Aa
neuropsychological exam
Have any of you had a neuropsychological exam? Mine is supposed to be this week sometime and I'm getting nervous about it. It's going to be an all day thing. Is this really something to be nervous about? Thank you:o).
I had my test yesterday. It's a bit like running a marathon for the brain. It was draining and I went to bed early last night. Hubby and I rescheduled a meeting we had planned for last night and I'm so glad that we did.
The neuropsychologist discussed how I did a little bit when we were finished. She said that it'll take two weeks for her to officially tally everything up and I completely understand that. There's a lot involved. We both knew that I didn't do well at all on one of the memory testing sections. It was very obvious. There were a couple of things that I felt I did badly on that she said we'd know after she compiles everything. The range she expected my IQ to fall in is consistent with what we expected from my experiances in school. She'll be comparing how I did on some of the tests to how I did when I was in school and my IQ. That will show if I'm showing deficits now in some areas even though this was my first neuropsychological exam. We talked a great deal about my medical history, symptoms and what exactly my neuro is looking at/for with me. We talked mostly within the context of MS and demylenating (sp?) disorders. She said that my neuro's speciality is MS. She did tell me that there is a possibility with neurological disorders that they may not be able to make a definiative diagnosis until things get even worse.
The neuropsychologist discussed how I did a little bit when we were finished. She said that it'll take two weeks for her to officially tally everything up and I completely understand that. There's a lot involved. We both knew that I didn't do well at all on one of the memory testing sections. It was very obvious. There were a couple of things that I felt I did badly on that she said we'd know after she compiles everything. The range she expected my IQ to fall in is consistent with what we expected from my experiances in school. She'll be comparing how I did on some of the tests to how I did when I was in school and my IQ. That will show if I'm showing deficits now in some areas even though this was my first neuropsychological exam. We talked a great deal about my medical history, symptoms and what exactly my neuro is looking at/for with me. We talked mostly within the context of MS and demylenating (sp?) disorders. She said that my neuro's speciality is MS. She did tell me that there is a possibility with neurological disorders that they may not be able to make a definiative diagnosis until things get even worse.
Aloha Gooddays,
I got a call today from my MS Dr. telling me that I will have to call for my cog test. I too am nervous. Just curious how Dr's blame stress for everything. How can stress make my hands go numb so I can't even wipe, or even have electrical shocks. I am nervous. Its scary how Dr's have the control and the insurance companies do everything to keep from paying. May be generalizing but irritated. Good luck on your test.
MM
I got a call today from my MS Dr. telling me that I will have to call for my cog test. I too am nervous. Just curious how Dr's blame stress for everything. How can stress make my hands go numb so I can't even wipe, or even have electrical shocks. I am nervous. Its scary how Dr's have the control and the insurance companies do everything to keep from paying. May be generalizing but irritated. Good luck on your test.
MM
I understand your being nervous. I am too. I feel like it's kinda wrong to want tests to show problems with my brain, but on the other hand, I know that there is something very wrong with me. I'm more afraid of my latest round of tests coming back normal than I am of getting a diagnosis or MS or whatever. I've got a lot of symptoms that I know are caused by something and them not finding anything and writing me off again is worse than any diagnosis to me. I know that I've been declining over the last 10 years and things are finally starting to become obvious so that doctors can see something. I'm just hoping that the tests will confirm the problems so I can begin getting real help. I have a feeling that I have found the right doctors at the right time and that my journey in limboland is nearing an end.
I guess the reason I'm panicking is because I perceive a problem in my brain... but what if it's not measurable by a test? I know it's there, but I still want clinical evidence of its existence.
But I'll definitely tell everybody how it went, so you guys can have some idea of how it goes.
But I'll definitely tell everybody how it went, so you guys can have some idea of how it goes.
