Does anyone feel like they are walking in a fog? I use the word fog because you can't find a clear comfortable place.
Sometimes when I have to go out to the doctor, store, a public place I feel confused. I have lots of cognative issues and I am not sure if any of you feel this way.
I went to my family Dr yesterday to get my thyroid blood work taken and a few otherthings.
She had a guy in medical school shadowing her. He came in introduced him self was talking to me checked my heart and breathing. While I was answering his questions I couldn't remember words, gumbled all thoughts at one time in my head I couldn't answer the question. Thank you Lord for my daughter. She can remember things plus help me get my words out.
In Walmart and grocery store I get confused. It seems like everything is confusing me. From ppl, to looking for items and can nit find them because I can not sort all the different items in my mind.
I gave rambled on long enough. I hate this fog feeling. Do you have this problem? If so how do you deal with it?
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SlmHarris
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Hi SlmHarris I feel like that's been happening to me lately. And it's starting to tick me off. Cause nothing is getting done.😡 So I think I'm going to have to do more lists!😄
As far as your PCP 's and Neuro and any doctor, keep a journal of your symptoms and your questions!😊 That way you have them right there in front of you.
As far as the cog fog?😕 I'm hopping that it's allergies?😁 or on gonna have notes everywhere!😅😅😅
I get through it because I have a great husband. Last year I drove to my own doctors appointments, did the grocery shopping on my own, and this year I schedule my doctor's appointment around my husband being able to take me, I rarely drive without doing a mental checklist starting with do I remember how to drive and ending with am I sure I know how to get there and back. The grocery shopping which used to be only about mobility (shopping carts to hang onto are wonderful) has become about dealing with all the sights and sounds and not flaking out. But I have a wonderful husband who I know will be there for me and who in the middle of this can make me laugh. It also helps to run things through your head before doing them...kind of like practicing your lines for an actor.
Thank you melack01 for sharing your problem with cognative issues.
My husband passed a little more than 3yrs ago. My daughter takes me to my Dr appointment and shopping. Having one of your children is great but not the same
I used to feel like that all the time. Since I've changed my diet and eating habits my thoughts have dramatically changed. My Outlook on everything is totally different and fog free. My diet consists of everything vegetable. I do eat things high in protein though to keep my protein up. No Meats no sugar fish is okay and occasionally I will eat little chicken. Then once a week I will cheat for a day.
I know the diet is working. The days that I cheat and eat whatever I want is good for the day but the next day I'm in more pain foggy headed. So my cheat days don't consist much of cheating at all compared to how it used to be. I've been eating this way for about 8 going on 9 months
I do during a flare, overheated, or exhausted. Afternoon naps, ice, rest, meditation, exercise are some of what I do for it. I use the notepad on my phone and have two calendars to keep myself from forgetting.
Fatigue is one of my biggest challenges and when its at its worst, it amps up my cognitive and vision issues. No fun whatsoever! So...I cope by being aware of how much I can do before the fatigue envelopes me like a cloak. I plan everything out knowing that I'll have to adjust along the way. If I push too much, then I can't focus, can't think clearly, can't remember things, have difficulty finding my words, and slide into sensory overload. In other words, I'm a mess.
I use some of the same tools as kdali mentioned: afternoon naps, quiet rest periods and apps on my phone. My phone has become my second brain. I've sync'd my phone to my google calendar, my gmail contacts and to my most important email accounts. I also use a tool called Evernote that is sync'd between my laptop, my tablet and my phone. I've put all sorts of notes and articles in Evernote that I can pull up at any time. Its been a godsend.
All of this helps me function on a day to day basis along with the planning, planning, planning. I realize my 'solutions' involve a lot of technology that not everyone is comfortable with. Most of my career was in technology so these things are easy peezy for me. And they sure help make my life easier! (Especially since I live solo and don't have help.)
SlmHarris , I'm sorry that you deal with the cognitive fog. There are some wonderful suggestions above from the smart, helpful folks here. I hope the suggestions work well for you.
I take aricept a drug for Alzheimer's even though supposedly it doesn't help with MS. It's not perfect. I still have cog fog but I feel much better than before. Being tired definitely makes things worse.
