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How bad does the fog get for you?

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Lupus
How bad is your fog?
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Posted 5/2/2012 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
I'm having fits because of my fog.

Yesterday I called my para-pro "Mama"! smhair

She's just four years older than me! tongue

Same day I drove off from the drive thru leaving my dessert. I had forgotton I had ordered it. I was reminded I'd ordered it when I glanced down at the receipt and thought I had paid too much for my food. I had gone a mile down the road. turn

The lady at the restaurant and I had a good laugh when I came back. She said she tried to flag me down, but I wouldn't look at her.

When I read to my class I'm constantly having to slow down and concentrate on what I'm reading or I say the wrong words. nono   Even then it will get scrambled.

I'm calling kids by the wrong name and forgetting who's in my class. smhair

Posted 5/3/2012 12:27 AM (GMT 0)
I do that all the time. Almost everytime I go through the drive through, I will forget my food OR the drink. Depends on what they give me first. I don't remember conversations I have had, don't remember where I put things. I have been known to put the peanut butter in the freezer and waffles in the pantry. Things like that all day long. The part my friends and family have the most fun with is when I use the wrong words. They usually sound similar but totally the wrong word with a different meeting! I have just learned to laugh it off!!
Posted 5/3/2012 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,     Teaching is where the brain fog really gets me.  I used to think I was experiencing dementia, but now that I understand what it is, I have learned to go easy on myself.  It cracks the kids (I work with 6th through 12th graders) up when I forget how to spell a word or lose my train of thought.  I have been able to be open with them about what I am going through and that helps.  I had one student call me "Frail" the other day and when I asked him why he thought I was frail, he said that he notices me move really slow sometimes and even grimace when I get up from a chair.  We both laughed about it, but it kinda hit me hard. What's funny between us is that we take many of the same medications.  He had a kidney transplant when he was 4 years old (he's 17 now) and we often talk about our battles with the meds we take. I always thought I would be sturdy and clear-headed until I was 80!!!!  But the reality is, is that I am not sturdy and certainly not always clear-headed.....but I have a huge heart and have learned to laugh a lot.

Laura (Oreo)

Posted 5/3/2012 2:33 AM (GMT 0)
My short term memory is shot to hell and I’ll be glad when the devil returns it. Items go missing in my house on a daily basis. I’ll set something aside as a reminder and then can’t find it (my watch needs to be repaired- take it out of my jewelry box to remind me to repair it and then can’t find the watch).   I told my beloved BF that I simply cannot move things ‘cause I will not be able to find them. Today a pair of scissors is missing.   The other day I found my missing jar of organic peanut butter, which needs to be refrigerated, in the pantry. Do I need to place post-it notes on peanut butter too? My 26 y/o daughter begins statements with, “Remember when I told you about …well I told you about this.” She doesn’t wait for me to say “Yes, I remember,” because she knows I won’t. It’s easier on both of us. Yesterday I had to ask my BF how to use the remote to the TV. On the upside, I can watch repeat shows and enjoy them as if I’ve never seen them.   Lately I’m lucky if I can spell my name correctly. Spelling simple words has taken a very bad hit and yes, I often use the wrong word. My train of thought consists of an engine with no cars connected. I’m sure there are many more examples, but I can’t remember them.  Love, Butterflake aka Donna
Posted 5/3/2012 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
There are many levels of brain fog, it can get to be quite significant.

For almost 2 years I didn't drive, as even thou I've lived in the same place for over 30 years I'd look around at the end of the street and feel totally disoriented -- not recognizing anything. I couldn't follow a conversation or even a sit-com. I'd try to talk and forget my train of thought before I'd get to the middle of the sentence -- or forget the word and get so busy searching for the word I'd forget the sentence. Lost my career and lots of other things because of it. I had some neuropsych testing done and the results showed measurable loss of function. In terms easy for the layman to understand - the tests showed an IQ loss of 15-20 points.

When I say that Cellcept was my miracle drug, that is what I'm talking about. My brain is back to being closer to normal - however I can very easily regress -- skip a meal, forget a med, have insomnia -- and I'm back to stumbling along. Sometimes I can get thru by slowing down and concentrating more, sometimes I just have to let it be...but the great news is I can feel mostly ok by following the basics. Once you have lupus, they are VERY important!

So overall, I'd say keep track of what's happening, keep an eye on the sleep, food, and meds -- and if things start to get worse, check in with your Dr immediately...it can be helped!

Cheers,
Posted 5/3/2012 5:43 AM (GMT 0)
If it makes you feel better.... I somehow whilst watching a movie found my missing cell phone. Did not recall having my cell phone in my hand or dialing my mother. I asked her to call my cell phone because I couldnt find it. She says "sure no problem, um isnt this your cell phone number" (she musta looked at caller id). I took my phone off my ear, looked at the phone in my hand then realized I found the cell phone. I said "Ooops sorry mom, guess I'm having a blonde moment" and she bust up laughing. Then she told me "your father did the same thing except it was diet coke" I said "oh what did he do now mom" and mom told me how he went around the entire house looking for his diet coke.. couldnt find it and it was in his hand. Thats not the first time my father has done that! He has the foo foo like me too. Oh foo foo is fibromyalgia
Posted 5/3/2012 1:59 PM (GMT 0)
Every day is different, but most days I notice pretty significant fog. The worst for me is teaching or trying to have a conversation with someone. I forget what they said and I'm always struggling to play it off. Also, I put a frozen pizza in the dishwasher the other day, and when I lose my purse the first place my fiance looks is in the freezer lol.
Posted 5/3/2012 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
Today I was packing up some of my classroom. My plan was to fill one box and tote it to my car during my planning time (45 minutes). Within 30 minutes I had 5 different boxes partially filled and at a lost of what to do next. I felt so scrambled. I finally shoved it all into two boxes and got them out to the car just in time.
Posted 5/4/2012 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
Like Lynnwood, Cellcept came to my rescue. Lupus was dancing in my brain and I could barely talk. My rheumy said the stutter I developed was so bad it sounded like a record skipping continuously. I couldn't finish a sentence. Cellcept was my wonder drug and within two weeks of starting it I could speak again. Well I took Cellcept for two years, but had to stop for surgery in Jan 2012. Rheumy said since I was off it, why not see how it goes without it. It seems that I can feel my cognitive function decline each day. The two weeks spent in the hospital in March has only made my fog much worse. I take lots of meds except now I'm Jones'n for Cellcept.  Love, Butterflake (Yes, the flake in Butterflake is intentional)  
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