Clare and Edward

Clare retired from work due to back and leg pain. A few years later she discovered this was nerve pain and Clare has been taking painkillers ever since. Clare recalls how her memory loss was a gradual process and so she is unable to pinpoint when it started. She describes how she began to notice that she kept asking questions about things she felt she should have known, and that she became annoyed with this.

Clare feels her memory loss may be related to the medication she takes, Amnesia is listed as a possible side-effect. Clare makes clear that she currently feels fairly reliant on these painkillers and so coming off the medication is not an option she would consider at this point. She is expecting to have surgery soon for her back problem, and hopes she may be able to reduce the medication she needs, which in turn may improve her memory.

Officially Clare has not had any diagnosis relating to her memory loss but does attend a memory loss clinic every six months to be monitored.  She describes how although her memory loss as a ‘huge inconvenience’ she feels it is nothing more serious than that. Clare’s memory loss is short-term memory so she is still capable of driving, cooking and teaching languages.

Clare has developed certain strategies to manage her memory loss. She explains how she has a timetabled week and notes what may be considered minor things in a diary to remind her of what she has done. She describes how she and Edward have to be fairly disciplined in putting things away in the correct place, otherwise she believes she would lose them.

Clare describes herself as a positive and optimistic person but explains how the memory loss does get her down sometimes and describes feeling ‘darned wretched’ occasionally. When she feels like this she will often listen to the radio as a form of escapism. Clare is open to advice and happy to try new strategies or treatments. She advises that others who experience memory loss should stay positive and not let it get them down.