So partway through my day (it's 3:50 p.m. ADT as I write this) I considered whether I'd taken my pill. Yes, I distinctly remembered getting it out. More hours went by and I felt lazier than usual. So, imagine my dismay when 8 hours later I've just discovered it sitting on the kitchen counter. 🙄
Brain fog?: So partway through my day (it's 3:50 p... - PMRGCAuk
Brain fog?
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HeronNS
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•
Been there , done that , got a,wardrobe of tshirts!!!😋😂😂😂😂😘
Take it easy for the rest of the day xx
DorsetLadyPMRGCAuk volunteer
Well if nothing else - it confirms the Pred is working.
Think we’ve all been there. 😳
Please say this improves....?! I noticed it around 2 months in. I lose my train of thought when talking and muddle names when referring to people!
It's not too bad...but it has affected my confidence and my trust in my own judgement sometimes.
I do get frustrated when putting a washing capsule in the laundry drum...only to find one already there! Or going to empty the dryer and discovering I have already taken the clothes!
Working reduced hours defo helps both physically and mentally...but I am really hoping this fog is temporary!
HeronNS• in reply to
Apparently it doesn't - I've been on pred since June 2015, and only taking between 1 and 1.5 now. 🤣
• in reply toHeronNS
Oh dear...I would have thought being fortunate enough to be on such an envious dose would see you pretty much back to normal! Bless you!
HeronNS• in reply to
I think I am back to my usual head in the clouds normal . 😏
• in reply toHeronNS
🤣
Some of us had " brain fog" even without PMR!
Especially if you are going through the Menopause too.
Head in the clouds normal is a perfect description.
That's the way I've been all my life, the oppoaite of OCD, maybe?
• in reply to
The PMR brain fog was worse than pred head for me. I truly thought I was going senile at 55. It does ease but I still have foggy days. I certainly couldn't have worked so kudos!
• in reply to
I am sorry you have had a tough time. I am fortunate my work is supportive. I guess I might have to rethink my working hours if it doesnt improve! I had originally thought of taking a year off...but I really believe staying at home would be more detrimental to my health all round!
HeronNS• in reply to
Depending on the workplace I think keeping active is beneficial.
• in reply toHeronNS
100%. Love my job. Love the people. Would hate to not be able to continue...and I dont really want to retire in my 40s!
Yellowbluebell• in reply to
I took early retirement 10 years ago aged 46 to look after husband after he had major neuro surgery afyer breaking his back but i dread to think how i would have coped with my job with pmr no matter how much i loved it. X
• in reply toYellowbluebell
I hope you found your reward in some other way. That must have been such a huge adjustment for you all and cant have helped your PMR.
The view of our occupational health adjustment is to ensure an employee stays in work. And to facilitate that happening, reasonable adjustments are made wherever possible.
That said...If required...I may shorten my hours permanently.
Hope you are managing your PMR effectively yellowbluebell!
• in reply to
I think the main thing is to recognise when you do need to take time out to rest properly. I have fibromyalgia and chronic back pain from OA. I struggled for a few years at work, but just kept pushing and pushing myself. It was reasonably okay for a while after being referred to the pain clinic. But eventually everything fell to pieces and I went off sick, supposedly for a week or 3 and never went back at 46. So if you get a chance to cut hours so you can recover as you taper try to. Don't forget though I knew my back was never going to feel better (or as good as it did then!), Which is different from a self limiting condition like PMR that will hopefully, eventually burn itself out for most people. But just be aware your capacity to deal with stress, less energy, and other add-on things that AI like PMR CAN bring is limited so don't drive yourself into the ground. Just find a good balance, pace yourself and try not to get frustrated when the ends of sentences drift into the ether never to be heard of again. It is not you, it's an illness and it's treatment which is the only thing that works. The more rest, interspersed with an activity you enjoy, the less impact PMR has when you lead a busy life.🌻
• in reply to
Love the sound advice. Makes perfect sense.
It's like battling an invisible enemy. When I feel good, I have no way to gauge what my limit is as I dont really know when I enter the "overdoing it" phase! It's hard to be selfish...but I am trying to put myself first!
