Brain fog at work, perimenopause

[Waterdrophead]

I did post in the perimenopause section so apologies if in the wrong place. Looking for some simple tips and suggestions. I'm on HRT patches but regularly suffer with brain fog..mid sentence even sometimes I forget what I was saying. This to an extent I can cope with but I take minutes at meetings in my work and my brain just switches off 20 minutes or so in and I really can't engage it. This brain fog is awful. Any suggestions please?

Can the meetings be recorded so you can use that to draw up minutes?

Have you had your thyroid tested?

I had terrible brain fog last year, assumed I was finally in peri, but actually was a thyroid issue. I started medication and my brain went back to normal really quickly.

Otherwise, yes see if you can record the meetings as backup.

Thank you. Recording the meeting is a possibility I will look into although I know the transcription isn't always clear.

I did have my TSH levels tested and they all came back ok.Ive got an appointment soon with the GP so I'll mention it then. Thanks

It might be worth getting a home thyroid test that also checks t3/t4 levels. This is what I did, my TSH was normal but my other levels were way off. I never would have known if I just had the regular test the GP gives. You can google thyroid symptoms, if you have a lot of them then I would suggest asking the GP about it.

Sorry to bang on about it but it's very common for women to develop thyroid problems around the same time menopause begins and the symptoms are similar, so it's worth being sure, especially if the HRT is not helping.

Thank you for this advice. I didn't realise the home tests were different. Brilliant advice. I will certainly look at this and if it draws a blank then at least that can be eliminated.

Can you short hand type what is being said at the meeting, abbreviated words, initials, which combined with recording can be revised into coherent minutes after the meetings.

You're welcome, it's definitely worth ruling out because if that's the real issue, then it's very easily resolved with medication.

I was at the point where I could not remember even basic words, I was terrified it was early dementia or something, that's how bad it was. Was back to normal within a week of starting medication. So I keep encouraging women to do the home tests just to be sure.

@dreamingbohemian thanks for your post. I am booking a thyroid test with my doc first thing in the morning - weight gain & brain fog/low mood I put down to peri and start HRT with little noticeable difference. But looking at the symptoms I have gone from someone who lived in flip flops, short & a vest top to full on duvet & jumpers plus have tingling hands and feet I put down to RSI! I wonder if there's a genetic propensity as both my folks suffered (one hypo one hyper!)

I found boiled sweets helped with this. No idea why though.....

Thank you 😊. I've had tingling hands on and off for a while, exhaustion, joint aches and pains, low mood and really unable to cope with cold extremities which has been more apparent over the last few years. Definitely worth a test I reckon. It looks as though whilst GPs test TSH levels they don't test TS3 or TS4 levels. Boots charge £65 for the test but there's an alternative company charging £32 so will probably go with them x

Haha good idea 💡

I would really recommend a low carb diet or intermittent fasting. Give up alcohol if you drink it. It makes a massive difference. You can tell within a day or two if it's working.

Thank you, worth a try that's for sure. How does the IF fasting/low carb diet help brain fog? not questioning it at all just curious 🤔

I have an underactive thyroid diagnosed when I was in my mid 30s and may have had it a while beforehand. No brain fog then though!

Re perimenopause but more menopause I’ve had definite brain fog for 1-2 years which I tried to treat naturally with Menopace etc but HRT is the only thing which really helped. I had brain fog with thyroid too not awful but definitely not great. Thyroid meds helped at first. Apparently my thyroid levels and medication are fine, but I honestly can’t be bothered going back and forward to GP or to a specialist to get it sorted out.

Re work - recording meetings, shorthand typing etc and also putting my mobile phone away really helps. No distractions or very little. Can be hard to follow every day but does help. Writing things down and crossing them off etc.

No idea how. But it does.

dreamingbohemian

If the other levels are off for thyroid apart from the main one what do they give you?

I've had my main one checked about 4 times over the last few years but they keep saying I'm fine

I've started taking Tyrosine from Holland and Barretts - saw it recommended somewhere for brain fog. It's an absolute miracle worker and has helped me enormously.

@lechatnoir I'm glad if it was helpful, with those symptoms I would definitely check with the GP. Unfortunately some GPs are very dismissive about thyroid symptoms but hopefully yours is good.

@Waterdrophead I had all those same symptoms! Yes it might just be peri but worth trying the test. I can't remember the name of the company I used but it was around £30 so it was probably the one you're looking at.

@LaurieFairyCake I take thyroxine, same as if your TSH is off, but in my case it's my T4 levels that are very low.

It's not that common to have normal TSH and low T4 so I kind of understand why they don't routinely test for it, but I think they should when people have all these symptoms.

i wonder if I can take this?!