Memory Problems

[hhardt]

I have memory problems that I can't decide is age or the below.
Found the following information:
"Researchers from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland told an international conference that patients with high blood pressure, diabetes or who have had a previous stroke may be more likely to experience the ill effects of the surgery.

"There appears to be a sub- population of patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery, with risk factors for stroke, cognitive decline and long- term cognitive changes," Dr. Guy McKhann told attendees of a meeting on Alzheimer's disease.

McKhann and his team studied the medical histories of 3,300 patients who had coronary bypass surgery between 1997 and 2001. Nearly 3% of the patients suffered a stroke and 6.8% were confused or had short-term memory problems after the surgery.

For each hour that a patient was on a bypass pump--the heart- lung machine that keeps the blood and oxygen flowing through the body during the operation while the heart and lungs are stopped--there was a 50% increased risk of acute confusion, the doctors said.

Most of the memory and attention problems the patients experienced improved within a year after the surgery. But patients with the most severe heart and circulatory problems before the surgery suffered long-term mental problems."

 

[hensylee]

Doctors fondly refer to us as "pumpheads" (heart/lung pump) and yes, some of us have short term memory problems. We have discussed this at length here. There seems to be a legitimate opinion by cardiologists that time on the pump might leave us with memory problems but usually not much to be concerned about. And many of us return to normal eventually. Am sure you will get much discussion of this subject, so keep checking back in. God bless

 

[Bill Hall]

hhardt - The statistics you quoted might be true, but I feel like just about the same as before surgery. It seems to affect some, but not others. I was on that heart/lung machine for 4+ hours. My chess rating went down during my first year after surgery, but has recovered this year(consistent with the one year statement you made), making up more than those losses this year. I will play in a tournament in August in Wash DC to get more data. I would guess that age and physical condition are both factors as you go through the surgery.

 

[JenniferO]

I find my short-term memory is definitely affected since heart surgery. I had not had a heart attack but was on blood pressure medication before surgery to reduce the stress on my heart.

Since surgery, I sometimes can't remember what I did five minutes before and have to work hard to mentally retrace my steps. I keep asking myself "now, did I do that or didn't I"? I work as a paralegal and before surgery had excellent memory. The attorney I work for used me as his memory. Now, I can't remember what I did on a file a few days ago; before surgery I could remember months ago. The attorney's secretary has to be "memory" for both of us.

Today I came home for lunch and was driving back to work when I realized I'd left my purse at home and had to go back and get it. My purse is like part of my body; I never go anywhere without it.

My husband came home from work this evening and asked me if I had turned off the water in the garden. I had to think hard to remember and ultimately had to go out to check the faucet to be sure.

I definitely notice a change in my memory since surgery.

 

[joy]

Hi Hhardt, I have found that I lose things easily, forget days, double scheduled, I forget where I am going when I am halfway there, etc...It's rediculous. I just learned to live with it, and laugh at myself. I know some people get annoyed at me, but I'm sure if they knew why it happened, they'd just laugh at me anyways. I am pretty sure you will get a HUGE response to this thread! Good luck!

 

[John Cochran]

I suspect I hold the "record" here for time on a heart-lung machine: 10 hours during a 14 hour surgery.

I am disinclined to believe that time on bypass alone is a causative agent in memory problems, and if there is a relationship, it is certainly a non-linear one.

Because I had no other medical problems, and was otherwise in excellent physical condition, my guess is that memory problems are related far more to issues of anesthesia, medical history and general cardiovascular fitness at time of surgery.

I had one more very salient point to make, but I can't remember it now

--John

 

[Granbonny]

Lost glasses

Lost glasses

I just had an eye exam a month ago. I spent $250.00 for new feather weight lens, frames, ect. Now you people that wear glasses know, we only take them off for bedtime...always lay them on my bedside table. GONE....Have turned the house upside down..Of course, looked all in bathrooms, ect...Where do you think I could have put them Good thing I have old ones handy...plus cheap reading glasses from Drugstore for computer..Very Strange indeed Bonnie

 

[ALCapshaw]

When I asked my surgeon about memory loss, he replied that the quality of the filters on the heart-lung machine is also a factor.

'AL'

 

[hensylee]

The medical thoughts behind the memory/pumphead thing:

Seems while we are on the heart/lung machine, wee blood clots are slammed into the brain, causing mini strokes. That was the explanation to me, in a nutshell - so sounds like the filters could be improved, doesn't it?

 

[hensylee]

Hey Bonnie - I once lost my glasses, too - well, I looked and looked and couldn't find them for weeks and weeks. I would tell you some obvious places to look, but I can't remember where I finally found them!! LOL

 

[John Cochran]

It occurs to me that even though I was on bypass for 10 hours, virtually all my blood was also replaced, so it would be hard to judge what prevented me from having memory problims, er pobrlems, ah problemos...how do you spell that again?

 

[John & Joann]

In Ohio, we call the disease "sometimers".

Clicking away. (6 hrs. on the pump and 12 hour surgery)

Just as soon forget some of the memories! Easier that way.

 

[Dave M]

I was on the "pump" about 7 hours and had extensive repair work performed on my aorta which adds to the risk of memory impairment. About 2 months after surgery I had my first episode with memory lapse. I am a pastor, and on this particular Sunday I could not remember what my sermon was about, even though I had my notes right in front of me! This lasted a couple of minutes. I'm still not sure what I said during that time, but evidently it made some sort of sense. Anyway, this sort of thing happened 5 times or less over the next two or three months. Gradually, these episodes have subsided and my memory seems to be back to normal.

 

[hhardt]

Memories

Memories

That's OK, I forgot the question.

But, I have also heard that for some people, the memory deteriorates even more from year 2-5. This was from relatives of AVR types that are greater than 65. Anyone know of similar cases?
The problem with the medical profession is because of legal implications thay are reluctant to say things that are not backed up by loads of data. I'm hoping we can survey without that fear.
Hugo