Migraine Memory

I call it "migraine memory." Twice in the last week, dear friends have talked with me about how much they have thinking over a conversation we had recently. They get going, talking about how the conversation really gave them lots to think about, ways to change their lives for the better ... and for the life of me, I have NO idea what they are talking about. I have to stop them, claim "migraine memory", and ask them for a recap of our very important conversation in the past. So embarassing. Here we discussed something that really moved them, and I can't remember it at all. Bah humbug!

Of course, on the up side, I can watch DVD's over and over for the first time! LOL

Something similar happens to me during migraine.
I must ask people to repeat things 2/3 times before I get it....

Funny you mention the DVDs Richard, because I was thinking the exact same thing just yesterday. Immediately after everything I watch, I couldn't describe it to you to save my life. I'll remember if I enjoyed it or not, but just don't ask me more then that lol On the upside like you pointed out, makes watching it next time all that much better. All I know is I'm lucky most TV shows have the "On the last episode..." prelude. I also really enjoyed when ABC for awhile was showing the previous episode of Lost with reminders of where everything tied in to other episodes, then right after they'd show the new episode. Nice way of doing it, although it didn't last long as I'm sure anyone with a half decent memory would skip it.

I am like that too. I call it Mommy Brain, but I'm sure it has more to do with the migraines. LOL about the movies.. I'm the same way!

i had a grade-school girlfriend who used to tell me the plots of every movie she saw, with every single detail, until i just wanted to scream.

me.......never could do that, even at age 10. now, i watch movies, and as richard said, even if i've seen 'em before, it's all new! i've always wondered how people can write books about their pasts, with all conversations and details intact.

yes, i know they are making some of it up to fit the need, but still......it's like my entire past is punctuated by the major happenings, but most of the day-to-day living stuff is gone, just gone.

since i didn't get migraines until age 29, my bad memory likely has nothing to do with those. dianne

I have classic "migraine memory". It really sucks some times for my patients when I tell them twice in one week that I'll need to see them again next week. Thank goodness some of them have skewed frontal lobes and they flat out say....."you just told me that on Tuesday".

I just watched the first three seasons of Dexter, and my poor wife had to put up with numerous requests to repeat episodes because I could not remember an episode.

This is a really shitty thing for those of us who pride ourselves on sharp memory. UGH. Just another blessing from migraines I guess.

can be a few things causing memory problems.

medication side effects, hands down will cause memory problems (things like lyrica, klonopin, ambien).

microvascular disease, and issues caused by constant and long term migraines can cause memory issues.

to get a real measure, neuros might send you to a neuropsychologist and have a full neurocognative battery done to establish where your memory is, how good it is, and also IQ. it's good to get a benchmark, so in the future they check for decline.

Ha, I sometimes can't remember what I did yesterday. This is an awful thing for all of us on top of all the pain we endure.....

I am soo, so thankful for this forum. So many times I thought I was the only one feeling this way, but it has let me know I am not going crazy.

Have a good one...
Sherri B!

memory.... what was that again?

I have to write everything down now because between the migraines and the drugs.... memory is a variable and unreliable thing.

I wish I could order up a memory card and have it installed like I can with my computer!

I have a sharp memory for childhood things....even way, way back when I was very little.

What really gets me is not remembering if I actually told my husband something or I planned on telling him.

And, yes, Ambien really messes up my memory. I have found I cannot read a book right before sleeping. If I do, I don't remember most of what I read the next day. Television is the same, I know I watched a certain TV show the night before but I have no idea what it was about. Yet, if I see a re-run, I remember it.

I keep a notebook, a log I guess of all the phone calls and conversations and of all the cards I send to people... it works pretty good.

My M have gotten worse over the last year. I have had them since I was about 11 or 12. I have noticed over the last few months that my memory is suffering.

I have always been able to remember the tiniest details and even had a photographic memory. I didn't realize anything until my mom and I were talking about my grandparents and I told her she didn't tell me about something and she said she did. A couple hours before.

In the past I've been really good about multitasking, even where I could listen to two people at once and remembering both conversations.

Turns out we were sitting on couch, no tv nothing and I didn't remember one thing about it. Then when I went back to work yesterday it was oh so evident something was wrong.

I had only been gone for about three and a half weeks due to having the flu and pneumonia all while having a M as well. Well I forgot where the bathroom was and forgot some of the most basic functions of my job. I forgot my teammates names as well and felt stupid cause they looked familiar but I wasn't sure and couldn't remember their names. My neuro said that my brain is focused on the chronic pain. I can't help but think that the chronic pain is killing parts of my brain ifthats even possible.

I am only 26 (which I have a hard time remembering lately too) and this scares me a lot. When I'm feeling up to watching tv, i will watch a show or movie and my mom will tell me I just watched it earlier or that I've seen it several times. I don't remember.

Just thought I would share my little story.

I think part of it is aging too--not just migraine for those of us over 40. I like to think that we have so much knowledge and "stuff" in our brains to remember all of it. And, you never know--maybe migraineurs are smarter people than the average Joe and have swept in a lot more info. Maybe that info is bursting to get out because the brain is too full and thus, migraine. Wow, I think it is time for me to get to bed. Good night everybody.

it's a bit of a sobering moment when you get diagnosed with a memory disorder. not just something that you shrug off with age, or laugh at when you do something stupid like putting a screwdriver in the freezer.

it's real, it impacts your life and what you plan on doing, and it can get worse.

not pleasant.