Brain Fog??

Post Reply New Topic

For sometime now, I have had what can only be described as a foggy brain... in this state, I can barely think coherently and cannot learn anything nor recall a great deal. It also makes me emotionally somewhat dead.
I have had blood tests to check it isn't a need to increase my thyroid medication. Apparently all is normal.

Can depression really cause this severe an issue?

Or is it possible it is from sleeping at the wrong times (ie- usually 4-5am through to afternoon)

I am trying to work out as I honestly do not know if I am depressed or not. The doctor thinks I am.

But I can still sometimes laugh at things, I can be bright and cheergful when in company, but I cannot enjoy movies anymore, or books, I have even lost the pleasure here used to bring me.

Anyone else had depression and had a brain fog as a result?

I definatly get depressed, but try not to let it show. Put on a happy face. Actually, I do well untill I'm alone. Thoughts crash in on me.

Brain fog has been devistating to my career. Very frustrating. Hadn't equated it to depression. Guess I assumed it was some prementapausal, new and delghtful phase of woman hood. I asked my obgyn. He sugested gensing. Felt like he hadn't taken me seriously.

I have this to an extent too. I think I've even called it 'brain fog' before. I don't know if this is a weird question, but can I assume that you don't use marijuana? Because I've worried that it might be the cause of my own brain fog, but if you have this problem despite abstaining from drugs, then I can write off pot as the culprit. And rest easier.

Me neither.

I also feel foggy a lot of the time, and i suppose i might have mild depression that comes and goes. Ive been attributing the emotional/non-pleasure fog as a result of being in general poor health physically (sleep/food/exercise/air) and being uncontent with my lifestyle. The more cognitive side i suspect has the same causes, but maybe exacerbated by ADD-type symptoms.

I do smoke cannabis frequently, and im also glad were ruling that out - because its responsible for a lot of the time where, emotionally the fog clears up completely and i feel overwhelmingly positive, energetic & motivated (very small amounts of a sativa seem best). Im sure it does promote cognitive defecits, sometimes following into the next day, but probably because sometimes i take large recreational doses in the evening.

I DO keep really bad sleeping hours, possibly a lot worse/less stable than the OP. (frequently missing entire nights)

I DO eat gluten - a lot of GF/CF people talk about a type of cognitive fog i think.

I am not a woman.

No....doc pissed me off.
Not to say it wouldn't work, though.
I wanted an answer, not an OTC remody.

try ginkgo biloba

I used to suffer from brain fog so severe I would black out for days. It turned out I have celiac disease. I stopped eating gluten and the brain fog went away. Another plus is I easily lost 150 pounds when I quit eating gluten.

...sleep issues here too...lack of quality sleep can really do a number on you...you can sleep but still not hit the stage of sleep you need for restful sleep...at my worst I can't concentrate, can't remember the simplest things and upset very easily because I don't have the energy to deal with it.

I would say beyond checking the thyroid (something you've already done)...folate (iron) levels, B12...rule out anemia, try to see about your sleep issues (especially if you are a light sleeper) as you may be getting sleep but not be getting "restful sleep". Stress is also a number one enemy...hormones seem to play a role in it too for me...I notice some times of the month are foggier than others.

Depression? Maybe...but I really believe doctors can be too quick to classify it as such and are hesitant to search for a physical cause.

I get it when I'm really depressed... MADDuck gets it when he is... he told me once that he passed out! For me it's not an eye thing... it's something deeper. I fade out into gray, then it goes black and I'm blinded.

I am so frustrated the tests showed nothing as I don't see how such a severe fatigue and foggyness can be down to something non physical?
It is literally as though my head is full of cotton wool.
I cannot read, cannot watch anything, cannot stay focussed for 10 minutes.
It makes me want to scream because I want to be able to read again and have some energy.

Graelwyn - have you ever tried a GF/CF diet?

Im going to start cutting down the gluten again next week. Im not too expectant, but i figure even if i get a 5% improvement, then it will be worth the effort and inconvenience.

Do you have mercury-amalgam fillings? Some people think that can have severe debilitating affect over time, and *safe* removal & replacement has dramatically increased their quality of life.

Does the severity come and go, or is it permanent. Are there any times, or places where you start to feel better?

It has gotten worse today oddly, no idea why.
I feel worse in my apartment actually. More time spent in, worse I feel.
But otherwise, it comes and goes... I cannot remember last time I felt fully alert.
And it is worse in winter.