What does everyone do about fibro fog... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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What does everyone do about fibro fog. Forgot to pick my daughter up from work tonight and that was the last straw. Any ideas anyone

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yanto71
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jillylin profile image
jillylin

Large, bright post it notes everywhere. Text message reminders on my phone. You name it, I do it.

Gentle hugs, fibrofog is horrible :-(

Hugs

Jillyxx

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger in reply to jillylin

Trouble is I forget to write them, forget to read the ones I did write, thought it was just age at first. It's taken a week to do something urgent, by then of course it's too late :-(

jillylin profile image
jillylin in reply to fenbadger

Gentle hugs.

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger in reply to jillylin

Ta :-)

molly44 profile image
molly44 in reply to fenbadger

OMG that is exactly what I do!! This Fibrofog is a nightmare!!

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger in reply to molly44

Hee hee. In the nicest way, Glad I'm not alone. Nevertheless, poor you. Hugs

yanto71 profile image
yanto71

I can't write well cos of my arthritis but I do use my phone a lot. I was wandering if anyone did anything like brain exercises. I do a crossword a day, lots of sudoku and I read books every night. I need to do more to stop it happening or is nothing going to work.

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger in reply to yanto71

Hate to say, all you do is get good at crosswords and Sudoku. Got any friends you can have serious conversations with? Reading is great. Keep the subject matter broadly based and think about what you are reading. I doesn't matter if some is fiction. For instance if you read "Sharpe" think about the history behind the story. Stimulation might slow it down. I had a friend with Chemo brain and it sounds similar.

in reply to yanto71

Hi yanto :)

I love puzzles and games all types of pc games and they play a large role for me. My brain gets grouchy when its not being fed so I find anything that will challenge it a little calms it down. I find it is a very good thing for me.

There are gadgets to help support the wrists when typing or using the mouse too.

I also find that a good pain gel works wonders on the hands when you'd like to use them.

I've forgotten about 2 appointments recently and can't believe it because that is something I would never normally do :o

I'm sure your daughter will forgive you :)

Sending you healing fluffies to help ease the pain and discomfort

:) xxxsianxxx :)

phlebo123 profile image
phlebo123

I have a large calendar pinned to the wall in the kitchen (right next to the kettle!) and I write all my appointment, work days, holidays, on it as soon as I make arrangements. So every time I make a "cup of tea" I look at my calendar to make sure I have not forgotten something I should be doing!! Post it notes are also useful.

Hope your daughter was not too upset with you and has forgiven you.

bluebell99 profile image
bluebell99 in reply to phlebo123

I have two diaries, one by the phone and the other in my handbag. When I remember, I check one against the other.

One bad thing I do is move something important somewhere else to make it easier to find, then remember the original place and forget the new place. Sometimes it can be months before I come across the item, (usually after I have gone and replaced it)!

I like history and historical events and reading about it keeps me ticking over. My family now buy me history books for presents and this combined with what you can find out on the internet can inspire me to learn more.

I have done an OU degree, (sometimes they can help with the costs) and that made me focus and think outside my comfort zone. I particularly like research and you don't have to be studying to do that.

I am in danger of boring people though when I speak about something I have just learned. :) :)

yanto71 profile image
yanto71 in reply to bluebell99

Lol that's the same as me. I took it upon myself to learn about ancient history. I love anything roman or Viking. I do read a lot of historical fiction like Bernard Cornwell and Simon Scarrow. And everything I read I get the reference books to look more into the proper story. I have over a thousand books, that doesn't include my Kindle, and I've read them all at least twice. I'm doing an online course which starts later this year about life in England at the time of Richard 3rd which should be good, it's free as well.

I'm thinking it's more short term memory that's affected, I can tell you all the details of 1066 but I can't remember if I put sweeteners in my wife's cup of tea.

Hi

I've found myself missing appointments etc., so as soon as a plan is made I put it on the calendar on my phone. I can then select a reminder from one hour before the event up to the day before. The alarm bleeps to remind me and my appointment pops up on my phone.

Just a thought ... ?

