Brain fog and bowel probs -- when will it end????

I know I can be pretty forgetful but yesterday took the cake.

I went to go out to meet my OH but before I did I tidied the flat up a little bit. So I put some empty chocolate wrappers in the bin and when I set about leaving I switched the hall light on (it's a very small hallway so gets dark very easily!) We met up, did the food shopping and came back in. The hall light was left on and the lid for the bin was still up. I just couldn't believe it. OH said it wasn't a problem and just laughed it off but to me it was a problem as I'd forgotten to do two basic things that most people would do instinctively. I don't know how I did it.

I've also been getting problems with my bowels. I suffer from constipation every day but I get very sudden urges to go. I could eat something, anything - doesn't matter if it's gluten or not - and within an hour I'm on the toilet. It can even happen more than once a day. Movements aren't easy to pass but when they are easy to pass they make my rectum/anus hurt because too much wants to come out at the same time at a fast rate!! :/ I've been eating so much better lately (I'd lost a lot of weight because of the trouble swallowing) but now I'm eating healthier stuff and we both don't eat a lot of bread/wheat products. I was tested for gluten/coeliac disease but I'm not sure if I prepared for it properly. The doctor I was with (who I've since left) didn't tell me to fast/eat gluten before the test but I didn't eat any gluten-containing food anyway.

I hope the meds increase does something soon. xxx

[shaws Administrator]

I hope the increase in meds will help as it should boost your metabolism which may benefit your bowels.

I don't know if you've seen this link:-

drhedberg.com/2011/02/15/th...

[Hidden in reply to shaws]

Hi Shaws thanks for your answer and the link - that's actually helped.

One thing I'm not sure of is, although my last blood test showed my TSH at 4 (normal range 0.27-4.2) whilst on the thyroxine, is it possible to still have gut problems/constipation issues with a TSH within normal range? Or is it part and parcel with the Hashi's?

Thanks xx

[pampam]

Hi Jo,

Oh it's annoying the brain fog eh! Just before I was diagnosed I left my front door wide open all day with the keys in the front of the lock! But even now there's times I have clear forgotten whether I did something or not. I live with it at home, but at work I get concerned, as I don't want it to start being noticeable you know.

The constipation -try eating exactly 3 dried Apricots per day-the squishy nice ones you can get. You' ll develop a taste for them, so don't wrinkle your nose at the thought. It really works, above anything else.

All the best, Pampam.

[Hidden in reply to pampam]

Hi Pampam thanks for your answer!!!

Yes, the brain fog is terrible!!! I currently stay at home all day jobseeking - I left my last job because the Hashi's was just making each and every day unbearable with the muscle aches/fatigue/depression - but the thought of forgetting anything whilst on the job is what puts me off looking for anything. I have applied for jobs and gotten interviews for them and I was working for a short time at a care home, but the job responsibilities were so complex that I forgot things so easily. Some things I already knew how to do but for things I was being taught from scratch was a nightmare. I explained to the care home manager that I had hypo (at that time it was simply suspected and not diagnosed) and she suggested I write things down. But that was near enough impossible to do as most of the responsibilities were done via computer. and were still not well explained!

Dried apricots doesn't sound like a bad idea - we have a Tesco's down the road from us and they sell them for something like a pound. I've tried them before so thanks for the tip!!!

xx

[Hidden]

Have you tried virgin coconut oil in food? Or linseed? I had the same bowel issues you mentioned & found both those things helped a lot. I use coconut oil in smoothies & add linseed to my cereal. Is important to drink a decent amount of fluids after linseed. Do you drink a lot of water? Big drink of hot water with lemon in the morning will stimulate your metabolism & bowels. I've not found anything that helps with brain fog much, extra sleep maybe. Omega 3 fish oil might help?

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Hi Elpig thanks for your suggestions.

No I haven't tried anything like virgin coconut oil or linseed. Is linseed readily available from somewhere like say Tesco? We have a Tesco down the road from us so if we could get it from there it would be helpful. Silly question but is it in anything or what do you do with it? I'm not a very experienced cook!!

I don't drink a lot of water but I drink it if there's nothing else available. I do drink Innocent smoothies as they're loaded with fruit and I've also been drinking milk.

Hot water with lemon actually sounds very refreshing so I might try that. I did try lime with hot water but that didn't go at all to plan - I could hardly taste the lime at all.

I've taken naps during daylight hours, only for something like ten-twenty minutes and that can make me feel a bit more recharged. I've found that even when I take naps during the day it doesn't have much impact on how tired I feel before I go to bed, i.e. I still feel just the same as I did whether I take a nap or not so it's a bit of a catch-22 with that. But I nap if I really can't keep my eyes open anymore.

I used to get A LOT of sleep at one point, getting about anything from 9 to 13 hours of it. I mean this was before I was diagnosed with Hashi's, but then again I could have had the start of Hashi's at that time (these long sleeps occurred during 2008-2009 when I lived with my grandparents but stopped when I moved in with my OH).

Omega 3 fish oil is something I've thought about trying but it's just the thought of putting something fishy and oily in my mouth that's putting me off. Does it really taste like that?

Thanks xx