I know we've discussed memory issues on this forum, but I've been having problems that may be memory or may be something completely different.

Basically I'm having what I can only call hallucinations. Today, for example, I counted my money before a doctor visit to check that I had enough for my co pay. I did. I found I had six $1, two $5 and a $10. I did this in my car, counted, then folded up together banker style (ones on the bottom, then fives, then the ten, all facing the same direction). Oddest thing; when I went to make my payment, I no longer had a $10 bill! I double checked my wallet, checked my ones to see if there was a $10. Nope. I checked my purse and my car thoroughly. No $10 bill.

This is just one example, but I have had several instances like this, where I am sure I have something, Know I have an item in my purse, car, where ever, but when it comes time to use it, its gone. Not like I misplaced it, but like it was never there!

Is this the MS? A side effect of some medication? Do I need to see a psychiatrist?

Hi Catch~~ It seems like I'm forever looking for something that I swear I had earlier. The other day I went to pay a bill, couldn't find it, tore around like crazy trying to find it, as knew it was due...

I called DH at work.. nope he didn't see it. Got online and there was a confirmation email that they received my payment. I thought I was losing it!!!! So, don't call the therapist yet..

I always take an icepack with me in the car for my back. I have ALWAYS been so precise in carrying it back in and putting it in the freezer. BOTH yesterday and today, I have discovered I didn't put it in the freezer and I swear I can picture myself picking it up from the car, how I layed it across my arm and carried it into the house. Then I even "remember" that I laid it on the arm of the couch yesterday and on the kitchen table today. After looking all around the house, yesterday I went back to the car..... you guessed.... it was there in the seat where I had used it. Tonight, I haven't bothered to go check, because I KNOW it must be in the car. (And I have an extra in the freezer for tomorrow).

This is so weird, I DO KNOW EXACTLY HOW YOU FEEL! Isn't it strange how these little things that happen to us, that "regular" people would just say, oh well we all forget things as we get older... but I, my dear friend, know exactly how you feel and visa-versa.... I'm discovering a real bond with my new MS friend.... one I can share with no one else.

Thank you for this!

Hi Catch,
Just want you to know that I feel for you and I understand !!!

Memory issues are my biggest problem with working and even what you have just described with counting the money then not finding it - I have done that sort of thing too. I guess that is also considered a memory issue - that is the bucket that I throw it in when it happens to me but I know it seems a little bit different because you remember seeing something and then it isn't there just minutes or an hour or so later !!!!

Now I will tell you just how far my mind has gone with this sort of thing... For a while - I was nearly convinced that I have a ghost or something in my home because I would look at something and then 5 minutes later look back and can't find it, then drive myself crazy looking for it just because I know that I just saw it !!! I finally just accepted that it is all part of "the new me !". I decided to just accept and go on or I would drive myself crazy trying to figure out what was happening.

Catch, that's not a memory issue, it's just your brain misinterpreting the symbols you're seeing. I've had that happen several times - I'll see a word and think I'm seeing another word. It's especially bad when I'm in the grocery store, as the lights seem to affect my cognitive abilities.

Catch, what was where the $10 should have been?

I, too, have "brain switches" every now and then. Mine usually involve color. I "remember" the complementary color....like if I put up a red book, I swear it was green....very odd...

I agree that is probably what you are doing.

Make sure you are getting PLENTY of sleep and not overdoing the caffeine....and if it keeps up and bugs you, run it by the neuro....

I don't think you need a psychiatrist, Catch. I have entered phone numbers into my contacts on my phone and triple checked to make sure they were correct. Later, I discover that I put some random numbers in instead!??! I also can't remember which way to turn faucets off and on! It is so irritating getting burned or frozen in the shower, LOL. My neuro says that it's the MS doing its thing.

I am forever doing this, there are countless number of orphaned pens in our house, god only knows where i set them down, that or the galaxies black hole resides in streamwood illinois, pens, sunglasses, winter gloves my da## shoes, my da@@ keys and of course as I have said it before, the kids first reply is did you check the ice box, oddly enough, and i dont care to share how many times, they are correct.

my favorite is get to grocery store with out my list, why cause it was lost before i even left the house, we wont even discuss the void in my car, now i am at grocery store without my list, mind you its a list i wrote perhaps 30 minutes prior. and I find out 4 days later when i find the list in some freaky spot, that I of course did not get a dang thing that was on my list

you will have to excuse me, what was the question,?

I don't believe you can chock this up to memory problems but "perception" problems. You may find that you have to check things two to three times just to make sure.

I don't think I have this problem but have many more memory challenges on a daily basis. I can't see where this could be placed on MS but then again, we are all affected differently.

Sounds like just the way things go as we get older too.