Excellent and detailed article on "brain fog"

[alblue]

As I read all of your posts, I am overcome with a sense of relief.  I, too have experienced the inability to think, the nervousness and the frustration of a perfect day ruined by this awful feeling.  I am so grateful to know that I am not crazy.  I have seen so many of my own issues voiced in the previous posts.   I have been having brain fog for over two years on an almost daily basis.  I have been to an ENT, an allergist and an OBGYN, all to no avail.  The sudden dizzy feeling, the sense of detachment, inability to carry on a conversation that makes sense, forgetfulness and on and on and on are all so familiar.  I was shocked to see that someone else experiences the same, almost instant, relief by crying.  This is a feeling that I wouldn't wish on anyone.  I generally experience symptoms when I am in a hurry, running late and/or at work.  When I am with friends or at home or church, I am usually okay.  I truly hate that there are others feeling this way, but I sure do take comfort in knowing there are.

[flipundy]

I always described my "brain fog" as a feeling of just "not being with it". My vision blurs out, I'm not really thinking anything, I'm just out of it. And ppl will be like "hello??? u there?" lol....I only do this when my anxiety is on high and I'm not breathing right. I thought I was the only one. It makes me feel like I'm tired though...anyone else feel tired with the brain fog?

[Frank76]

I find it a relief to find these forums.  I too have developed this brain fog.  For me it all started about 7 months ago after I had pneumonia.  I gained my strength back but my mind feels all messed up.  In so many situations I feel like I'm not there.  My body is present but there is no mental clarity.  I have developed anxieties which I never had.  I have developed a fear of driving on the highway.  I start having panic attacks on the road.  I have to make my wife drive on long trips.  I'm also fearful of going to work.  But through all of this, I just keep going.  It's not easy and I get depressed at times but I have no choice. 

My brain fog is at its worst when I'm tired.  I have found that a 10-15 minute nap energizes me and lessens the symptoms.  I take a Rhodiola supplement daily as well as vitamin b-12.  The B-12 gives me a burst of energy in the morning.  I also eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and try to avoid fried foods. 

I don't know if  this will ever go away.  Some days are better than others.  But overall I feel like my condition is all I think about daily.  I feel so close to being "normal" but my mind is always partly cloudy.  I feel like I don't want to do anything or go anywhere because I'm just not myself.     

[academiccoach]

It's interesting to read of others have similar starts to their road to anxiety/panic disorder. I was driving back from the psychologist's office , on the highway, with my son. As I approached town and stopped at the light at the busiest intersection in town, I suddenly felt like I was going to pass out, I was so dizzy.
Yes, if someone had told me it was an anxiety attack, I wouldn't have gone that entire summer with it rapidly growing into every aspect of my life. Soon I was agoraphobic, and couldn't drive or go back to teach that August. I should have gone back to the psych. as I was seeing him for the migraine headaches, and that was the day he said I was done. My doctors here said, ear infection, thyroid problems, stomach problems, sinus, you name it.
 I suffered for months, had to take the first semester off, got back to the psych. and he said-It's anxiety. I went through therapy, worked on it, regained my ability to drive, went back to work the next semester. But, unless  you face those fears everyday, they will return. I didn't drive on the highway, developed a vision problem that I still have, and so I panicked the next time I tried to drive. It's a constant daily challenge to face the fears, do it anyway. This happened back in 1982 when I was in my early thirties. Since then, I've taught school each and every year, I earned my Master's Degree in Education and Reading, been a leader in school and teachers' assoc. But am I cured? NO WAY! It returns, I take 3 steps forward, have an episode, take 1 step back. But, you continue to strive to move forward. I am working now on getting back into the grocery store without anxiety. It's desensitizing, 1 step at a time. One aisle, 1 item, next trip, 2 aisles, 2 items, and so on.
It's knowledge that gives us power. It's knowing these are just physical symptoms and we feel them more than others. It's being mindful-yes, I work on that, too. It's knowing that you can work on this-therapy, self-help using CDs, reading books, knowing that you're not alone and that there's a great group of people who are in the same boat, but who offer help, understanding and support.

[mrgreen]

goose, [bgcolor=#ff0900]this was the symptom that started it for me[/bgcolor], i completely blame every symptom i ever had on this one symptom.

it was the worst by far, and the most disturbing. I also tried emailing that doctor but never got a reply.
but i agree with you that site is great for information on brain fog.

intersting you should say that, although I am not sure if I understand you correctly.

