Will my "thinking" ever be the same again???

[Pembo]

We liken my mixing up words to the first Willy Wonka movie..."stop, reverse that". However just last night I said something then quick corrected it and realized I said it right the first time. I'm 5 years post op and the first year was tough but now it's not so often. BTW-only 3 mo post op I took the H&R Block tax course and passed it with ease. I think I took more to prove to myself that I wasn't stupid. Since then I earned my masters degree in special education.

[cherrypiper]

LOL yes lawmama , it will more or less . how's that for a definite maybe   LOL 

my cognitive skills took a hit too. some days still are a challenge and it's been 2 years.

One thing i found that helped me was herbal Lecithin.

it has improved my over all sharpness maybe 20% or so. and since I'm a college teacher  and an ex engineer i need all the help i can get.

when i get tired , they , the mental skills, slip a bit. but hey i'm 58 going on 100 so us old guys are allowed a little slip.

[Jim Scott]

When i get tired , they , the mental skills, slip a bit. but hey i'm 58 going on 100 so us old guys are allowed a little slip.

FWIW: I'm 66 (going on 35) and my cognitive skills are fine.  Everyone has a different experience.   

Jim

[Dr. Dean]

Lawmomma:

My experience with an acoustic neuroma for the past 10 years makes me agree with Jim Scott and Sue.  There are systemic complicating factors that acoustic neuromas cause, notwithstanding the conscious need to control balance.  After my Gamma-Knife surgery I spent the next year with constant headaches and a "hot" cerebellum that disrupted my thinking in general (hard to focus, everything seemed dark, difficult to find the right word, etc.).  But I got over it with a lot of aspirin and my exercises that I mentioned in a previous post (see http://www.personalityfinesse.com/pdfshow.php?pdf=12).  But it comes back!  And I get rid of it with my exercises.

For example, a few months ago I was working out of town with a client.  I had not done my exercises for about three months and needed a "reset" badly.  The office had a spiral staircase and every time I went up it I got dizzy, when I spoke I would "blank out" at a loss for the right words, and I had a constant mild headache.
That evening I did my exercises on a treadmill at the hotel and after an long workout (10 minutes) I was rejuvenated.  Before the exercises I fell to the left side when I turned my head quickly.  After the exercises I danced up the stairs in circles back to my room -- no falling!  The next day I was solid, no dizziness, things were bright, I didn't forget my words, and I felt great!

My point is that I let my balance (cerebellum) go out of wack and it affected me in many ways.  There is no lasting cure for us, nor any magic pill, only conscious effort, doing what works.  I hope that this helps you to get your "thinking" back.

[lawmama]

Interesting exercises, Dean.  I've saved the file and will print them out for after my surgery when I get home. 

At this point, my dizziness is so bad that I can't even stand flat on two feet without swaying.  When I walk, my "path" isn't usually straight (I zig zag- probably not terribly noticeable to others because I try to cover this).  I'm hoping after surgery when the bad nerve is removed I can retrain my brain.

[wendysig]

Hi Lyn,

Sorry to be coming to this thread so late.  As has been said, everyone is different but although prior to surgery I found my cognitive abilities took a hit, 16 months later I am pretty much back to normal.  Every one and then I find myself searching for a word that I know I should know or more easily distracted.  I think these things are probably, for me, age related (56 years old) and more to do with my hearing problem than cognitive ability.  Even though BAHA has been an enormous help and I love it, it is not perfect and I do find myself straining to hear sometimes and sometimes completely mishear what has been said.  It could be that the effort of keeping my balance has something to do with it too since I do have some balance problems,  but in a very minor way.  You will be get through this and be okay.

Wendy