A few questions....

[Liz Lemon]

Ok first off I am 25 and have had Crohns since 2006. Before all this I had a great memory. Now I forget everything and it takes a lot of effort to focus. If someone is explaining something to me they have to explain it again usually. It is VERY frustrating. Could this be from meds? I brought it up with my doctor but they seemed to ignore me about this.

Also, does anyone get tingly fingertips. Every so often from the top knuckle up my fingers will feel like they were asleep but they weren't/aren't. It makes me nervous.

I hate this. If anything weird happens to me I have no idea if it is normal or Crohn's/meds related......

Thanks

 

[muppet]

I have very similar memory and concentration issues but I couldn't tell you if they're Crohn's related or medication related or neither. I sort of suspect Prednisone, but I also had a lot of bad seizures as a kid from Theophyllin (for asthma). My GI has a 'catch-all' form he always gives me every visit to note symptoms with checkmarks and "Memory loss" is on there (but so are a lot of other things you'd never guess could be Crohn's related and probably aren't) and even though I've checked it once or twice he's never discussed it with me, and I've been embarrassed to mention it for fear it's nothing to do with his specialty.

Wow, bit of a run-on, there...

 

[muppet]

My 13 year old, who also has Crohn's, seems to have similar memory issues but in her case I think it might be selective.

 

[effdee]

I noticed focus/memory problems when I was anemic/close to anemic. Not sure if I would say specific medications impacted it as much.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Yes, and yes! My memory is garbage now and it used to be so sharp. I always used to tease my husband because I'd tell him something, and he'd forget it by the next day. But now I do the same thing and he teases me for forgetting something he just said! My concentration is worse than it used to be, too. When I'm flaring it's sometimes impossible to concentrate on something if it's too complex. When I flare, I tend to only watch TV shows or movies that I've already seen, so that I don't have to concentrate on figuring out what's going on.

As for tingly fingers, I get that too. I get it when I flare, it seems to be a combination of mild dehydration (I get dehydrated super easily when I am having a lot of diarrhea, and from what I've read it sounds like tingly or twitchy hands, arms, fingers, feet, toes, etc are a symptom of dehydration) and also mild hyperventilation. When I'm in a bad flare and feel like crap, I've noticed that I breathe more heavily and I am sure that I get a little hyperventilated. When I'm flaring and wake up after sleeping, I'm usually not tingly right away, and I think that's because my breathing patterns are much different when I'm asleep and I'm not hyperventilating then.

 

[Astra]

Yes and yes here too!
Today I got a tray out of the cupboard, put the chicken on it ready to cook.
Jessica asked when will dinner be ready? So I checked the chicken, and it wasn't there!
It was back in the cupboard with the tray!
Oh, how we laughed, NOT! I'm a little bit worried now!
Months ago I put my PJ's on the step and the empty milk bottle under my pillow!
I kid you not! I blamed the Pred Head then, lol
So, dunno if it's a Crohnie thang or not!

 

[Liz Lemon]

Wow. I am so glad I am not the only one....
Lol @ the milk jug.

I thought i had problems when I grab a glass to get a drink and set it down then grab another glass and wonder why I have two out. or get my drink set it down and then go sit down and forget my drink (I once did this 4 times in a row with the same drink.. not exhaggerating) doesnt help that i get distracted easily. lol

I have never been on Pred so I am gonna blame it on Crohns like I do everything else lol.

Good to know at the dehydration and tingly fingers I will hopefully remember to look out for that now.

 

[silvermander]

I have to agree with the yes and yes. My concentration has been getting worse and worse. My memory isn't as bad, but I've trained myself to be overly observant with absolutely every thing. Think of the USA Network show 'Psych' I'm not to that point, but pretty close. Works well against doctors, nurses and the kids. I just seem to remember where everything is located, unless someone moves it without me knowing it.

I also have the numb thing going on. I do have some rather serious neurological issues, but much of my finger numbness is due to my blood pressure being extremely low. Like 84/67 with a resting pulse of 120. I've learned to keep a close eye on my BP.

 

[Deleted member 81255]

I get both of these. I attribute the memory loss to the Imuran and the tingly fingers(I also get numbness in my face) to high doses of Prednisone/Entocort for too long....
I anyone else has any answers to these questions I too would enjoy answers....

 

[Artificial]

glad I am not the only one with tingly/numb fingers!

Rachel

 

[macdonald88]

I too am completely useless with my memory now and have to take someone with me to appointments as i cant remember most of it, it's just the little things i do aswell. I also get very tingly rigtht arm and leg and they sometimes feel very numb aswell, i am going to bring that up with my gp next week.

 

[Rebecca85]

I also have tingly fingers (and toes) and have had it constantly since April last year. It's like pins and needles, but all the time. My GP has just realised, that when I mention every time, I actually mean constantly (thank god for the new GP at my surgery, she didn't even realise I had Crohn's so I went through EVERYTHING again and they finally decided to do even more tests). I will let you know if they find anything interesting.