What is brain fog?

[activelazy]

Would anyone like to give a descriptive narration of what they mean by brain fog? Please give examples if you can. I read this expression quite a lot on here but not quite sure what it means.

thank you.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Well, it's .... ermmmm....

You know ......... what's the word????

Yes, it's ........ whatcha call it.......

Mmmmmm...... yes....... like........

Sorry, couldn't resist

Official explanation from NHS Choices

"poor short-term memory and concentration, and difficulty organising thoughts and finding the right words ("brain fog")"

And from Bebrainfit:

"Brain fog is not a medically recognized term but is a commonly used phrase that sums up feelings of confusion, forgetfulness, and lack of focus and mental clarity. Having brain fog is fairly common, but it's not normal."

Which is what I was saying, I think, but couldn't find the right words

[activelazy in reply to SeasideSusie]

Its very cold by the SeasideSusie

Thank you for your explanation.

[Hidden]

drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Brain_f...

[activelazy in reply to Hidden]

Nice one. thank you

[Naomi8]

If you tap "brain fog" into the "search thyroid UK"box,you will see lots of posts

[activelazy in reply to Naomi8]

thank you

[Hidden]

Also retaining info you have just read and re-read 😡 My screen shot mode on iPad is exhausted, like me!

[NatChap]

For me it felt like I had a permanent hangover but without having had the pleasure of the night before

And as others have said, sometimes not being able to remember the word for something. There were odd occasions where I would slur my words too.

[Hidden]

Being in a world of your own. Almost on another planet to everyone else, not being able to focus on anything at all. Brain flipping from one thing to another. Forgetting why you are doing things(why you walked into a room), forgetting info someone has just told you or you read. Dropping things. Going into trances. Not being able to even watch a TV programme..Basically being a zombie lol

[VulpusVulpus]

All of the above and now the inability to daydream. I miss daydreaming.

[Saggyuk in reply to VulpusVulpus]

yeah me too, I used to be an avid daydreamer sometimes - nothing for a couple of years lol!!

[Saggyuk]

I suppose the word "fog" describes it pretty well to be honest. Like when you're standing in fog, you can't see clearly, things don't make much sense, takes a while to make things out if at all, feel misty/fuzzy lol.

Basically, used to just feel like I couldn't think, taking a while to realise what someone has just said to you, trying to get your brain to do something you can normally but just taking ages to do it, not being able to retain info, feeling ridiculously sleepy. I am fortunate I don't get it anymore fingers crossed. just have memory issues and more normal type of tiredness at the mo lol!!

[Saggyuk in reply to Saggyuk]

Oh and my friend says I mumbled a lot when I used to be like this

[Saggyuk]

Actually just thought, the way I would have described it most at the time would have been the feeling that I'm not quite fully conscious and a dragging feeling like my brain or parts of it were trying to fall asleep or switch off and sometimes it took a lot of will power to not go lie down or doing things to try and keep it alert. It would sometimes wake up but these occasions were few and far between. Adrenaline would help so for example, I could never do coursework at uni as could never concentrate but the night before any essay was due at around 10-11pm, the panic and stress of missing the deadline would suddenly induce my brain awake and I would suddenly be able to run off an assignment pretty quickly and stay up all night to complete. But this would only happen if got really stressed about it.

That's why I decided to get a job where they didn't care if and when I came in or if I was late but had deadlines every few months and they just cared if the deadlines were met lol! I would do the hard stuff when I had those few natural moments of clarity and then finish nearer the deadline when the adrenaline hit lol

[activelazy]

Thank you Saggyuk for such a detailed insight. Wish you all the best

[mrsm49]

All of the above.

Its when thinking is like trying to walk through treacle.

Luckily for you it sounds like you dont have it or you would know what it was! X

[activelazy in reply to mrsm49]

Well, I don't know. I am getting days when I can't react fast enough to things. I feel lost. I don't feel lost for words nor do I forget much. But I struggle to concentrate or stay very alert at times. Noticeable thing is, that I get this type of feeling whenever there is a strange sensation in my chest (I don't know if these are palpitations or some sort of physical nervousness?) But something does go wrong and I can feel it. When this happens, I also feel lost, become slow in my movements, feel the increase in chest flutter, turning quickly from one direction to another makes me somewhat uncomfortable and while driving, when I stop (like at a junction) I feel worse for few seconds as you do in some rides when there is a fall from an elevated position. When this happens, during driving, I have to put extra effort in to gather myself and stay alert. It is not at a dangerous level but is very uncomfortable.

I have not had my normal life back for 15 months now and feel will never have it. After going through thyroiditis in November 2015, I think my thyroid never made full recovery but my blood tests show normal.

Thank you for your reply though.

[mrsm49 in reply to activelazy]

Oh dear sounds like brain fog is just one of yr symptoms. Id go back to get more bloods (inc t3 )and post results with ranges here. Best get yr b12,folate ,ferritin & vit d tested too. Good luck x

[Kiwidel in reply to activelazy]

I felt like this for ages - before being treated I remember sitting at an exit from a carpark having to think about which side of the road I needed to be on!

It improved a little on Levo but I never really felt back to myself - I definitely felt 'off the ball'. This is probably the most stark improvement I've seen since staring to take dessicated thyroid - I've started reading again, can actually focus on tasks and have even started to dream a little. The improvement happened relatively quickly - I only started taking it in late Nov and I'd been on Levo for 2 years prior to that.

[activelazy]

Free T3 5.3, Free T4 18.4, TSH 2.7

B12: was deficient (137) in March 2016 but I was given injections Now quite high above 1500

D : currently 54

Folate : 12 (2 - 18.80)

Ferritin : always around 60 - currently 57 (has always been this - I am carrier of thalassaemia)

TSH cycle:

Before thyroiditis: 1

During inflammation: 0.019

After inflammation:

March 2016 - 6.5

April 16 - 3.9

Jun 16 - 4.5

July 16 - 4.2

Oct 16 - 2.5

Nov -16 2.9

Jan 17 - 2.7

Jan 17 2.7 Free T3 5.3 (3.1 - 6.8) Free T4 18.4 (11 -22)

Never dropped back to its original value of 1. I wish it did so I would know!

[TaraJR]

All of the above!

I think Saggyuk described it best. I also have many times when I think of saying something, but before the words get to my mouth, I've forgotten what it was.. It is SO annoying

[OllyJ]

I guess everyone experiences something a little different but for me it was like trying to think through treacle.

[OllyJ in reply to OllyJ]

Although it's all gone now thanks to my Keto diet

[Learner1 in reply to OllyJ]

A ketogenic diet definitely has helped my brain fog.

Also, pregnenolone and DHEA can help too, as long as one has enough progesterone.

And detoxing mercury or lead, if you have them.

[Hidden]

I also had the extreme tiredness fatigue and generally feeling like something was seriously wrong with me but I didn't know what the heck it was and was clueless. Identifying it is half the battle. My body eventually just cut out and I got many episodes of narcolepsy, palpitations. Swelling, food intollenrance, horrible periods, problems with skin and hair. All these things make brain fog worse I think as your body is falling apart. Mentally and physically x

[activelazy in reply to Hidden]

then? what is the outcome?

[Hidden in reply to activelazy]

This was before being medicated. I had a lot of those symptoms up to about 6 months of getting to the correct dose and getting my vitamins up. I would say I am 80 to 90 percent better now and it's just maintenance and carefully monitoring levels. Vitamin levels are important along side the thyroid levels. I would say for me iron, folate, b12 were the biggies x

[activelazy in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. That helps