a little but I'm still pretty calm. I also felt like I came out of a fog. Has anyone have that happen to them. Leenie
Oh my goodness!! I forget the day to day stuff all the time! I have ADD and had to go off my Adderal. If someone asks me something simple...like the names of my dogs, I have to think about it. As long as I am not being "tested", I'm fine. Questions give me trouble sometimes. Mostly I just smile a lot and try to act like the average scatter-brained bimbo! LOL!!!
Mary...I know what you mean! I just write stuff down. I did have a battery of neuro-psych tests done...the ones they give for traumatic brain injury..and I scored in the 92nd percentile! I must've bee REALLY smart before I was down for 20 minutes!
I live in NJ and that is were Kessler Inst is.I went their for my TBI. I feel so much better now. In my group there were doctors,nurses, all kinds of people. I would like to know if any of you went though a CRP program. I could'nt spell or put words together. And my memory is so much better now. Went I came out of this I did know my husband of 26 years. Leenie
I was just reading this again and realized that I did'nt spell a word right. That changed what I was saying. When I came out of this I did'nt know my husband. We should all know how that is! Leenie
I don't know if I had "TBI" testing. They had me go to a speech/lang. therapist for memory testing. I was told I was within the normal range "for my age." It was a bit frustrating as there was nothing to compare it to. Maybe I was above average for my age before the SCA! Anyway, I KNOW I have memory loss and I get tired of other people trying to excuse it away. I often hear, "well you're getting older" etc... I tell them I didn't get old overnight!
Sorry, I think I still tend to be a bit sensitive about all of this... lol
I don't know you story Mary but I do know if you had lack of oxygen to the brain it will cause a anocix brain injury which is also called a TBI. Kessler where I went for my theraphy they educate you on everything about the brain. I think you right ,you did'nt get that way over night. I don't feel sensitive about my injury. I feel that I understand it, Other people don't get it, how could they. Leenie
Thanks, Leenie. I was without oxygen for approximately 8 minutes. My husband was told I would most likely die or be in a vegetative state. He brought my donor card to the hospital. I am so thankful for being here with minimal problems. I think I actually get frustrated because I feel like people don't believe me. It can be very subtle. My family sees it, though. They are generally very patient with me, and my frustration.
Your comments help me to keep things in perspective. I was having a rough day yesterday in general.
Your welcome! I glad that I could help a little. I just can't beleive that there is not the help that people need out there. It should be available to everyone. I do know that insurance does'nt pay for it. A NJ state TBI fund paid for me to go. Right now I am waiting for another TBI fund to pay so that I can go back and finish. Did you say you were working, I'm on disability and They tell you not to drive. This just makes me crazy!! Maybe I could give you a couple trick that I learned to help. Anything is better that nothing. ya think. Leenie
I was down for a total of about 20 minutes. My hubby and my friend who did my CPR were told that if I awakened at all, I would be seriously impaired. Haha! Fooled all of you! God works in mysterious ways!
SCA,is a major trauma to any individual.
One of the "Side effects",is accelerated aging.
With aging we have cognition decline:We mellow,we
tend to forget etc.
Delaying cognition decline,is the most important part
in individual's life.There is no way to return back to
be,what you have been before the S.C.A.
How can one enjoy life?Becoming wiser("Older and wiser".).Think about ideas you have and express youself.Write in forums,blogs.Write short stories or even books.Give to the public your ideas in preventing death,and enjoying life.
Are there any medications to prevent cognition decline?.Of course there are variety of medications.
absolutely.First:Lifestyle Modifications.Exercising,
dancing,(Whatever Physical activity).Eating right,what
is right for you."And don't forget your vitamins".
Vitamins are most important.
Vitamins should be taken individualy,not as combined medication or health preparation.Why?:Potential side effects.
I am very pleased with Vitamin B3/Niacin.Still,you have to know how to take it.Ask your doctor.
Honestly, I'm hoping sometime soon I may have a chance at getting disability. It took over 6 months for my doctor to convince my insurance company to let me have a genetic test to try to figure out what happened. Everything else has been ruled out, so it's a mystery. (and I've had 2 SCA)
If the test comes back positive, it means it is stress related, and my job is extremely stressful, especially with my memory not exactly right. I won't know until sometime between the end of September and the end of October.
I also can not drive. I just got an email from someone at work who has offered to pick me up every day. She's awesome. But I am also trying to find out what is available to me in the area as far as transportation. Since it's medical, I must qualify for something...
Arrghhh!
Yes, I have to agree. I am much calmer than I used to be, even four and a half years later! Although, I do find some irritation that tries to creep back in from time to time. I just take a deep breath and it goes away. How astonishing! :-)
Definitely a personality change. I do attribute some of tht to cutting down substantially on my coffee, but that isn't all it.
As for the memory loss, I've got that too although not the day-to-day things. For me, it impacts my work as a research scientist. I used to be able to read things and they'd stick, now they don't. I haven't had any neuro tests done, but am not sure how they'd help at all. At this stage, I'm trying to find some sort of "exercises" to help out the pathways, or I'm going to need to find a new line of work.
I did the testing to get a "baseline". As a researcher, you must keep lab books or a journal of sorts, right? You might have to keep rereading whatever. Puzzles and computer games keep the brain agile...been proven. How long has it been since your SCA? You might be surprised how well you will perform! We can program unused niches in our brains to take over the parts that have failed us. Be the best you can be!
Mary how far apart were your attacks,for me I arrested 6 times that day. but not since. I don't know anything about the test that you had done. Stress has alot to do with this problem. I take Folic acid & omega 3 which I have a RX for them but you can get it OTC but there not as good. These Vits. are good for the brain and the omega 3 is also good for your heart. At Kessler I learn to play games, all kinds of games It helps alot. word games are really good for me. My friend sent me this program online, its called shockwave.com. You can have a little fun and work on your brain cells at the same time. most of its free. I been doing this almost everyday until I can go back to Kessler. I know of other people who also play the games and it seem to them, no harm in trying. Leenie
Hi, Its me again, what to ask a ?, does anyone else suffer from neuropathy because of the TBI or am I the only one. Leenie
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