Brain fog | Arthritis Information

Well...I am having a pity party right now. Today was absolutely miserable. Yes I was in pain. Yes I was stiff. But that was nothing compared to the brain fog. Unable to remember detail about recent conversations. Unable to have a normal conversation because I just cannot concentrate and stay on topic. Hiding in my office praying no one knocks on the door wanting to have a conversation with me. Almost feeling "out of my body" at times.

How in the world am I going to keep my job when I can spin into fogs like this with no notice and no idea when it will end? It's just so scary! I cried all the way home from work. My nerves were just shot and my emotions are right at the surface waiting to bubble out.

I've only been like this one other time, but it lasted 2-3 months. My husband was telling family in side conversations not to be alarmed if I stopped talking in mid-sentence because of have to regroup my thoughts. Or not to be alarmed if I did not remember simple, recent events.

It's not that I'm not sleeping. I got a full eight hours last night, and plenty of rest over the weekend too.

Anyone else ever experience this? If so, do you have any good tricks for handling it?

Personally I cry too. I get chronic fatique very bad. It seems anything I take to stay awake alters me in someway or another. but as such is it a flare coming on? I take pain pills so that adds to my confusion. My best days are ten mg. of pred anymore and i feel out of it mentally. Any less and i am to sleepy. Well sometimes i need more than 10 mg of pred to stay awake. Thats a bad day. Pretty much i except my delema at the moment. I guess it is all about getting the illness under controll. I hope this is just a today thing or it passes soon. Maybe it is getting time for your Remicade?Thanks for listening Milly. I wish it were as simple as needing my Remicade. I just had it last Wednesday (I'm on every 4 week infusions). Unfortunately I had a reaction during my infusion where the room began to spin. They knocked me out with a shot of Benadryl in my IV and monitored me for 2 hours. That got rid of the immediate spin but the dizzy spells lasted through Saturday. I'm sure all of this is what is triggering my brain fog.

The doc is talking about another med as I'm on the max Remicade dose and frequency. Appears I've gotten all I'm going to get out of it and need to move onto a new one.

Again....thanks for listening. I feel better just getting it out.

Oh sure an allergic reaction would cause problems for awhile until the meds clear your system. Keep a close i on yourself. You may need a bit more benydril or something before it is all over. How long i wonder does the Remicade stay in your system. I would find out? Any bad problems and to the EROOM with you. It will pass. Sounds like you have a good doctor. Eventually they will get us all straightened out. Diane - my brain fog started suddenly one day about 9 years ago. I swear, I felt a puff of something go through my head. Then it began. It's horrible, I totally understand. I used to remember everything, was almost totally photographic. Carried numbers, addresses, faces, names, everything in my head. Then it started fogging up. I was so proud last week because I remembered a 3-digit number from the second floor to the first floor of my house where I needed to write it down for some reason I have now forgotten :) Retaining something for more than a minute or two now is cause for great rejoicing for me.

I am in no way endorsing antibiotic protocol for you with this post as your plight has touched me deeply because I understand. But after trying the chemo/predisone route with no change in my frain bog, it started clearing up within a few weeks of switching to ABX therapy.

That said, I am 52, but my frain bog years are gone from my mind now. If someone reminds me, it might come back. Its very very scary. You are not alone with this part of RA.

You will learn to cope, how to coverup at work, how to triple check everything you do. And you will make mistakes, typos, transpose numbers, everything. So, my only advice is to treat yourself softly and lovingly right now, because you have to pace yourself for the very long haul of this chronic, debilitating disease. Good luck, take care, and keep posting - we were all in your chair at this same point with our journey - we understand. Cathy

My first (and so far ONLY) major brain fog episode started just after I was diagnosed in April 2008...I had absolutely no idea what was happening to me. It was an awful, loss-of-control, foggy, "druggy" feeling...I was too dizzy to drive and too weak to get off of the couch. I felt the same as you, "how on earth can I work in this condition?"

A whole-body cortisone shot and a 2-week recover period (i.e. break from work) did the trick...I'm still prone to fogginess brought on by day-to-day fatigue, but so far nothing like what happened to me in April. I'm sure it will happen again, but now I know that it's just a flare and that I'm not dying or going nutsBrain fog is a horrible, helpless feeling. Like you're losing your mind, or have Alzheimer's, and it's especially difficult if you've been intelligent, effective, witty and sharp. I have no advice, alas; but wanted to add my sympathy and empathy.

And to state my gratitude that others admit to crying. I feel like a wimpy crybaby sometimes, but occasionally, tears are all I can do to cope.

Cat E. Clysm2008-09-22 20:55:48I cry too out of frustration of these darn diseases. I have so much I have to do and my body is not letting me... Oh, and the brainfog makes me feel like an idiot sometimes. I do not have support at home and hubby blames everything I do on "too many meds"

OMG!!! Brain Fogs? I have yet to experience these. The only fog I can remember was when I fainted and fell on the floor, but that was from intense pain. What is the brain fog? Is it from the RA or the meds? Just when I think it can't get any worse...Thanks to all for you kinds words. As much as I hate to sound like I'm celebrating your pain, I have to admit that it's good to know I am not alone.