My troubles started when I was around 25 years old (I'm 53 now...!). I remeber that I was driving back from seeing my father, who was very ill as he had just had a stroke. I did have a lot of personal problems at the time, Marriage and money preoblems among others!!! Anyway, as I was saying, I was driving back, it was at night and I just turned my head to look out of the side window and it seemed like the whole world suddenly tilted and I felt a wave of diziness!! The feeling really shook me up as I had never felt anything like it before. Well, that was the start of everything for me...

I was sure I was terminally ill, had loads of tests via doctor and Hospitals, became a hypochondriac, worried constantly that every day was my last etc etc etc.

28 years later I'm still alive and as reasonably healthy as I should be at my age and lifestyle. Now diagnosed (4 years ago) as GAD and taking 30mm peroxatine which has made a tremendous difference to my health worries (I don't worry about my health now!). I do however still have a bunch of other probs such as anxiety, fatigue, social phobias but feel that had I known at the begining, all those years ago, that I was not the only one to get the brain fog, dizziness feelings that lfe may have been different for me.

Message to any newbies out there is IMO get group therapy if you can. Talking to others with similar/same symptoms as you can be more than reassuring.

Thats my story above, posted 2 years ago now.

I'm glad that this thread is still being viewed because I think it can help a lot of poeple by explaining WHY we get it, and also that is is VERY COMMON.

Why some get more stressed than others I won't try and explain (because I don't know, and I doubt whether anyone does...), I don't think it that important either, we just have to ACCEPT that some do get more stressed.

What I do believe is helpful though is UNDERSTANDING why we get certain symptoms.

When my probs  started (around 1978) Doctors just told you there was nothing wrong with you...!!

As you can read above my anxiety started with one specific occassion, and that moment started a spiral to years (nearly 25) BRAIN FOG + other physical symptoms + hypocondria and of thinking I was about to die everyday. I literally lost every day for 25 years, including holidays, kids birthdays, christmas, you name it, all I was thinking about was trying to survive (live) another day.

Finally I started having panic attacks (haven't had a strong one for a while now:)) so went to the docs and finally went on meds.

I've been on them for around 7 years now, currently 40mg citalopram. Things are ok and I don't (and havent since starting on meds) ruminate on health worries.

BUT, meds aside, I believe that if my symptoms had been expalined to me at the outset, It could have stopped when I was 25 years old.

THE MAIN SYMPTOM, WHICH HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR OVER 30 YEARS NOW AND WHICH CAUSED ME 25 YEARS OF WASTED LIFE, IS BRAIN FOG.

I went on quite a few courses designed for depression and anxiety which all talked of "the fight and flight" syndrom and explained the role of breathing and adrenaline etc etc. but never addressed, to my mind, BRAIN FOG.

I need to understand and believe things for them to be useful to me, and I also need to see a logical explanation. Because of this, and the practioners inability to go further than the "Fight and Flight" bit. I could see no reason why the body would give me Brain Fog... I could understand adrenaline pumping to make me stronger or faster, that would help in a life or death struggle, but how on earth would Brain Fog help!!??...

Well, after so many years I finally had a "moment" of clarity :) and this has finally explained to me WHY WE HAVE BRAIN FOG and THAT IT IS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT (just a bit of a pain really!)

When we get stressed (and remember, some get stressed more than others ie us!!) the brain will eventually overload with information; worrying and anxiety creates a huge amount of information from within our thoughts + the brain is having to proccess information from the real world as it does for everyone. So, basically, because of our "more highly strung" state we are sending our brains 2 - 3 times the amount of information that a less stressed or anxious person would be sending.

So, our body comes to the rescue!! :) and the brain produces  "endogenous opioids" which are NATURAL SEDATIVES AND INCLUDE NUTURALLY OCCURING MORPHINE AND CODEINE!!! Effectively the Brain is sedating itself because it is recieving to much information.  This explains to me exactely my symptoms of BRAIN FOG. It is the same symtoms one would get if you were on a certain dose of sedative (anasthetic..wish I couyld spell better thought!!).

Understanding, and seeing why, the brain would produce these seemingly unhelpful symptoms I finally understand and believe that they are 1. Nothing to worry about 2. Caused because of anxiety 3. are actually helpfull 4. the body is a wonderful and protective thing :)

IF WE UNDERSTAND AND BELIEVE OUR SYMPTOMS ARE NO MORE THAN OUR BODY TRYING TO PROTECT ITSELF, AND ARE NO PHYSICAL THREAT, JUST A STATE OF MIND, I BELIEVE WE CAN ACCEPT OUR CONDITION, MAYBE MAKE IT BETTER, BUT MOST IMPROTANTLY WE WON'T ALLOW THESE FEELINGS TO MAKE US AND OUR CONDITION WORSE.