I don't know why you would panic...it's not a driver's test honey...it's just to prove to the powers that guide our lives that we do have a problem in our brain and if the neuropsych proves it they can no longer refute the problems we have been explaining to them for months and months! I wish I could go with you and if I find out that I am having mine prior to your I will be sure to let you know ok? If you have yours before mine though I would appreciate a little insight as to what I can expect. You will be fine and my idea is that the longer it takes the more tired I am going to become and the less I will be able to communicate so maybe they will catch on?? Hope so for your sake and mine honey!
Lots of hugs,
Rena
Lots of hugs,
Rena
My nurse finally called - I'm scheduled for a neuro-psych on the 30th! Of this month! Now the panic sets in... ;-)
Boy! I just read my post. It sounds so smug. I didn't mean say my doctors went on and on about how GREAT I was about giving such a GREAT effort.
What I MEANT was -- It must mean a LOT to them, the effort you give. They won't be fooled if you don't put forth the effort you're capable of. That's all I meant. If you hold back to make it seem like you are in worse shape than you actually are -- they will know. They have checks in the system. (I think I know a few, after reading the report!)
That's all I meant to say. Didn't mean to pat myself on the back till I bruised!
Zilla*
What I MEANT was -- It must mean a LOT to them, the effort you give. They won't be fooled if you don't put forth the effort you're capable of. That's all I meant. If you hold back to make it seem like you are in worse shape than you actually are -- they will know. They have checks in the system. (I think I know a few, after reading the report!)
That's all I meant to say. Didn't mean to pat myself on the back till I bruised!
Zilla*
Hi! Good to see you! Don't be nervous!
I had this testing last summer, and I found it to be interesting. I had been having a very difficult time with cognitive function (which it is used to measure and evaluate), and, unfortunately, by the time I FINALLY was able to schedule it (due to it being a teaching hospital and a new school year), I was really feeling much better. My cog fog was gone, and I was really feeling fine. The neuropsych said it was a good 'baseline' in case I felt poorly again.
Anyway, this testing is really nothing to get stressed about. The short tests are simple, and are just given to show how you're doing. The one thing I want to stress, though, is to answer everything honestly, and to the best of your ability. If you don't, they somehow know. You will then have a reputation of 'holding back,' perhaps to make yourself seem in worse shape than you are. You don't want this.
I received a seven page report of my testing (after having requested it from my neuro), and it said I was pretty healthy, cognitively. It went on and on about me 'giving a good effort' at each stage of the tests, and I really feel I did. I set out to, I know. Mostly because I always want to be honest with myself about how I REALLY am. And I think they MUST have ways of checking this, don't you think? I mean, they ARE neuropsychs, for heaven's sake!
My testing was over by 1:00 in the afternoon. I skipped lunch, because the test was nearly over, and it was my son's birthday. I think, though, if I had taken it when I was feeling cognitively 'foggy' like I was months before, it would have taken all day...and maybe into the night! You may ask at any time for a break. Bring some good protein snacks, and something to drink, like water. And if you need a break -- take it.
When I got the results finally, I was surprised at how well I had done. I felt rather stupid when I took it, but my scores were fine. My IQ was 20 points lower than what I've gotten before, but I'll take it. I think it's within the error margin for IQ tests, anyway. Not so bad. About the same as my hubby's. ; )
If you have any more q's feel free to ask....
Feel well,
Zilla*
I had this testing last summer, and I found it to be interesting. I had been having a very difficult time with cognitive function (which it is used to measure and evaluate), and, unfortunately, by the time I FINALLY was able to schedule it (due to it being a teaching hospital and a new school year), I was really feeling much better. My cog fog was gone, and I was really feeling fine. The neuropsych said it was a good 'baseline' in case I felt poorly again.
Anyway, this testing is really nothing to get stressed about. The short tests are simple, and are just given to show how you're doing. The one thing I want to stress, though, is to answer everything honestly, and to the best of your ability. If you don't, they somehow know. You will then have a reputation of 'holding back,' perhaps to make yourself seem in worse shape than you are. You don't want this.
