Brain fog

[stayingstrong4me]

How common is brain fog with pmr ? Mine is so bad doc sent me for a ct scan suspecting secondary breast cancer of the brain which was clear .have low ferretin levels being treated with supplements. But no improvement yet been taking them for a month of a three month course. Mind and body not behaving is too much lol

[SheffieldJane]

It sounds like you've been through an incredibly stressful time especially with your health, that alone can cause brain fog in my experience. Try to do nice restful things for yourself. Sometimes you just fuse. I was very aware of brain fog when I was still working before my diagnosis. As my mum had early onset dementia, that's where I thought it was heading. Not so much now but I've dropped the perfectionist attitude. I observe a lot and read a lot, I think I'm quite sharp now as everyone and everything rushes by in a frantic race - to what?

[olive2709]

It's all preds fault, becoming a family saying. Like all females I could do 3/4 things at once given up on that

Cooked for a living so was very compact in my work area now put everything on the tray and when used move the item to other side of kitchen started this after ginger cake that I make at least once a month had to go in bin don't know how much ginger I put in but it was more then the 3 teaspoons called for !!!!

Don't worry it gets better on lower dose just remember

IT'S ALL PREDS FAULT

[PMRpro Ambassador]

How common is brain fog in PMR? Don't know a figure - but I'd bet it is in the 80% plus range! And if the PMR doesn't get you, the pred will. And then some people have both effects...

Low ferritin - that's interesting, that is the only inflammatory marker I have that has ever been raised!

[Doralouise77 in reply to PMRpro]

Ferritin is considered an inflammatory marker?

Cheers

[stayingstrong4me in reply to Doralouise77]

Not sure if gp was looking at my ferretin levels as markers for pmr or part of investigation for my cronic fatigue and brain fog i am on a three month course of supplements to try and raise levels hope this makes sense

[Doralouise77 in reply to stayingstrong4me]

Sorry, I was referring to PMRpro's comment about ferritin being the only inflammatory marker she has that has ever been raised - ?

Cheers

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Doralouise77]

Yup!

"Acute phase response is the sum of the systemic and metabolic changes occurred by release of acute phase proteins in response to inflammatory stimulus. The most important ones of these acute phase reactants are erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen and ferritin."

[Doralouise77 in reply to PMRpro]

Glad mine is low then.....that must be why I've read not to supplement in GCA/PMR, and for once my GP knew this and told me not to supplement......wonders never cease....

Cheers

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

This a new one on me. Cursory swing through google didn't really answer my question about *low* ferritin and inflammation. Implication this a non-issue? Have sneaking suspicion my dr didn't refer to most recent lab report when reading my results the other day as every single number same as previous one, including ferritin which had, actually, gone up a few numbers right after I stopped D/calcium supplement in summer. No reason for it to stall if iron supplement continued?

[stayingstrong4me]

Cant blame pred for my brain fog unfourtunately,started along side swollen aching painful legs and arms i couldnt lift above my head blood tests gave indications of pmr cronic fatigue and brain fog made gp think secondary breast cancer hence ct scan thankfully not the case.but cronic fatigue and brain fog havent improved but the pain and body stiffness have responded well to pred.only a couple of months into treatment so still early days and all very unsure what to expect

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to stayingstrong4me]

The brain fog WILL improve eventually but there isn't a timescale really.

The fatigue needs pacing and the spoon theory:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

butyoudontlooksick.com/arti...

and actually - pacing and rest does help the brain fog too.