I've had two episodes of something like disorientation, and I'm wondering if it worth mentioning to my doc.
They both happened in the same week- about two weeks ago.
The first time, I was walking my dog, and I made a wrong turn.
I was just on the wrong side of the street, but I had to re-trace my steps to figure out where I was.
The second time I was also walking my dog, and I stopped to look at something in the alley behind my house.
When I looked back up, I didn't recognize any of the houses.
I only knew which house was mine because I knew it had to be the brown one.
Does this count as having disorientation? Even though it's only happened twice?
Is it worth mentioning to my doctor?
I'm just wondering if I'm blowing it out of proportion, because I know it can be a symptom of Lyme.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Are you taking any medications that may have this as a side-effect. Be sure to read the entire mfg. info sheet.
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Do you have a lyme? It is unclear in your post.
If so, are you being treated?
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Yes, this counts as disorientation. I do not thing you are overly concerned. In fact, I think you need a medical evaluation as soon as possible. These could be small stokes and you'd want to prevent any more.
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If some of the usual things are ruled out, yes, this can certainly be lyme related. Before I knew it was lyme + co. that I was dealing with (and I could still drive) I lost my car downtown. I had to have the cops help me find it and when they did, I had absolutely no memory of being on that street.
When I told my doctor, I got that blank stare and a sample pack of xanax shoved into my hand. Nothing about that experience helped. I have never been freaked out about anything but this did warrant some serious concern and I was just pushed away.
However, years later, my MRI showed that I had had a couple of minor strokes. Still, no one seemed very concerned.
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You might go back over your diet for that day. Did you have any aspartame/Nutrasweet/Equal or MSG (google for all its names). That can add to problems with memory.
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If you have symptoms that involve your inner ear or balance, disorientation can be part of all that, too. And lyme often causes vestibular symptoms.
If you suspect that you may have lyme, please do see a LL doctor soon.
Oh, and be sure your dog's tag has your address on it! And just stick with your dog, eh? Hope you can get some laugher to offset this. Laugher also helps heal the brain.
Also helpful is, excellent self care, B-vitamins, fish oil, rest with just the right amount of very gentle exercise . . . SALMON . . .
Good luck. This can get better. Please keep us posted. I'd love to know what you find out.
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[ 06-15-2009, 03:10 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Yes, that is disorientation.
Amy Tan wrote about wandering around, lost, trying to find her apartment, in New York City.
Carol
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Yes. I had that, too, before I was on meds (and after). My cognitive symptoms cleared up when I was on bart/parasite treatment.
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
Yes, I have had that both before and after starting treatment.
I was driving up our road and all of a sudden didn't recognize the road and wasn't sure if I had missed a turn or what.
Really scary.
They ruled out stroke and of course said the usual depression/anxiety issue that is so common for "women my age who stay at home with the kids."
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Starfall,
Wow, you must have great self-control. I would have wanted to deck anyone who said that to me.
But, in my experience, I'm usually too much in shock at the treatment to really pop 'em, which is a good thing as they would never see that it would not be that far from a reasonable response to such stupid treatment that is really most abusive in nature on the part of health care workers.
I sure never go back to those ignorant doctors but it's too bad we even have to pay for the ineffective appointments.
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Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Its not out of proportion. It is common. I know a
man who went to the store for something and when he
got there he had to call his wife to come get him
and whatever it was he went after. He now works
full time and takes care of his farm. But I could
see where he could have ended in a nursing home if he had been over 40.
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
Keebler-- I never seem to have the amount of self-esteem I need to tell a doctor off to his/her face, even when it's deserved.
When about the third doctor told me I just needed an antidepressant (the neurologist), I got outside and just started crying uncontrollably.
I guess people thought I had gotten some bad news.
I wanted to scream, "No! The *#$&@(#&#)@(#&$ told me I'm just crazy! And I'm not crazy!"
Oh, I had to fight last week at my son's doctor's, not to yell obscentites at the nurse
(she's always making less than nice comments about how my kids act, and before I was diagnosed, she always went right along with the idea that I needed some happy drugs)
Well, now that I'm diagnosed she's all in support of my diagnosis and saying how great it is that I knew what I was talking about.
I just want to call her a hypocrite and belt her one.
Posted by Gerifrog (Member # 17990) on :
- My disorientation shows up in several ways... I forget what I'm looking/going for, where I'm heading when driving
(I've stopped driving), and I lose track of conversations and have no idea how to answer questions.
Starfall - I can definitely relate to the urge to pop a medical "professional" a big one. The PA in the neuro's office
kept saying how I needed a psychiatrist, how good it was that I had an appt. with a psychiatrist, that I'd start
getting better once I'd seen the psychiatrist, that the psychiatrist would be a lot of help, Asked which psychiatrist I
was going to see, ect... If she had said "psychiatrist" once more... KAPOW!! I couldn't have stopped myself.
I have LYME. Yes, I'm depressed, but who wouldn't be after Lyme screws up their life.