My mind gets weird when I over-use my body

Hi Cathy:)

I too have the same thing. My mind feels like I am not here but I am. My doctor called it depersonalization. I used to get panic attacks alot before I was diagnosed because I didnt realize that it was actually the fogginess causes them. I remind myself now what it is and just take it one day at a time. I could literally just stand blankly at times in a crowd and just stare lol. Sometimes it scares me but my hubby is usually there to remind me I am okay. He tells me when I am acting like that, that he doesnt notice I am different. So hang in there, you are not alone and If you need to talk we are all here:)

cricket 

(hugs)

Thanks cricket!
That word "depersonalization" definitely rings a bell with me. The first time I had it I was about 9 years old. I was at a birthday party, and all of a sudden, I felt like I was in a glass jar. It was very frightening. It got bad through my teens and then seemed to ease up after my 20's.
But it came back a couple years ago. I've recently wondered if its a type of migraine? I suppose that would make more sense than other possibilities. I've also wondered if it was related to female hormones.
But now that I'm 60, I guess I start worrying about a stroke or a TIA.

It does seem to happen when I'm doing physical activity now....which I don't do too much of on a regular basis because of my FMS.
A couple years ago, it happened when my son and husband were on a camping trip far away. I was working hard in the garden on a hot day...which I shouldn't have been. All of a sudden, I couldn't think. I could barely make it back to the house, because I wasn't sure how to get there.
It lasted for months, and eventually cleared up. After that, I began taking zoloft and a beta blocker and it seemed to help.

But its definitely frightening! My doctor thought it was "just" a bad panic attack. But they happen at times that aren't emotionally stressful at all. It seems to happen now more when I'm physically stressed....even just a little.
I'm sorry you have these episodes too. I guess once we realize we aren't dying from them, they are a little less scary.
Thanks again cricket!

Your very welcome Cathy:) Isnt it awesome knowing that we all share some of these things. Sometimes seems we have our own language, lol. Just remember they are harmless ( I worried about it being stroke too. My mom died at age 24 of a stroke) so I too panicked. Im learning to relax in the fog. Always knowing the Lord has me. I havent found any meds to ease it.

Wow, I was just telling my driver that my mind seems to get bad when I am so tired. I don't drive anymore because of this. I was catching myself getting lost in my own town. I am very blessed to have a handicapp service to get me around. My mind had been getting worse the last few weeks. I try not to worry so much, but it's a little frightening to be so young. So if you see me write strange things you will know. Lol

Caty, after reading about depersonalization and out of body experience, I tend to think what we're having is more likely out-of-body experience, because it is neurologically related. Check this out http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Out-of-body_experience

This is all very interesting. When I first went to the doctor with my symptoms, one symptom I had mentioned was feeling dizzy, out of it. But this wasn't exactly what was going on. I let the matter drop as I didn't want him to think I was crazy, and he was starting to really look into some of my symptoms and finally taking me seriously. I also soon developed floaters in my vision, latge halos, problems with afterimages and visual snow. I went to both my doctor and opthomologist and all was normal. Again, I let the vision problems drop b/c they looked at me as if I was crazy and I coulnd't describe it properly.

After doing some research on my own, just for peace of mind that I wasn't crazy after all, I came across the term depersonalization disorder. It explained exactly how I was feeling. It was like watching a movie of myself. I would talk, and not know what was going to come out of my mouth. Interestingly, this came up in a search for visual snow as a related symptom. Both have had some success being treated with clonazepam, SSRIs and triciclics. My afterimages are also positive ones that I see. This is neurological in nature, as opposed to the negative ones that are due to the cones and rods of the eye getting over tired after looking at a colour for too long.

The depersonalization feeling went away soon after starting amitriptyline. The visual disturbances stayed for about a year and then faded. Unfortunately, the snow and afterimages are coming back, though not as strong or frequent, since starting my blue light therapy. I'm not sure what to make of that.

I find it all very interesting, as it all seems related. Depersonalization disorder is sometimes described by Lyme and MS sufferers. Visual snow and afterimages is reported by Lyme and MS patients, and other auto-immune desease sufferers. makes me think.

Here are the links to Wiki on these subjects
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depersonalization_disorder
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_snow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_afterimage

This is what I was seeing, but with more snow and a positive afterimage instead of the negative one, at my worse. I was so excited when I first came across this photo and knew I wasn't alone!
http://www.migraine-aura.org/site/content/e27891/e27265/e42285/e42288/e57536/e57690/Papanague_Visual_snow_vision_small_490_en.bmp

I kind of feel that way today.  I kind of over did it yesterday and today I just don't feel with it at all.  I hate it too since christmas is coming and maybe that's why I'm feeling like I am today.  I have zero energy it feels like and I feel like I'm two steps behind where I need to be. I did manage to get out and do what I needed to do, but I was so ready to get home.  I have days like that when I'm really tired or stressed people talk to me and I kind of zone out.  It's not that I'm ignoring them I hear them it just doesn't always compute.  I used to have it a lot at work and it would drive me crazy.  I'm sure it drove the people I worked with crazy too always having to repeat themselves.  It was a very high stress job.  I think I'm going to take it easy the rest of the afternoon.  the joys of a chronic illness it's not fun and I hate mentioning every little thing to my doctor.  Most days I can work through these episoides if I just take it easy, but I don't always accomplish a lot.  I still have dressing to make and I just hope I can get it done.  I have to.  It's probably from all the running around I've done in the last couple of weeks.  I'm tired and still have to meet up with family at the end of the week.  Think i'm going to curl up in my recliner for a little nap see if that doesn't clear things up cause I just don't feel good today.  Enjoy a little R&R while I can.  I hate that:(  I felt great yesterday but today is the complete opposite.