Hello, Every since I had surgery and forgot everything…I feel like I am being lied to about my name. I know that I’m not and that my name really is brittany. but for some reason I have memories of people calling me a different name. I actually spoke to my husband about this last night. I honestly feel like my name is Ashley. I have memories of things that have never happened and places that I have never been. I think this is so strange, does anyone else feel this way? Lol I know this kind of seems so odd…and I honestly can’t believe I am even admitting this to anyone. But if there is someone else out there that feels this way and only after they had a surgery please let me know.
hey, brittney its intresting you are saying that. how long have u been feeling like this, how strong are those feelings. its good to say things out loud.
get back to me.
how r u? keeping out of trouble?
margaret
Interesting. Have you seen a specialist for this? Might be able to offer an explanation. Whatever helps you adjust, I think. A name change seems harmless to me.
Just got back from my new specialist…it was interesting. His reasoning to this is that the tumor was in the area of memory and that my memories are getting distorted in some kind of way. He suggested for me to wait a while before going to have my name changed. Also they are going to up my seizure meds to the highest allowable dose, so I will be on 3,000mg of keppra a day. I am scheduled for another MRI on December 24th (yeah christmas eve) and they will just check on things and make sure nothing is going on. They just told me not to worry about the memories of things that I am having…and that most of them are probably accurate but a few might not be. The specialist told me he had never herd of someone feeling like they have the wrong name. But it could be that the other patients were not as honest about their feelings as I am. hahah
Hey Brittany-
It sounds like you are happy with your new specialist. That is good news. And an MRI on Xmas Eve? Wow…maybe you can convince the MRI techs to sing you Xmas caroles while you are lying there! 
The name thing…like Ben said, seems harmless. But with what you said, and the neuro said, I’m wondering if maybe those experiences and places you remember but haven’t been could just be getting mixed up with memories you have of TV or movies or something? Maybe you had a favorite show where the girls name was Ashley? Who knows, just thinking out loud.
And your doc was probably right. I think sometimes people aren’t completely honest about things. Really, after all the tretments people go through I am sure that they dismiss little things or don’t want to speak up. So it’s a good thing that you are confident enough to let people know what is going on with you!
Here’s a thought…maybe you just change your name on this site. Ashley can be your secret AVM Super hero name! Only us other AVMers get to know…
Hope you have a great day!
Shalon,
I hae had the thought of maybe it was a name of someone from a favorite tv show while growing up or something like that. But i’m not sure. It is so weird and i think about it a lot…sometimes my mind just gets stuck on certain words. like I will just repeat the word Green in my head or even out loud at times…haha and wont even realize it til my hubby points it out to me. My appointment didnt go too bad…said that my weakness in my right side was some kind of seizure and that I should increase some meds. At one point in the appointment my husband kept interupting me while I was trying to talk or explain some things and I was very frustrated. Its hard enough for me to speak, let alone be interrupted and then forget what I was trying to say. Lol after about the 3 rd time I stopped and looked at him and said “its my appointment so please let me speak for myself especially if I am working so hard to speak” I felt so bad after that but he was really nice about it and finally was quiet after the doc would ask a question. So I got to say what I wanted to say on my own.
Margaret,
I have felt this way every since I remember anything…(since surgery) At times its scary just because I feel like I am someone else and the same when I even look in the mirror. The person that I look as isnt me…its someone else! I am learning that of course my name is brittany and the person I am looking at in the mirror really is me. But it is hard to convince myself of this. lol. It is something that I guess will take a little more time. And I’m so lucky to have such a supportive family when it comes to this kind of stuff. They show me old videos of me, sounding like a big hillbilly, playing the piano ( have no idea even how to play anymore) and of them calling me by my name and me answering. So I guess as long as I trust my family (and I do) things will be fine. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to deal with Wernicke’s aphasia? Or any kind of aphasia and how does it effect you during the times when you have problems with your words?