How can I find out what kind of dementia I have?

[amaru7]

Help me please, it's not that only my short term memory is shot, I have some kind of dementia going on probably because of encephalopathy. I'm about 30 years old now and can't remember my whole life basically. It's impossible for me to say what happened, where I was or even what I did the last few years. It's all friggin blacked out and it scares me genuinely

I wonder how it is possible that I still have my language or be able to drive a car. That's how terribly dysfunctional my mind feels.

I'd like to know, what is going on with me as I had this issue for (can't remember how) many years now next to the severe exhaustion and weakness.

What could this be? I know alzheimers is a disease that usually Young People Don't Get, so what is it that in struggling with every day? The testing for neurotransmitters came out all below the range too lately and the Prof said to me that such a result they see rarely, but couldn't tell me why or what it could be, maybe there's a connection to my demented state?

 

[MeSci]

Help me please, it's not that only my short term memory is shot, I have some kind of dementia going on probably because of encephalopathy. I'm about 30 years old now and can't remember my whole life basically. It's impossible for me to say what happened, where I was or even what I did the last few years. It's all friggin blacked out and it scares me genuinely

I wonder how it is possible that I still have my language or be able to drive a car. That's how terribly dysfunctional my mind feels.

I'd like to know, what is going on with me as I had this issue for (can't remember how) many years now next to the severe exhaustion and weakness.

What could this be? I know alzheimers is a disease that usually Young People Don't Get, so what is it that in struggling with every day? The testing for neurotransmitters came out all below the range too lately and the Prof said to me that such a result they see rarely, but couldn't tell me why or what it could be, maybe there's a connection to my demented state?

Are you sure it's not just amnesia? Have any doctors said that it's dementia? Can't they suggest anything?

Do you keep a diary at all? Maybe it would help.

 

[amaru7]

Are you sure it's not just amnesia? Have any doctors said that it's dementia? Can't they suggest anything?

Do you keep a diary at all? Maybe it would help.

Yes, I was just reading about dementia and many of the symptoms I do not have. Amnesia is probably the right word for it, I mixed that up. I think I had this since I was a child. Can't remember 97% of my past, it's actually really severe

I'm too fatigued to keep a diary though I'm struggle to work through my usual paperwork like bills etc

 

[SOC]

@amaru7
The best way to find out what type of dementia you have is to get a neuropsych evalution. Your GP should be able to refer you to the appropriate specialist for that.

 

[alex3619]

I just had this discussion on another thread. While early onset dementia is known, if the problem is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, or something similar, then its probably not dementia. Indeed I suspect testing will show that. That does not mean that we don't have memory problems. I have called our issues partial progressive episodic amnesia. Episodic memory is damaged, but semantic memory still works though perhaps not as well as before.

We have problems attending to events well enough to form proper memories. We have problems retaining memory in short term memory, which creates issues with long term memory transition. We forget our episodic memories, that is specific events including times, locations, images. We do remember facts, but not all facts ... we are not savants. Many of us develop strategies to enhance our retention of the facts, and these serve the function of what other people call memory.

Please do not regard the above as a scientifically proven argument. Its my observation and interpretation of what I have seen.

 

[SDSue]

I just had this discussion on another thread.

Can you please point us to that thread? Thanks.
I think you're right, Alex, in that we aren't laying down new memories while sick. I can live with that (as if I have a choice lol). But I'd sure like to believe that, upon improvement in our conditions, our long term memories will again be accessible.

 

[alex3619]

Can you please point us to that thread? Thanks.
I think you're right, Alex, in that we aren't laying down new memories while sick. I can live with that (as if I have a choice lol). But I'd sure like to believe that, upon improvement in our conditions, our long term memories will again be accessible.

That might be difficult. I can try. My browser is crashing several times an hour, and takes quarter of an hour to reload. I also do not recall what thread it was. I think my graphics card is failing, and my browser is trying to process images through it.

PS Found it: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...ing-the-sequence-of-events.30150/#post-461072

You have already posted there.

Putting knowledge in a time-frame is an episodic memory issue, and the kind of thing we forget. I can reason as to when things were, I often don't remember them.

 

[SDSue]

You have already posted there.

Now THAT's funny in a thread about memory issues. Thanks!

About your graphics card - is it exhausted? headachy? fluish? having memory issues? Perhaps by resting it properly you can squeeze a few more good uses out of it before it goes completely belly up!

Seriously tho, I wish you the best with the computer issues. It's such a lifeline.

 

[alex3619]

Well, my graphics card is whining a lot. If I am right, this is what is called coil whine. The card has one or more defective components, which can include memory, and is releasing bursts of radio frequency interference, plus there is a degradation of graphics processing. I am considering getting a new card.

Nearly all long term ME patients have major memory issues. I forget my own posts! When I reread part but don't notice who sent it, its like, hey, this is a good post! Then I see I wrote it. Talk about agreeing with myself!