Justsaynoemore...I'll be sure to discuss ABX with my doc when we talk about next steps in October. In the past he has not offered this solution.

Cat...don't even feel ashamed of crying. This disease is some scary stuff and every once in a while you've got to let the steam out of the pot. Better to let it out than let it boil inside. My husband knows that when I'm crying that I've reached the end of my rope and it's time to just lay down and cradle me like a baby. I get it out, and then on with life.

Owie...I am sorry your husband hasn't grasped the seriousness of your disease. I know mine did not understand at first either, until I asked him to read some materials on the disease and the drugs. I also insist he goes to each doc visit with me. Not only for his education, but for my memory. ;-) Lastly, I asked him to spend a few hours cruising a RA message board much like this one. From that point on I had his full attention. If you have not already tried these things you might give it a shot. It would certainly take some pressure off you if you had his full understanding. Good Luck.

Thanks again all.

Audrey....just saw your post. First let me say I LOVE your name. I wanted to name my daughter Audrey, but the hubby wouldn't go for it.

As for "the fog". Imagine a day in your past where you did not get any sleep. Maybe one where for whatever reason you had been awake for 24 hours or more. Add a really long daydream feeling to that, and then imagine forgetting what you are talking about at mid sentence with every conversation you have. That's "the fog".

As for what causes it no one knows. It just comes. My first one was at the onset of my disease before I had found a drug that helped stablize me. But this one seems to be a result of an allergic reaction to one of my meds (Remicade infusion). I'm feeling better this morning so I'm hoping this one is short lived. The previous one lasted a few months.

Just know when/if if happens that it's the disease and there are lots of people here to help you through it. They have certainly made me feel better the last several hours.

I'd be curious to see if AP people describe the brain fog as going away. I have heard it helps but cannot be sure. When I was on Doxycycline it helpedYes, AP can take the fog away.....can take time for some.

Ron

I am having brain fog horribly lately.. it really affects my speech too.. I sound like some kind of idiot.

also can not find ANYTHING around the house. Yesterday I bought a quart of brake fluid for Mark's car.. for petes sake its a huge honking YELLOW bottle.. ya think I can find it?

Oh yes, I too have suffered w/the brainfog. I posted an article recently on fatigue and coping with in with RA but it's like my brain is fatigued as well. I can't tell you how many times I am speaking with someone and then, mid-sentence, I go blank and say 'Oh, I forgot what I was saying - never mind". It's so alarming isn't it? I'm also getting very cranky with people who I feel don't "get it" but in reality, I"m just covering up and not tellng them what it is i"m going through.Do any of you guys wake up and have no idea where you live?? Seriously! this has happened to me lots of times.. i have to really think about it..

(i have really major dreams and nightmares at times.. very very vivid and lots of color!)..

...

ohh brain fog...um i'm bipolar, lol and my mind is thinking soo rapidly and soo far ahead, I can't keep on the same track as many and yes, sometimes, i get lost and have no idea what i'm doing or talking about..

also its part of getting older.. whether 30 or 70!! lol

I would NEVER start ap therapy, just to get rid of brain fog.. i rather keep the fog and my limbs from disentergrating!!!

try not to stress too much about it,.. its not the worse thing in the world, .. right? confusing...but at least not painful.... so honestly, you'll be ok..

i've been bipolar, for ages...and yet still here, mind intact.. as much as possible LOL

have to have some humor in life....

It happens to most people, i knowCount me in. Brain fog has been an embarrassing problem for me too. At first I thought it was just the MTX because the RD said it can cause it. But now I've read that Sjogren's and lupus can cause it, as can many other autoimmune diseases. So, I can't offer an explanation as to why you have brain fog, but I can tell you you've got lots of company. I have ADD so I have been in a fog most of my life (although not that bad!) Thank you all, I thought it was just me. My boss asked me a question the other day--that I should know and there was nothing there, no response, I had no clue what the answer was. I apologized and told her I was totally brain dead at that moment and would get back to her. I felt like at total idiot. Had anyone found any vitamins that help? The excessive caffeine (from Vaults) is starting to get to my stomach, right now that is the only thing that helps some.For me brain fog was the worst part of the disease. I could deal with the pain with medications, swelling and inflammation was nothing compared to the FOG. Brain fog didn't lift until I achieved clinical remission and it happened overnight. My memory is better, can carry on a conversation, and am interested in communicating. My husband is amazed at the difference in me mentally.

You'll learn ways to keep yourself going at work. Like Cathy stated you'll double check your work, relearn how to do things and your co-workers hopefully will understand. My job required me to give speeches, do marketing and travel so I had no choice but to retire but it was the best gift I've ever given myself. Take care and know you're not alone....there's a whole lot of us in Fogland. Lindy