SlmHarris I felt that way too until I simplified my life, stopped working, and took better care of myself. I still have moments when I feel overwhelmed or juggling too many tasks makes my brain want to retreat. But if I remind myself to slow down, take 1 thing at a time, live in the moment and breathe, I feel better. I hope you will too 💐
SlmHarris Ah, the cog fog as it is (not so) fondly termed here. Ask me my phone number when I am not expecting it or trying to think of what date it is, and swoooooosh, it's gone or my childhood phone number tumbles out, or... yes, many of us experience this. It is a devastating experience and in my case often seen as age related. Most of the time, my brain is still coordinated and able to sort through all those files to find the needed data, but let me be fatigued, or heat stressed, or surprised by the unexpected, and it's as if a dust devil enters my mind, swirling everything around, mixing emotions (fear, embarrassment, confusion) with the need to respond and I become mute and incompetent. What helps me is to retreat to a calm place, sit down, focus on my breathing...and somehow those brain files sort themselves out again, everything falls back into place and is accessible. Then, it's back into the fray...loaded with empathy for everyone who suffers such moments whatever the cause!
Your clear explanation in your post attests to the temporary nature of this symptom. I now carry a little card in a pocket in my address book with important numbers (phone, house, PIN) , just the numbers because my brain recognizes them immediately though it sometimes can't generate them. You'll find lots of ideas here because almost all of us have developed strategies to work around this symptom. That's why I personally think MS means many strengths!
everyday, and especially when out and about... "Cornfused" is a normal state for me! 30+ years of battling the MonSter so I just roll with it... boy, the heat with no AC does NOT help... Oh well... 3 short months and soon will have AC in my bedroom at least...
I use Nuvigil as needed (not every day so that i dont build up a tolerance to it rendering it useless) it cuts thru the fog and allows me to concentrate. However i do still get tongue tied and forget my words. Especially when over heated (which is A LOT living in Texas) so i never go to doc apts alone. But it makes going shopping easier if i take it in the morning, always have a list and go during the week when its not crowded
This happens a ton to me. My wife or kids will be talking to me and I feel like Charlie Browns parents are talking to me! Thankfully it only lasts a couple days and goes away. It sure makes everyone angry with me because I forget everything! For the last week I was supposed to fix our vacuum cleaner. I would walk around the house knowing I'm supposed to do something and I just kept wondering. For hours! My wife would come home from work and ask me, what are you doing. The answer is always the same. I DONT KNOW! Then, did you fix the vacuum! Oh! That's what I was looking for for! Then she gets mad! It is a sucky thing. I wondered around the Home Depot yesterday with my mother in law wondering what I was there for. She had to call my wife. She ended up picking out everything and took me home.
So long answer, yes. Happens all the time. Welcome to this wicked step child named MS! It sucks!!!! If my wife didn't speak for me at Dr appointments, they wouldn't get any information on how I'm doing or why I was there!
Absolutely, so embarrassing at the checkout line trying to remember what to do! Cash? Debit card, oh wait, what's the pin! What's a pin? I have completely blanked out. Dr started me on Modafinil in April and it's a big help.
Yes that is the generic I believe to provigil. Unfortunately I am unable to take an of that type if medication because I have heart disease. I have already had 3 heart attacks.
SlmHarris hi can't add much except I was misdiagnosed with fibromyalgia 20 yrs ago and the mental fog was called fibro fog by my doctor! Now my neurologist calls it cog fog, and it is getting worse. Today I asked my husband if he knew where I left my biscuits? I meant shoes. Do we laugh or cry? Will someday all we say is gibberish? I use calendars in 2 rooms, put up a bulletin board for sticky note reminders until a job is done, use my notes app on my phone daily, and take photos with phone to show someone what I'm talking about. My words never come out right. And my husband goes to the doctor with me so he can remember what doc said! And have to make list of new symptoms. My phone alarm had 10 alarms set on it reminding me when to do things at the right time during the day. Not socializing much anymore cause too embarrassing to try to say what's in my brain! And I'm embarrassed! So, I accept it, deal with it the best I can, thankful for GPS, cell phones, and peg boards! I pray you find your own way to make lights thru the dreary fog!!
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