I'm having a down day, where I'm wondering if I'm ever going to get my full cognitive functioning back, and how to get there?
I have blanks where I can't remember the word for something, I constantly say one word when I mean another, my short term memory is shot, and I have trouble concentrating or reading longer articles.
For example, I can pick up a magazine that I read a week ago and get pretty far into it before I recall that I actually did in fact read it already.
Does anyone have any advice? I'm going back on Rifampin because it helped the most for cognitive symptoms, but would love any other suggestions. I'm pretty much open to anything at this point.
Encouragement would be welcome too! I've come a long way in my treatment in the two years I've been treating for Lyme, babesia duncani and bartonella. I'm not all the way there yet but most days I'm basically functional.
But I really miss my brain. I *used* to be a very intelligent person, and I just wonder if I'm ever going to get back there again.
I look back on that part of my life and I can't even take pride in things that I have done because it seems like it was a whole different person and it just makes me sad.
I certainly can't go back to my profession if I don't get my brain functioning back.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
First step is to get rid of the infection causing it.
Second step is to work on improving your brain.
Once I was better, I played Words with Friends on my phone to help with word recall. I went through Pilates teacher training which had a lot of memory work. I've taught Pilates and it requires recall to teach the class and helped me reestablish facial recognition. I did Sudoku puzzles.
I did have to consciously work on my brain working again and now it's fine, just like before I was sick. It did take time to get to this point.
Posted by terv (Member # 29410) on :
My LLMD told me it was going to be 12-18 months before I get mine back. He said the short term stuff involves many parts of the brain.
He said that the long term issues are a little easier.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
I got my brain back when I began taking Japanese Knotweed. It's a strong antioxidant that Stephen Buhner recommends.
It was great, I could think properly again and analyze things in my mind. I had a pile of paperwork that had been sitting for six months, and I took care of it easily.
However, I guess I ramped up too quickly or something, because I had awful kidney pain. I stopped all the Buhner herbs, the kidney pain stopped, and my mind went back to mush.
Sigh....
p.s. Fish oil will help blood circulation in the brain and body. It improves cell wall integrity, and nutrients can enter the cells to supply the mitochondria with the things they need to make energy.
Posted by tdtid (Member # 10276) on :
I agree with all of the above posts.
In a nutshell, yes, you WILL get it back with treatment. I think the most amazing thing I recall through many many years is that I would have a reversal in symptoms and sometimes it would be things I hadn't even known were related to lyme, until they were better. I just thought I was getting old???????
But yes, the mind and brain fog most certainly will clear. Keep with it.
Posted by Kat1777 (Member # 39231) on :
To those of you saying that it will come back, how long did it take? I've been treating with antibiotics now for seven months and have noticed next to no improvement in this particular regard.