I feel like I have some kind of mild dementia

[NooNooHead1981]

Just a quick background; I had a mild traumatic brain injury and post concussion syndrome in 2015, and then got a drug induced involuntary movement disorder called tardive dyskinesia caused by taking an antipsychotic drug prescribed during a mental breakdown after.

I have been getting really odd episodes of when my brain feels like it slowly losing the capacity to think clearly. I had a couple of funny feelings today and yesterday when I felt like my mind was completely blank, and I had no memory apart from just my internal voice.

It is really difficult to explain but I find these kind of episodes quite worrying and they make me feel very anxious. The last time I spoke to my doctor about my ‘blank’ brain feelings, and how my thoughts feel like they are really slowed down, he just said that post concussion amnesia is very common after a head injury.

I’m only 37. What the heck is my brain going to be like at 67?! 😳😩

I'd push my GP for a referral to a specialist.

Your GP should be able to do a test which involves asking a few questions and they tally up the scores. This is what they usually do for a dementia diagnosis but because you are so young it is doubtful and likely to do with your injury.

I should add.. even though they may not think it is dementia, they should still be doing investigations! So I would definitely keep bugging them until they do something!

I can empathise with this - I feel like my brain just shuts up shop when too tired or overwhelmed. I have chronic fatigue and fibro though so they explain what's going on in my case. It's horrible though and I know how frustrating it is.

Have you ruled out things like low iron or low vitamin D?

I’m sure it isn’t much to worry about seriously and that lack of sleep from looking after my DS who is 10 months old has more to do with it!

Thanks for your replies. I think you are right re: the head injury, but I am not sure what anyone is ever going to be able to do about it really. I’m guessing a neurologist etc (and I have seen a few re my movement disorder) would say that the brain can rewire itself with neuroplasticity etc.

I might ask for a referral though if it gets worse.

Not thought about vitamin deficiency etc but it is something that could be a consideration. I do find most doctors are pretty much not very caring when it comes to my symptoms of my head injury etc. GPs in particular don’t seem to understand much at all. 🙄

I would also go back to my GP for a neurology referral.

When you say you have no memory - do you forget who you are? What you should be doing? If so, I think in the meantime I'd put some notes up on the fridge and think about getting an SOS bracelet or necklace for when you're out?

I don’t forget who I am, it’s just like I know I have thoughts etc in my head and that they are still there but not as easily accessible to me as before. I did have a very odd episode a while ago when I woke up and felt like my knowledge of everything had literally disappeared for a minute - I knew how to walk and talk etc but it felt as though if you had asked me to recall a fact about something, my mind would have been blank and foggy. I think the best way to describe it is as if you have a head full of air or cotton wool.

Do push for it to get investigated but don't underestimate the power of sleep deprivation on your brain, especially if it's already undergone some trauma. I don't mean 'just' sleep in a dismissive way at all - chronic poor sleep really can send people over the edge physically and mentally.

Is there any way you could make a big push to get more sleep for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference? Maybe going to bed as soon as your baby does or something equally dull!

I agree SleepWarrior (love your name!) and sleep deprivation is most likely to be making it worse.

I had a whole week of literally no sleep at all before my mental breakdown in 2015 so I am well versed with the the hell of no sleep unfortunately... 😱

How are you doing now op? Hope things are OK. Did you speak to anyone about it?

I forget stuff all the time. Latest one - whilst talking to a friend, you know those tall woody things that you see everywhere ( aka trees !)

I think a neurologist or even a neuropsychologist should check you over. With your history of trauma and post concussion syndrome, this should be looked at.

Have you had your B12 levels tested? I genuinely thought that I was developing early onset Alzheimer's. It would get to the point where I would get halfway through a sentence and forget what I was saying and what the other person was saying. I would have tunnel vision and moments of blanking out completely. It was so scary, and I was worried that I was going mad.

It may not be related to this, but it's a very simple test that may change your life. I now have injections every 3 months and only get symptoms towards the last 2/3 weeks before my next jab. If I go past my due date then I start to get worse quickly.

I hope you get to the bottom of it soon OP.

Hi all, thank you for the kind messages today.

I think I am ok at the moment and am not going to see anyone unless things get worse or quite severe.

I remember my doctor saying that I had post concussion amnesia and that it was really quite normal apparently. I think I would like an evaluation from a neuropsychologist to confirm this as I have never been formally assessed. It would be really interesting to see what they say...

I have exactly this too (but no concussion or trauma). I went to my GP who asked me a series of questions about what day of the week it was and some basic maths then said I was just a tired, working mum. I can almost feel my memory getting worse week by week....and I’m only 38.

Antipsychotics can be quite strong and have side effects...are you on them long term?

Hi OP I'd go and see another GP in the practice as yours sounds quite dismissive.
As you have recently had a baby it would be a good idea to ask if they can check you for any vitamin deficiencies or hormone related issues eg anaemia and thyroid function.
Some GPS seem to fob off women thinking they are being hysterical but you know best what is normal for you and you deserve to be taken seriously.

Home77 I only took an antipsychotic drug for a week in 2015 as it was prescribed after I had a mental breakdown following my symptoms of the head injury. I got a ‘rare’ movement disorder from only on a week of antipsychotic is bloody annoying and pretty awful but not unheard of according to my neurologist who diagnosed it. Apparently people can get it from just one pill.🙄

I'm sorry to hear that, those meds are a pain. yes don't let them dismiss you I have MH issues as well and they can sometimes put everything down to that and try and reassure you thinking you are anxious. hope you get a referral and some help / support.

Also my GP did test thyroid and vitamin D they might be useful. and maybe do a memory test as well.