Is Ritalin a good option for memory loss?

Hello everyone,

 I am new to this message board, but not newly diagnosed with a brain tumor. I have had brain tumors for eleven years now. While it seems that we have the tumors finally under control, my memory is progressively getting worse. In November I will be taking cognition tests and then possibly prescribed Ritalin for the memory loss. Does anyone have experience with using Ritalin for memory loss?  If so, what are some of the major side effects associated with using Ritalin? I am very excited to be part of this message board community and I anticipate hearing back from you.

On 10/14/2009 amberada7 wrote:

Hello everyone,

 I am new to this message board, but not newly diagnosed with a brain tumor. I have had brain tumors for eleven years now. While it seems that we have the tumors finally under control, my memory is progressively getting worse. In November I will be taking cognition tests and then possibly prescribed Ritalin for the memory loss. Does anyone have experience with using Ritalin for memory loss?  If so, what are some of the major side effects associated with using Ritalin? I am very excited to be part of this message board community and I anticipate hearing back from you.

Thanks!

Hi I was reading about your memory loss.I have cns lymphoma it is a tyoe of brain cancer. I use to have a great memory.My thinking is also slow.I dont tale anything for memory but I am taking something for my anciety. I get very frustrated.I like talking to others I hope I hear from you. Thanks

I don't know about Ritalin, but my speech therapist put me on Neumenda after the first crainiotomy-IT IS AWFUL!!  It's a newer drug primarily for alzimers.  It made me cranky, irritable, and hot-tempered, and I really can't remember much from the month I was taking it-it made my short term memory much, much worse, I felt like I was walking around in a cloud all of the time.  Say no to Nuemenda.

Tyler dx 11/07, 2 surgeries, radiation, temodar, avastin

Hi lulu,

 It was great to hear from you. I can feel your frustration with memory loss. Have you gone through cognition testing? I am not sure what to expect when I go through the testing in November. I hear it is suppose to take about three hours. Are you having problems with mainly short term memory loss, long term memory loss, or both? 

 I hope you have a blessed day!

 Amber

Hi Tyler,

 Thank you for the information. I am sorry you had such a hard time with that medication. Thanks to you, I will make sure my doctor doesn't try to prescribe that medicine. What are you doing now to cope with the memory loss?

Thanks,

Amber

Hello

Wife was dx on 1/07  with gbm iv and had gross resection then rad then temodar then combo of cpt-11/avastin then avastin. Was taken off avastin in Aug 09 since there was no sign a cancer (stable is the expression they used along with remission). She is on 1000 mg/day of Keppra since april of 08 when she had a 3 minute mini seizue of her upper lip. It seems that since that time she is fatigued and sleeps about 12 hrs per night. She started on 100mg/day of provigil around August and it seemed to lessen the fatigue and she was more alert, For her the amount of provigil was critical if she took 150mg it made her completely loopy and disconnected. Anyway the good effects of provigil seemed to wear off in late september and her energy level lowered again. We are seeing a neurologist so he can maybe see what to do to get her energy level up. Her past term memory is fantastic. However sometimes she has short term problems and sometimes not. When she has problems I give her hints and that helps her to remember and then she does.

We have also heard that because of the radiation there might be some permament brain damage. She does take longer (makeup, shopping about 50% longer) to do things but they do get done. She has also lost vision in right eye due to radiation but her sense of smell is very good.

We didn't notice any change in memory function due to provigil, only if it was to much then the memory was almost non functional. It recovered after 24 hrs.

We are hoping that the docs will try a different anti-seizure med and this might improve her fatigue and memory issues or maybe find a replacement for provigil. Originally they suggested Ritalin or Provigil and we chose the Provigil.

Let us know if you find a drug or combination or change or elimination of one or any that improve the memory function or fatigue.

JED

Hi JED,

 I am also taking Keppra for my seizures... which is very interesting because I see a lot of similarities between your wife's symptoms and my own. I am curious to see what the NO will recommend after the cognition testing in November. I will have to ask about the two options your wife was given.... I will let you know what I find out. Thank you for sharing your story!

 Amber

Amber

Thanks for the reply. I also will be interested. If you can let me know at

 that would be great. Next week she will be fitted with some sort of head gear for 2 days to record things. Hopefully they will find out information and then change the medication to improve the situation. I will let you know.

For the record she was 61 when she was DX'd

Jed

May I ask what type of brain tumors you've had . . . and treatment plans? My husband was diagnosed in June 2008 with GBM stage IV, had surgery, radiation and chemo. His chemo treatments ended about a month ago. Currently we are dealing with a serious case of chemo brain and he was put on Ritalin to see if it would help. No change so far. I'm so thankful I found CancerCompass a few weeks ago. It is uplifting to read someone has survived 11 years! I wish all of you the very BEST and pray for better days ahead for all of us!

 Debbie