Brain Fog

[irish]

KYMOM, You are so right about kitchen timers. I used them for at least 30+ years. I would have to carry it from room to room and finally bought another one so I didn't have to haul it around so much. I could lay down and take a nap or rest for a short period of time and not worry about oversleeping.

I have used one in so many ways and it really helped make my life so much easier. At this stage I have found that I need to stay in the kitchen much of the time or I will burn things. My timers are all broken and the last one didn't last very long. They don't make them as well as they used to.

It helps to just learn to plan your life around your "issues". I had the brain fog for so many years but most of the time I was OK. The thing that the brain fog did to me was increase my anxiety level and decrease my self esteem. It would have been nice to know that I was sick and that it "wasn't all in my head" as the doctors say. It is hard enough being ill and living with the emotions that go with being not listened to or believed but add the brain fog and things get more complicated. And yes, a sense of humor saves you from going crazy. Irish

[TOB]

Hello.

I too am relieved to read this posting about 'Brain Fog'. I am yet to be formally diagnosed but my I have had a positive ANA speckled 1:640 titre and a positive SSA (Ro60) which I understand is a common link to Sjorgrens. My doctoris currently investigating Lupus/Sjogrens overlap.

The last six months or so I have really noticed how forgetful I have become and that I do really silly things and my words come out muddled. I even said to my husband that I am worried I have the onset of Alzheimers! I constantly find myself driving down the road and suddenly realise that my mind is elswhere and I have gone completely the wrong way! At work recently I had to book a flight to travel interstate. I arrived at the airport on the morning of my flight only to be told that the flight I was booked on was for the day before! I felt such an idiot when I had to tell my boss that I had booked for the wrong day. Regarding words coming out wrong I am a shocker! Only this weekend I was at my sister in laws and I called out to my son to put his trainers on, instead I shouted out 'Come and put your tights on'! My sister in law just looked at me and said 'tights?' with a very strange look on her face. I hadn't even realised i had said tights instead of trainers! I also find at work or at home that alot of the time if someone is talking to me I completely switch off and start thinking about other things, my concentration span is terrible and it really is affecting my work. I have also left the car handbrake off and gone to get out and realised that is starting to roll down the road!!

I don't normally feel that ill but today I feel exhausted since I woke even though I thought I had a good nights sleep for a change. I feel like I could go to bed and sleep for a months and my head feels so fuzz! I am going for tones of blood tests tomorrow including a ANCA (i think) so hopefully the diagnosis will come soon.

[ohiolady]

I decided to read thru the last couple of posts and just wanted to say what Irish said is exactly how I feel.  "Brain fog has increased my anxiety and decreased my self esteem.  I'm trying to keep my sense of humor and just go with it but sometimes it is so embarassing when you say or do goofy things around your friends.  I really don't feel like going into a 15 minute explanation of why I said or did something.  It sure helps me to know that so many others have the same problem.

Anna

[Redetha1]

I also put the wrong words in sometimes and also can't always complete what I want to say.  I must pause and then state what I wanted to say.  It is a real bummer!  I wish we did not have to have the brain fog.  It does make one wonder about their own self esteem...seems I am always trying to be on guard.  What a great place to vent and hear from others.