Sorry about the liberal use of capitals but I really am trying to make a point here. If i was told at the age of 25 what my symptoms were and more imprtantly why my body produced them I surely believe I would have lived my life rather than suffered it for over 25 years.

Good luck  :)

[cultofbyron]

I'd just like to say thank you for posting this article.  It's always good to have this sort of information in such a concise yet precise form.  I'd like to post the link to the Wikipedia entry for Clouded Sensorium: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensorium#Clouded_Sensorium, which I believe is the medical terminology for 'Brain Fog'.

I'm seeing my GP in a couple of weeks and I'm going to throw that bone in the ring, so to speak, and see what the reaction is...

[oneworld2010]

samantha J. check out 'stilnox' a course for 2 weeks will sort out the sleep and you can then see how much the real problem is anxiety related. It will also reduce anxiety and works quickly. 30 mins or so. You should have complete nights rest. as for brain fog. I dont fully understand it. It could be a reaction to a medication your on, or a withdrawal. But i do know that when really depressed one becomes completely detached from real world and it can be hell. Paxil works very well for that (depression) but may take a week or 2 to kick in. Sorry if i sound like a doctor and please make sure you check with your physician first but ive lived with anxiety/depression for 20 years so.....ive tried alot of remedies and done lots of reading.

good luck

[ravensong]

I have fibromyalgia and the brain fog has always been a daily event . Lately it has become much more severe . I never thought of anxiety making it worse ??? I was recently diagnosed with ptsd and stressed myself right out of a class I was takeing and a counselor too . 

[cforan]

Brain fog is horrible... I remember many times wondering if I am even real. 

[novemberrain103]

I hate brain fog. Its so hard for me to even function when I am like that. Wish there was a magic pill that I could take to make it go away.

[gsquez77]

I get the Brain Fog a lot. It is very frustrating.

[colliedog]

great!! thank you

[feelncrazii]

OMG!!! Thnx soooo much..this is exactly how it starts 4 me also..Iam so freaked out when on highwAys..I was starting to think it was something other than anxiety..& after I do feel so tired
I agree once I feel the tingle I panic & it seems to get worse..Thnx 4 explaining!!!

[lionheart]

I'm glad that there are other people out there like me having this brain fog.  It does become frustrating for me.  Especially at school.

[peter4685]

I am posting on behalf of my wife. We have been dealing with this "Brain Fog" for a year now. At first, we thought it was due to my wife's Thyroid medication. The doses were changed over the last few months but my wife was either to high or low. We have finally got the dose correct. This was what started the "Brain Fog"

She kept telling me about the feelings of dizziness and like being in a dream world. I could never relate to the description of the issue. It has affected our lives recently. My wife is afraid to drive (scared of crashing or passing out), and no longer is able to drive our son to school. She has also had to stop working. Last week she felt like fainting, so we went to the hospital emergency, they ran all the tests and sure enough they were all good.  We spoke with our family doctor today and he diagnosed my wife with GAD. At first I didn't take him seriously, but he did have 30 years of experience. We will be making a Psychologist appointment to tackle this issue. Today I found this forum. After reading all the posts I am now convinced my wife has an anxiety problem that is causing this "Brain Fog". I feel today is the first step in the resolution of the problem. I will post updates on this page documenting our journey. At this point my wife just stays home watching TV, afraid to go outside, scared to drive, scared to be alone while I am at work etc.

List of tests and doctors seen:

Chiropractor (did help in reducing headaches and diarrhea)
Eye Doctor (confirmed my wife's eyes are OK, she was worried she had an eye issue due to fogginess)
Endocrinologist (got my wife's Thyroid dose under control finally)
CAT scan (all good)
All Bloodwork tests (all good)
Eye Ear and Nose specialist (no issue found)
Sinus X-ray (all good)
ECG scheduled (probably will show ok, but will check anyways) 

[tair]

I am 63 years old, and have been suffering with anxiety and depression off and on (thank goodness)  since I was 16 years old.
My entire health history is just that , history.
 However, I can even remember exactly where I was when the brain fog hit 6 years ago.
Since then I have had many bouts of the nasty condition.
I have been on Cymbalta for 2 years now to combat depression and fibro.

My parents are both 90 years old.They have been diagnosed within the past 4-5 years.
My mom has vascular dimentia and my dad has mild to moderate Alzheimers
 If I were to think rationally, I suppose I could think that when you hit this age, something has got to hit most people.

