What's Brain Fog for you?

[Alwayssomething14]

Curious as to what this means for each of us as experiences and description may differ.

For me it's forgetting to do things, for example I went to bed a couple of nights ago, left the downstairs lights on, didn't lock the front door 🙈 (it was closed just not locked) Forgetting to feed the dog...I can't work out if I'm just trying to do too many things at once or if it really is a problem.

Head feels like cotton wool at times too.

How is it for others?

I don't know. Does everyone get it?

Feeling like everything involves wading through treacle.

Leaving a stream of half completed tasks in my wake.

A couple of hours passing with little to show for it

Cannot find words. I've had issues with word finding all my life so they're very much heightened on a brain fog day.

Not feeling safe with a sharp knife or sewing machine because my dyspraxia is heightened. I've just come through a couple of foggy days (probably weather related as we've had a combination of wind and bright sunshine) and on Thursday it took me ages to remember how to measure Ds2's daily medicine from a bottle with a stopper without it leaking. I gave myself a rather nasty cut, washing my big knife, on a day like this, last year so now resort to frozen veg on particularly bad days.

I lose my words - I used to be so articulate now I just sound like a toddler 'the pushy thing'

Hmmm...

I'm not sure about some of this being called 'brain fog'. I'm on the fence with these. I've never had what I'd call brain fog.

'Losing words' is something that happens to most people in older age anyway. Not sure if it's peri/menopause.

Going into a room and forgetting what you wanted there.....happens to loads of people I know- men and women.

I've friends in their 70s and older who often forget words ( people's names etc.) But overall they are still very sharp.

My own opinion is that some of it is perhaps menopause (although even using HRT long-term I still forget words, so I'm not convinced), but some is natural ageing, and some will be the start of serious cognitive decline like dementia.(main cause of death now in women.)

The use of HRT and dementia is a grey area although as women suffer from dementia far more than men, loss of estrogen seems a likely cause.

Lifestyle has a huge impact on dementia risk which can be prevented by exercise, keeping mentally active, and health eating.

I forget things like appointment times I think I'll remember but I don't i always have to check! I forgot someone's name the other day I met a "girl" I went to school with I've known her 40 years and I can't remember her name it still hasn't come back to me!

I also have apathy like a pp.

Last week, I forgot the name of my boss during a face to face meeting.
I often go to a room and then don't remember why I am I here.
I forget to buy essential groceries unless I work off a list.
I mix up school events and other social commitments.
I think I am slowly going mad!

Definitely losing words/names. But also feeling that I have to try really, really hard to think if I'm trying to do something like a calculation in my head, or a crossword etc. Often losing track of what I was doing- eg. deciding that I need to look something up (at work) then before I've got round to it forgetting what it was I wanted to check.

Forgetting words/names/songs.

Walking round the house all day trying to find stuff I've put down somewhere. I can do 10k steps a day just at home farting about looking for things!

Losing words and purpose mid sentence. I don't think it will improve now, as I also overlapped with long Covid brain fog for a few months and lost the ability to drive, among other things. I improved so much from that point but it has been a few years now and I still have days where I forget what/whom I'm talking about mid sentence.
I function by maintaining a stack of notebooks alongside my laptop to make notes as I have any conversation. It sucks.

Is 42 an 'older age'?!

Definitely a mental blank and lack of concentration for me….always scary as my mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 57, which in retrospect there were signs of when she was 50. I’m mid 50s and find myself running through the dementia cognitive tests regularly

Who's 42?

I recently turned 43 and although not meno related my brain fog from B12 deficiency and other health issues makes my brain feel actually swollen. I feel like my head is too big for my neck and it often hurts like a dull pressure. I also forget words, what I am doing when doing it, where I am going while driving, what I was intending to say (I think I used to recognise this coming and did the thing so many threads seem to be about with talking over people) - I can't see it coming anymore and just go blank and stop mid conversation to say I can't remember what I was going to say next. It often feels like something is on the other side of a wall in my head and things I KNOW I used to know just can't be grasped, as if I have buttery brain fingers.
Edited to add (because I forgot!) the scariest part is forgetting symptoms or health events because getting time with GP is so rare. It's easy to talk myself out of having felt something because that side of the brain doesn't fully feel like it is a memory now - friends have seen me double over in pain and nearly collapse which I had forgotten about until reminded to tell GP

When I lose a word I try to picture the word in my mind and then grasp it from there. So I lose the word banana but if I can picture it then I can say it. Not sure if that makes sense.

@fabio12 Based on what you have said, your GP should refer you to a neurologist (unless you are already seeing one.)

Do you have other health issues apart from the b12 deficiency?

I can't hold two ideas and see any issues. For eg I will think about going to the cinema on a Saturday night then agree to a friend coming over. My brain doesn't make the link.

Trying to change gear without the clutch usually.

I take creatine now which does a good job of keeping you sharp. But you need a shed load of water to keep the stuff happy.

Yeah you need to see a doctor dude. That really doesn't sound normal. Make a note somewhere you'll see it now to remind you to get in with a GP. Even if you have to pester.

Me, when I would lose my words mid sentence and could no longer express myself clearly verbally

This is me! This thread is weirdly reassuring. You start to think that you’ve got dementia or something!

I think I had a thyroid storm that lead to an embolism then hyperthyroid diagnosis - some digestive issues they've not figured out yet (but on the mend now I'm on meds for the thyroid) meant I couldn't eat without getting sharp pains under my ribs. GP has asked for a f2f appt in 2 weeks because I asked for another B12 which the pharmacy said I couldn't have within 28 days of one with GP. I haven't seen my GP in about 11 years though so with the other severe health issues it feels like there's too much to talk about and no idea what to prioritise. I think they said the endochrine people cancelled my referral on the app just to help their waiting list numbers but it is still on their system (had to look at my notes for that as I know I have to ask GP to check when there). Remembering the lists is the important thing!

I also forget words, what I am doing when doing it, where I am going while driving, what I was intending to say (I think I used to recognise this coming and did the thing so many threads seem to be about with talking over people)

This sounds really serious.
If you forget where you are driving, should you be driving?

I don't know what you mean when you say you had an embolism- that usually means a blood clot. You say you didn't see your GP but you must have seen someone if you've been diagnosed with low thyroid and a blood clot?

If you have had brain damage or similar, you should be under the care of a neurologist. I appreciate there's a lot going on that you're not saying here, but it just sounds concerning.

I can’t seem to think ahead anymore. I will look through the window and see it’s raining. Then when I leave the house a tiny while later, I have no raincoat or umbrella.

I go to festivals, days out etc with no jumper or jacket as I didn’t ’think ahead’ that evening follows day and I’d still be outside and cold. And the reverse of course, if it’s not boiling hot at the time I leave the house I’ll forgot all about sunglasses, sunscreen etc.

I basically feel constantly ill prepared for whatever situation I’m in as I’m somehow incapable to see it coming.

I went on HRT and I can honestly say it made no difference to my brain fog, some people say it helps.

The best thing for me is getting enough sleep, which we all know is challenging That, and coming out the other side

Forgetting words
unable to multitask
Forgetting what I am going to say next
unable to work in busy noisy environments and at different desk spaces