THE INFAMOUS BRAIN FOG STRIKES AGAIN...

[Jeigh44]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to get some of responses about what your brain fog feels like to you?   I get many different variations of it, and this new incarnation, is very strange.  It almost feels like my head is full of air, and I can actually feel the haze over my brain.   It has a strange hollow, yet full feeling. lol.   Other times, it is like my brain is a few seconds behind.  I stumble over words, or I can't think of the right word.  Then I have days where it feels like I drank a bottle of NyQuil the night before, and I am just in a haze.   I find it odd how it can just hit you out of nowhere, then disappear randomly.   

[Sharon]

Yes, many variations to the feeling of brain fog.
I'm familiar with all of them.
I have come to learn that it is caused by the inflammation affecting the brain in one way or another.
This finally lifted for me when I got on Orencia.
I sometimes say: "Orencia gave me my brain back". 

[Carolina]

Dear Jeigh and Sharon,

I agree with Sharon that inflammation is the cause of brain fog, in most cases. 

When I have a flare of my Immune Disorder it is because my Immune System is attacking some organ/system in my body.  I have any types of damage from these attacks.  I do not 'feel' the attack on the organ/system at the time, but the result of the attack, as it is going on, is greatly increased inflammation.

While I have chronic inflammation, the greatly increased inflammation of a flare has 3 effects on my body:  Profound Fatigue, Pain in my entire body, and Depression, which is constant during a flare.

The Depression causes brain fog, for sure. 

Since I am now almost 77, I also have more and more trouble pulling up a specific word out of my memory. That is frustrating as I have usually spoken with great fluency.  I can usually find a substitute word, but am baffled and frustrated when it occurs.  It is as if the word is hiding from me, and I know it's in there somewhere!

Another effect of my progressive neurological deterioration, coupled with severe arthritis in my hands, is that I am clumsier, sometimes putting a cup down too near the edge or occasionally missing the table completely.  This is if I'm not looking directly at what I'm doing.  I used always to be able to 'sense' where things were, and didn't need to look for the table next to me when I put an object on it.

Now my spatial sense in relation to my hands is compromised slightly.   

I cherish the awareness and the skills which I still have, but I'm beginning to miss the 'old me'.  That's when, of course, I can remember her!

Regards, Elaine

[Sharon]

Hi Elaine, I'm a few decades younger than you and can tell you that I have had the exact same neuro symptoms
from the inflammation, including forgetting words!
(Again, the Orencia has thankfully helped with many of these symptoms)
I feel the same though- I really miss the "old me"!

[Deb 27]

Sorry you are going through brain fog. Mine sounds a lot like yours.  It used to be that antidepressants would help mine. For me, it is not being able to access my words and it seems like my vocabulary shrinks. It's hard to think and remember. It's so frustrating!!!! It has driven me nuts trying to find something to make it go away and "stay" away. Sometimes, I get a little break from it but then it comes back. I hate it when I can't think of someone's name. It's so embarrassing!! But sometimes, there is a day when it goes away and I feel like the "computer" in my head is processing like it should. I take fish oil and a lot of supplements and lately, it hasn't been so great. I've also been having insomnia.

Sharon, I am glad the Orencia got rid of the brain fog for you. It must be a huge relief.  I do think is  some kind of brain inflammation and find this concerning.  I also think the profound fatigue that we experience is a part of it. But, I also think other things like insulin resistance, anemia, vitamin deficiencies and diabetes and high blood pressure can affect our memory. It's complicated but I'd love a pill for it. I've been taking CBD oil for two days and it feels a little better. It's always a good day when the memory works. Good luck to you.

[vrystaat]

Brain fog is awful. In social situations, I forget what I just said. I get laughed at.
At work, I can be almost brainless. I make many mistakes and make poor decisions.
I was fired from 4 jobs, and then gave up at the age of 55 years.

Later I discovered on my own that fighter pilots do use Modafinil (Provigil) to help them in their arduous jobs.
But the first drug I tried was Phentermine, which miraculously woke me up. I was able to work into my late fifties.
Currently I don't have a job. But on social occasions I use either Amphetamines or Provigil. I prefer the former, as it more
reliable and can be titrated. Provigil tends to lose its biological effects after years of use. This means increasing the dose.
Both of them are hard to get, because Physicians just don't know. A Neurologist reliably prescribes it to me.
I cannot live my life without these pharmaceuticals,

[Sharon]

Deb- Yes, it is a relief to be able to function again on the congnitive level, though don't know if I'm back to where I was before the SS nightmare began. My fatigue hasn't improved enough yet though, but it's better than it was. The body reacting to the ongoing immune system attack may be enough to explain our fatigue- there is a lot going on in our bodies.
CBD oil is said to be an anti-inflammatory so it would be interesting if this could help you beyond the well-known benefits it has for pain control and sleep issues. Keep us posted!

vrystatt- It's great you found something that helps you! So these help you with brain fog as well as with the fatigue?

[warmwaters]

Brain fog - many parts.

The "duh" feeling - searching for a word or idea that you are completely familiar with, but it's just gone right now. Trying to describe something you saw the day before and it comes out "So there was this thing, and it was really big, and I wanted to do something, and <long pause>, it was a cake with frosting and it looked good". ARG!


The losing track bit - You are doing things, and you lose your place, constantly. Did I put the sugar in? Am I on step 7 or step 9? Why did I come to the kitchen, there must be a reason.

The not being able to take things in. Someone is explaining something, and you essentially hear "Blah..blah.. blah.. scissors". Or you heard it all, and are darn sure you understand, until you try to do the thing just described.

There's more... the foggy "huh", the easily distractible, the "it's all too hard".  Brain fog is no fun.