Can you ever get cognitive function back?

[Trace420]

Hey, everyone. I know I haven't been on in forever - sorry if it seems like I bailed, but I kind of felt like I was focusing too much attention on things that couldn't be dealt with at the time, so I stepped back a little.

I have found a good doctor now, one who even said about the neurologist who was so dismissive, "I don't like him! A lot of patients don't like him!" My husband and I had a good laugh at that one.

I'm wondering now if this is MS or Lyme. Of course, it might be neither. I'm still not having any luck with tests that would clench things.

I hear a lot of Lyme patients say that though the road to recovery/remission is hard, it can be navigated with at least some success. Many of them have their brain fog somewhat lifted.

Right now, it's my declining cognitive function that scares me most. When a person with MS is actually able to begin treatment, do symptoms ever subside, or is everything just a matter of staving off getting worse? If I have MS, will I feel/think a little better with medication, or is the level of function I have now as good as it gets?

Thanks for any insight you can give me about this.

[supermum_ms]

I'm a big big believer in brain plasticity, 30 years ago when i first started doing patterning with brain injured children, I saw with my own eyes children who couldn't walk or talk gain those skills. I fondly remember a young boy who was born disabled, very limited language and mobility issues at 13 he stood proudly experiencing his barmitzva (sp?) and reciting heprew, the brain is a wonderous thing even if it is beeing attacked by moths!

When my body stopped functioning and my nouns completely gone, i used what i had learnt working with children to regain those skills i needed, i kept the faith in my brains ability to rewire and didn't give up trying to get back what i needed to feel like i was still me. I still challenge my self, working my brain every day and i'm still not ready to accept that this is as good as its going to get. I can fake it for a little while but i know and those close to me know that this last episode changed the way i function, so theres still work to do.

I dont take anything for granted, very little is automatic, i have to think about things that a 'healthy' person probably never thinks about and i can live with that if i have too. What i couldn't live with was not being able to communicate without nouns, i cant say if my brain rewired because of all the mental and physical exercises i've done or if the neuro pathways were still repairable. Either way i'm not going to leave it up to chance or wait until the next big episode, if a stroke victim can regain skills then I know my peanut of a brain has some wriggle room.

There is so much to learn about brain plasticity, books gallor at the library or even on the internet, trust me when i say there is something to it, seen it, lived it, and there no harm in trying mental exercises with the hope of a better day!

Cheers........JJ

[HVAC]

I heard an MS Specialist speak on this last month. He said the good news is MS Cognitive never gets as bad as Alzhiemers. He said they are finding there is more damage to gray matter of the brain than they realized.

With myself I find if I just think of my circuits as being slower I do not get frustrated and I find I can function. It is when I stress about it, it makes it worse.

There are some brain function games on www.mymsmyway.com I like to play.

Alex

[Trace420]

Thanks!

Quix, that article is great - thanks for pointing me to it. I've heard of the brain's ability to rewire itself, but to have the links (listed in the article) to websites that give you exercises to do this is AWESOME.

[Quixotic1]

The best discussion I have read of this is the Health Page that Sho wrote for us on Neuroplasticity.  This is the ability of the brain to have new areas learn the functions of old damaged areas.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Multiple%20Sclerosis/Neuroplasticity-and-MS/show/424?cid=36

Quix

[Wobbly]

Hi there.. It's a good question and I would like an answer to it too... sorry I can't help.  Maybe more people will jump in to answer it..

take care and hope you find answers soon
wobbly
dx