I have Brain Fog

CaliS

CaliS

New Member
My mother got dementia at an early age, about 62 - my age now. I recently went for testing, because I seem to live with brain fog these days.

The MRI and tests came back clean - no signs of dementia / alzheimer's ... just normal / mild degeneration -- "normal for my age" they said.

Some days, I feel like myself, but more and more - my brain does not work like it should. I play mind games on my phone, read a lot, work part time.... not sure there is anything else I can do but learn to accept it. I get very frustrated sometimes.

Anyone else dealing with this?
 

CaliS said:
My mother got dementia at an early age, about 62 - my age now. I recently went for testing, because I seem to live with brain fog these days.

The MRI and tests came back clean - no signs of dementia / alzheimer's ... just normal / mild degeneration -- "normal for my age" they said.

Some days, I feel like myself, but more and more - my brain does not work like it should. I play mind games on my phone, read a lot, work part time.... not sure there is anything else I can do but learn to accept it. I get very frustrated sometimes.

Anyone else dealing with this?
Click to expand...
Sort of...
The last time that I went to my VA doctor I was talking with the nurse who was asking routine questions which included, "Are there any other things that you'd like us to know about your health."

I described some diminishment of cognitive abilities, short-term memory, confusion, distractibility, etc. I told her that I thought that it might be related from the pain that I've been dealing with and was also interrupting my sleep.
She used the term "Brain Fog" but I thought that it was just a descriptor type word... the doctor seemed rather dismissive of it all and just told me to get back on my CPAP.

But I'm concerned that it's quite a bit more... oh, well. What can I do..?
 
Ted01 said:
Sort of...
The last time that I went to my VA doctor I was talking with the nurse who was asking routine questions which included, "Are there any other things that you'd like us to know about your health."

I described some diminishment of cognitive abilities, short-term memory, confusion, distractibility, etc. I told her that I thought that it might be related from the pain that I've been dealing with and was also interrupting my sleep.
She used the term "Brain Fog" but I thought that it was just a descriptor type word... the doctor seemed rather dismissive of it all and just told me to get back on my CPAP.

But I'm concerned that it's quite a bit more... oh, well. What can I do..?
Click to expand...
Depending on your medical insurance, you should be able to get tested. However... if the tests come back clean but you still feel like your brain isn't always working - you'll be in the same boat as me. ;)
 

jujube said:
A lot of people these days, myself included, suffer from CRS....Can't Remember Sh!t.

Seriously, I  do worry about my mind some days but a doctor told me, "If you forget where you left the car keys, that's OK. If you forget where you parked the car, that's also OK. However, if you forget you have a car, then it's time to start worrying. "
Click to expand...
I'm still OK then. :ROFLMAO:
 
If I don't get enough sleep, especially for several successive nights, I have trouble focusing, so I avoid making any important decisions when I'm mentally tired, if possible.

A couple of days ago, I had to take care of some business and was out of the house quite awhile. It was a physically tiring day, but mentally stimulating, and my thinking seemed clearer and motivation was up more than it is on days when I'm home with little to do.

I keep an online journal and at the end of each day I briefly record what happened that day. I've found it useful to look back at times when I may forget certain things that took place. Like, when was my air conditioner serviced? I can enter "air conditioner" in the text document word search and find any associated events, the date they occurred, and what took place.

It's been said that we shouldn't rely on notes, because we can become too dependent on them, but I've done that most of my life. While at the computer, if something comes to mind I need to do, I jot it down on a pad and that way I won't forget. It's a bit inconvenient, but I'd rather rely on notes than forget it.
 
CaliS said:
Depending on your medical insurance, you should be able to get tested. However... if the tests come back clean but you still feel like your brain isn't always working - you'll be in the same boat as me. ;)
Click to expand...
The thing is... what kinda' has left me wondering is that it seems as though "Brain Fog" is a real 'thing".
Brain Fog - Cleveland Clinic

I'm not sure how or when doctors started including it in their vocabulary or online people started to discuss it
but it is being talked about using those specific words... IDK?
 
CaliS said:
My mother got dementia at an early age, about 62 - my age now. I recently went for testing, because I seem to live with brain fog these days.

The MRI and tests came back clean - no signs of dementia / alzheimer's ... just normal / mild degeneration -- "normal for my age" they said.

Some days, I feel like myself, but more and more - my brain does not work like it should. I play mind games on my phone, read a lot, work part time.... not sure there is anything else I can do but learn to accept it. I get very frustrated sometimes.

Anyone else dealing with this?
Click to expand...
My first question and what i think should have been your doctors if you phrased it as 'brain fog' rather than concern because of your Mom's dementia, is-- what prescription meds are you.on? A few things routinely prescribed to seniors can cause or worsen 'brain fog' either by themselves or in combination with others.

