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The longer I have my multiple sclerosis the more things I discover about the disease and myself! I've written articles about the physical side of MS but there's really a mental side to the disease, too! I always thought it was purely physical disease such as my not being able to walk. However, I'm now learning that there are many things that multiple sclerosis can affect in regards to cognitive thinking. It reminds me of the scarecrow in the movie "The Wizard of Oz". In the movie he wanted a brain and there was also the song he sang titled, "If I Only Had a Brain"! At times I feel that way! My cognitive dysfunction seems to be getting worse.
I want to emphasize that I don't write my articles about my MS for sympathy or pity. I find that when I write things down it's cathartic for me. It reminds me that I do have a terrible disease and I shouldn't be so hard on myself about some things that I do and don't do. Thanks for reading!
The range of cognitive dysfunctions which can be associated with multiple sclerosis can include.
- verbal fluency and language skills can be affected
- intellectual reasoning can be affected
- brain fog
- poor problem solving abilities
- information processing can be slowed
- poor concentration
- short
- inability to learn quickly
- poor judgement
It is now known that at least 50% - 60% of people who develop multiple sclerosis will develop some form of cognitive dysfunction as a result. This figure may yet rise as future studies shed more light on the range and extent of cognitive dysfunction associated with multiple sclerosis. In my own case I often refer to myself as a simpleton. I have two college degrees and I've owned a couple of small businesses in the last 20 years. I don't think a simpleton would be able to do that yet I often refer to myself as one. In the 80's I managed health clubs which took more brains than a simpleton would exhibit. In the past year I've also started a new telemarketing business from my apartment. I do telemarketing for three insurance agents, a carpet cleaning company and a handyman business. I get the big picture of what I want to accomplish but sometimes moving from point A to point B is difficult.
However, there are now things that I have trouble doing that once were so easy for me! A couple of examples would be this. I have trouble if someone gives me directions to go somewhere. I don't ask for north, south, east and west anymore but I ask for left, right and straight! I've lived in my little town for 4 years now and I still don't know if I live on the north or south side of the railroad tracks. I can figure it out if someone asks but only because I know Fargo, ND is to the east. I can be sitting with people I know and I'm always screwing up their names. I know their names but when I'm thinking fast sometimes different names come out of my mouth. Some people that know me just laugh at this but I think some people think I'm a doofus because I can't remember their name. I remember the names but what comes out of my mouth isn't always correct. lol
Here's a couple more things that have been happening to me with more frequency than before. When I'm tired or I've been concentrating on work all day sometimes at about 4pm I start slurring my words when I'm talking. This isn't the best thing to happen to a telemarketer! lol I usually call it a day when I start my slurring. I repeat myself an awful lot, too. Part of this is because I have doctor documented short term memory loss from my MS but I repeat some things so I remember to do them. In the last few years I've also started losing track of words, thoughts and complete sentences when I'm talking. Everyone says this is because I'm getting older. That might be partially true but when it happens every three or four sentences I have to believe it's a result of my multiple sclerosis.
This is another example. I have a friend in my little town who has Parkinson's disease. He's had it ten years and now his right side shakes when it's later in the day. However, he stills works fulltime as a truck driver. He has a lively sense of humor which is why we get along. When we're out for a beer and I'm talking he will purposely interrupt me with a single word to throw off my train of thought. I then lose where I was going with my story or comment. My friend does it just to be funny and I don't mind but it does reinforce my thought that I do have some cognitive dysfunction.
When I'm tired at the end of the day or I haven't gotten enough sleep the night before I may have some brain fog. Brain fog simply means the way of processing information becomes interrupted and slowed as a result of cognitive dysfunction caused by multiple sclerosis. It can also be from any of the range of cognitive deficits which can be caused by multiple sclerosis. When I have brain fog my mind just seems cluttered and I have trouble understanding even the simplest of thoughts. Another symptom I have I simply call being "short". My young son can make me short in a hurry. For me short means my attention span or my temper becomes shorter.
I've always prided myself on being level headed and even keeled. Things didn't ruffle me as badly as some other people. However, my "shortness" now makes me yell at my son more than is probably needed for a situation. Sometimes it just faster and easier to yell if he misbehaves. I don't think that is the best thing to do, either. He'll grow up learning to yell when things aren't going correctly and I don't want him to be like that. For me, I think it's simply a result of my current life and what my MS is doing to my head.
Jon Wegner is a 50 year old resident of a small town close to Fargo, ND, USA. He's lived there for four years after being a lifelong Minnesotan. Jon's had multiple sclerosis for over 20 years. In 2007 his MS took the majority of his walking. He now rides his electric scooter 95% of the time to get around and has other MS related problems. Jon's website, e-book, FREE newsletter and articles can be found at www.mymsbookandnewsletter.com Sign up for his FREE newsletter while your there.
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