Me too!
I tried to charge my electric toothbrush with my phone charger today.
• in reply toMarijo1951
😂😂😂 my toothbrush ran out of battery one day. I stood like an idiot in front of the mirror. I couldn't remember how to brush my teeth manually. My muscle memory had disappeared!
Blearyeyed• in reply to
I don't have an electric toothbrush so mine regularly runs out of power half way through brushing!
• in reply toBlearyeyed
🤣🤣🤣
• in reply toMarijo1951
Lol! Oh bless you Marijo1951!
Too many gadgets and chargers in the world today 😳 - even post GCA, post Pred brain!
Perhaps WE need a charger! Oh we do.... ...it’s called wine 🥂
I stick with tea, M&S Luxury Gold loose leaf for preference.
I've never quite understood the appeal of alcohol somehow so, apart from the odd sip of champagne for a wedding toast, I don't bother with it...
I agree. I have found a local craft beet which doesn't give me a headache, but wine and hard liquor is highy overrated - with the exception of the occasional sip of sherry!
My student granddaughter works part-time as a mixologist, but never tipples herself. When she tells me some of the concoctions that people want - let's say a Rusty Nail, 50% Drambuie and 50% Scotch - I feel positively nauseous.
It is a very logical mix - since Drambuie is a whisky liqueur!
Shouldn't have looked that up - someone says "scotch whiskey". No "e" in Scotch - bah!!!!!
Champagne all the way... if finances would permit! Unfortunately- they don’t!
I have an alcoholic mother so although i do have a drink i am aware of doing it in moderation but i also find as i dont drink that often ots very easy to get tipsy!!
My father wanted to teach me how to hold my liquor. He figured if I could handle two of his martinis I'd be able to drink any guy under the table. As I couldn't stand the taste of them that experiment didn't work. I used to go to parties determined to drink enough to get drunk to find out what it was like, but after two drinks I would stop. Had a built in policeman I guess! Btw I was an adult, a university student, when my father had that not so bright idea. I dread to think what he had been like in his callow youth!
Well i suppose it was well intentioned!! My mum used to complain if me and OH went out with her and my dad and i asked for perrier water!! Even now at 77 and me at 56 she still lectures me on not drinking enough!!
• in reply toYellowbluebell
I was such a boozehound until 1999, then I started opioids and decided to stop drinking. Have never missed it, only had a couple of coffees with Tia Maria in at xmas in 20yrs, and tried a mouthful of wine. I suspect I drank enough for 3 people's lifetimes (according to my sister). My liver quivers if I think of drink now. 🤢
I drink bubbles water as a "drink". We have a colleague who refuses to pay for fizzy water (when host) but will pay for lemonade with all the sugar (getting diet drinks over here is not easy except for coke!). Infuriates me!
As for alcohol - I drink it because I like the taste of the carrier! If I don't like it I won;t drink it and head for the tap. When they make decent low alcohol wine that'll do me!
My mum said i was just acting posh by asking for fizzy water!! No not posh i just happen to like fizzy water!! I dont like coke in any form.
Me neither - like very few soft drinks really. Mostly too sweet.
Even though i did have quite a sweet tooth never been bothered about fizzy drinks
As a child I was very ill with measles - and in those days you got Lucozade "to build you up". I blame my life-long struggle with weight on that. Did you know real Lucozade was used in hospitals for glucose tolerance tests? The level of pure glucose in it made it ideal - fairly nice tasting and moderate volume...
Thats the one fizzy i do like. Had forgotten about it.
But 50g carbs in a small glass!!!!!
Havnt looked tbh but wont bother now. Its nice but fizzy water does me fine thanks.x
That’s actually a funny dialogue if your in Texas right now.
See, it depends on the sparkling water you buy.
A Texas girl knows how to order sparkling water without sounding pretentious.
( translation for Brits: fizzy water without sounding Pretentiously Posh. Only pretentiously posh folks in Texas order Perrier when here in Texas there is perfectly good...Topo Chico. It’s our state treasure- very inexpensive-imported from Mexico.
