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Fog is getting thicker...EEG?

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Posted 11/28/2009 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
Has anyone ever considered having an EEG because they believed their fog was getting

worse?

I am really having a more difficult time multi-tasking because of the fog. Don't know

what is going on, if it is my fibro fog or CNS involvelment due to my MCTD all I know is

it is becoming more difficult to do simple tasks. My thought process seems to take alot

longer. Was even considering I might have early Alzheimers.

Some of you have heard my laundry story about the dryer going off, going to get the load

only to find a lonely dryer sheet. It still happens sometimes, or I will remember to put

the clothes in the dryer and to forget to turn the dryer on. Yesterday I got out of my car

and forgot to shut the car door, and went into the house, I wasn't carrying anything.

These type of things happened before but now they are becoming increasingly frequent.

Please tell me I am not going crazy!

Hugs

Robin

Posted 11/28/2009 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
Robin, When I asked my doc about this, he said I could go to a neurologist, get all kinds of tests and maybe even find out what part of my brain was misfiring, etc. But as of now there is no way to fix this problem, so I should just try to get along with it, figure out ways that I could cope by going around the brain fog. Does this make sense to you? Diane
Posted 11/28/2009 5:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Robin,

Ohh yeah!  Many a time I've thought I'm going nuts and getting worse.  Maybe its Altzheimers? maybe a brain tumor?  All those thoughts that go through your head when you are having a bad day and/or a bad flare.  You are just sure SOMETHING else must be wrong with you in addition to JUST fibro.  Just fibro, hey isn't that enough in itself? lol!

Its always good to check with your dr about things that are bothering you.   I think it is kinda like RedDiane says, they can check but they can't really do anything about it.  But for your own peace of mind, you should say something to your dr.  I have those fibro moments  too and they just seem to come out of the blue.  Eventually the brain clicks in--like when I'm standing in front of the refrigerator and have just put my cup of coffee inside and go---duh--that's not the microwave!

Yo-yo 

Posted 11/28/2009 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
Diane, I am hoping there is a way to fix this. I guess not knowing if this worsening fog is
caused by my fibro, lupus or scleroderma is worrying me. My scleroderma is progressing
and I'm afraid it could be turning my brain into a rock. I always thought of my fog as fibro
fog, and now I'm not so sure.

I'll ask my rheumy what he thinks is going on, maybe it is just stress!

Thanks

Robin
Posted 11/28/2009 5:43 PM (GMT 0)
Robin, I had 12 people here for Thanksgiving.  I made a homemade apple pie and nearly put ground cumin in it instead of cinnamon!  Then, I was making gravy.  I put the thickener in and kept going back to the stove to stir it and it just wasn't getting thick!  The turkey was nearly carved and things were in the serving bowls.  The problem?  I didn't turn the stove on!  I turned on the stove, got busy and forgot that I was heating the gravy and it overflowed on my stove.  I put the dinner rolls in the oven to heat and forgot about them and they were like hockey pucks.  Halfway through dinner I remembered I didn't put out the cranberry sauce.  But, my family is used to my unusual cooking!  Hey, at least I'm lovable!  tongue

 

I do things like that all of the time.  I just don't worry about them because doctors can't do anything about it anyway.  Plus, if I kept thinking about it, anxiety would kick in and then it WOULD get worse...because of the worrying.  I just laugh at myself most of the time.  Occasionally, I get really ticked off at the fog!

 

Sherrine 

Posted 11/28/2009 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
Yo-yo, Diane and Sherrine, Thanks...You made me feel like a "normal" fibromite. Somedays
I can turn into a Nervous Nellie in a heartbeat.

Sherrine, I hosted Thanksgiving too, it was a three ring circus. I even forgot to take the
giblets out of the plastic bag and cooked them as is right inside the turkey!

Robin
Posted 11/28/2009 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have had EEGs, MRIs, and just about every neurological test they could think of. This doc found some slight abnormalities but there is nothing that can be done about it. I went for a second and third opinion. The second doc told me to stop the antidepressants the other docs were insisting I take and that helped reduce the fog a lot. All the docs said that my brain is considered normal, some people just have slight abnormalities in their EEGs. They can give me meds but the side effects would be many times worse than anything my brain is doing. I did feel a lot better knowing what was (and wasn't) going on in my brain.

Since you have multiple ailments that can cause neuro problems, talk to your doc about seeing a neurologist. The neuro doc can decide whether you need tests. The tests may reveal something or all be normal but at least you'll know what is going on in your head.

My fog gets better, then worse, then better, then worse, I never know how foggy I will be.
Posted 11/28/2009 6:51 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Dagger, I plan on talking to my rheumy to see what is going on. This seems to be
the longest span of brain fog I have had. My husband keeps telling me to focus,yeah, right.

I haven't seen my neurologist in almost a year, time for a visit.
Posted 11/28/2009 9:13 PM (GMT 0)

This morning a friend called and asked me to meet her at noon.  Okay.   Hung up, took a shower...couldn't remember what time I was supposed to meet her.   Called her back....Noon.  Got to talking to another friend on the phone for five minutes...forgot the time again! 

