I've been detached from reality (brain fog) for quite a long time now (2 years) and I feel a bit desperate. I changed my diet (gluten-free, lactose-free, soy-free, egg-free; GUT health), I am taking supplements (Rhodiola, L-Theanin, Quercetin, Una de gato, Omega-3 and many more), I tried to clarify with my psychotheraphist whether the problem is mental but it obviously is not as I would probably have times that I would feel better. So I think it has to be organic. I also did some tests. I had many food intolerances which indicates that I could have a leaky gut. But I changed my diet two months ago and I still don't see any major changes. I also quit smoking. The only thing now that I am still working on is my sleep schedule (go to bed at 23.00, now I go at 1.00 or 2.00) .
The fog is there all the time and it is constantly the same. It just gets a bit better over time but it is still terrible. Any advices?
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Well, just because it is all the time doesn't mean it isn't psychological. My anxiety gets out of control at times and others not so much. Are you taking an psychiatric meds? Any new ones?
Have u tried deep breathing exercise and yoga and meditation even walking. Write down daily what u grateful for. Try to keep yourself busy so u can get out of your head as much as possible. And if is not physical than is mental and u just need
haha that won't do for sure. It's way way worse. I can't even get into my body. I lack self-awarness and thinking is often painful. I tried to do meditation but it did not help me much. I also tried when walking to get into my body but my mind just refused to do that. As if there is no body.
I experienced what I felt was a cognitive decline a little over a year ago, it happened to occur around when I started a vegan diet. I immediately assumed that my change in diet was causing this decline, fog, and constant exhaustion, so I obsessed about finding the ‘cure’ constantly. It was practically my thinking of every waking moment: social situations, waking up in the morning, showering, doing school work, etc. I was sure the issue was an Omega 3 deficiency, so I starting taking algae pills. Nothing changed. Then accused B12 of being the culprit, same story. Finally tried iron and still didn’t do anything. Eventually I figured I would have to stop the diet, and while that didn’t help the brain fog at all, it gave me a certain peace of mind. I’m sure I’ve been through many of the same thoughts as you, that this can’t be anxiety, I’ve had anxiety before and it’s not like this - it subsides eventually. But i do think this could be attributed to what I would call a background anxiety, perhaps one you’re not even aware of. Looking retrospectively, I believe that what happened to me was that an inevitable depression was oncoming and my brain panicked and starting sending my thought into obsessive spirals to try to avoid the pain or emptiness of depression. The mind is both creator and destroyer. Things only started to get somewhat better or clearer when I tried admitting to myself that something deeper was wrong, and that takes a lot of courage, faith, and trust in yourself and in the process of life. I hope this helps ❤️
I think I actually do have a bit of a cognitive decline. I experience many problems with my thinking, my psychotherapist also says I have problems with my patterns which could be a bit true. Much less than I did but it is still present. Anxiety was a big part of my life before I think now it seems to get a bit better although sometimes I don't really know the difference between depression, sadness, anxiety etc. It is just a long straight agony.
Also two years ago I was really really low with my life batteries and maybe that affected my thinking, emotions and my brain functioning.
I don't really know if it really is deeper but I do think it is created from smaller pieces and what you wrote to me might just be one of those pieces!
I've suffered with brain fog for at least one and half year. I never knew it was coming from food intolerance. The brain fog was so immense that has created me a lot of anxiety. I completely eliminated Gluten and Dairy products and I can say it has gone. Although I still do suffer from anxiety but the brain fog was so scary because it used to put me depressed. Now I'm suspecting that I can be low deficiency in certain vitamins since I eliminated that type of food/drinks.
How much time did it take for brain fog to get out somehow since you eliminated gluten and dairy? I am now in my third month of diet but it seems like it is not even getting better.
So sorry you are going through this, it must be very frustrating and challenging. I might have some helpful info for you. But first I have some questions...
I assume you have seen a doc and had basic blood work/other testing done? Have you been told by a professional that this symptom is due to anxiety and/or depression?
