Brain Fog? I've had epilepsy, diabetes 2, etc, and other various medications over my life, I'm 68, any non medications to clear the brain?

[Adlon57]

I have been stuffed full of medications all my life, reactions to medications very high, now retired I want to clear the brain fog, want to somehow almost regain some of my lost memories, I know I have early dementia, but now is the time I want to remember my good times [and bad🙄], not sit there like a blank canvas, I don't want to be turned into a mindless moron with more slow, slow medications. Maybe go into a induced coma for a couple of months to let the body and brain somehow sort itself out?

[piglette]

A glass of good wine helps me. It doesn’t help the brain fog, but it makes you not care!

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

I just feel so bl###y useless my whole body like a sleeping giant, I've shown it again and again, I have a very intelligent brain, BUT always under the "care" of usually useless medication, which aimed at certain afflictions, now finding years later endless clouds of BRAIN FOG and no way of clearing it😩😵😵😤😵🙄

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

I used to have a very clear brain, but it seems to have deteriorated as I get older sadly. I cannot remember anyone’s name any more. I was never that good anyway thinking about it.

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

I used to have a business tracing names, genealogy🕵️‍♀️😵😵😵🙄

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

I did give that package that keeps advertising to me about tracking your ancestry to my sister. We did start on it, but then stopped. It is quite expensive.

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

I have had three of those just this afternoon, straight into the 'trash' box!🙄

[Adlon57 in reply to Adlon57]

They are just like Estate Agents [most of them🙄] just waiting to rip you off!💀

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

I presume "Ancestry.com" they are the SkyTV of the genealogy world, and have little family tentacles all over the place 🤡😎forget them🤫

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

That is the one I tried. It is great if you have the time. I have managed to get back 200 years.

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

I got back to 1805 with my great great great grandfather but he could not spell somewhere in Gorbals, Glasgow, that was forty years ago, all the genealogy sites, no help! My mother's site, too much information that's what they said " My Heritage" load of rubbish, they thought my mother married my brother in law😵😖🥺🙃🤭

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

I think I have got to a great, great grandfather, but limited info. That part of the family seemed to have stayed in the same place to the current day!

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

My 'other' family tree "stuff" going back ..... left up in loft when I came here 21 years ago, was I told about it, indirectly, I was in hospital at time, pancreatitis, 6 years ago, very vague email, there is about 2 tons of it😖🙄 [seriously😵] First bit of good news finally got a mental counselling face to face meeting next Thursday, thought they had forgotten about me, filled in "appropriate form" about 6 weeks ago, told indirectly wait about six months waiting list👍

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

Good news about the face to face counselling. I have piles of things waiting to be looked at. I think I need to start on that Swedish idea of Death Cleaning!

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

👍 What is the "Swedish idea of Death Cleaning"?

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

Swedish Death Cleaning was introduced by Margareta Magnusson in her book: The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning. The idea is to remove the burden of decluttering for your loved ones after you’ve passed away, so you’re left only with the essentials and those items that have the most meaning. Basically it is de-cluttering! There is a series on TV about it at the moment.

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

Very interesting! 👍👍👍🕵️‍♀️

[Adlon57 in reply to piglette]

Thanks piglette again owe you one👌 in the post from Amazon!

[piglette in reply to Adlon57]

🎉🎉🎉

[car67]

hi Adlon

What about doing a memory book? It might be a silly idea, but just adding photographs of nice memories, and writing their names next to the photos or pictures.

Years ago before I was diagnosed with epilepsy people used to say I had a photographic memory, now I live on post it notes, everything in my house is labelled, I can’t go out on my own as I get lost, I was insulted by a staff member as I called her by another name even though she knows my medical condition, I hate it! Memory loss is so sad, but if you can put things in place now it might help? I’m still trying! Lol take care , please try not to be down with it, I know it’s really hard

[Adlon57 in reply to car67]

Bad idea! presently downsizing, having to get rid of old precious photos, letters, boxes of them, I have no choice, to survive smaller amount, I still get people looking at me, getting rid of my precious memories, "those are historical?" it all goes out, with my failing memory, to be forgotten forever😤😩🙄

[Blearyeyed in reply to Adlon57]

You could create a memory book online from all your precious letters and photos as you are downsizing.As well as helping to clear the brain fog and delay the progress of Dementia it will mean you can still look at all those precious things without having the bulky original copies.

Make it on a computer but keep a copy on a few discs or memory sticks that don't take up much room just in case the computer copy somehow crashes or gets lost.

Create pages with photos and letters that fit together and add a few of your own words about that particular day , whom else was there , what was the best bit , funny moments.

As well as doing some very therapeutic brain training it also means that if you do begin to lose memories in the future , you can look at it to remind you of what you love.

Give some copies to a friend , family member or your care giver or tell his to access it , then if you need a little helping hand to remember things in the future and forget that your memory book is there they can upload it and share happy times looking at it with you.

Just 15 minutes to an hour of doing some sort of creative brain activity that needs some practical activity , problem solving or coordination of both hand and mind helps reduce brain fog , improve thinking skills and delays loss of short and long term memories.

If you don't fancy doing the above try some other brain training activities that use the mind and some body involvement.

Doing puzzles , moving to music, singing a song , following a recipe to make a simple meal, writing a to do list or writing down simple bullet points or key phrases from something you watch or an audio book or a fact based book.

Following a pattern for a craft like knitting , crochet or sewing or doing an art practice like colouring by numbers or building a model.

All of these coordinated behavioural activities stimulate your brain to work more healthily and give you more mental and physical energy, even if the medications you need each day can make you feel run down.

Choosing to eat a light but nutrient rich diet , and having more small portions in a day instead of three big meals , and drinking the recommended amount of water each day also helps the brain as well as the body.

Getting 20 minutes of fresh air and morning light improves your overall alertness throughout the day and helps to reduce things like Seasonal Depression.

Getting this by having a short stroll is best but if the weather is awful or you don't feel up to going out , just sitting by an open window that gets morning light will do.

Keeping active , even if it's just a few minutes stroll around the house or garden and a big stretch each hour until the hour before bed helps keep brain and body healthy. But getting enough rest by pacing your daily activity with breaks and having a good sleep routine also reduces the brain from getting too tired and foggy.

Most important of all, reduce your stress by being kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up or make yourself feel guilty for not being as able as you used to be or doing more, negative thoughts just clutter the mind and wear out the soul. Be positive, laugh at your mistakes and give yourself a big oat on the back for all the little successes you have.

Take care , Bee

[Adlon57 in reply to Blearyeyed]

Nice idea, but my house has officially just been sold [very nice price👍] in the solicitor's hands [an old family friend, excellent!] I'm in the process of eyeing up new dwelling [that's looking good👍] I just do not have the time, any day now will be looking for temporary dwelling, whilst on the move! Things are happening so fast, even got Mental Counselling face to face meeting next week, unheard of around here, had a paid meeting years meeting about ten years ago, out of my depth, financially and mentally? This one care of NHS encouraging!👌

I've always got that voice in the back of my head, don't get strained, don't go OTT another seizure [always set off by stress and anxiety] could be my last🤫

I go down to my favourite cafe for a break, have an old chinwag with the girls down there, couple of americanos and bickies, put the feet up👌

[car67]

that’s just too sad Adlon, I’m so sorry to hear that

[Adlon57 in reply to car67]

Thanks car67 I feel like I'm the last of a sane generation. I really feel so sorry for the next, ruled over by AI's values our individuality out the 'window' [sorry bad pun there🙄] need a bit of humour in times like these, no respect for the older generation, bad!