Not a fun topic I know... but just curious if anyone else's memory is a fraction of what it was before they got covid?

In a perfect world I would have been asymptomatic, but it got me 3 times and each time it took me down for over a week. Thankfully I am physically getting back to where I was before the pandemic. But mentally I am still having issues with recall, something I NEVER experienced before the pandemic.

I am taking various supplements such a citicoline and they have helped alot.

I only had it twice that I know of. Once very early before the vax was even available which knocked the hell out of me for a day and then by day 3 I was fine. 2nd time I recognized some of the symptoms I never experienced before COVID (like ache behind my eyes) and tested again, but it was nothing compared to the first time - I didn't even stop working for that one and it was gone in 2 days.

I can't say I recognize anything lingering from either bout, but I am getting older so eyesight, hearing and memory are going to be taking vacations more often nowadays anyway.......... LOL

Had it in 2022, no lingering symptoms of which I am aware.

Some people have long-term lingering issues - memory issues and low energy/chronic fatigue are the most common I hear. Not the majority, but not a trivial percent. Unfortunately, all the politicization of COVID means it will be a topic that researchers are going to be reluctant to address in the current 'climate'.

floridaorange wrote

Not a fun topic I know... but just curious if anyone else's memory is a fraction of what it was before they got covid?

In a perfect world I would have been asymptomatic, but it got me 3 times and each time it took me down for over a week. Thankfully I am physically getting back to where I was before the pandemic. But mentally I am still having issues with recall, something I NEVER experienced before the pandemic.

I am taking various supplements such a citicoline and they have helped alot.

How old are you now? might be prudent to visit with a neurologist and rule out any other causes.

My father has been dealing with minor memory/cognitive lapses for a few months now and we just found out during an ED visit for an unrelated issue that he likely has Neutral Pressure Hydrocephaly which is a form of treatable dementia. Not implying this is what you have, but we didn't have that possibility on our radar and thought he might just be getting old.

I caught it a year ago after evading it for 4 years. It knocked me out for a day or two and then I just had to deal with the fatigue for another 10 days. Nothing lingering as far as I can tell. But my short term memory was already getting flaky before that. I'll make a mental note to myself to do something in a few minutes and then completely forget to do it. Drives me nuts. It's so common now that I've just started doing things as I think of them instead of waiting a bit to do them later. I just chalk that up to aging.

M_Six wrote

I caught it a year ago after evading it for 4 years. It knocked me out for a day or two and then I just had to deal with the fatigue for another 10 days. Nothing lingering as far as I can tell. But my short term memory was already getting flaky before that. I'll make a mental note to myself to do something in a few minutes and then completely forget to do it. Drives me nuts. It's so common now that I've just started doing things as I think of them instead of waiting a bit to do them later. I just chalk that up to aging.

I have the same memory problems. I'll think of something, sometimes within a few seconds, that thought will disappear. I try to send myself an email of what I'm thinking about before I forget. Has become very common for me and it's frustrating. Hopefully it's just an aging thing and nothing serious.

I took the SAGE test that was in the other thread abut dementia last night and did well on the test. It wasn't perfect but I passed. There's three tests available, I think I'll take the other two and see how I do. Got a doc appointment in a week for something else and I think I'll mention this memory issue to her and see what she says.

Yes for both mental and physical. Will be difficult to say exactly what contributors are at play with both the illness and vaccinations and how they interact with different people. Short term memory has gone a bit shotty with similar scenarios like Esteban and M_Six. I could be within seconds of having a thought that it just goes poof. I've gotten to the point that if I'm in a meeting and have anything to say (but don't want to interrupt) that I will write it down to ensure I don't lose it. I'm awfully young and haven't had any of these issues pre-COVID.

Not to steer off topic, but on the physical side, my cardiovascular and what seems to be my lungs' ability to take oxygen has deteriorated pretty significantly. I've gone as far to get testing done, but results show my lung capacity is fantastic (not that we have prior test results to go against, but at least what is considered "normal"). I remember the first time I had COVID I found out after attempting to bed my new brakes in on my mountain bike. I would typically ride 20+ miles a day 5 or 6 days a week, but bedding my brakes for 15 minutes nearly took it out of me. I otherwise felt fine, but my body was just not getting oxygen and it got pretty scary - especially considering how mundane and the minimal impact bedding brakes has on you on a flat surface. Fast forward to today, and my lungs just feel toast. We've been chalking it up to "long COVID" whatever that is...

spazzyfry123 wrote

Yes for both mental and physical. Will be difficult to say exactly what contributors are at play with both the illness and vaccinations and how they interact with different people. Short term memory has gone a bit shotty with similar scenarios like Esteban and M_Six. I could be within seconds of having a thought that it just goes poof. I've gotten to the point that if I'm in a meeting and have anything to say (but don't want to interrupt) that I will write it down to ensure I don't lose it. I'm awfully young and haven't had any of these issues pre-COVID.

Not to steer off topic, but on the physical side, my cardiovascular and what seems to be my lungs' ability to take oxygen has deteriorated pretty significantly. I've gone as far to get testing done, but results show my lung capacity is fantastic (not that we have prior test results to go against, but at least what is considered "normal"). I remember the first time I had COVID I found out after attempting to bed my new brakes in on my mountain bike. I would typically ride 20+ miles a day 5 or 6 days a week, but bedding my brakes for 15 minutes nearly took it out of me. I otherwise felt fine, but my body was just not getting oxygen and it got pretty scary - especially considering how mundane and the minimal impact bedding brakes has on you on a flat surface. Fast forward to today, and my lungs just feel toast. We've been chalking it up to "long COVID" whatever that is...