Then I just want to clarify- you said that it's there 24/7 and is constantly the same. Then you said that It just gets a bit better over time. I'm not sure how to interpret that- Do you mean that it has gotten a little better over the last 2 years overall?
yes that was a bit fuzzy. I wanted to say somehow that it was way way worse than now but now it is still I think pretty bad. It did get better overall but there are days that are quite devastating and it feels like I am right at the beginning.
I was told by my psychotherapist that my brain fog is made up of little pieces. Trauma, food, anxiety, depression etc. I was diagnosed with C-PTSD but it is really hard to work with it because of the brain fog.
I have made two blood tests and they were both ok.
Check out the resources on my profile. The "A coach called life" website and all of Dr. Claire Weekes' resources might be the most helpful for you. Dr. Weekes calls what I think you are describing as "Feelings of unreality". The other resources I list are also excellent.
What makes you think diet? A good, basic diet is important for all of us but I'm wondering if real dietary problems actually have anything to do with his. did you have some testing done for dietary issues?
I've done the food intolerance test and then I was talking to a nutritionist and she said if I am intolerant to many foods it should be leaky gut. So I changed my diet. Now I will also do some other tests to clarify whether I do have leaky gut or not.
Leaky gut can also cause brain fog but I don't know if it can cause such a strong one.
How much sleep are you getting each night? Chronic sleep deprivation can ABSOLUTELY lead to brain fog as well as a host of other systemic issues. You say you’re still working on it- good! Please research “sleep hygiene” for good tips on habits to improve your sleep. There is also a ton of information out there by reputable medical journals on “shift work sleep disorder” and the massive health effects of chronic sleep deprivation. The gist of the research is ‘sleep deprivation is crazy bad for you’. I don’t know what else you’ve got going on, but I promise you’ll feel better with more quality sleep.
I think the main problem was going to sleep at 1.00-2.00. And the next big problem is that I can't fall asleep soon. Some days are alright but many of them I struggle to fall asleep. Mostly because I am out of my body (C-PTSD) and traumas take over so I move around in my bed all the time.
Before I also think I had many problems with sleep. Late hours, inconsistent hours, very little sleep. I've felt sleepy over day for a very long time now.
It is sooooo great to finally find people complaining about Brain Fog, be it Eligard, Lupron or Chemo. I have had “severe” Eligard Brain Fog for about 1 & 1/2 years!!! You might see it in my writing with the lack of cognitive abilities but I proof read, spell check and edit many times to catch errors!!
I was prescribed Bicalutamide prior to the Eligard ( to avoid T spike). The script was for 30 days!! I look back and I believe this is how quickly I got stupid!!! I called the Dr. to see if I needed another refil and his Nurse Practitioner refilled it x 12. I then began Eligard at 3 month dosages, then Radiation.
If Im loosing you, scroll past my story!! Turned out to be a book. Mostly for you but somewhat for me!!!
Once I completed the 44 doses of Radiation, I met with my Uroligist and complained that while driving, I found myself not knowing where I was or where I was going!! This while driving routes that I drove daily!!! It was then that he realized that his NP inadvertantly refilled my Bicalutamide and stopped it immediately. Problem solved...right? Wrong!!!!
While suffering from all the other side effects of Eligard, I thought the hot flashes /night sweats were causing my sleep deprivation. I was sure that was the culprit until I learned that I was not supposed to be on the Bicalutamide. He gave me 30 days of sleeping pills to help. They did not!!!!
I continued to go to work as a Union Carpenter General Foreman / Project Manager / General Superintendent of a major construction company, and my procedural and financial mistakes were being brought to my attention on a regular bassis!! To which I would get very defensive (to say the least) to the extent that I was ripping new a$$es on my subordinates, superiors and clients!!!
I was tripping over my own feet and when it came to spontaneous conversations, I would simply draw a blank. Just stand there like a moron!!!
With living in RI, and projects in Boston, I could no longer make the commute (<1 hour normal / >2 hours traffic) without stopping for a nap. While making presintations, bids and schedules I could not put items and activities in any kind of logical order even if it was just for my own use!!
Constanly loosing my truck keys and misplacing my cell phone!!!
Fired on June 22 2018!!!