Naturally sparkling mineral water from Mexico...
We are so sad now... after several decades of having this delightful secret to ourselves... it’s been discovered. It’s now ,”posh.” It’s the new thing in New York. LA.
Guess who bought it?!?!
Coca Cola!!!! For Petes sake. I wonder if it willshow up in London soon, marketed as the latest greatest at very high prices? You heard it here first...
It’s meant to be served with a lime. No lemons, folks.
Cheers.
The advantage it’s its smooth. The minerals are not sharp. And no chlorine from city water, which many of us are sensitive to. ( so yellowbell, theres a fantastic counter for anyone telling you you are posh. Wanna talk diarrhea? Go ahead. I dare some one pull the posh card on you for ordering sparkling mineral water!) If your traveling no chance for a change in water to disrupt your system.
My mums comment was meant to wind me up because she likes having a poke at me for becoming posh when i started in law!! I am the only barrister who can cause chaos just entering a court room!!Anyone who actually knows me (scats and blearyeyed DO NOT comment) know i am far from posh!!
Your water sounds really nice and like you say no tummy troubles when abroad. I really like fizzy water and hate still water. You srenprobably right it will appear in a posh london restaursnt where people are happy to pay silly prices.x
Yes, exactly yb. I had a feeling you need a little help with your mother.
My brother in law did his law degree at UT Austin. ( University of Texas - Austin. )
He worked for the city of El Paso) DA ‘s office for a time.)
El Paso is a very interesting place right now. ( not.)
My mother is an experience all of her own!! I have 300 miles betweeen us for a reason!!
Sounds like i would not like working in El Paso. I still do law a bit but as a barrister i get to choose what i want to take on and for the last 20 odd years i have specialised in mental health cases. My mother doesnt like it because i dont have tv worthy cases!! I cant win so i don't tell her much. Xx
my dad got me drunk (at home) when I was 17, was so sick I have never touched anything alcoholic since. Get sick even smelling it.
My youngest got totally and utterly legless on vodka aged 16 with her friends. We picked her up and i dumped her in the shower and all she could say is please dont take my underwear off. She was hosed down given her pjs and she retired to the settee for two days with a bowl. She didnt touch any alcohol again for 8 years!! She does have the odd glass of white wine spritzer now but no spirits!! I did comtemplate allowing her to get tipsy with us first but she beat me to that experiment!!
she adapted better than I did, I am now 67 and still not touching it. Might add that both parents and older sister were alcoholics, so that undoubtedly influenced me as well.
Oh believe me it has a huge influence on moderation or even abstinence. I didn't drink for a few years but do now but always in the background is that image of an alcoholic mother !! Not a pretty site!!
I did get drunk once. The psychology department was doing an experiment, probably wouldn't be allowed nowadays. They went around collecting willing students from other departments, paid us each $20. It was a memory drum test. One day you did the test without alcohol, only a glass of orange juice. The other day, and you weren't supposed to know which day it was it could have been your first or your second, you were given orange juice with 3 ounces of vodka in it. (Apparently some people thought they were getting alcohol when they weren't and acted drunk but I don't know how they couldn't have told the difference.) They were testing to see the difference in your ability to memorise nonsense syllables with and without alcohol. I nearly fell asleep before I was halfway through the with alcohol session and the test givers were worried about me. They drove me home. I was really silly and maudlin, then I got sick. So my curiosity about drunkenness was satisfied and $20, even in 1968, wasn't nearly enough to cover my misery.
• in reply topugrescue
For some reason getting sick never stopped me drinking. I had a job that had a drinking culture so that didn't help. I am obviously a very slow learner..🥴🤪😁
pugrescue• in reply to
I personally think the culture, or family and friends growing up have so much influence on how we establish our values later in life. My parents both being very bad alcoholics (violent & abusive) led my older sister to the exact same lifestyle till drunk driving killed her at 32. My older brother is the only "normal" one, he is a wine connisseur, likes a bit now and then but i have never seen him even tipsy.
