From the article: Brain Fog/Fibro Fog in Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Brain fog/fibro fog can be frustrating, embarrassing, debilitating -- and sometimes even funny! Share your brain fog stories, and compare yours to everyone else's. Share Your Foggy Moments!
highschooler
- I am 17 years old and a senior in highschool. I have been battling IBS and depression for 2 years and now I am in the process of being diagnosed with FM. And its hard. Everyday is a struggle because I am not on any medication yet. I have trouble getting to where I want to go because of my pain levels. But this new fibro fog started happening. I have trouble getting my words out of my mouth. Its embarassing to not be able to say what you want. Especially for a girl in highschool. I have a lot of friends and when we are all together I forget some of their names. In conversations ill stop mid sentence and forget what im talking about. Its frustrating and I havent told anybody what is going on yet. So I am on my own. I guess I am just on her to tell someone what it feels like. And I am glad I am not alone
- —Guest scaredsilly
Crazy fog!
- I have been shopping and suddenly cannot remember what shopping mall I am in. I have to stop myself having a panic attack by looking around till I recognize the area. I'm getting to the stage I don't go out without my hubby anymore.
- —Guest Gail
is it easier as a "dumb blonde"?
- Oh my I have a lifetime full of these moments. Recently I showed up for a Neurologist appt.@ 2 hrs. too late..on the way home I stopped at a new to me big store & soon realised I didn't know what town I was in...it panicked me as I wandered around store & outside til I knew where I was. 21 yrs ago I left an art bldg. w/ a large TV video camera I had on loan. A kindly young man(on a college campus) asked if he could help me carry this heavy thing...we went to one prkg. lot no not there, another lot car not there he was starting to panick but yay third lot there was my car right where I left it.
- —Guest cedar
Brain Fog is social hell
- I don't have a specific story but what I notice is that brain fog is terrible for work and social life. I try to avoid conversations because I'm too foggy to process information, It's really bad with fast talkers. I generally do a lot of nodding and I raise my eyebrows to try to put on an "alert" look. WHen the conversation has finished, I really couldn't tell you what exactly was discussed. The main goal is to get through a conversation without causing the other person to think your a gigantic moron. After work, I also tend to avoid conversations. Firstly, I generally don't care what other people have to say, I have too many other problems to work out for myself that occupy my mind. I also don't want to have to force myself to attempt to listen, pretend that I care or pretend that I understand what people are telling me more than I have to. Non CFS sufferers will never understand our world.
- —Guest Jonathan
fibro fog
- I have Fibromyalgia. I experience a lot of fibro fog, and its driving me crazy because I'm a junior in college and have a hard time remembering what is said in lectures and even typing emails, it takes me a long time to compose. I also cannot take notes for I get fatigued after half a page, and I can't remember anything I read half the time. Also the weight of my backpack hurts a lot carrying around campus and sitting for long periods of time hurts too. I wonder if I will ever be able to graduate.
- —Guest majicpanther
Feels fog
- Does anyone feel any sedation in their head during a fog flare up. I wake up everyday with a swollen face and can't think well. Somedays are not too bad. Then as the day progresses I have periods of time when the fog lifts and I can think clearer without so much effort. Often I forget so much and I use to have a remarkable memory. Sometimes I feel a sensation which feels like there is swelling in my head. I feel like I am wearing a helmet or something and I am not. I often have poor word recall and forget what I am doing. I also forget what I did the previous day. It feels like a fog comes over your brain and you can barely function and then later in the day my mind works way better. I also feel like I have the flu during the flare ups
- —Guest Joy S
Is it just the high altitude?
- Living below sea level my whole life, I really want to blame my brain fog on Colorado high altitude. A vacation recently had/has me worried a bit. While yes I have had more and more trouble remembering names etc up in the mountains I found over and over again I was giving definitions for words but could not remember what the word actually was. My dear friend that was with us said not to worry and she was very quick at jumping in with the word I needed. This is not a good thing as I work for an attorney. Yet daily at least once my once quick brain turns to mush. Just wanted to share. Thanks
- —Guest Katsny
Where's that brain of mine gone?
