memory decline and word finding problems
Like many of us on this site, I have been having memory issues and trouble remembering words. I saw a neurologist last week who agrees it is not expected in someone my age (50) and set me up for an MRI last week. Just wondering if anyone else has had tests for this "memory fog" and what was found/done to help it.
Thanks for sharing with us. I hope others here in our community share their personal experiences with you. In addition to speaking with your doctor, this article may be helpful to you: https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/brain-fog-researchers. Wishing you some answers and relief ahead. Best, Kelly, Rheumatoidarthritis.net Team Member 
One of the things I love about this site is that you’re [almost]always able to validate a symptom you’re experiencing as RA related or conversely, not RA related. Knowing that other people have and/or feel the same as you is a comforting relief. Well, at least in my world it is!! I experience memory issues daily. Needless to say, it’s beyond frustrating, not only for me, but for my husband and daughters also. The worst is forgetting the topic of a discussion, and then the double whammy, forgetting mid-sentence the point you’re trying to make. The other discussion participants are all just waiting, looking at you and continue to wait for you to finish your talking; it is mortifying!😣 I have an MRI of my brain scheduled for this coming Tuesday, August 30. Please let us know how it goes. 
Hi
. I was just revisiting this forum for another reason, but going to write a follow-up asking how you are doing when I spotted this. So glad that things are looking better. The apprehension is certainly understandable, but I trust the surgeon wouldn't put things on hold without feeling pretty good about the risk of monitoring being worth it. How are you feeling overall? Wishing you the best. Richard (RheumatoidArthritis.net Team) 
I can understand your mixed emotions,
. I am glad you don't need surgery right now, but I hope you are able to relax and not stress too much over it. Did the neurosurgeon tell you what symptoms to look out for in case it worsens? Keep us posted, if you don't mind. I will be thinking of you. - Lori (Team Member)
I asked for a full day evaluation by a docotr who does these for a living. I am deeply concerned about my loss of cognition especially for words and sentences. The verdict, No cognition issues, stop worrying. It was sort of cool to do the testing however. 
wow that sounds very interesting. I have all of the symptoms I see people saying. I tend to “wait” to see a doc for it. It is excellent to hear a lot of stuff is age, work, environment related, from what my Rheumatologist has said. Same reply for me, relax we all forget things. You or your family will notice when it gets worse.
I think as a writer it is often common to see it yourself before it can even be defected. Do my essays come to mind easier or more difficult? So I forget what i have started. Is that Sheryl or her sister calling (that has always been a problem, you have no idea what havoc can be caused by telling her sister I love you). it was an honest mistake, I swear and anyone who knows me knows that was a clear mistake.
Nut you get the idea. I think if we are honest we do see it in ourselves first. Even if what we see is worry and not real. My worry was found not to be true when I the other sister called and I said goodbye normally. Meaning she hung up on me. Yep all is back to normal.
So Rick, I don’t understand; they did this 8 hour test and said you have no cognition issues? So to what do they attribute your symptoms? well I hope you don’t have to see him anymore! Is he a rheumatologist? More importantly, is he your rheumatologist? If so, I’d start your search for a new one pronto!! We cannot deny that SOME of our memory & cognitive issues are age related, but I’m only 60 and I’d say it started at least 2 years ago, maybe 3. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia first, about 9 years ago and RA a year later in 2014. Obviously we are not doing a survey, but consider the number of RA.net members who have shared their experiences. That doctor should have to consider these comments/“testimonials.” Hang in their Rich and thanks very much for your support. 😊
No I saw a neuropsychologist and i was referred by my neurologist after I said I have noticed a difference. The neurologist had me do a preliminary series of tasks in her office that showed some mild impairment . My main concern is actually the impact of long term diabetes. I am in my 48th year and I have microvessel disease in many part so my body. It is an issue in my heart, feet and hands, so I am concerned with the most obvious place, my brain.
If I have mild impairment then it makes sense that it is possible it started with RA, or more likely it is diabetes-related cognitive dysfunction. It is a relatively new science that demonstrates how the long term diabetes can in some instances cause cognitive issues. There is a nice 2020 article about how this is expressed in RA.
Here are two articles, diabetes and RA:
https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/~hilmert/SPRG/SPRGPapers/McCrimmon_2012.pdf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7380780/
