I miss my brain

Lately I feel like I'm always drunk or something. I know it's a result of my illness, or treatment, or whatever, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating. I can't think clearly, and I feel like I'm trying to think in Chinese or something. It's no longer just that thinking is harder...I just can't actually do it anymore. My brain just won't go there, has forgotten how to think clearly. I'm disappointed. I'm getting so restless not working, not pursuing any goals and I really wanted to finally start writing the book I always promised myself I would write...but I just can't get my brain to cooperate. I don't know what to do with myself anymore. My body's shot, my mind is shot...how do I pass the time? I'm tired of just living to kill time. I want to actually be productive every day...or at least once in a while. I feel like a robot. I'm just not connected to my thoughts or words anymore. I just feel like I'm observing myself going through the motions of life but I dont feel like I'm actually in there.

Has anyone had any success alleviating brain fog? As of right now I don't take much for symptoms...everything I take is pretty much geared at correcting some problem. Is there anything I can do in the meantime to snap my brain back into gear? Does anyone have a similar experience, like all of your thinking, writing, reading, speaking...is just very superficial and you're not at all connected to it? I'm starting to wonder if part of this is psychological...depersonalization or something. I don't even feel like I'm making any sense anymore, sorry!!

Hi border,

Really, the best way to clear brain fog is to get better! Not sure what you are taking right now, but continued treatment should address this.

I think it's a good sign that you want to get some things done. Keep searching for things that you CAN do at this point in your ability level. Don't keep beating yourself up or hankering for what you can't do. There is no peace to be had in that!

I tell there have been times I have been so frustrated and then I see someone with a perfectly good brain not using it and I get even more frustrated. "Hey, if you're not using that brain can I use it?!!!"

I've been on meds for three months, started Flagyl, on top of Biaxin and Ceftin, two weeks, ago.

Some symptoms are massively improved -- arthritis, for instance. (I've been told I have the spine of someone 20 yrs older, lucky me, I was in constant pain). That's mostly gone, knock on wood.

Friends say I (and I believe) my thinking has drastically improved -- however, I still "feel" the fog, am fatigued to the extent I can barely function (I do not work and can't even drive, sometimes).

I had hearing and sight loss -- hearing came back almost immediately on drugs -- eyesight is just now clearing up, after three mos and Flagyl (don't know if there is a connection, but I think there is, because I think cysts around brain/facial nerves were causing loss of eyesight).

I am, if possible, more tired and stressed on meds. I am on a very aggressive treatment course, so I assume my herxing is worse than usual.

I rather shorten treatment than draw out -- I wasn't functional or working before I got dx'd, might as well treat this as aggressively as I can, at this point.

A friend's kid was dx'd with Neuro Lyme after being dx'd as autistic. Vast improvement in mere weeks, with Doxy. Definitely not autistic, to say the least.

Neuro Lyme is worst -- I wonder if kids are easier to treat -- or just person to person differences, like all else with the Lymies - I imagine armies of bacteria with teeny swords and chainmail.)

borderlyme,
Hang in there, it's going to be okay. I was in the depths of what you are starting to experience, and with treatment, I can now function pretty well - I even have a ton of memories coming back to me that I figured were gone forever!!! I had a bunch of my family members that would say things like "what do you mean you don't remember that?" to me almost all the time. I had to quit seeing them as it only depressed (and scared) me.

I really don't even like to remember how far down that road I traveled most of the time. I truly couldn't understand spoken words, unless they were spoken very slowly and were repeated several times! I got overwhelmed by the smallest of things. It was no fun for my hubby!! I stuttered -something I never did before, couldn't follow written instructions or hardly any written words unless I took an extraordinary long time to read it. Oh geez, the list goes on and on! My daughter thought it was cool when I had a lot of trouble spelling words forwards -it was actually easier for me to spell backwards for about 2 1/2 months!

As for what to do? Keep your brain active! Seriously, crosswords, soduko, jigsaw puzzles, there are even games to strengthen your brain online! Keeping your brain as active as possible will make it much easier for you brain to "come back" from dealing with all of those toxins that are doing this to it.

And if you ever need someone to just sympathize with you, feel free to email me! Boy can I understand!!!