• in reply topugrescue
Thats terrible. It must have been hard to go through all that. My older sister is like you, has never really touched a drop. Thankfully my parents didn't have such issues going on. I am very lucky on that score. It's amazing the number of people who tried to convince me to " go on just have one"...when I told them I was on meds that precluded drinking. None of those people are in my life now.🌻
pugrescue• in reply to
good for you, so smart to surround yourself with people who support what you need. Not so sure at this point in my life I went in as good a direction as you, I have surrounded myself with animals. Currently have cut down to 5 rescue pugs, due to this darn GCA. But a few years ago had 14, all senior all with serious medical conditions. Luckily hubby is also a bit anti social, so it has worked reasonably well for us.
Wishing all good things for you always Joan
• in reply topugrescue
Believe me if I could surround myself with dogs I would. One keeps me busy enough!
My mum was the only alcoholic in our house and yet the influence she had on us all was horrific. Me and my sister used to sit at the end of the road after school and if we could hear our spaniel barking like mad, mum was drunk and time to go to the library!!! Years later me and sis were out for a night with our husbands and were giggling about some of things my mum had done whilst drunk and our OH were shocked we were laughing but sometimes thats the only way to deal with it.
yes i do agree that many times humor will get us through things that seem unbearable. So glad you (and your sister) found a way to handle it, and live full and productive lives. Maybe it makes us stronger in the end. Thanks for sharing. Hope you have a blessed weekend.
Definitely think that if you looked on my back most days there would be a sign saying ,
" Outside Warranty . Batteries not included!" 😋😂😂😂😘
It funny, I joked with my OH the other day and said similar thing - It seems that all warranty expires at age 65 
I'm only 48 , but I think my warranty expired at 21!!😂😂😂
You never had one!!
Nah... You are just having midlife crisis
Oh I thought you were going to say pred!
💜👏🏽💃🏼💃🏼💜
😂😂😂
Nearly put moisturiser on my toothbrush the other day,.....well, toothpaste on my face....can you imagine!.....😏
Wasn't there an urban myth it is good for pimples? Not true of course ...
They`ll have us believe anything....
• in reply toLongtimer
I almost used nail varnish remover to cleanse my face once! Since then I have wisely decided to keep my cleanser and the varnish remover in totally separate places!
I’ve done that too. It’s like a clock winding down. X
Look at “anabox “- organized very well. You can pop out just that’s says and bring with if you need. Give it a google. I have to take a lot of meds so it’s very helpful.
~Snap!!
Did exactly the same when taking night meds this week.
I emptied the bottle of meds to count remainder 3 times no less as could not remember 5 mins prior if taken or not - no grey matter left here me thinks
Now created ritual of placing capsule in lid -mark it off on calendar once taken ~
I was just commenting to Jane that I found a company- “anabox” - very good organizer of meds.
I often get the tablets out, look at them and then get on with things and any thoughts in my head. Can’t remember then if I’ve taken them or what I took ( especially when reducing) Doesn’t make any sense really but then like others I know I’m not completely with it. Some days are worse than others: like others can’t remember names of things, definitely can’t remember folks’ names or where I’m going in a conversation. I tend to laugh it off and readjust what I was going to say. I like to think it’s the steroids!! - that’s my excuse anyway.
• in reply toJackoh
Thingybobs, wotsitsname, you know, the oogeebar nitknobbler all decent words and phrases I have used frequently on my PMR and fibro journey.
Just saying to ladies above- have a look at anabox- I found it a very good system.
( I have seizures- so am on anti convulsants, plus I’m on massive amount of blood thinners- I I must get that right. I can’t accidentally take twice. I could actually bleed out- so this has been a very good system to work with. Especially if traveling- )
Without my weekly pill box, I’d never keep the pills straight. It’s right under my nose in the kitchen where I can’t miss seeing it many times a day. Some days I do seem so addlepated. 🤪. Reassuring , but sorry it’s shared, that that part of my new normal is part of others. 🤗
I have a ritual for pred. After taking a bath ( about 1AM) I take pred out, set a glass of water in front of me and then log in date, time and quantity before I take it... Never missed or had questions about pred...
For other meds I dont do that and I miss time or forget dose for the whole day. Luckily they are not critical.
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