What does Fibro fog feel like to you?

Just wondering how people would describe this since I tell people its like having a wet blanket over my brain. Its the only way I've ever been able to describe it.

Hello Telula,

 

I guess I never really thought about how i would describe it but it does make me feel that i am not quite with it or i know what i want to say and something different comes out. My mind is going faster than the rest of me, i have made so many mistakes at work  and luckly i could fix them but one day it could catch up.

 

Somedays i also feels like my mind can not keep up with my body, it is like i need to stop and let it catch up.lol, sound dumb righ but, so hard to find the word to explaine it.

 

When people talk to me I nod my head and sometimes answer with minimal words,  then its gone. You could ask the same thing 5 mins later and I wouldnt remember.   sue2z

If they knew what caused it they could treat it... (sigh!) Some of the problems we have stem from inadequate energy production in the cells. Inside our cells are little energy factories called mitochoncria where glucose and oxygen is turned into ATP and energy in a process called the Krebs cycle. At the end of this cycle the body needs malic acid to finish the job. For some unknown reason Fibros are deficient in malic acid. Normals take it from the fruits they eat and have lots of extra. Fibros have a glitch in the process. Since the brain runs on pure glucose this deficiency may affect brain activity. I'm only conjecturing here from my own experience... no science to back it up.

This is why many of us take extra malic acid to help compensate for the missing amounts that we need. It works for some of us but not for others... That's another mystery to add to the overall picture.

I jsut started with the brain fog. I feel like I am watching in a window speechless every thing is going on around me and Im not there even though I am. I will want to say a word and a different one comes out . Some times I am lost for words in mid conversation I know what I want to say it just doesnt come out.

I have a hard time remembering if I have already said something or not. I will be thinking it in my head and I know I thought about that already but did I actually say it out loud or did I just think it? I will walk into rooms...or sometimes just get up and i feel like im lost and I cant remember what I was going to do. If I am doing something and I get interrupted with the phone or having to use the bathroom..by the time I am ready to go back to it, I have completely forgotten what I was doing and just move on to something else never knowing that I was in the middle of something already.

I have difficulties often with just basic math equations. Its something that is really embarrassing to me because I know its simple and I should just know the answer...especially because I always got good grades in HS. I never did well on any review tests though and I think this fog has something to do with it. I had a hard time remembering the things we learned before unless they applied to what we were currently doing.

I tend to have difficulty finding the right words or saying what I mean to say but it is usually the worst when I am anxious. I have generalized anxiety along with a lot of social anxiety...people scare me so this happens to me a lot unfortunately. The only person who doesnt give me anxiety, at least to some degree, is my husband..thank god for him!

I have also had times where I find it difficult to find the right spelling for a word sometimes, even the simple ones. Or when I am writing, my hand will write letters that arent even supposed to be in that particular word.

All this is frustrating but I have learned and am still learning how to just sort of ignore it. I mean I fix my mistakes but try not to dwell on it but thats hard when someone else catches it. Makes me instantly feel the fool. But at least I know now that im not stupid I just have fibrofog and I blame myself less and blame this darn syndrome more

Marlee, why don't you try to pulverize the peels in your food processor.  You could possible liquify them doing it that way.

 

Brain fog...having to really concentrate and work hard to come up with words or how to do things.  Lately, I have been having trouble pulling up how to balance the checkbook.  If I relax about it, it comes to me through the fog. The information is always there but I can't pull it up.  It feels like you have dementia or Alzheimer's but you really don't.  This has been going on with me for years so I know it's fibro. 

 

Sherrine

I'm going to start experimenting with apples. I may not get as much malic acid as I need but any amount is better than none. I love apples dipped in carmel sauce yummy.

 

Yes Jeannie I think about the "hereafter" many times a day.

 

And multi tasking hehehe I couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time anymore.

 

luv and hugs

Marlee

Fibromyalgia is not for sissies! 

Sherrine

I also worry about driving. I hardly ever drive for fear I will get lost or anxious or just do something stupid. I can never remember how to get to certain places, no matter how many times I have been there. We only have one car and its a standard and my husband has been pushing me for years to learn to drive standard but im just too embarrassed and afraid. Sadly enough I am almost relieved that we have a car that I am unable to drive because it takes the pressure off of me to have to drive places on my own. I hate being such a burden on my family and having to ask for rides when I need to get places. everyone seems to be understanding about it but I dont think they grasp the real reasons behind why I dont drive. I know that my mind is just not always quick enough to keep up with everything that I need to pay attention to, and thats hard to explain to some people.

about Fibro fog, I tell people I have random holes in my brain. There used to be something there, but now there's not. I also usually laugh. Fortunately I don't have a job to worry about doing things wrong. Diane

Luckily, one thing I really haven't had a problem with is driving. I mean, I have to be careful of all the other idiots on the road, but I am usually really good at driving. It's one of the only freedoms I have, and I really can't go anywhere all that much because I have to preserve gas and everything. It's hard to do things you would love to do when you are poor. Anyways. sometimes, I zone out while I am driving...I'll be listening to the radio and my thoughts are on something else, and it is like my subconscious takes me where I need to go.

I joke a lot and tell people that I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo. But sometimes, I really do feel that way. She would be in the middle of a conversation, there would be a pause, and then she would be like, "Can I help you?" And that is how I feel most times when I have really bad fibro fog.

Good luck to those of you who have trouble driving because of the fog. Take care. *soft hugs*

Wow, I feel like everyone has insite to my most inner person. You all are describing me . I feel everything you are describing.  I have gotten better on medication   but I still have a lot of fibro fog.  I'm ok at home, my family as excepted my fog.  They leave me notes, remind me where I was going and laugh with me when I say something really silly.  I do get nervous at work when I'm having a bad day, I write everything down and try really hard not to speak up when I'm fogging.  I work with highly educated people who don't have any of these issues so the wrong word coming out of my mouth makes me look like an idiot.  The more I worry about it the worse I get.  The first thing I try to do is calm myself down so it doesn't get worse.  I usually excuse myself and go to the bathroom so I can collect myself. 

As far as driving, I focus on what I'm doing.  If I have to open the window or talk to myself (I repeat where I'm going and why), I do.  I'm not that bad with driving but I do need to remind myself to stay on my toes.

I hate the fog but it's comforting to know that I am not the only one.

Meggie