I received a seven page report of my testing (after having requested it from my neuro), and it said I was pretty healthy, cognitively. It went on and on about me 'giving a good effort' at each stage of the tests, and I really feel I did. I set out to, I know. Mostly because I always want to be honest with myself about how I REALLY am. And I think they MUST have ways of checking this, don't you think? I mean, they ARE neuropsychs, for heaven's sake!
My testing was over by 1:00 in the afternoon. I skipped lunch, because the test was nearly over, and it was my son's birthday. I think, though, if I had taken it when I was feeling cognitively 'foggy' like I was months before, it would have taken all day...and maybe into the night! You may ask at any time for a break. Bring some good protein snacks, and something to drink, like water. And if you need a break -- take it.
When I got the results finally, I was surprised at how well I had done. I felt rather stupid when I took it, but my scores were fine. My IQ was 20 points lower than what I've gotten before, but I'll take it. I think it's within the error margin for IQ tests, anyway. Not so bad. About the same as my hubby's. ; )
If you have any more q's feel free to ask....
Feel well,
Zilla*
I think a neuropsych exam is an excellent idea. It does two things - gives you an idea of where you are right now, cognitively. It also gives you a baseline for measuring future impairment.
I've asked for an exam from my neurologist, and he said he would schedule me for one, even though he hadn't noticed any obvious cognitive impairment. However, it's been a month and a half, and I haven't heard anything yet. I'm a little concerned - is he blowing me off because he thinks I don't need one? Or is the office just inefficient, and keeps losing my phone messages?
What I'm worried about is that I know I have a little impairment - sometimes it's problem-solving, sometimes it's comprehension, sometimes it's a problem with vocabulary. However, what if it doesn't show up on an exam? I'm concerned that the problems I perceive are just normal brain farts, and the doctor will tell me there's nothing wrong!
If there isn't a test already, there should be a test developed to measure cognitive impairment found in MS. The problems measured are more subtle than those of an Alzheimer's patient, but they're there.
I've asked for an exam from my neurologist, and he said he would schedule me for one, even though he hadn't noticed any obvious cognitive impairment. However, it's been a month and a half, and I haven't heard anything yet. I'm a little concerned - is he blowing me off because he thinks I don't need one? Or is the office just inefficient, and keeps losing my phone messages?
What I'm worried about is that I know I have a little impairment - sometimes it's problem-solving, sometimes it's comprehension, sometimes it's a problem with vocabulary. However, what if it doesn't show up on an exam? I'm concerned that the problems I perceive are just normal brain farts, and the doctor will tell me there's nothing wrong!
If there isn't a test already, there should be a test developed to measure cognitive impairment found in MS. The problems measured are more subtle than those of an Alzheimer's patient, but they're there.
I am being referred to have a neuropsych consult in the (hopefully) near future. Apparently it will be done by a Neuropsychologist at a local well known rehab hospital.
I have a cousin that had extensive brain damage from a motorcycle accident (he fought the law and the law won) and he has had several of these consults as he has recovered and it really gave us an idea as to what he was really capable of and if he could qualify for disability insurance permanently.
This is one of the main reasons I want to have it done..to prove that this isn't all in my head and that I am having cognitive difficulties especially with my speech. Although my neuro has deemed my MS disease as inactive, my gp feels that there could be brain damage from a previous CIS which I think is highly unlikely since I didn't have problem with this until after the relapse I feel I had last July. I feel that my MS is not inactive and that it is causing the symptoms I am having and I want to prove it and I feel that a Neuropsychologist is someone that can refute the neurologists opinion so that I can get on the disease modifying drugs and slow down the progression of all of these MS symptoms!
I have been told that this consultation takes a full day and if I can make it through the first hour and still be able to speak it will be a good indication as to what I am up against and a doctor will finally see it for himself.
I would be very interested in hearing how your consultation goes luverofrogs...I don't know when mine will be but I will post here the results of mine whenever it happens.
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
I have a cousin that had extensive brain damage from a motorcycle accident (he fought the law and the law won) and he has had several of these consults as he has recovered and it really gave us an idea as to what he was really capable of and if he could qualify for disability insurance permanently.