- When I trained as a nurse 40 odd years ago, I won a gold medal in my final examinations, which was considered to be a pretty big deal. I went back to work when my girls were in their teens & held positions of quite some responsibility,including Senior Occupational Health Nurse & Rehabilitation Co-ordinator, Workers Compensation Officer and Safety Officer. I've also been told I am quite well read and could converse on a pretty wide range of subjects. Along comes FMS and changes all that big time! When it was really bad, I couldn't remember the names of the simplest things and my dear family, who are very supportive and loving, but also wicked & twisted, christened me "Nanna Derr" , or "Old Dopey".
- —Guest Nanna Der.
College with Fibro
- Just went back to college, after losing my job to Fibro and My father's illness and untimely death. I was supposed to be protected under FMLA! What a joke! I have been fairly depressed, as can be expected, so school was a Godsend! Until reality set in. I am no longer able to concentrate, remember, or solve simple math problems! It is so heartbreaking to realize I will not be able to complete my degree program... i study day and night just to get a "C"! And as we all know, that just wont cut it in the working world, not to mention how i could ever keep a job with Fibro and Insulin-dependant diabetes! I was going to be the one person tougher than my illness....guess that isnt going to be happening! Dont get me wrong, I am thankful to be alive, and for my family and friends who understand, but it is so hard to have to give in to what your body will let you do! Thanks for listening, God bless you all in your fight!
- —Shelleyrox
Too much too often!
- Ok if it only happened once in a while, but it happens all the time. I am always challenging myself to fight back. It sometimes robs my Joy..I can not remember email log ins and pass words that I have been using for years ugh...I hate it! I with I could buy a t-shirt that says " I am smarter than I look!"
- —Guest Silly Syl
Fibro Fog
- I appreciate this forum. I was diagnosed with FM when I was 31 after the deaths of several significant loved ones. I experienced the physical manifestations of the malady from that time until I was 49, when several major life changing events occurred (the type of stressful events on published lists where one event is enough to create difficulty coping with daily events of life, and I experienced four within several months.) This is when the fibro fog set in, plus the onset of menopause happened. Some days I am fine, but often I cannot finish a sentence, or find the right words. I teach, and though I need the summer to physically recouperate from my work, it is the worst time for my fibro fog. This summer has been the worst, and it is embarrassing and sometimes I feel like I'm losing my mind. Loved ones and friends are starting to notice, and I am concerned. I am too young to lose my mind. I used to be able to keep track of so much, multi-task, no schedule book. :(
- —teachmeart
misdiagnosis
- Please be aware that brain fog, chronic fatigue & joint & muscle pain are all symptoms of LYME DISEASE. This is commonly misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia. Lyme disease is curable. Do some homework and make sure your doctor does thorough screening, especially if you are in an endemic area for Lyme.
- —Guest foggy999
wissy
- i have short tem memory loss also blanking out. this happened a week ago then tonight i thought i had put my cigarette out in the ash tray but it was on my bed cover i did not know this till i seen the smoke
- —Guest sandra henderson
losing it
- I was diagnosed with fybro 5 years ago. Now I'm pregnant and am trying to use positive thinking to get through the fatigue. A couple of days ago I was at the store with my husband, he had left to get a cart for a couple of minutes, and when he came back I didn't recognize him for a moment. It scared the hell out of me that I could actually forget his face, even if only for a fraction of a second. I'm only 29!
- —Guest alice
brain on holiday!
- I do get awful blank moments most of the time, I find it helps to laugh and say I havn't a clue what I'm talking about, people think I'm daft anyway ha ha When I'm driving I have to keep repeating where I'm going so I don't forget. Having the brain fog I also forget to worry about it so there is a silver lining!! I don't write things down as I forget to look at it. I can't work so have the luxury of taking time to do things thought I still make cups of tea when I already have one. If its really bad I don't talk to anyone and go to bed. I don't worry too much about it now as it could be a lot worse, mind you I do talk a lot to myself and it makes perfect sense. Much love to you all it can be frustrating but your still the same person, just your brains gone on hiliday. Love this web site too thanks
- —Guest moogi
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