That's why they generally ask you to bring all meds and supplements, prescription OTC, to Annual Wellness visits so they can make sure you're not over medicated or taking things that should not be Wellness.

Please remember, anyone of any age unless they have a fully eidetic memory or H-SAM (Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory) can have lapses. High School and College students often struggle during midterms and final due to all the test coming close together. People with high pressure jobs can forget things if under too much, or if they have added stress at home , or health worries.

There are strategies that can help. Habits CAN be useful-- as can being organized (Designated spots for keys, wallets, purses). As @MACKTEXAS said making notes of when cars, AC or heating units have been serviced a good idea You can do this by journaling as he does or by notes on a calendar (either on computer or paper one).

i have a list of my regular monthly bills in a notebook with page and pocket for each month. I list annual renewals (my antivirus service;one of streaming services, others are monthly,and bi-annual USPS Box fee, property taxes) in the months they come due. And i make a habit of regularly looking a month or two ahead.
 
@MACKTEXAS I use my Outlook calendar ALL the time to set reminders for things at work and for social plans in the future - so I don't forget. I hadn't thought of keeping an online journal, but I like the idea. They say it's good for your mental health to keep a journal, and I can see how it would come in handy to remember things like - the last time your AC was serviced! If I didn't rely on notes and calendar reminders, my dentist would fire me and some of my bills would not get paid on time. ;-)

I also find that my mind works better when I'm active and using it more vs. staying home and watching too much TV! Excellent point!


@Ted01 I'm not sure how long the term has been around, but it certainly fits the way I feel at times. While my symptoms are more on the mild side, they can sometimes scare me a little - thus, why I went for testing.

They talk about "long covid" and to be honest, I sometimes suspect that my "brain fog" might have something to do with that - since it seemed to happen around that time, but has gotten worse over time.

Obviously, dementia has been around for a long time and most people who live long enough will experience it in some form before they pass on. I just feel that I'm a bit young to be going thru this already.


@MountainRa I have a lot of trouble with insomnia, so sometimes I take Benadryl to help me sleep. Some studies indicate a link between Benadryl and dementia - so I've been avoiding it! I am now trying chamomile tea. I tried melatonin, but it made my eyes hurt. I do agree, sleep matters!!
 
C50 said:
I was just driving home from the lumber store, stopped at a stop sign and just sat there. I think maybe I was waiting for the sign to turn green! Talk about brain fog, sheesh.
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awwwww hahahah, I understand!!!! Even when I was younger, if I let my mind wander when I left home in my car --- I would automatically take the route towards work!!! It used to drive me nuts.
 
@feywon I did take a list of all my medications to the neurosurgeon - but my main fear was the hereditary part of dementia / alzheimer's. I can ask my primary care physician about the medications next time I go, that's a good idea!

I've always been a bit on the "dingy" side .... I used to call them blonde moments, but since about 2021 I have felt my mind become less than it used to be - most of all at work. I used to love to figure out problems / problem solve ... even tricky computer issues gave me a thrill. Now, I tend to get frustrated more than challenged and I make simple mistakes. Good news, I work with my husband and he is very understanding and simply refuses to fire me!!! ;-)
 
CaliS said:
@feywon I did take a list of all my medications to the neurosurgeon - but my main fear was the hereditary part of dementia / alzheimer's. I can ask my primary care physician about the medications next time I go, that's a good idea!

I've always been a bit on the "dingy" side .... I used to call them blonde moments, but since about 2021 I have felt my mind become less than it used to be - most of all at work. I used to love to figure out problems / problem solve ... even tricky computer issues gave me a thrill. Now, I tend to get frustrated more than challenged and I make simple mistakes. Good news, I work with my husband and he is very understanding and simply refuses to fire me!!! ;-)
Click to expand...
Hereditary diseases and causes of death are not necessarily anything to keep track of. They're just a doctor's way of justifying his diagnosis.

My father, when in his 50s, told me that all the men in his family, including his father, died at age 65 from cerebral Hemorrhage and that he expected the same thing to happen to him. You can imagine how surprised he was at 90 years old to still be hanging around.

I have type 2 diabetes. Nobody in my family had diabetes. Just imagine how proud I am to be the first!

Life is pretty unpredictable. You'll enjoy it much more when you just watch it unfold.
 
Sometimes my brain definitely doesn't function properly. But I chalk it up to not enough sleep coupled with my strange sleep patterns. I'm not worried about dementia even though my (half) sister has it because most of the time I'm sharp as a tack. Like you, I play games to keep my mind engaged as well as do other brain "activities".

Do you notice the brain fog after any particular circumstance, such as not enough sleep or a restless night? Or perhaps, if you drink...after having a couple?
 
