Cognitive tests - any experience with these?

[lillypaddle]

I have requested that my PCP schedule me for a cognitive test (is this what they are called?), preferably at my upcoming appt on July 17th. Haven't heard back yet.

I have been experiencing a big loss of items; Kindle, box cutter, headlamp, 2 bags of hard candy, and more. I have kiddingly told my kids I have a poltergeist. My DIL and I have looked EVERYWHERE. Long story short, I woke up this morning with a BIG lamp that lives on my nightstand, laying on the floor beside my bed. Nothing broken, shade not dented. A glass of water and a glass of orange juice were still standing undisturbed.

Folks, I was a director for an assisted living residence in Atlanta for a little over a year. I am familiar with dementia and how it can affect individuals. I think I might be the poltergeist. If I'm being honest, what else could it be? Well, I'm not looking for that answer from you, but I am hoping some of you have some insight and/or experience regarding these "cognitive tests."

Look forward to the DU wisdom.

Jackie

[Turbineguy]

1. Pretty straightforward

In my test they tell you a name and address to remember.

Then you get a series of questions, what day it is, the month, the year, a few other things.

Then they ask for the name and address if you remember it.

[lillypaddle]

4. Sounds like it is all memory related

uh oh. I'm in trouble.

[Turbineguy]

5. You could just have a lot of stuff on your mind that is distracting you.

Given what's going on in the world, it would be expected.

[slightlv]

9. Sounds like what I do in the middle of the night.

I think I barely wake up and "kill" whatever is disturbing my sleep. I've thrown the alarm clock, the radio, and the phone across the room at times. My bed covers look like I've gone 10 rounds with a fighter.

I also wake from night terrors that are only getting worse. And the night terrors feature donald trump front and center... by face, by name, by voice. Is it any wonder I come up out of bed ready to hit whoever is close to me? For the record, I've scared my daughter half to death with some of these.

Stress, worry, care, empathy, friends, my religious belief, my desire to help people and animals... everything that makes me "me" is involved in a war that I never came close to asking for. My rebellious nature (which has been there since I was a kid) has never dissipated, and actually, only grows in this time of life when my "memory," life, and actions are "forgiven" by all those younger than me than just being a symptom of "old." I'll go down fighting, with my mouth yelling at anyone within earshot the reason why. But it does make for uncomfortable nights... no poltergeist needed.

[lillypaddle]

10. Sounds terrifying

Have you told your doc about the trouble you're having sleeping? Regardless, thanks for sharing. Hope you get a good rest soon.

[slightlv]

12. I don't think there's anything more terrifying

that "seeing" trump's face 6 inches from yours in a dream! (lol) And yes, doc and I have discussed sleep issues. I'm on a 4-hour sleeping pill that actually wakes me up in about 4 hours. I've had less of the night terrors since starting it, but I wonder what it does to my REM sleep. My biggest problem is just never feeling rested when I wake.

[dweller]

2. Have you tested yourself with any sort of tests lately ?

Something simple like crossword puzzles , wordle , online tests ?
I’m sure there are some online such as word recognition , vocab tests ?

You sound like you are losing stuff , items etc that you may just are being inattentive to placing it .
Do you have many others coming around that may be taking things assuming you won’t miss them. ? I know it sounds nefarious but
You could test that theory easy enough .

No real answers here, maybe your dr will have more ideas


Good luck


✌🏻

[lillypaddle]

3. Thanks for the suggestions

I play online games a lot. I am pretty isolated, but my kids (son, DIL and grand) llive only a mile or so away. I rent from my DIL's mom, so she is close also. But no, there is no one who comes over to my house who would take anything, nor would there be a opportunity.

Anyway, we'll see what happens.

[JT45242]

6. I just had a full battery of cognitive tests to check on long term effects of concussion

Did the Montreal test that TFG is always going on about acing. Which is really immediate stroke test.

Then verbal reasoning, spatial reasoning, mathematical reasoning, and fine motore control tasks. Some memory tasks interspersed as well.

I bombed the fine motor control and that led them to finding the shear damage in right frontal lobe.
Took about 90 minutes total.


Good thing. My work involves reading, thinking., math, and writing so if I had to have problems, fine motor control is the best problem. Can still play tennis and basketball, which are gross motor control.

[Historic NY]

7. Went through a lots of various ones for brain injury post cardiac arrest in March

not much different than Trumps . Drawing a square. etc. I had a lot of harder ones when I got to level 6 the therapist said she never made it that far. They involved a sentence and placement of items in a order. Just did the medicare one....

[Lulu KC]

8. I've had some and so has my husband

The ones they give at most doctor's offices (including first visit to neurologist) are very simple but statistics show they are really effective. Nothing to do to prep but show up. IF they detect anything peculiar in those, they will do a number of other things and it may lead to a neuropsych eval. Those are lengthy but really show what, if any, particular areas/functions are having a hard time. I had one several years ago when I really felt like I was going off the deep end and was delighted with the results. I'm also happy I have that baseline for the future.

BUT when I asked two different doctors, years apart, in different states, about memory/confusion, both requested a B12 test. The first time it came back normal, and it turned out I was suffering from side effects of a harmless-seeming medication. The second time--this year--my B12 was low. I felt better and thought better within about three weeks of starting on the dosage recommended by the doctor. Just passing that on because of course we think we're losing our minds, right? Sometimes it's a simple thing. (The low B12 could be traced back to excessive Advil use, which lowers absorption of many nutrients but especially goes after the B12.)

Best wishes to you. It's scary and so many of us are going through this.

[lillypaddle]

11. Thanks for sharing

absolutely scary.