But with parents in this condition, and my brain fog, I am totally pre-occupied with having and or getting this disease.
When in the middle of a brain fog episode, that can last any amount of weeks even months at a time I feel I am doomed.
This is my pre-occupation.
 Even writing this is tough.

[AmberR]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who experiences this 'brain fog'!  I have been called an "airhead" a "ditz" "scatterbrained" and just plain "weird" by people behind my back.  I consider myself fairly intelligent, but I just can't concentrate and my memory seems to be wiped clean sometimes.  I have gone on job interviews and would later find out from someone that worked there that the person who interviewed me thought I was "slow".  I just find myself spacing out and my eyes even wander...the last job interview I went on, the walls seemed to spin and move sideways and I ended up asking a really stupid question "What day would it be two weeks from now?" which I can't even believe came out of my mouth.  I just have these sort of out-of-body experiences, and sometimes wonder if it's my way of coping with difficult situations - although typically it does not help my situation   I just wish people would be able to see me for who I am and not the spacey scatterbrained person that I apparently portray to people.

[TanyaM]

Great Article..

[jtoyota]

Until today I had never even given what I experience a name. I just put it down to turning 40 and the brain cells dying through too many late sessions in my local pub. 'Brain Fog' is exactly what I have been suffering from - for some time now. I never made the connection between this and my anxiety. Now it all makes sense. Thanks for this excellent insight!

[s3ptember]

Now THAT was an interesting read! It was quite detailed and it did help.
Thanks for posting that.

s3ptember

[xitalian215x]

this is such a wonderful name for the thing that i have been experiencing everyday for the last 3 months i am so sad and just do not understand where it came from. im so frustrated!

[mdjohnson1]

wasn't the 'brain fog' in the movie "Joe versus The Volcano"?  Oh wait ... that was a Brain Cloud.

I've had lots of these brain fogs over the past 5 years or so.  What's worse (for me) is that if I try to talk to someone, I'll forget the most simple words when I'm talking.  It's really embarassing and makes me want to avoid any discussion with anyone.  I would literally not remember how to put sentences together using the most basic words I learned in elementary school.

I don't know if that happens to anyone else here ... but damn ... it really sucks and makes life tough.

[pegetto]

goose, [bgcolor=#ff0900]this was the symptom that started it for me[/bgcolor], i completely blame every symptom i ever had on this one symptom.

it was the worst by far, and the most disturbing. I also tried emailing that doctor but never got a reply.
but i agree with you that site is great for information on brain fog.

intersting you should say that, although I am not sure if I understand you correctly.

My troubles started when I was around 25 years old (I'm 53 now...!). I remeber that I was driving back from seeing my father, who was very ill as he had just had a stroke. I did have a lot of personal problems at the time, Marriage and money preoblems among others!!! Anyway, as I was saying, I was driving back, it was at night and I just turned my head to look out of the side window and it seemed like the whole world suddenly tilted and I felt a wave of diziness!! The feeling really shook me up as I had never felt anything like it before. Well, that was the start of everything for me...

I was sure I was terminally ill, had loads of tests via doctor and Hospitals, became a hypochondriac, worried constantly that every day was my last etc etc etc.

28 years later I'm still alive and as reasonably healthy as I should be at my age and lifestyle. Now diagnosed (4 years ago) as GAD and taking 30mm peroxatine which has made a tremendous difference to my health worries (I don't worry about my health now!). I do however still have a bunch of other probs such as anxiety, fatigue, social phobias but feel that had I known at the begining, all those years ago, that I was not the only one to get the brain fog, dizziness feelings that lfe may have been different for me.

Message to any newbies out there is IMO get group therapy if you can. Talking to others with similar/same symptoms as you can be more than reassuring.

Mrgreen,

Thank you so much for that short post!!  It is EXACTLY what I'm going through right now, while swearing that I am terminaly ill and something is seriously wrong!  Although, of course all of my med tests are coming back fine, just pointing to anxiety.  You are so right, if more people knew, it really could make a difference in helping people get through these crazy anxiety smptoms!

thanks again.

[pegetto]

GreyGoose,

I really can't thank you enough for posting this.  I have been scared out of my mind the last couple of days wonderng what in the heck is happening to me now...brain fog and dizziness after 3 weeks of repeated panic attacks and emergency room visits, then this started.  Ugh!!!!  I really thought I was dying again tonight.  This is so awful to go through.  But this post helped and so did everyone's responses. 

[mellabella]

Interesting and enlightening article. Thanks for sharing! I'm going to let hubby read it and see what he thinks...this is one of the biggest problems I had this past term in school.