Steroid fog!

Eileen,

How do you put the Emoji's onto your replies?    love them.

I can only use my Emoji's attached to my emails.

Track

Just above the box to write your post in, to the right, you will see 4 boxes: B, i, :0 and what I suppose is a sun over a mountain. In order they are to use bold type, italic type, insert emojis and insert images. Click on the emoji one and it offers you a choice...

Nah - that's be silly! 

Though I must say I do like the smell of the lens cleaner. Do you remember Calotherm cloths???????

Calotherm cloths?   No, much too young!!!!! [wink]

Seriously though, no I don't remember them, probably because I never wore specs until recent years, but I think I know what you mean....just didn't know what they were called.

I hope not Alzheimers as my Mother suffered from it for 5 years before her death. 

After reading a lot of thread's on this Forum, there are lots of us with the same problem, I blame the Prednisone which I have been on for 13 months now, and prior to taking the Predn. my mind was quite okay. Could be the disease as well.  I know I have had pains in my R ear and  hearing loss in it for awhile, but it always comes back, also I was suffering from very bad headaches for about 4 months last year, which have settled down now, so maybe this PMR is the culprit.

I believe there is a blood test (at least in Australia) which can give you an indication if  you are heading down the path of Alzeimers, not sure if they have it in the U.K.  I am not in right frame of mind as yet, to be game to have it, just in case I take after Mum.

take care,  

 

Jon, have you had tests for Early Onset Alzheimer's or is this just your doctor's opinion?

Pred is known for causing what we call steroid fog and will hopefully disappear if we manage to come off the steroids at some point in the future.

Yes! Most autoimmune disorders tend to be accompanied by poor memory and "fogginess", PMR has an underlying autoimmune cause. Pred also induces a similar "brain fog".

Statins are also well known for doing something similar  - and most PMR patients are in an age group where they are used a lot. 

Susanne, No, I didn't know there was a definitive test for Alzheimers. My Father died from it in his early 80s. My PCP commented that I had 'early onset Alzheimers' but no follow up was done. That was about 1 year ago. The DR retired shortly afterword and I do not have aPCP at this time. I am in the US so I will need to check to sewhat tests are available. The only DR I see now is the Rheumy so prescribes the Prednisone. My memory is awful....forgetting where I put things I just had one moment agom, names, places, recall.....maybe it is brain fog.

There are genetic tests for Early Onset Alzheimers  - but that is for really early onset which is defined as before 65. If your father didn't develop it until his 80s then that isn't what he had.  If your PCP suspected it then he should have been referring you - the sooner management is started the better and the longer you have to work out a coping strategy.

The Mayo Clinic article is very good ("Early-onset Alzheimer's: When symptoms begin before age 65 Mayo Clinic" should find it). 

But the basic questions are: Did you already have the PMR and/or were you already on pred when he saw you? And were you OK up until the development of the PMR?

But you will have seen from this thread - there must be a lot of us!!!!

So, you started pred in 2013 and a year ago your doctor told you that you have Early Onset Alzheimer's.

No tests done! May I ask how old you are, Jon?

I think you need to look into this.

That's an awful worry to carry around.

Absolutely - that's the sort of arithmetic I did. I think it is as well he's retired...

I am a white male, age 63. I believe my Father was diagnosed in his mid 70s. Yes, I was DXd with PMR  October 2013 and put on Prednisone at that time. I had have other autoimmune diseases (and still do) prior to my diagnosis. I don't 'worry' about it but it does seem to be occurring more than just once in a while. I have to make lists for everything so I don't forget as much. Thanks.

Jon, I'm a list maker too. I always have been, just love ticking them off! :-)

But I now make lists/notes for things I never did before that would have stayed

In my mind. Simple everyday things like "take food out of freezer, set alarm clock for tomorrow" etc.

I also "chant" to myself as I go up and down the stairs "bring down the laundry/get my book" etc.

That forgetfulness is caused by the pred/MTX/GCA.

I led a very busy, multitasking life before GCA struck

18 months or so ago. My brain was sharp and I loved juggling

my busy work and home life. Now I spend a lot of the time on the sofa!

I'm 62, so just behind you!

What I'm saying is - get it checked out. Your rheumy might be able to at least reassure you.

I know you say you're not

worried about it, but why add to your illnesses if you don't have to.