This is one of the main reasons I want to have it done..to prove that this isn't all in my head and that I am having cognitive difficulties especially with my speech. Although my neuro has deemed my MS disease as inactive, my gp feels that there could be brain damage from a previous CIS which I think is highly unlikely since I didn't have problem with this until after the relapse I feel I had last July. I feel that my MS is not inactive and that it is causing the symptoms I am having and I want to prove it and I feel that a Neuropsychologist is someone that can refute the neurologists opinion so that I can get on the disease modifying drugs and slow down the progression of all of these MS symptoms!
I have been told that this consultation takes a full day and if I can make it through the first hour and still be able to speak it will be a good indication as to what I am up against and a doctor will finally see it for himself.
I would be very interested in hearing how your consultation goes luverofrogs...I don't know when mine will be but I will post here the results of mine whenever it happens.
Lots of Hugs,
Rena
No, the psycological exam is to figure out a way of not billing your insurance for disease maintenace drugs.
I thought this test was suposed to test for cognitive damage! Is that another test? I haven't had it, but maybe that is because I already go to a private phsyciatrist for my anxiety and panic disorder that I had 15 years before the brain lesions developed. Take it from someone who has anxiety problems, there is no comparision to anxiety and stress and neurological damage. The difference is obvious, and I have both.
It really makes me angry when doctors try to make neurological damage into a phycological problem. This happened to me at the onset of my vision loss. I was not believed, I am sure because of my history of panic disorder, and it cost me eight months of delays in treatment because that is how long it took them to do the visual field test that found the visual field defect and the MRI that showed the 10 white
matter lesions.
Any idiot would know that phsyciatric disorders do not cause vision loss and lesions on the brain and that these are deffinately neurological problems! No wonder we have such a hard time trusting these doctors!
~Santana~
It really makes me angry when doctors try to make neurological damage into a phycological problem. This happened to me at the onset of my vision loss. I was not believed, I am sure because of my history of panic disorder, and it cost me eight months of delays in treatment because that is how long it took them to do the visual field test that found the visual field defect and the MRI that showed the 10 white
matter lesions.
Any idiot would know that phsyciatric disorders do not cause vision loss and lesions on the brain and that these are deffinately neurological problems! No wonder we have such a hard time trusting these doctors!
~Santana~
Hi,
I have not posted for a while, but read the posts every day. Back in 2003 my then neuro, recommended to a have a neuropsychological exam to make sure that I was not making up my symptons.
I followed his advice and went to do it. It costs $350.00 and she also billed my medical insurance.
It is a whole lot of small tests, which include your cognitive thinking, your strength in both hands, your vocabulary to indicate whether it is up to your age, drawings for you to do; your IQ score and every test she could think off.
And yes, it takes a long time, ending up with the report, which in case took three weeks to get. To make a long story short, according the neuropsychologist, I was just depressed and depresion was causing my symptoms. She also indicated that I had great brain damage, but she was sure what it meant. Needless to say my neuro sent me to the psychiatrist, which I never went, because I knew that I was not making anything up.
If you can afford and feel up to doing it, go ahead, but be careful and I hope that your test do not have the same results as mine did.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gooddays (Zulma)
I have not posted for a while, but read the posts every day. Back in 2003 my then neuro, recommended to a have a neuropsychological exam to make sure that I was not making up my symptons.
I followed his advice and went to do it. It costs $350.00 and she also billed my medical insurance.
It is a whole lot of small tests, which include your cognitive thinking, your strength in both hands, your vocabulary to indicate whether it is up to your age, drawings for you to do; your IQ score and every test she could think off.
And yes, it takes a long time, ending up with the report, which in case took three weeks to get. To make a long story short, according the neuropsychologist, I was just depressed and depresion was causing my symptoms. She also indicated that I had great brain damage, but she was sure what it meant. Needless to say my neuro sent me to the psychiatrist, which I never went, because I knew that I was not making anything up.
If you can afford and feel up to doing it, go ahead, but be careful and I hope that your test do not have the same results as mine did.
Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gooddays (Zulma)
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