BM

yanto71 profile image
yanto71 in reply to

Thanks. I use my phone and ipad a lot for appointments etc. I do now think that it's short term memory that's affected and it's not something you can put in a reminder, you don't know what your going to forget. For example I was making a cup of tea, seems that's all I do, and went to take the tea bag out and found I'd already done it and I could not remember doing it. I tried to picture myself taking the teabag out but it just wasn't anywhere in my head. So I'm looking for brain exercise's to help my short term memory.

in reply to yanto71

Hi, like you I suffer with more short term memory problems than long term. One thing I've found that helps is to carry a little notepad (actual or smartphone app) and as soon as you think of something or plan something write it down. I then set a reminder to go off every few hours to remind me to look at my notes. If I don't write things down somewhere, the chance of remembering it are next to zero. I've also had to adapt to a more 'do it now' attitude, anything that I think 'I'll do that later' usually gets forgotten.

It's get really frustrating sometimes because I used to pride myself and my memory and organisation skills, I now have more holes in my memory than Swiss cheese :-/

molly44 profile image
molly44 in reply to yanto71

Hi yanto71 I do things like that it can be very scary when you can't remember doing things you have just done - I get frightened that dementia is setting in!

yanto71 profile image
yanto71

Thank you all for your help and replying, good to know if I need answers I can ask people in the situation.

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Sorry to say but when I get that bad I simply go to bed and forget about the world!

Take care

Ken

Lovelydai profile image
Lovelydai in reply to TheAuthor

HI. Yes I'm a martyr to Fibro Fog. I've been good at To DO Lists and diaries. I always make a note at the time I have something I need to remember. BBut if you DO forget to write them, do something called "Pattern Interrupt".. Sounds complicated, but it isn;t. Do something unusual, like putting a shoe on top of your tv. When you look at the shoe it will cause your brain to jolt as it's not something you would normally find there. It's amazing, but it reminds you of your list item. Gentle hug!

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor in reply to Lovelydai

Thank you for that. I think that is a fantastic idea and I have already placed one of my scarves on my CD player to remind me that I have a new medication that I have to take before I go to bed as I am terrible at remembering my medicines! Thanks. Ken x

dgbnlm profile image
dgbnlm

Write a list of to do daily i suffer alot with this.doesn't always help when out as i just gave the hairdresser the wrong house number

Shazzzy profile image
Shazzzy

I too am rather desperate as i thought i had appealed my dla, turns out i forgot to do so, been waiting ladt 12 months for appeal date. I take money out my bank and have no recollection of doing so, even though it involves a car journey and i rarely go out! I put dinner in oven and then grill it, or forget to turn rings on cooker off and burmn myself, find things in the weirdest of places, under my pillow, in my boots, in the fridge and thats just my toothbrush! I can never find anything and i live in a tiny 2 bedroom flat with my young daughter who thinks i have alzheimers. If you find a solution dont keep it to yourself, sharon

Have you tried notes on your computer ? I also put notes on my fridge freezer.I have tried writing thjngs down,but forget where I put the paper.You are not alone.I have asked for transsexual glasses at the optician, instead of transitions. I have asked for unbaked loaf in the bread shop and also asked are these jumpers bisexual instead of unisex.Plus lots of other gaffs.Just have to laugh it off it happens so often.Try not to worry too much.Good luck.

Fibrofoggiest profile image
Fibrofoggiest

Hi yanto, I am not called Fibrofoggiest for nothing, I make an art form of it :o I read, I do sudoku and crosswords, I have a brain training app on my iPad, anything to keep what little is left of my grey matter !! However, I do have an amazing app which I use all the time to remind me of nearly everything and it has a 'nag me' setting which is incredibly useful. Feel free to message me if you are interested I think it works on other platforms not just an iPad :-)

Foggy x

kittyfisher profile image
kittyfisher in reply to Fibrofoggiest

Hi foggy

I've just read your post there and since my memory is a complete disaster I was wondering if you could tell me about the app you have. I should have been at physio yesterday morning and completely forgot about it so that will be me I wont get anymore appointments. So frustrating this fibrofog.

Take care

kitty

moonstonebright profile image
moonstonebright

Hi Yanto, I suffer badly with Fibro fog and find setting alerts on my mobile phone to do things really helps and as I'm rather paranoid about it I also have sticky post it notes which I stick to my phone case with reminders on it incase my phone crashes or something. I use this to remind myself to put the oven on or to phone someone etc. it really helps me as without it is forget everything. I hope your daughter wasn't too cross with you for forgetting her? You didn't do it on purpose!

I hope this helps a bit. Take care

April