Went to the car without my purse.  Noticed my ribs were on fire so decided to take three Advil.   Walked back to the car without my purse again.

Just another day in fibro paradise for me!

Huggies

Donna

Posted 11/28/2009 9:55 PM (GMT 0)

I know I have a different disease but we really do share a lot of symptoms.  With MS, as the lesion load progresses and brain atrophy comes into play, cognitive issues develop.  There is definitely something to be done!  I am angered by doctors who say there is nothing to be done about this.  These strategies are not unique to MS treatment.  This can be used for MS, Alzheimers, brain injury or whatever!!

A specially trained health professional (neuropsychologist, speech/ language pathologist, or occupational therapist) administers a battery of tests to evaluate cognitive dysfunction.  Based on the test findings—including the person's cognitive deficits and strengths—the health professional can provide cognitive rehabilitation, including:

  • Computer-mediated memory exercises
  • Training in the use of compensatory strategies such as notebooks, computers, and filing systems to compensate for memory problems and other changes.
  • There are also some meds that can aid with cognitive function.  Most of these are psycho stimulants such as Ritalin.
Posted 11/28/2009 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
Donna you crack me up continually! While taking my shower this morning, I could not

remember if I washed my hair, pretty sure I washed it 2 or three times.

Gretchen, Thanks for this info. I certainly could benefit from the memory exercises.

I am going to check out memory games on the web and start playing.

Hugs

Posted 11/28/2009 11:22 PM (GMT 0)

Robin, you're not going crazy! Feel better now?  wink   I think the fog is the most frightening aspect of FMS for me. It has gotten so much worse over the past 13 yrs, and it wasn't pretty before that. That was the 1st concern on my list to my former dr. yrs ago. I was afraid I was getting early onset AD. My dr thought it was silly to question that at my age (50), shortly after that visit I ran into a very close family friend (like cousins). She told me her mother, my childhood friend had been dx w/ AD. My dear friend was 55. She has progressed to the point they aren't expecting her to survive the yr. She will be 62 on Monday. When I heard of her dx, I went back to my dr and told her I was even more concerned. She finally relented and I was tested. As she so sweetly told me, They found nothing! I was relieved, but still didn't know why I had the memory problems I had. My dr never ventured any ideas. Except 'that happens to everyone'.

I have had tests done since then, and they still come up negative. If you are concerned, see about the tests. I also like Gretchen's suggestions.

God bless.  Alice.

Posted Yesterday 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks Alice for confirming I'm not crazy, I needed that smilewinkgrin .  There are days when I

question it. I just need to keep on keeping on.

I'm so sorry about your friend. I worked as an Activity Director on a Alzheimers/Dementia

wing in a nursing home. Everyday I witnessed the frustration and courage of the patients

and their families and friends. I learned alot about the strength of the human spirit.

We are stronger than we know.

Hugs

Robin

 

Posted Yesterday 7:16 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Robin-

I'm new here, but you are NOT crazy! The past two years my fog has steadily gotten worse and I've done many forgetful things - drives me crazy because I always had the best memory in the family and everyone still expects me to remember everything - hardest when I forget conversations that I've had with my kids.

-Lisa
Posted Yesterday 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Lisa, Yesterday I felt crazy, today I'm ok. I put in a search for memory games

on the web, quite a few came up. Some of them are really funny. I have been playing

concentration...and I am laughing!

Glad you joined are fibro family

Robin

Posted Today 4:50 AM (GMT 0)
I think it is worse during a flare. Do you? I am in a lot of pain today and went grocery shopping. Normally I can go to the lunch meat department and look at my list and pick up cheese, bologna, bacon, etc. But today I had to pick one thing off the list, get it, then pick an other thing. I could not remember more than one at a time. It took a lot longer and made the flare worse. I spent a lot of time going back and forth in the frozen foods aisle and the meats aisle.

When it gets that bad, I do mindless things, if possible. Or just take a whole lot longer to do stuff that takes brain power. Today I have been filling out phd apps. After grocery shopping, I wondered if I really have what it takes to get a PhD. The flare has been so bad that I actually cannot wait to go to the dr. on Friday. And I usually hate going to the dr.
Posted Today 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Sue, you really amaze me. You have accomplished so much despite everything. You

truly are an inspiration.

I agree with you about the fog being worse during a flare.

 

Posted Today 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Robin!

Wonderful to hear you had a joyful day - I'll have to give those memory puzzles a go.

Statgeek-

You definitely are not alone with grocery mission -- lately when I get home from the store I look at the list dumbfounded because regularly there is one or two items I didn't pick up -- that never used to happen.

-Lisa
Posted Today 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Robin,

You're not alone and you're not crazy! I've been forgetting so many things lately it scares me. I even forgot to do an important task at work! My boss was very understanding and laughed about it but I don't think it's funny!

I've been playing Sudoku a lot....I think mental games like that will help.

(((hugs)))
JoAnn
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