Heather,
:) I smile because you are not alone in this. I use to be an EXCELENT multitasker and had a great memory. I use to not only remember a Laundary list of thing I needed to do but what my mom needed to do. This year has gotten especially bad. I can only focus on one thing at a time and needed my mom to remind me of things (even simple things). I would say the opposite of what I meant to say, or I would say something that contradicted itself (all without knowing it!). I not only have IH, but Arnold Chiari Malformation- which has caused my memory to be especially bad. When I was in a lot of pain and was going to see my NS, I would have my mom speak for me because I was in to much pain to talk or wouldn't get what my NS was saying. It was like i heard it clearly, but it went in one ear and out the other. I would have him repeat his questions to me because I didn't understand them the first time. I also brought my mom with me because I often didn't remember what all was said during my appointments.
This memory issue is quite plaguing isn't it?! :)
Mallory

I also would say the wrong word, it would sound the same but it would be the wrong one. I would say it rig in my head, but then my mom would say " didn't you mean this word"...:(

I have a lot of memory loss since starting the diamox. IDK if it's from the diamox or it just got worse. I can never remember the day, my brother makes fun of me bcz I ask him what day it is all day long. I forget phone numbers, account numbers, what I'm saying in the middle of talking, conversations I've had, things I need to do... The list goes on and on.

Oh and I can't take the heat either! Thank goodness it's almost fall and I live in NY.

Some days I wonder if I've forgotten more of my life than I remember of it. I used to have an excellent memory. While part of my memory loss can be attributed to Topamax, I know that most of it is due solely to IH. I had severe memory problems before I was on meds and during the year that I wasn't on anything due to insurance issues.
My neuro believes that sleep issues are part of the reason for my memory loss. Sort term memory converts to long term during sleep I guess. Waking up every half hour or so when I do sleep is really bad for this process.
I used to be the human dictionary, remembered everyone's birthday's, never had to write down any appointments, or phone numbers. Now I'm lucky if I can remember where I put my calendar that has all the appointments and birthdays written in it. The calculator on my phone has also seen it's fair share of usage for simple addition and subtraction since I can't seem to do that very well anymore either.
It's become a running joke with my friends and I that if I really need to remember something, I should write it on my hand with a Sharpie or get a stamp for my forehead so others can remind me. I also have notes to myself everywhere! drives my roommate crazy. lol
I hope you feel better knowing you aren't alone is this either. It drives the rest of us batty too.
Brandee

Oh Heather, I have Terrible short term memory! I do think there are many symptoms that are similar to dementia, like that story I wrote from the Greys Anatomy episode. My grandmother had dementia, and also loss of balance, etc. if you have ever researched Normal pressure hydrocephalus, researchers believe this causes dementia. The pressure increases over time, the brain is squeezed, you lose those outer layers of brain being squashed. It makes since the IIH would have the same symptoms.
I have to write e Rey sort of appointment down, and set an alarm reminder or I simply will forget about it. I am not on Diamox or Topomax and I still have problems remembering the word I'm looking for, finishing a though before forgetting what I was talking about, not being able to get the word out even when I do remember. Like loss of coordination between my brain and mouth. I think this is one aspect that our doctors are not that familiar with. More of us should speak put about it when talking to the doctor. It's hard to remember (ha ha) when you are there and discussing the pain, tests and such. I told my doctor I was getting dumber by the day!

I'm sorry the heat made you ill today. I hope tomorrow is better.
Amy

I am not on any drugs and I have memory loss!!!!

I am not either, on those drugs anymore. My personal opinion is that it is going to take time for the brain to rebound and rebuild those connections.
Hugs cowgirl!

I think brain excersizes may help. That is what they do with other brain injury patients. I dont see how this is any different. Personally I'm addicted to words with friends :) but there are other brain games and not just Apps, although that would probably be easier for me.

I have some days where my memory is shot, I also lose words, slur, and can't form a coherent sentance.
As for the heat, I can not tolerate the heat anymore. I never liked it, but now I get major a headache and quite nauseated.

So no, you are definitely not alone. :)

After the thunderclap headaches that heralded the coming of my IH, the FIRST symptom I became aware of was memory loss. In less than a year, I'd completely lost my computer programming languages. I would look at code I'd written myself just a few months prior, and I couldn't tell what the code was supposed to do.

I became extremely disorganized and scatter-brained. I wasn't aware of it right away, but I gradually came to realize I was spending entire days just looking my computer and making busywork that accomplished nothing. Eventually, I was forgetting everyday words for things I use all the time. All of this was before diagnosis, so it was long before Diamox.

