# brain fog or brain dead?



## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

The one thing that drives me crazy lately is this stupid "brain fog". Its gone beyond anything I could ever dream up. I forgot who I was! It only lasted for a second I'm sure, but it was real and terrifying. I was walking thorough a mall and I saw a woman with a baby, and I thought "I have one of those, but I couldn't remember if it was a boy or girl or how old it was, my second thought was "Where is it? Did I leave it somewhere?" and in the next thought I realized I didn't know who I was! I know it only lasted a second or two at most but it was so scarey. It scared my mother because she is afraid that next time I won't get my memory back. That may be going too far, but in my mind, or whats left of it, anything can happen next.The last couple of weeks have been terrible, it takes me an hour to type a short post, I can't recognise or spell simple words, I keep putting the dishes in the wrong cupboard, and I keep trying to put the milk in a dresser, I started to say things a hundred times but couldn't finish because I couldn't remember, not even when prompted by others. Today I watched my husband put paper into the recycling, while he was still standing there I started to take the paper back out!! No reason, no explanation. He thought it was amusing but I'm afraid, I think I am going from mild fog to brain dead. The one thing I thought I had going for me was an intelligent mind, what God took away from me in body, he made up for. Now I spell like a third grade drop out. Its embarressing and it hurts. I cut out most sweets, I eat a lot of vegetables, I try to stay reasonably active, and lately I'm getting more regular sleep than I ever have, so why is it getting worse? I hate this "no reason-no cure" disease. It seems like I should go back to stuffing myself with sweets, and staying up all hours of the night, I felt better.Lori Ann


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

Hi Lori Ann,Boy that brain fog can be scary. I get it and I can't finish a sentence. I lose my train of thought. I end up interrupting others in fear of losing what I wanted to say. I used to be a good listener but now I start responding in my head before the words come out. There again I feel this disease is at a cellular level because it effects all systems of our body!!Maybe there is some truth to the Guiafenisen theory. I will start trying that protocol next tues. Looking forward to trying something new again. Take Care, Sea


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## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Hi Lori Ann:Oh, I hate the brain fog. I had a mild case of it today. I've done some silly things over the years. Putting things where they don't belong. I'm sure one day I will find all the things I've misplaced. The other thing I do is stand in the middle of the room trying to remember what I was suppose to do next. There were times I would drive into town and not remember how I got there. Then I decided on those days I better stay home and lay low. I actually feel like I'm drunk. Today I went to the bank to make a deposit and could not remember my account number. The harder I tried to remember it the worse it got. Thank goodness my husband wrote the number on the back of the cheque (he normally doesn't do it). I told the teller that I couldn't remember my account. I don't think she believed me, she asked me for I.D.I don't have an answer for the brain fog and have not found a cure for it either. I just pray that I don't have too many days of it. Does anyone do anything special to help with the foggy days? See ya.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

Hi All,My brain fog gets worse as I get more tired. I don't know if it differs at all between CFS and Fibro. It will even affect my vision. I don't dare drive, especially at night. Things move in the road and weave all over. I keep a write-on/wipe off board on the fridge, a notebook (brainbook) in my purse and sticky notes and another board by the phone and a notepad and pencil for the grocery list on the fridge too. When I have a thought that needs to be remembered, I write it down immediately! I think the worse feeling I've had is all of a sudden being lost in town, not knowing where I was or where I was going. I do like Weener, when it is a major fog day, I stick close to home! Oh yea, I keep pen and paper by my bed too.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

Hi Foggy Brianers ;o)This makes me so happy to hear you all discuss this! I think I mentioned it in my first posting if anyone had it bad! I feel the exact same way Lori Ann. Why has God taken my body and is claiming my pee wee little brian too??? I have driven and not been able to recall how I got to my destination. I have walked into the bathroom at work and had no recall of walking there, I was just there!!! Oh well, I had a quick job so I did it... I have hung up with a client and could not recall half the conversation, very terrifying. I m a horrible speller anyway, but you are all right about forgetting mid sentence what the heck I was talking about. The biggest part of my job is communication, I too have suffered serverly with this. I keep telling my husband that it wears me out trying to stay focused and try to remember everything that just came naturally to me. The worst of it was I looked straight at my husband and for the life of me I could not remember his name, I folded and cried like a baby. There are days I have contemplated taking our gun and just stopping the entire life long cycle. I have a some pretty horrible days Lori too. So we are not a lone, are we! Thanks for talking about your stuff


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

Same for me. The brain fog and memeory loss is a bummer. Like the rest of you I keep a pen and paper close by.I got lost once going to my hairdressers and could not remember where to go - I cried all the way back home.I forget words and names are the worst.I have to see someone a lot before I can remember their name.On a bad day I can stand in the shower and after five minutes have no memory as to wether I have washed my body or not - it got so bad I now leave the soap in a dry place and if it is still dry I know I have just been standing and not washing! The other thing is remmembering my meds - but same procedure. I get them all out in the morning and put back in the cupboard when i have taken them. only way it works for me.