The things that have helped my breathing are random but extremely helpful: methylane blue, raw organic onions, NAC.

I can relate to thoughts completely disappearing- I never had that issue and my recall of the most random things during conversation was always great. I was in top physical condition in terms of low body fat and musclarity however the downside of getting covid while being a regular at the gym is that my body already usually worn out and in recovery - so covid each time would take me out. Im now 45.

I was going to reply, but i forgot what i was going to write.

I had covid pretty bad two years ago, but i haven't had any memory issues as a result. Yes I do forget things more now, but I think it's stress and age related.

floridaorange wrote

Not a fun topic I know... but just curious if anyone else's memory is a fraction of what it was before they got covid?

I don't think so, but I can't remember....

Perfect example today. I needed a new bar of soap in the bathroom across from my home office. I was going to put the soap in there and grab the towels that needed to be washed. After leaving the soap, I walked out without the towels even though I had thought about them 2 minutes earlier. Had to go back downstairs to get the towels. That kind of thing happens to me all the time these days.

M_Six wrote

Perfect example today. I needed a new bar of soap in the bathroom across from my home office. I was going to put the soap in there and grab the towels that needed to be washed. After leaving the soap, I walked out without the towels even though I had thought about them 2 minutes earlier. Had to go back downstairs to get the towels. That kind of thing happens to me all the time these days.

I have something similar happen to me at least once a day, if not more. Frustrating.

floridaorange wrote

The things that have helped my breathing are random but extremely helpful: methylane blue, raw organic onions, NAC.

I can relate to thoughts completely disappearing- I never had that issue and my recall of the most random things during conversation was always great. I was in top physical condition in terms of low body fat and musclarity however the downside of getting covid while being a regular at the gym is that my body already usually worn out and in recovery - so covid each time would take me out. Im now 45.

Very interesting remedy ideas. I'll have to look into that (sans onions... I know I sound like a six year old, but I can't stand the texture of raw onions. Love the flavor, but it must be some type of sensory thing )

I was similar. My wife was surprised how I would always bring in much earlier parts of the conversation and would ask how I even remembered that to relate to the current. Now I mentally tell myself simple, simple tasks a dozen times over to then forget why I even walked into the room when seconds have passed since telling myself why I was going there in the first place.

It's coincidental that this thread popped up, as I've really been noticing it a lot these past few weeks. Sure, everyone can be forgetful once and again, but it's just all day long. I'm not looking for a scapegoat, but I can absolutely attribute the timing of when this mental switch happened to COVID times. You've got several years on me.

M_Six wrote

Perfect example today. I needed a new bar of soap in the bathroom across from my home office. I was going to put the soap in there and grab the towels that needed to be washed. After leaving the soap, I walked out without the towels even though I had thought about them 2 minutes earlier. Had to go back downstairs to get the towels. That kind of thing happens to me all the time these days.

This effectively describes my experiences identically. Multiple similar scenarios throughout the day yesterday.

FWIW, from the Neurologist I worked with at an Alzheimers Ctr:

When 30-somethings lose their keys, they don't think about it; when 60-somethings do it they get nervous and come in for an eval (i.e. these minor slips aren't that unusual, and often d/t either attention or the natural reconfiguration of cognition over the lifespan)

When you lose your keys, that's just life. When you forget how to use them to open the door, come see me.

And for those looking to prevention, cerebrovascular fitness is a HUGE factor in brain resilience; I don't follow literature closely these days, but at the time it dwarfed the impact of being cognitively active, emotionally positive, or any known supplements/diets. And very good to get any concerns checked out, as a great many cases of cognitive decline are related to correctable medical issues (endocrine, metabolic, cardiac) or sometimes OTC meds/supplements. Avoid anticholinergics/antihistamines if you can, and if you smoke, quit now. Recent data from Europe also supports the protective effect of regularly exceeding 100mph.

^^ Interesting. I have a doc app coming up and I will bring up some of the things you mentioned in your post.

Best wishes on all of this; I'm thinking it is just temporary effect of inhaling too much cat hair

Methylene blue is basically a poison and no one should be taking it as a supplement.

Methylene blue was used as a dye in the textile industry when it was first discovered.

Seemed to help initially… dont use it much anymore. Pharma grade of course.

Believe I had COVID in January 2020.

I thought it was a sinus infection but I lost my sense of smell and taste. ENT doctor treated me with anti-viral medicine and steroid and I got better.

But I had inexplicable memory lapses.

Kind of a problem trying to write software. But the COVID lockdown (this in CA) came sometime in late Feb or early March and I was laid off March 30. And I was old enough to just retire.

I have improved but I'm not back to where I was before the (suspected) bout of COVID hit me. (Oh, later in 2020 months after I thought I had COVID I was tested for it and the tests came back negative. But I was told detectable signs of COVID go away soon after the disease is over with.)

A cousin of mine who works as an ER doctor she got COVID and was out sick of course. She recovered but because she had the COVID "fog" she decided to retire.

I never had it that I know of but my memory has def. faded in the last few years. I also think the change in my work dynamic has made my brain mush.

Since COVID I spend 90% of the day in front of my PC where as prior I was only in front of it 30-40%. My eyes are getting all wonky on me too and I had perfect vision all my life