Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with brainfog

My brain is broken.

relucent — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:25:52 -0800

I think I may have a thyroid disorder. What now? Details inside. 25-year-old healthy white male. No medical history to speak of.

For the past five months, I have gradually lost my ability to concentrate or focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time. (I have always been prone to distraction, but not like this.) My ability to process information has decreased, and I am constantly in a state of what can only be described as "brain fog".

I used to be quick-witted, but now I often will forget what I'm saying in the middle of a sentence. My conversational skills have tanked. I write a lot, but I go back and read the things I've written recently and they lack the clarity and cohesiveness that I used to have. I also fidget constantly. If I'm sitting at my desk, my leg is shaking almost 100% of the time. I am frustrated to no end with all of this.

The start of it coincided with a stressful project at work over the summer which lasted about 2 months. We also moved to a new city in October for my wife to take a job, and I am now working from home after being in an office environment for the past three years. So there were the factors of stress and and a big lifestyle change that could have contributed. It may be worth pointing out that I probably do not get as much exercise as I should, but I have recently started running a few times a week and it hasn't helped a bit. I also quit drinking coffee, but no help there either.

Most of these symptoms are indicative of a thyroid disorder of some sort (probably hypothyroidism). Both of my parents have had a history of minor thyroid problems so this would not be unprecedented, though they were both over 40 when they had their issues, so 25 is awfully young.

So I think I have a problem and I think I may know what it is. I'm scheduling my yearly physical in the next couple of days, and will see if I can get some tests done. (I am terrified that they won't find anything. The worst thing I could hear is that I don't have a problem.) But is there anything else I can do in the mean time? Any other steps I should be taking?

I know self-diagnosis is a dangerous thing, and I know hypothyroidism is an easy scapegoat for life failures. But I don't have anything to blame on it... I'm not overweight and I haven't really failed at anything. My work performance has actually been excellent despite all of this. I just can't think.

Brainfog Be Gone!

chaoscutie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:08:47 -0800

Brainfog filter. Help me clear out the cobwebs. I am a 54 year old female, and generally in my life have felt sharp and incisive. Intermittently lately I really feel dull and muddled. It seems to come and go--coffee can help, certainly, exercise, getting enough rest, and eating well don't hurt--but at times, nothing I do seems to have much impact. I have noticed a correlation with my allergies, but there seems to be some underlying fogginess that allergy medicines don't alleviate. I hate this feeling, and am willing to try supplements that might help (although fish oil, which has been recommended to me before, definitely does NOT help). Help me MeFi folks--have any of you successfully combatted brain fog?

Do I have anything to freak out about, except freaking out itself?

elektrotechnicus — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:49:56 -0800

Almost two weeks ago I suddenly started having strange feelings of lightheadedness, abnormal difficultly concentrating, a lack of coordination (feeling as though I might fall over or run in to things), and visual issues (difficulty focusing on distant objects, seemingly less aware of my periphery - though there are no noticable gaps in my visual field). I've had these, albeit with decreasing frequency and severity, since that time. I'm often very fearful during these episodes (which can last 4-5 hours at a time, the dizziness/lightheadedness sometimes all day), fearing permanent brain damage and having extreme feelings of derealization. I've come to the conclusion that at least some of these symptoms are due to panic attacks. Does that explain it all though? The things is, while I've had some academic reasons to be stressed out, that's nothing new for me, I've never been overly anxious about it. Right around the time things started getting bad I was actually having a pretty good week - so I can't help but shake the feeling at least some of the symptoms preceded the anxiety.

I've been to the university clinic twice since this started, and the first time a nurse practitioner did the standard host of neurological tests - reflexes, balancing with eyes closed, asking me to smile, checking for nystagmus - which I passed with flying colors. She thought it was likely some sort of labyrinthitis, which should clear up in a week or two. I'm not sure whether that matches my symptoms well - I haven't had any difficulty staying upright or gaging my movement, it seems to be more of an issue of coordination.

Are all these symptoms safely ascribed to anxiety, even if they seem to have started before I felt anxious, and recur without apparent shifts in affect? If not, what sort of tests should I ask to have done by a doctor - if only to assure myself that I don't have a more serious issue? Any advice on dealing with panic attacks?

The "brain fog" or lightheadness is something I remember feeling when I was younger, leading me to get checked out for anemia (none detected, it cleared up). The feeling is a diffuse vacuum or fuzziness in my forehead, at a point about equidistant between my temples and an inch behind where you'd see a hindu woman wear bindi. I realize there isn't any innervation there, but it's still unsettling.

I had been on Concerta for several months, but stopped taking it last Wednesday as a precaution, which seems to have made me a bit less anxious (I'd noticed some anxiety in the past when going on the medication after a period off).

Just to prempt the question, I haven't been high lately.

Is it Xanax or is it stress?

Anonymous — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:09:17 -0800

Can this possibly be Xanax withdrawal after just a week and a half or so of intermittent use or is it just the fog of stress? I am going through an extremely stressful period in my life and hadn't slept for about three days when one of my coworkers gave me 1 mg tablets of Xanax. I know...but I have taken Xanax ocassionally in the past with no problems. I would usually take half a tablet and sleep OK.

This time though, I seem to be having a bad reaction. I took one full tablet of the 1mg and slept fine about...two weeks ago. I didn't take anymore for several days but when I had a second panic attack, I took half a tablet. I was too groggy the next day so the next time I took a tablet (on Sunday), I cut the tablet in fourths so I was literally taking a crumb of Xanax. Still I woke up feeling like crap so I haven't taken anymore.

All week, I've been feeling really disconnected and foggy which is really, really not good for me right now because I need to be mentally sharp.

Could I possibly be experiencing withdrawal symptoms after just a few tablets (My coworker gave me 10 tablets. I counted the remaining in the pill bottle and there are like 6 1/2 left). Or is this simply the brain fog that can result from chronic stress? And how can I get it to stop?!!

I don't have health insurance until the end of the month and I've already spent far too much seeing a doctor as it is ... and yes, I know ....YANMD ... but if you've experienced something similar, I'd like to know.

For the record, I have no history of addiction of any kind but have previously taken SSRIs for about two years. I am also female, in relatively good health, but obviously prone to bad reactions to stress.

Is brainfog from age or something else?

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:47:31 -0800

Is it the fog from getting older, or is it something else? As I've gone through the years (late 30s), I can clearly feel myself getting less brainy... by that, I mean that I'm not putting together things as quickly as I once did. I'm also less creative, and overall, I feel less verbose and articulate. I've had some really stressful years, both workwise and otherwise. I don't *think* I'm depressed or overly anxious (in our 30s, we all have a bit of the anxiety, right?). So, is this normal? Do others have the same "brain fog?" If you do, shout it out. If you did, and you fixed it, I'd love to hear your secrets.