Cognitive Dysfunction Online Support Group

I joined this group hoping to get some support. I have treatment resistant depression, horrible anxiety, fibromyalgia and a few other things...I am 36 and i dont understand why my memory is so bad. I have always been what you would call air-headed, however the past 2 years my memory has gotten worse. I cannot retain new information, my judgement is poor, i am having conversations i dont remember, sometimes when i am driving i all of a sudden dont know where i am. It only lasts for maybe 30 seconds but when you are freaked out that seems like eternity. I forget everything and anything all the time, get blank stares all the time and its like i am not there, i forget what is said to me within minutes of it being said. I lost my job because i kept forgetting what days i had to be there and got the days mixed up. I am afraid to move anything because i will forget where i put it. The people i live with get frustrated because i move their stuff and i have no recollection of ever touching these things. I dont understand why at such a young age my brain is so bad. My dr cannot do any testing because i have no insurance and no income so i am kinda stuck like this i guess. Its embarrasing and i feel stupid all the time. I have become anti social because of this. It is ruining my life.

Hello Angela444

Welcome. I am sorry to hear that you have the brain Fog.. It is a horrible thing to experience. I do understand as I have quite bad bouts of the fog and at times I am so bad that driving is impossible as my brain is far too slow to take all the information in and process it. Frustrating as I live in the country and it is an hour drive at present to do the shopping.

Having no medical care as well can make you feel very lost as you are trying to cope and understand what is happening to you. My Doctor thought my brain Fog to be fast advancing M S. Very scary. I live in Australia and consider myself lucky to be living here as Medicare covers health insurance here for those that don’t have Private Insurance. BUT it can take years to be seen and then you find that the doctor might not be very understanding. Frustrating... and very depressing at times.

I am only 46 and sometimes I wonder what life will be like in another year.. and how many brain cells will be still awake.... 

I have found that some supplements can help with the symptoms... fish oil, grape seed extract. My new naturopath had added a few more and I do feel very much improved. I even remembered her address... not drive around the block a few times before my brain would ' click’ I have even at times had to call a mate and say ' hey I’m here how do I get there!! ‘. When it was only yesterday that I was there. Most times now we laugh at how silly I can be... That is the best thing you can do and your support people need to do is laugh, it lightens the spirit and helps let the frustration “go” that you can build during the day.

The lighter side of life with laughter about 'I’m sure it will show up sometime!!!!' I always state ‘WELL...... IF YOU didn’t leave it out I would haven’t to find a new place to hide it.’ My family are learning that they have to modify their behaviour too

I suffer from Dercums Dis Order DD for short.. (Doctors here haven't heard of this illness in my country.) DD causes this brain fog and a heap of other painfully interesting symptoms.

Try to be kind to yourself as stress can make your brain fog worse. It is very hard for others to understand as we LOOK so well, I have found that it is best just to joke about missing things and most days missing conversations... it can be very embarrassing to say " Did I speak with you this morning??!! " Most times I can recall some of the conversation but most times not a chance.

Are you taking and supplements or diet boosters???

I find that writing in a dairy everyday helps.. Noting who I spoke to, what I said and if it was a doctor - name etc..... I just got to remember where I last put it!!

HopefulLEE

Ps I am hoping that the new house will aid me in finding things as it has more storage space..... I hope the landlord doesn’t mind post notes stuck on his cupboards. We move this weekend.... I hope that I remember on a bad day that I have moved and where I LIVE...!!! And not drive out to the old house hahahaa

Hi

How are you today, I hear you, Iam bipolar, and scizaphic, I have no control of my body or my mind, somedays I just sit there and think about things, I want to do,but can't get up to do them. You can make a list of everything you want in each room, and where everything goes, keep a planner, and make a list of everything you want to do each day, and one thing at a time, if you need to take all day going one thing that is ok, there is always tomorrow. one day at a time, and one thing at a time.

Kristen83