[faithParticipant]

Hi All,
Has anyone after having a Stem Cell Transplant suffered from memory lose and lose of concentration (I so loved reading books and getting engrossed in them can’t any more).
I also have cold hands and feet (I wear thermal socks doesn’t help much), I put that down to the Thalidomide.
Thanks
Janet X

[tonyfParticipant]

I thought that it was just me getting older but yes I find it hard to concentrate for any length of time. Have been reading the same book now for weeks! I find reading short articles and stuff on the iPad, ie news etc ok, and my auto SCT was over two years ago.
Get cold feet in bed, but not during the day.
Regards
Tony F

[faithParticipant]

Thanks Tony, it takes me ages as well to read a book I have to renew my book at the library quite often. My hands and feet are cold all day and night.
Regards to you too
Janet X

[Ang287Participant]

Hi
My husband had auto SCT a year ago and definitely has memory loss since the transplant. He is now 57. He often finds it hard when he is speaking if I interrupt him as he then totally loses the thread of what he is talking about so I have to be so careful when listening to what he is saying. Not sure if this is chemo brain? He is definitely not as sharp as he used to be and has mentioned this to his Consultant and I was just advised not to help when he is struggling to remember things – I told him that’s no problem as I am just as forgetful anyway without the chemo. My husband Graham has always wanted to do a stand up comedy routine but I hope his forgetfulness doesn’t put him off from doing this. His hands and feet aren’t cold but he is just generally colder than me all the time.
Angela

[dickbParticipant]

Just a thought, for many of us, post diagnosis, our lives change so much. We don’t work as much if at all, we don’t carry out everyday mental tasks that we use to because we are physically unwell and we tend to do as we are told by the medical experts rather than question them. After all, in normal life if someone told us to do something that was unpleasent, risky and totally outside our comfort zone, we would question it. What is worse for us is that MM robs us of our energy, we are all so tired. So, I wonder wether it’s more of a case that we don’t mentally exercise as much as we would have done subconsciously.

On top of all that, the SCT is major surgery, it puts such a strain on the body and the mind too. I also think of SCT as being the equivalent to wiping a hard drive clean and then rebooting it again. I find my taste buds have changed, my character has pehaps had a subtle change and that I too struggle to remember things. However I have started various courses that are really testing me mentally and more to the point give me a goal to achieve. To be honest, although not of a particularly high level, I do find them difficult and information retention semms low. So perhaps Angela, hubby ought to do Soduko, or crosswords or just play memory or even start a course. It can only help.

Richard

[CarolsymonsParticipant]

I definitely have a poorer memory and am glad I have retired from my stressful job. For me Scrabble on the ipad and learning Serbian (well trying to) keep my mind active.

Carol

[Ang287Participant]

Thanks Richard for your advice and you had a teaching job like Graham didn’t you Carol. Definitely best out of it with all the stress. Graham has taken up painting and did singing lessons for a while. He is now learning some new computer languages and says he thinks his memory has improved a bit lately but he agrees that you have to keep your mind active and do some sort of learning.
Happy Easter everyone x

[tonyfParticipant]

Some good responses here, I guess the message is not to let this myeloma get to you!
I am helping to reform the Myeloma Support Group in the Leicestershire/Rutland area, thats keeping me on my toes!
Enjoy Easter everyone, easy on the chocolate.
Regards
tony F

[faithParticipant]

Very good responses, my husband, Roger, often tells me that he has told me something which I can’t remember. He is trying not to get too annoyed with me..
Thanks Richard for your outlook on this!
Take Care

Janet X

[janwParticipant]

Hi Janet
I still wear bed socks throughout the day and during the winter months at night in order to help with my cold feet. My SCT was in 2010. My concentration took around 18 months to resume to almost to normal, with my memory loss taking around two years to recover. I remember trying to pay for some items on my debit card in a shop about two years after SCT and I couldn’t remember any of my PIN codes for my debit or credit cards so all the items had to go back on the shelves. Even now, I will suddenly have a blank moment with a PIN number. I was in Sainsbury last year and I had tried my Barclaycard twice before the machine warned me that I was on my last attempt. The checkout assistant rang her bell for assistance and I was accompanied over to the customer care desk for a final attempt. Luckily I remembered another card number. I also tried to fill out a passport application form five different times, until I gave up and asked my mom to complete it for me. Even now, when I write a cheque on behalf of my elderly dad, I will write the wrong year or sign the cheque when he should be signing it. Doesn’t sound too bad, until you realise it took me four attempts last month to complete the cheque correctly because he kept interrupting me and I kept losing my concentration!

Hope your memory gets better and your supply of thermal/bed socks gets bigger.

Regards
Jan

[jeff605Participant]

Hi All, just reading the latest Myeloma UK magazine article on ” Myeloma and Cognition” Three things causing short term memory loss etc, Chemotherapy, anaemia, and pain killers. Well that’s three out of three for me haven’t had SCT, but am 76, plus well stressed. No wonder I can’t remember what I went into the kitchen for, or who did what in the book I’m reading !! As for films, same problems, plus added one of missing bits due to falling asleep now and then. Sound familiar? Never mind, pps slowly falling despite a couple of infections stopping chemo for three weeks, down to 3.7 now, so who cares about the above problems, or the rotten cold I’ve caught? I don’t !!!
Best wishes to all, Jeff

[AntarParticipant]

Hello Janet
What was the question?
Sorry couldn’t resist it, I’m the same after diagnosis,chemo & sct my concentration and memory are
awful, I also go off into some sort of trance when reading and read the same sentence 4 or 5 times before giving up or falling asleep.
Watch quiz shows know many of the answers but can’t drag the name
out of my head.
Go to another room come back and sit as I don’t know why I went there,aah gloves so have another trek & hope I get them before I’m distracted & forget again.
So you are not on your own & and I know it can be annoying to partners as well as yourself but they have to be patient, as do you try not to let it upset you too much.
Good luck & best wishes.
David

[jeff605Participant]

Hi, I don’t know if this will work, it’s an every day scene for most of us oldies !!I laughed at this until I realised that this is exactly what I do. Now, finally, somebody has made a movie of it!
Age activated Attention Disorders
No, cant attach it, try looking for it search `
BorehamwoodCamCorderClub
Films we’ve made
Age activated Attention Disorder

“This is definitely not funny nor amusing. If
I was you I would simply ignore it completely,
it is however honest and honesty is the best policy. Although,
when you view it you may well feel offended but relieved
you are normal and dementia has not yet got a real grip.”
Looks like a normal day to me?????

Just 2 minutes and 56 seconds of video.
Just a bit of light hearted diversion, hope you enjoy it !! Jeff

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by  jeff605.

[Kazzam2Participant]

Hi Janet, ( and all),

I had SCT in January 2013, it has definitely affected my memory and concentration, I used to read a lot, now it’s a struggle. I may try that magazine with short stories. I suppose being on zomorph will not help, I have a lot of bone pain, because of late diagnosis, so it’s probably a mix of all of the above.

Good luck and best wishes

Karen 😺

[faithParticipant]

I do miss not getting engrossed in a book, I could read for hours at one time. Will have to get some magazines and look at the pictures.
Have watched that film Jeff and I would say do one task at a time!!

Janet X

[Author]

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