CaliS said:
My mother got dementia at an early age, about 62 - my age now. I recently went for testing, because I seem to live with brain fog these days.

The MRI and tests came back clean - no signs of dementia / alzheimer's ... just normal / mild degeneration -- "normal for my age" they said.

Some days, I feel like myself, but more and more - my brain does not work like it should. I play mind games on my phone, read a lot, work part time.... not sure there is anything else I can do but learn to accept it. I get very frustrated sometimes.

Anyone else dealing with this?
Click to expand...
Concentrate on what you plan, a one-track mind, don't lose focus.
Ya grew up all those years disregarding stuff. The brain gets smarter
than the elder thinks. Then the Brain starts dismissing stuff too.
 
CaliS said:
My mother got dementia at an early age, about 62 - my age now. I recently went for testing, because I seem to live with brain fog these days.

The MRI and tests came back clean - no signs of dementia / alzheimer's ... just normal / mild degeneration -- "normal for my age" they said.

Some days, I feel like myself, but more and more - my brain does not work like it should. I play mind games on my phone, read a lot, work part time.... not sure there is anything else I can do but learn to accept it. I get very frustrated sometimes.

Anyone else dealing with this?
Click to expand...

Sometimes I think it is the lack of joy that causes brain fog. If an old friend calls and wants to get together the fog lifts, at least temporarily. I have a lot of theories. Not all are winners.
 
I don't have brain fog and I'm 67. I do exercise at least 5 times a week. I've read that even going on a treadmill and moving your arms back and forth can exercise the brain.

Yes, exercise can be a helpful tool in combating brain fog. It improves blood flow to the brain, reduces inflammation, and increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), all of which can contribute to improved cognitive function and mental clarity.
 
Last edited:
@CaliS >>>
"I have Brain Fog"
"I did take a list of all my medications to the neurosurgeon..."
"I have a lot of trouble with insomnia, so sometimes I take Benadryl to help me sleep..."
"...I am now trying chamomile tea..."

"all my medications" raises a red flag immediately. Also, Benadryl = brain fog. At a minimum, web search each of your prescriptions at the below link including interactions, even though it may not have affected you in the past like you are experiencing currently.

Drugs & Medications A to Z - Drugs.com

There are other basic ways to deal with insomnia than using drugs:

Train your body's circadian rhythm by going to bed and waking up at consistent times. Well at least for awhile. Many are habituated to caffeinated drinks and they are bound to affect your body's circadian rhythm. So stop for awhile. Note, chocolate contains theobromine a weak caffeine-like molecule. So stop consuming that also for awhile if it applies.
 
Thank you all for such insightful and helpful responses! I agree with all who said sleep has a lot to do with it and sometimes I get too much sleep – other times not enough. It’s something I need to work on balancing!


@OneEyedDiva I don’t drink much these days because it makes me really tired the next day and upsets my stomach.

I absolutely need to exercise more. It would improve my health in a lot of ways, and I can see how it would improve my brain’s function.

@David777 Thank you for the link – I will check my meds. I take something for high blood pressure, under active thyroid, acid reflux and depression. And yes, I think the benedryl could be a big culprit in my brain fog. I didn't take any last night, drank a little chamomile tea instead and I feel less foggy today. I do avoid caffeine after noon, in any form. I'm going to read up on circadian rhythm. :)
 
MACKTEXAS said:
If I don't get enough sleep, especially for several successive nights, I have trouble focusing, so I avoid making any important decisions when I'm mentally tired, if possible.

A couple of days ago, I had to take care of some business and was out of the house quite awhile. It was a physically tiring day, but mentally stimulating, and my thinking seemed clearer and motivation was up more than it is on days when I'm home with little to do.

I keep an online journal and at the end of each day I briefly record what happened that day. I've found it useful to look back at times when I may forget certain things that took place. Like, when was my air conditioner serviced? I can enter "air conditioner" in the text document word search and find any associated events, the date they occurred, and what took place.

It's been said that we shouldn't rely on notes, because we can become too dependent on them, but I've done that most of my life. While at the computer, if something comes to mind I need to do, I jot it down on a pad and that way I won't forget. It's a bit inconvenient, but I'd rather rely on notes than forget it.
Click to expand...
I never have my house AC serviced, and this is 12+ years. The AC is still going.
 
OldOld said:
I never have my house AC serviced, and this is 12+ years. The AC is still going.
Click to expand...
12 years is very good. I don't have mine routinely serviced either. My use of the word service or serviced was not a good choice. The word repair would have been better. My last work was like a repair because the unit kept coming on and then going off within a few seconds, and a new thermostat fixed the problem.

I know people who have the air conditioning people come out every year before the summer season starts, but I don't. I am, however, very careful to change the filter every 30 days.
 

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