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

Hi everyone,I do all those things. I made 5 trips to my bedroom one day last week, but had no idea why, each time I stood there feeling stupid. On tuesday, I got out of the shower and wrapped my hair in a towel and proceeded to get dressed, when I unwrapped my hair it didn't feel right, then I realized I never washed it, when I thought about it I couldn't remember washing at all. I have forty or fifty papers laying around my desk. I had so many tablets of paper I kept losing them, I had the wipe off board on the fridge but wandered off with the marker. I write really important messages on my wrist because I can't lose it, except when I accidentally wash it off. And Lexa, I forgot my hubbies name and the kids too. Yesterday I said to him, "so, your birthday is a week from today" he looked at me strange, "umm no, its on the 12th." I said "I know its on the 12th" where did I go wrong? I thought 7+7 equaled 12. Twenty years ago I finished in the top thirty math wiz's in 4 provinces and now I'm reduced to thinking 7+7 is 12? And I went through a bad time of reaching for the wrong pill bottle, if I was reaching for a tylonol I took an elavil or talwin by accident, I did it so many times in one day I forced myself to throw up because I was worried I accidently O.D.'ed. Now I have to keep them far apart. Like putting pain killers in one cupboard and anti-inflamitories on top of the fridge. Did everyone experience this brain fog before they stated taking meds? I'm wondering if its so much worse now because of the increased elavil I'm taking. I have had to go back and correct just about every second word I typed (I use to be a fairly quick typer), I bet if I didn't go back and correct as much as I could no one would be able to understand a thing I said.I'm sorry to read you all have the same problems but relieved at the same time.Thanks, Lori Ann


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## Guest (Jul 8, 2000)

PS I thought about a gun too, only I'm sure that I'd never remember how to load the darn thing, and then I might forget why I loaded it and decide it was to shoot the tires off the neighbours monster truck that he is always squeeling.Wonder if I could use this brain fog as a defence in court...lolLori Ann


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## weener (Aug 15, 2000)

Lori Ann:Your last posting gave me a good laugh! Thanks I needed it. I know the brain fog is no laughing matter, but it is nice to see that you have a sense of humour. We need to have a good laugh and go out and have some fun and try to forget about this darn fm. Anyways, hope you have a nice weekend. Talk to you later.


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2000)

I started wearing a watch with a timer on it because one of my meds has to be taken at the same time every night. So the beeper reminds me. With my board on the fridge, the pen is attached to the board with a string, haven't lost that yet! Lori Ann, yes I had brain fog long before I started any meds. I was still working and afraid I was getting Alzheimers at a young age. :0


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2000)

DSG,It seems such a long time since I started down this road that I can remember a "before", heck I can't remember yesterday. Thanks for telling me. I've been thinking of Alsh...whatever, I can't remember how to spell it. I don't remember it being this bad though.Lori Ann


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## Guest (Jul 10, 2000)

I meant to say, I CAN'T remember a "before", dam* this bugs me


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## Feisty (Aug 14, 2000)

Lori Ann and everyone. I've got that "Brain Fog", too. Not as bad as some of you, but I can relate. Like walking into a room and forgetting why I'm there. And knowing I've put something away somewhere---some place where I would know immediately where it is, but I sure as heck can't remember where that place is!!! I have a hard time remembering peoples names. Faces, yes, but not the names. I am quite forgetful. I forget to write the notes so I don't forget!!!!! My husband is constantly getting annoyed with me because "I forget". Teases me constantly about having Alzheimer's especially now that I'm 51!!!! I haven't forgotten my name as of today, but who knows!!!! Lori Ann---I really trully think some of the drastic fog you're experiencing now is related to the high dose of "Elavil". Do you keep a daily diary of meds taken and when? And why? That might be helpful to try to figure out a pattern. Perhaps over time, these meds build up in our systems to the point that it "fogs" us. I was in one of those fogs when I decided to go cold-turkey a little over a year ago. I'm glad I did. But it's not for everyone. Just a thought. Let me know how you are doing. Another thought---I know for a fact that a lot of people taking Anti-depressants can actually become more depressed. I am one of them. So is my son. What we usually need in these situations is an anti-anxiety med. Quite a few anti-depressants are combined with anti-anxiety properties and that is why so many Doctors are prescribing them for a multitude of people. I'm more anxious than anything. I've been fighting the anxiety for quite a while. I get "down" because everyone tells me not to worry so much, but it's hard when those things bother me. They may not bother someone else, but they do me!!! So an anti-anxiety only med would work the best for me. Just a thought.


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