Ask Dr. DeAnna Frye

Dr. DeAnna Frye is a neuropsychologist and clinical specialist for Neurology & Neuroscience Associates, 130 West Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio 44302.
 

Please call or e-mail Ballinger TBI Clubhouse with your questions, they will be answered in our News Link and posted on our Website.

Q: My doctor has prescribed me Aricept and Namenda.  From what I have learned, these are for Alzheimers patients and are to help me focus better.  I am also on Ritalin for memory, and Zoloft, an anti-depressant.  My accident was 15 months ago, and I have significant vision problems, because I severed my cranial nerves 6 and 7 with my skull.   

What other things should I be noticing?  I do have problems with balance and a little hearing loss, and lost 45 lbs in the 5 week coma.  Should I be worrying about anything else except putting my life back together?  Are these meds forever?  Am I a risk for a seizure?  

One last question.  Who does functional MRI's in Ohio? 

A: You are correct in your statement that Aricept and Namenda are commonly used to treat individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease. Research on these medications has indicated that, while they do not provide a cure for Alzheimer’s, they do significantly slow down the progress of the disease. Use of these medications for individuals who have experienced significant memory problems as a result of a brain injury is fairly common, as they have demonstrated an ability to help improve and preserve memory after TBI. Ritalin is a medication used to treat attention disorders, another common cognitive problem experienced after brain injury. Individuals who have problems with attention usually describe their difficulties as problems with memory. Remember that you have to first pay attention to something before you are able to encode and store it in your memory. If you can’t attend to it, you can’t store it. It is important that you treat attention problems initially before trying to address other higher cognitive functions. Think of attention as the gatekeeper to other cognitive processes. Disruptions in attention impact all other cognitive abilities. Zoloft is also used after brain injury to treat depression as well as to help individuals stabilize their mood. Remember that our brains control all functions, including our emotions. An injury to the part of the brain that controls emotions can cause a variety of mood concerns, including depression, increased anger and aggression, or even an inability to express emotion. Whether or not you will need to take medications forever depends on a lot of factors related to your injury and overall health. As a general rule, however, I would tell you that the medications you are currently taking are common for an individual after a brain injury and not typically taken for the remainder of a person’s life. In addition to taking medications your rehabilitation program is very important. Once a person is discharged from the hospital, the road to recovery doesn’t end, and what you do to continue your progress is largely dependent on you. Make sure that you are remaining as active as you can and don’t neglect your general health. Determine what your goals are – all of us are individuals and want different things out of life. Once you have set the long term goals then break those down into short term goals. While it can be frustrating due to the length of time it takes to get better, keep track of your progress. Keep your mind active and involved in things that you enjoy. For example, while doing cross word puzzles may be helpful in improving language skills, if you never enjoyed them, it is not likely you will continue to do them as part of your rehabilitation plan. Instead find another task that you enjoy that involves language. If you are considering a return to gainful employment a referral to the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired may be beneficial. This agency is a part of the Rehabilitation Services Commission and their telephone number is in your phone book in the government section.

Seizure risk continues to decrease over time. Some factors that can increase your risk for developing seizures after a brain injury include being intoxicated at the time of the injury and experiencing seizures at the time of injury. You can minimize your risks by making sure you get proper rest and nutrition, as well as by avoiding alcohol. Finally regarding your question related to functional MRI’s. Unfortunately I do not have a list of all the locations where this service is available and the cost. I would suggest you start by contacting the major hospitals in your area. Most hospitals now have a general information line which you can call for questions and information.