Heart
cognitive impairment
July 24, 2022
in Heart
Has anyone had a solid organ transplant and later suffered from cognitive impairment? Thanks so much😀
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Transplant Patient
I definitely have short term memory loss post transplant. And sometimes I'll forget what i'm doing/saying in the middle of it. My family just jokes about it and says something like "Ali's buffering again"
Transplant Patient
@BruceP - 💯 cognitive impairment is real after a SOT! Not only pre, but also post-tx, I experienced serious 'brain fog'..
After transplant, it seemed as though I had lost 'chunks' / blocks of memory.
Our bodies have undergone tremendous stress/trauma and it's natural to block out things.
Luckily, for me, the memory loss was very short term - slowly but surely I was able to remember!!
Best of luck to you! 👍
All of the time, I have a good time joking with a transplant buddy, I think his is worse than mine
@BruceP
You bet. I think I go through the day basically confused. If you asked me what did I do all day, I would have to think about it and say to myself, what the hell did I do today and why did it take so long. Funny thing is I thought it was all important. I also have a problem of communication, just like AliEm14, I will completely forget the word I was just about to say. In your bio, I find it incredible what you and your family have been through, amen to all of you. Yes, write that book.
Thanks everyone for responding to my question regarding MCI. Despite all the difficulties our family has had, (Four heart transplants involving three members of our family) I can truthfully say I am so grateful we all made it. God bless you all!
I am plus 4 years out from my heart transplant and struggling every day with short term memory issues and concentration.
Transplant Patient
@BruceP how do you measure / notice your impairment? Anything in particular? Are you on prograf/tacrolimus?
@BruceP I was just about to ask how far out you were. Have you taken the chance to talk with your care team about it? Some of the meds your on may be causing the side effect of brain fog.
Hey everyone, Bruce P here. In answer to your questions, I was on prograf until I switched to Sirolimus about two years ago. Prograf was causing another issue. So I switched. I'm not sure I'm any better off sinced doing so. Still have the same issue. On July 19th of this year, It will be fourteen years since my transplant. I'm so grateful. I was within three weeks of dying.
My memory fails me when my wife will ask me if I remember something from the past. Say something happened two weeks ago. I may not remember it. I have a tough time remembering faces at times. It's frustrating. But I am constantly looking for information on the Internet that I might be able to use. I also work out at the gym each day. That pumps oxygen into my brain and that helps too. If anyone has come across other means of improving memory, please let me know.
Transplant Patient
@BruceP, congrats on being blessed with your Gift of Life for almost 14 years! Amazing! (It'll be 8 years (❤️ recipient) for me this year in April.
I'm sorry to hear you're still facing this issue.
Regarding your cognitive issues: do you have trouble sleeping? Do you by any chance take any sleep aides/meds ? I've heard, sometimes that could play a role. Is there any family history with memory related issues? Is this an issue with the other members of your family who have also had heart transplants?
I am 4 years out and I've been diagnosed by a neuropsychologist with mild vascular neurocognitive dysfunction. I had a small stroke in the insular region of my brain a month before I got the transplant, but my doctors don't believe it was the cause of my cognitive issues.
The neuropsychologist explained to me that while I was sick with systolic heart failure for at least 3 years (below 7% EF) there was very little oxygen getting getting to my brain from my slowly moving blood flow. That apparently caused cell death throughout my brain.
This has been the biggest challenge from my entire journey. I was incredibly smart beforehand, I had just finished college when I got sick. I miss being able to think clearly and sharply more than anything I've ever lost.