Feeling Foggy and Stressed and Fatigued...You have a lot of company

[sunkacola]

Several of us have expressed that we are feeling even more tired and foggy than usual, and there is an article on the NPR website today about that.
It's called "If Your Brain Feels Foggy And You're Tired All The Time, You're Not Alone"

Basically it says that a large percentage of the human population is experiencing unusual levels of fatigue and brain fog due to the events and stress of the pandemic. And that people have also experienced increased inflammation from stress.... which we all know leads to increased pain as well.

I know I am feeling that. I am forgetting the last name of someone I have known 15 years. I am losing track of something that I never lose track of, because I put is somewhere that I normally would never put it. I am constantly procrastinating things and not getting things done, and this is not typical of me at all. Then I get down on myself for being so foggy and for not doing what I should be doing.

The really important things like paying bills are getting done on time and my dogs are getting what they need and so on, but the project of putting the new front steps on my house is not happening. The new steps are there, sitting there, but the old ones have not come off nor have I put in the new ones. I just keep saying "oh not today....". It's not that huge of a project, and I can probably get it done in two or three hours but I am just not doing it!
My house needs to be vacuumed every three days at the very minimum because I have animals and instead lately I let it go a week. (After all, no one comes to my house any more). Just stupid things like that.

It helps me to know that it's not really ME. that I am not falling apart and don't need to get self critical about it. That it's happening to most of us all over the world, and that we are not to blame for the fact that a huge disruption, one that has gone on and on and on, has caused so much stress and disorientation. It helped me to read the article, so I thought I would mention it to all of you.

 

[chillax316]

Hi Sunkacola,
Thank you for your posts. They are super helpful and informative.

I am new to the site and newly diagnosed with Fibro. I think Fibro fog and lack of sleep kind of go hand in hand. I was undergoing treatments for breast cancer (3 surgeries, 2 weeks radiation) when I became non-functional. I could not drive because of headaches, dizziness and brain fog. A couple of different times I did drive, I drove with my son to the mall where I have gone a zillion times. But when I exited the freeway I suddenly didn't know where I was. I said to my son 'Where is the mall?' and he said 'It's over there across the freeway.' It created a sense of panic that I have never experienced before. I was thankful that he was with me. The same thing happened a different day at a different mall.

I find myself often saying 'Oh, sorry my brain is broken.' when simple ordinary things escape me.

This set in quite severely in the last month. I had some symptoms of fibro before the cancer treatments like waking with pain everywhere and needing to sit in a chair for at least an hour before starting my day. But I was able to sleep at night then. Now the pain wakes me each night and I average 4 to 5 hours sleep.

I tried acupuncture during radiation to try and get through it. It helped the pain and I could sleep a little longer but only lasted about 24 hrs. The Chinese medicine doctor said my body is cold in Chinese medicine which I read can causes aches and pains. Eventually I refused the radiation as I lost all my functionality in the present. (No sleep, can't walk far or lightheaded, can't drive, headaches, etc.)

Now I feel like a nursing student learning all I can about Leaky Gut, cancer, Functional medicine, Chinese medicine, fibro, etc. And like Humpty Dumpty looking for helpers to put me back together again!

 

[JayCS]

Hi chillax, I like your ideas and images: nursing student - Humpty Dumpty...
Not sure tho if brain fog wdnt be there even if your sleep was better, as I don't have that much fog. I know I need 9h of sleep to keep my Ache etc. down tho, so (30) wakers were the first thing I pinpointed and improved by finding stoppers. (The only substance that works fairly well for that is now GABA.)
I tried acupuncture twice, the first time 9x and it just hurt, but TCM/acupressure helps quite a lot.
I thought the other day I've always enjoyed studying and here I am again... with no exams, if I fail it can't really get much worse ;-D.

 

[sunkacola]

Hi Sunkacola,
Thank you for your posts. They are super helpful and informative.

I am new to the site and newly diagnosed with Fibro. I think Fibro fog and lack of sleep kind of go hand in hand. I was undergoing treatments for breast cancer (3 surgeries, 2 weeks radiation) when I became non-functional. I could not drive because of headaches, dizziness and brain fog. A couple of different times I did drive, I drove with my son to the mall where I have gone a zillion times. But when I exited the freeway I suddenly didn't know where I was. I said to my son 'Where is the mall?' and he said 'It's over there across the freeway.' It created a sense of panic that I have never experienced before. I was thankful that he was with me. The same thing happened a different day at a different mall.

I find myself often saying 'Oh, sorry my brain is broken.' when simple ordinary things escape me.

This set in quite severely in the last month. I had some symptoms of fibro before the cancer treatments like waking with pain everywhere and needing to sit in a chair for at least an hour before starting my day. But I was able to sleep at night then. Now the pain wakes me each night and I average 4 to 5 hours sleep.

I tried acupuncture during radiation to try and get through it. It helped the pain and I could sleep a little longer but only lasted about 24 hrs. The Chinese medicine doctor said my body is cold in Chinese medicine which I read can causes aches and pains. Eventually I refused the radiation as I lost all my functionality in the present. (No sleep, can't walk far or lightheaded, can't drive, headaches, etc.)

Now I feel like a nursing student learning all I can about Leaky Gut, cancer, Functional medicine, Chinese medicine, fibro, etc. And like Humpty Dumpty looking for helpers to put me back together again!

Information is power. this is always true, and never more so than when you or one you love is afflicted with a medical condition and you need to know about it and try to find the best course of action. To be honest, I have found more helpful information in my own research than I got from doctors in most cases.

I applaud you for taking the initiative to do your own research instead of expecting doctors to do all the taking care of you, because the doctors won't do that, unfortunately.

the brain fog is indeed embarrassing and frightening. The worst of it for me is when I cannot remember someone's name.

But, here's what I do, and I am telling you in case it is helpful to you. When something happens like forgetting which way to turn to get somewhere, or missing the turn entirely, I simply take a moment for myself.
I am always alone in my car, so I pull over if possible and sit for 30 seconds to a minute or so. During that time I say to myself, "Well, this doesn't need to be scary, and you don't need to be so angry and upset with yourself. . What's the worst that can happen because you spaced out and missed the turn? You just have to turn around and go the right way. No one got hurt, you won't be late for anything, it's OK, and you caught it before you ended up in the neighboring state, so all is well!"

In this way I kind of make a joke about it to myself. This doesn't work 100%. I am usually still somewhat upset with myself, but it makes it less, and always makes the upset go away faster so that I don't dwell on it and let it cause me stress.

I find that for me a huge part of managing fibromyalgia comes down to managing stress and doing my best not to let stressful things, or the fibro itself, get to me emotionally.



I am very glad my posts have been helpful to you and hope they continue to be.

 

[Creola17]

Chillax316, have you tried Rick Simpson Oil for your cancer?