I still have the sever nausea every day as well. Still not sure why, but it is especially bad in the afternoons. I am very sensitive to light and heat, so it may be that the Texas summer is kicking my butt, but I don't remember the nausea getting any better last winter.

Typical for me, I forgot one of the main things I'd wanted to say. I keep forgetting it and have to try to dredge it back up even as I am writing this. Wait! Here it is...

When all this first started, before I had a diagnosis or even a suspicion of what was wrong with me, I had only the symptoms I was aware of to suggest what might be wrong. We went through a period of thinking it was hypothyroid, all along my doc kept thinking it was depression or stress, and at one point, I thought the thunderclap headaches had given me brain damage... like a non-trauma head injury.

I was very aware of my loss of executive function and memory, but all signs pointed to something only a neuropsychological workup could pinpoint and name. I really thought it was brain damage.

You are not alone! I use to have the memory of an elephant and now I'm pretty sure my husband's 98 yr old grandmother with dementia could remember more than me. And the heat!!! I live (not by choice) in Louisiana and the heat is killing me after 20 mins in temps above 90 I feel like I'm going to pass out even after coming into the c I can feel my temp continue to rise, it usually takes a good hour before it goes away. Both my doctors tell me that heat intolerance is not related to PTC but between this site and another I'm part of I'm gonna have to disagree. My doctors just say I must be getting dehydrated because I'm on the diamox but if I get dehydrated drinking 4 liters of water/day and only staying outside for 20 mins I have more serious issues!!
I hope you get some answers!!! Sorry you are stuck with this awful disease!
Danielle

So Up
You said what I was trying to express. Brain damage. I was sure I was getting brain damage by the squeezing in my head and the headaches. Not only was I having problems with simple words, sometimes just walking away mid sentence, It was taking me a very long time to comprehend what someone had just said to me. There also times that I thought I was exhibiting symptoms of dementia, same as my grandma who passed 10 years or so ago. I wondered how long it had been going on for her. She died young, 70. There were also times when I was in really. Ad condition, and bad doctor, that I thought I wasnt going to wake up some time when my husband would wake me to see how I was or tell me where they were going. I could feel myself slipping away. It was terrifying.
Well I switched docs
Now I am here in pre-op for my shunt revision. I am hopeful the congnative problems will continue to improve with the release of the pressure.
Amy

I've noticed that my short term memory is shot. Sometimes I worry about getting Alzheimers because older memories are still vivid, but new stuff just doesn't stick. I wonder if it is because of Diamox, dehydration or just IH. I too have always had a fantastic memory, with the exception for a year or two after my brain surgery (aneursym..no long term problems). I could recite verbatim whole conversations, phone numbers, never needed a list for anything. Now I am constantly forgetting things.

Heather....Absolutely YES! I have had memory issues for years!....I've been diagnosed with ADHD but since my dx of PTC a couple months ago it's made me wonder if that's really what I have now.....My husband has no sympothy for me AT ALL! I struggle daily with forgetfulness, fog, remember apts....I mean the list goes on! I tell him I can't help it but he's never really been "emotionally supportive" even when I went thru cancer 7 years ago. I have a one track mind and I can only handle one task at a time or forget it!...I'm useless! I am a mom to 3 daughters, I work, etc....So every day I have alot on my plate and something always goes haywire or gets missed.....It makes me feel guilty and as hard as I try to multi-task...I just can't. It's a daily struggle to keep up.....I know it's easy to say don't be so hard on yourself but only ppl in this group can understand what I'm going thru....So that's why we need to lean on each other for that support because unless you have lived a day in our shoes....some friends and even family can't comprehend what it's like!.....Hang in there....Your not alone here :)

Heather,
I agree with everything Mallory said and I can relate. I used to work in an office and was the asst to 4 owners and had to balance all their things and I did it without a problem. THen after my IH and the increased pressures started it just got worse and worse to the point I get lost in the small town I live in because I can't remember where simple things are like the grocery store so I have spacial problems for sure. Cognitively I do not go anywhere without a list of what I need in a store etc or I walk in and forget what I need in the first place. This has been incredibly frustrating for me and I don't feel like I remember what goes on day to day at all. I hate it but I am trying to cope with it the best I can by taking it day by day and not doing more than one task at a time or I get overwhelmed and forget what I was doing.
I used to think it was the Topamax so I finally stopped it because I couldn't take it anymore but I"m not on it now so its obviously not the issue.
:) Mandy