I have read that this can happen with vestibular problems because parts of the brain that were used for memory and thought, are now working on keeping you balanced. And this can result in problems with short term memory, thinking, concentration and being easily distracted.
Has anyone found this?
Yes - but I wouldānt entirely blame mine on the vestibular problems of the past 50 years, as these things are also age related:grinning: Yāall got a long way to go to catch up to me, and Iām still not in laāla land yet!
Never heard that reason, howeverā¦makes perfect sense, and could possibly explain a remark I keep remembering my original ENT passing when I asked about this affecting my memoryā¦āOh no, not at this pointā¦!!ā Never followed up at the time.
So donāt worry yourself about it, Sarah, just think about trying to heal yourself instead 
I was just curious as to how many other people had problems with this. Yes it does make sense, though I know there are other reasons for memory and thinking problems too, as well as age.
I have thinking problems in a really odd way. I can be sitting playing one of my instruments and I suddenly wonāt know how to play a particular note, even though I have been playing it just fine for years. Or I will look at the music and not know how to play it even though I am familiar with it. Or I can be driving and not know what gear I am in. These things are all fleeting temporary blips but very annoying!!
These are the kind of thinking problems I was meaning. Things that should be automatic and suddenly just ā¦ arenāt! I could give lots of examples, just one would be totally forgetting my pin number (the one I always use), it was suddenly a total blank, the information seemed to have just gone.
Yep been there, done that and in a shop how embarrassing! I havenāt been as bad since starting nortriptyline but I get in a panic sometimes when in a queue and say the pin number over and over in my head.
Itās this touch pay thing. Hardly use the PIN!
I am concerned about using the touch to pay thing as I have heard stories of people ending up paying for everyoneās!!!
My special talent is not being able to āfindā a noun when Iām talking! Annoying and sometimes embarrassing.
It also makes me think of my Dad - incidentally also diagnosed with Meniereās - who was well known for his frequent use of such substitutes as āthing-a-ma-jigā and āhoogi-ma-jarā!!! and many more inventive onesā¦ not always helpful when being asked to do or fetch something.
After my earlier post I had orchestra practice and the topiramate added to my nortriptyline seems to have done the job thinking wise at least because I didnāt have one blip this morning, hooray! I hope it lasts as I have a concert on Saturday.
Thatās great! Hereās hoping it continues to improve. 
Thank you Beth, it was so much less stressful.
Hi Sarah,
I have these thinking, concentration and memory problems youāve brought up. I find the issues can be quite selective, but particularly when Iām in an environment outside my comfort zone. At times I find it impossible for others to understand or empathize. Itās especially difficult at work, and something Iāve been struggling with over the past decade, and particularly recently.
Iām glad you raised this topic. The ādistractedā part is quite interesting too, but to me it goes hand in hand with the other symptoms of migraine. At times I feel itās what Iām doing - just distracting myself through the day. Then, when Iām lying in bed at nights, the symptoms possibly feel worse because I canāt distract myself with anything else. I wonder how much Iām using this ābio-feedbackā mechanism where we distract our brains using other stimuli rather than feeling symptoms, and I think it gets to a state where I create some unhealthy habits.
Hi Cloudude. A lot of the time it can be āin my comfort zoneā, and not even feeling unwell or dizzy. Things that I would usually do without thinking I can suddenly forget how to do. One example would be that I was in my car today and I couldnāt think how to control the lights! Others: Writing something other than what I meant to write. Forgetting what comes next in a process that I am very familiar with. Going to get changed into something I have JUST decided I didnāt want on put on yet, and so on 
You also mention something a bit different to what I was meaning, i.e. distracting yourself on purpose. Isnāt that a good thing to do though? If you are distracting yourself with something good that is.
Hi Mazzy. At least you know in your head what you are talking about, even if you canāt name it!
Oh dear, that could get expensive. I think I have only paid for something contactless once.
The pin I āforgotā is the one I use almost every time I pay for something.
Bless you Sarah!
Hi Sarah. Yeah, I read my post and I have to be careful when I say āI have these problems tooā. Much of what I experience is more of the constant, low/medium-end variety rather than the sporadic and intense variety. I donāt share the same level of short-term memory issues that you currently have, but I certainly have or have had them at some level. Iād like to give you a similar example, but ironically I canāt remember one :).
I went on a bit of a tangent about the distraction issue, I know. Itās because my thinking on it has changed over a number of years. I used to think āI get so distracted with this vestibular illnessā and leave the train of thought there, blaming the vestibular illness for causing distraction issues. Now I think this distraction is part of the way I/we are trying to cope with the illness.
It could be both: vestibular issues cause more distraction, and we also try to distract ourselves to cope?
At some level youāre right - itās healthy. But over time, Iāve found Iāve relied on distraction too much and it can lead to a way of living, behaving, thinking, that is possibly unhealthy. Itās just something I became aware of and thought Iād share - may not relate to you.
[[quote=āCloudude, post:19, topic:13619ā]
Yeah, I read my post and I have to be careful when I say āI have these problems tooā. Much of what I experience is more of the constant, low/medium-end variety rather than the sporadic and intense variety. I donāt share the same level of short-term memory issues that you currently have, but I certainly have or have had them at some level. Iād like to give you a similar example, but ironically I canāt remember one :).
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Hi there. I can have low/medium-end forgetfulness too:-) It doesnāt matter if yours is the same or different, thanks for taking the time to reply. I know what you mean about wanting to give examples but not being able to remember. I have actually written these things I have done down before to have a record of what is going on. It seems to be one thing after another at the moment.
I missed my turn off for work this morning, I have never done that before. I was distracted I guess. I just remember seeing the turn off as I drove past it! That was not a good way to start the day!