Still never dawn on me that it could all be caused by my treatment.
Well, time to dust off the resume and get out in the job market! No brag, just fact, I’m very good at my job, building Hospitals, Schools, Highrises, Waste Water Treatment Plants, etc....... was not worried about going back to work. One problem, I couldn’t figure how to update my resume ( update, not create). Couldn’t figure out where I worked, projects completed, etc. since last updated (2 companies in 4 years). Once I sorted that out, I found myself scared shitless to talk to people!!! I procrastinated about meetings and interviews, once again drawing blanks on planing what to say and scared shit again. I have many times gone toe to toe with construction workers, union stewards, the bigest of men and now I’m afraid to face a HR girl!!! I also cry so often, for no reason, I can’t even imagine the humiliation that would cause in a construction meeting!!!
I Thought I had the onset of Dementia, I was not!!!
I want to smack myself in the head when I say this but it was like an out of body experiance. I can look at the word, I know the word, but it doesn’t register, ask my wife what it is. I know the math problem, always did it in my head, but now can’t figure it out, sometimes even with a caculator, I now read like a 4th grader (at best ( I will no longer read to my grandkids)). Used to knowing every nut and bolt, system and finish in multible building projects but now, try to assemble a toy, not happening!!!
Not to mention the “Fog” part! The best I can describe it is like having a wicked hangover, every day and night, but with out the fun part!!! Just BLAHHH. Anything funny would have to be really funny to get a reaction. You can sleep just after getting up from a nap!!! And so on and so on!!!!!
Lupron Brain Fog ...... is it REAL?..... you decide!!!!!
No diet changes, no vitamin change, no excersise change!
Just added the Drug! The drug that is saving my life!!! I GET IT!!!
Now the fun part, find one of my doctors the believe it!!! When meeting with my replacement Uroligist for the first time (my original one moved on), I insisted that we stop the treatment. I already completed 12 of the 18 months and completed the 44 Radiation doses. My PSA was a perfect >.1. He pushed back and agreed to accept my complaints (as ground-breaking for him) on their merit and file paperwork for RI TDI (Rhode Island temporary disability insurance). And I agreed to another 3 month injection “if TDI was accepted”. Got the shot in July 2018.
Met with my Oncoligist 1 year post RT and discussed my progerss where I spilled my guts about everything going on in my life.
I was flabbergasted!!! He told me that he never believed in LBF until a close colleague of his complained about it and was forced to leave his practice.
Finally, justification!!!! All my Googling confirmed!!!!
While out of work, these and the other side effects of, either the drug Eligard, or the the fact that my body has “0” testosterone, persisted and I found myself 60 pounds heavier, with debilitating pain in all my joints especilly my hips. Weak as can be, needing help lifting virtually anything of substance, can no longer go for hikes or excersise! Depressed with no intrest in hobbies, projects around the house, being around people etc. and inexplicable rage for days at a time.
My wife and I discussed that it can’t get any worse, so “F” it, complete the 18 month regiment as laid out from the begining. After all, Through all this, I AM STILL ALIVE!!! I’m told that the HT adds 10% to the possibility of your survival. Would be a shame to miss out on that for the sake of a few months!!! Had another injection in Nov 2018.
So here we are today. My last injection is 1/2 disolved and I am sooo looking forward to getting my brain, personality, life back. God willing!! Also praying that my PSA behaves and I can look back at this nightmare as a victory. Optimistic but not setting my hopes too high!!! I found little to no information as to if / when this condition will subside.
In closing, you’re not losing you mind. The drug that is currently saving you life took it (be it Lupron, Eligard......)!!!! Its not something you ate or didn’t eat, but eat a ballanced diet. Its not because you’re lazy but excersise your mind and body as best you can to fight mussel loss and improve brain function. It is not everything you were doing prior to your treatment, it’s the treatment!! Now say it, I AM ALIVE!
Again sorry for the length!!! Partilly venting on my part but because of the rareity of this side effect (as I have learned) I want you and your followers to rest assured that it is real!!! Its extent can be from I lost my keys again to a chronic show stopper!!!
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