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Elaine, Do not blame yourself too much. In my opinion there are many reasons for forgetfulness, such as too much medication, not enough medication, pressure from job, surrounding, relationship, etc. In my particular case, although my husband has been just diagnosed and he is not on any medication as yet, his cognitive function is progressively impaired, partly due to the anxiety itself. We discussed certain things and when we go back to them sometimes the matter is new to him 100% and he says he does not remember previous discussion or he never herd me talking about it. Regardless of the circumstances, I hope you will develop a meaningful relationship with your boyfriend. By you knowing and understanding PD will help you to challenge the life ahead with what appears to be a person that you greatly care about. I congratulate you that you came out on open with your feelings. There are not many people that can do that as openly as you did. GOOD LUCK! Emily ----- Original Message ----- From: "Elaine War" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 7:47 PM Subject: Re: Forgetfulness > THANK YOU SO MUCH!! You didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I > just chose not to see it!! > I appreciate your bluntness. Yes, I have imposed stress and I should have > known better. > > All I can say is "thank you, thank you" for a HUGE wake up call! > > Elaine > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[log in to unmask]> > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Thursday, January 10, 2002 4:13 PM > Subject: Re: Forgetfulness > > > > > My boyfriend is in a high stress job which requires a tremendous amount > of > > detailed concentration. As long as I have known him - about a year (he has > > been diagnosed with Parkinson's for about 8 years) he has been forgetful > and > > I have no way of knowing how much was just him and how much can be > > attributed to Parkinson's. > > > > > > At the moment he is under extreme pressure as he is winding down his > job - > > thankfully! I have begged him for the last few weeks to go and see his PD > > doc but he insists on waiting until he finishes the final project he is > > working on which will be next week (but that seems a lifetime away). There > > has been a definite deterioration in his condition recently but I was > > horrified today to find that he has no recollection of a fairly indepth > > conversation we had yesterday. He said if he thought hard enough it might > > come back to him. > > > > > > Does anyone have experience of this and if so do you think it is stress > > related or purely PD related and > > > > Elaine, > > > > I think it is inappropriate and unfair for me to speculate > about > > the psychological and cognitive state of your boyfriend and the dynamics > of > > your relationship with your boyfriend. But most PWP experience > > "deterioration," greater difficulties and aggravation of symptoms when > under > > stress. Here your boyfriend has stress from his job, which, although this > > stress is apparently a considerable amount of stress, it will end in a > week. > > He also has stress imposed by you, described as you as pressure to see a > > doctor about his deterioration and pressure to recall a specific, lengthy > > conversation with you. > > > > I was evaluated by a neuropsychologist because I was experiencing > > cognitive problems after I was diagnosed with PD. I was concerned about > the > > change in my memory,. but the psychologist said that my memory seemed to > be > > functioning at a rather high level (although he had no prior testing and > > evaluation to establish a baseline for functioning of my memory prior to > the > > diagnosis for PD). He said a problem, which was characteristic of PWPs, > was > > with "attention and concentration." The problems with attention and > > concentration could block information from getting into the memory. Also, > if > > pressured or under stress, when expected to recall information from > memory, I > > might not be able to intentionally recall information from my memory. > > > > When I was first diagnosed with PD, I was given the standard > > information that PD was a movement disorder with specific physical > symptoms. > > I was later given, or found, information that PD does effect cognitive > > functioning--everything for that matter! My employment disability was > based > > upon the neuropsychologist's evaluation and my problems with cognitive > > functioning. I have a medical textbook which is devoted entirely to the > > cognitive effects of PD. Apparently many, many PWP have, particularly in > the > > later stages of the disease, problems with cognitive functioning and/or > > dementia. And these problems, as well as physical symptoms, are clearly > > aggravated by stress. > > > > You think your boyfriend needs to see his PD doctor about his > recent > > "deterioration." You are probably correct. I would just suggest, since > his > > major stress from his job will end in one week and he seems unwilling > anyway > > to see his doctor until the job is finished, that you consider reducing > the > > stress you put on him about your relationship and about seeing the doctor > > until after his job stress ends. This suggestion is not meant to be > > flippant, or insensitive to your needs or your stress and discomfort in > the > > past several weeks, and it does not foreclose the possiblity of emergency, > or > > more immediate, intervention if you deem it necessary. His response to > you > > that he might be able to recall your conversation later after he thinks > about > > it, when he is no longer under stress, and stress from you to recall that > > specific information, indicates to me that it is possible he may have the > > combination of cognitive problems and stress which I and many other PWPs > > have. You are the only person who can know if his comments are due to his > > personality or "Mr. P.D. talking." > > > > Hopefully, once your boyfriend's stress is removed, or becomes more > > manageable, his condition will also improve. And, then, the burdens and > > stresses on you, and the relationship, should also be improve. Just some > > armchair psychologizing from a PWP. Katie > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn