posted
i was with my tax lady the other day and she had asked me how i was doing since last year. i said pretty much the same (tho much better than in february for that bad period. thank you so much for the support).
then at the end of the appointment she said she felt that i was much more mentally there and much quicker with my thoughts and mental process. i thanked her but this got me thinking.
i have had sever people say this to me over my illness and ive always though that i didnt feel much better so how do i know if my brain is better.
my point is why dont llmd have a mental evaluation done at the start of treatment. iq test, read and reaction, memory recall. then test again at 6 month intervals. since 'brain fog' is such a big issue for many, wouldnt improved mental capacity be an excellent measuring stick for treatment progress? the key is also to have a measurable amount. a score on a scale, not 'um well i remeber phone numbers better'.
maybe its more complicated than im making it.
-------------------- sick since 9-09 igg, 18,23,41 reactive igm, 41 reactive Posts: 436 | From Kansas City | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
No, it's a good question, especially since this seems to be one of the most common symptoms.
I have a cousin whose LLMD did give an IQ test and later retested. Until reading your post I hadn't thought much about it since my cousin told me the story (the point drop and later rise was stunning).
One thing I've noticed about brain fog is it's a catch-22. On my days when it's not as bad, it seems my clearer thinking makes me pay more attention to my abdominal pain. Can't win.
I will be asking my doc, since I too would like something tangible to show progress other than my own symptoms tracking, since that is subjective to my own perception.
It makes me think of recommendations to have someone with you at appointments and such so there's someone close to you who can be objective about what's going on and to take notes. While another person can never fully appreciate how we feel, they can observe things we may not notice or are too ill to consider.
On a side note, your tax lady must have the memory of an elephant to note changes in your condition seeing you only once a year!
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
you don't see it, but any doctor worth his salt should be looking for this during an appointment and charting it.
Posts: 340 | From san francisco, ca | Registered: Nov 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
My mental fog comes and goes so much, I'm not the best judge of my capabilities. An evaluation would be great as long as they didn't want to diagnose another invisable illness as the cause:).
I've ben told one way to judge progress is how you react to the ab's. How soon you herx after you begin one treatment and then how long it takes to recover afterward. We are killing bacteria-- there just isn't a test to tell us when it is gone. May be a good theory on progress though.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this?
Posts: 11 | From Kingston, TN. | Registered: Apr 2007
| IP: Logged |
payne
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26248
posted
thanks 5vforest - I am printing this out and will hand it to my LLMD and my MD as i believe this may refresh them with what a doctor is, does, sees, thinks, make judgement on, as it never mentioned -- Oh, how much money can i make off this ?
-------------------- TULAREMIA/rabbit fever ? Posts: 1931 | From mid-michigan | Registered: Jun 2010
| IP: Logged |
bcb1200
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25745
posted
My LL Neurologist has me to a cognitive brain function test every 3 or 6 months.
It tests memory, math, perception, reflex, etc.
I go in for it again in 2 weeks. Last time, it showed I was doing well, but still was lower in some areas which, coincidentally, were the same areas of the brain showing inflammation on my brain SPECT.
-------------------- Bite date ? 2/10 symptoms began 5/10 dx'd, after 3 months numerous test and doctors
IgM Igenex +/CDC + + 23/25, 30, 31, 34, 41, 83/93
Currently on:
Currently at around 95% +/- most days. Posts: 3134 | From Massachusetts | Registered: May 2010
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic