Fibromyaglia

[Caponata]

Hi Lifestar,
I'm having these kind of episode, it's scary and I still think it's because I'm always busy listening, thinking and doing both at the same time, having babbling kids around me when I drive.
I rely a lot on my kids to remind of where to ge next for instance but they seem to forget too! so that's reassuring for me!
Take care Nicole

[pamtanise]

I have the fibro fog too, I have done the exact things that you have mentioned along with a few more! I think the most embarrassing thing I've done was gone potty and forgot to attach a new pad when I was on my period fortunately, I didn't go anywhere and was staying home that day and soon figured out what I had done (or didn't do!) I do crazy stuff like that all the time, it is a good thing we have a strong sense of humor around here! When I first applied for disability, the disability people wanted me to see a physical doctor and also have an evaluation from a phychologist (sp?) just to rule out me being crazy, well, this exam consisted of him asking me alot of questions....one was who is the current president (I got it) and who were the past three presidents, well I got Clinton, Reagan and could not for the life of me think of George Bush Sr., even though George Bush Jr.was the president at the time....later, I felt so stupid, but also got a good laugh out of it! BTW, He said I definitely was not crazy! It is comforting to know I am not the only one who goes through this.

[janet]

Here is some more brain exercises:

Lay out your clothes the night before and in the morning when you are getting dressed....close your eyes and just use your sense of touch to put your clothes on.

Another variation is to get dressed with using only one hand. Buttoning a blouse, tying a shoe, or getting fully dressed with using your nondominate hand.

Try using your other hand that you don't usually use to change channels with the remote.

Also you can change hands to eat, try to hold a pen and write...

These exercises require you to use the opposite side of your brain instead of the side you normally use.

Have fun with this

Working crossword puzzles, reading, learning a new language keeps your brain working. I find keeping my mind stimulated has improved it immensely! Kinda like the phrase"If you don't use it. you'll lose it"


janet

[anita]

I think the "fog" is horrible and scary also. I can't go anywhere alone anymore because I have lost my way home 3 times. One day I started to the library and was 2 streets down from it and could not find it. Now my husband goes with me everywhere I go. I'm very glad to have him along too because getting lost a few miles from home is very un-nerving for me.


Pam, I noticed you're a homeschooler. Me Too!!! I have a 9 yr.old daughter and this will be our second year homeschooling. We enjoy it and I'm so thankful God gave me the ability to do this. I really think having my daughter home with me helps us both emotionally.

I hope everyone has a blessed,pain free day.

[jscholl]

I was diangosed with fibromyalgia last year. However, I have been to speacialist after specialist for 16 years trying to find out what was wrong with me. I even had exploratoty surgery and was told to have a hysterectomy. Of course, the reason given for the hysterectomy was because they couldn't find anything wrong. Needless to say, I didn't think that was a good enough reason.

My pain began as pelvic pain. (That's why I had the exploratory surgery.) After a couple of years, my right arm became almost totally incapcitated. Then I was told tennis elbow. I always wondered why my tennis elbow has lasted around 15 years.

I was sent to a physical therapist that kept trying to strengthen my muscles. The pain got worse and worse.

I finally got to the point where I couldn't sleep, extreme fatigue, and pain in every place on my body. Not just the 18 trigger points.

I tried having massages twice a week for a couple of years. Felt great and I could sleep immediately, but no other lasting effects.

I tried a chiropractor starting at 3 times a week and eventually tapering to once a week for a year. My neck feels better, but that's about it.

Two weeks ago I found a chiropractor that is also a physical therapist. He is wonderful because he does both treatments. Then a couple of days later I went to a massage therapist who discovered that my psoas muscle was my pelvic pain problem.

Check out the web for sites on the psoas muscle. My physical therapist is now working on my psoas muscle. I wonder how many women had hysterectomies because of the pain caused by the psoas muscle.

I also think this muscle should be added to the trigger points for fibromyalgia. It is related to IBS, and of course that is related to fibromyalgia.

[TheresaB]

Hi Everyone,
Im new here! Straight from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! I have had fibromyalgia since 96, I am permanently disabled, 37 yrs. old, married with 3 children.
I have been unable to find adequate pain management. I have tried over 60 different meds and my body usually is used to them within a week. My doctor told me all I have left is Morphine or Methadone. He is sending me to a pain clinic, cause there is nothing more that can be done with him. So he says. Now I must drive 2 and a half hours to the pain center. Haven't been there yet. Looking forward to it.
Starting at the top, I have severe migraines, which the doc explained away as tension headaches, If I sleep on my back, the back of my head goes numb and I can't move my head, I also wake up with a migraine. All the usual flu symptoms, and my bones feel like they are on fire. I do have arthritis in my neck. The weather is a huge part of the pain. Damp/cold or excessive heat kill me. Being in the U.P. In the winter is aweful for me but I love this place and don't plan on leaving. I also have severe panic attacks, irritable bowel, spastic colon, heel spurs, depression!
When I feel good I do my best to get all I can done. Then off course I am overdoing it, but at least the work is done.
I feel really dumb sitting here complaining. But my cousin sent this site to me in hopes it would help in some way. Thanks Karen.
Thats about it for now. Please feel free to email me, I can use all the help I can get. I feel useless and hopeless alot.

[kimmer36]

Brain Fog! This little insidious symptom needs more attention. Had I known more, I would have spent alot less time thinking I was "loosing my marbles", having a stroke, or early onset
Alzheimer's (I was 28 when it started). The first major episode I had was being unable to find "home row" on the typewriter keyboard (I type about 70 w.p.m....hence my long replys lol). I was totally fuddled and embarassed. I also had (and still have) problems focusing on reading. I had to start with juvenille books and relearn how to read. I used to like to read complicated literature and take university classes. Reading "Little House on the Prairie" felt like a demotion. One funny fog incident was I was driving to work in my white Sentra and as I was going down the street another white Sentra (same model) passed me going the opposite way and I thought..."There goes Kim." It was like I forgot who I was. Then I landed up in the psychologists office because I thought I was getting stupider. The most I got out of that was that my IQ is intact, and that I am way to hard on myself. I don't panic as much when I forget my home phone number when I'm renting a movie, can't remember the name of the person infront of me even though I've had coffee with her for 5 years, or forget my voicebox mail number. I know it will deffinitely come to me if I don't panic. I use mneumonics (memory tricks) and I write stuff down, even on my hands if necessary. I also answer tough questions with ... I'll get back to you on that and then give myself time to get the gears grinding. Lots of times I just laugh it off and make a joke out of it. People around me are getting pretty used to it.

[ladyinmaille]

Good word for it. I have suffered with it, too. The best thing, as Kimmer36 said, is not to panic. I used to panic but I try to laugh it off as much as possible now. Both my dd and dil both know they have to remind me of things. The ppl around me are getting used to it. Sometimes it still annoys them but they are getting better at forgiving me since they know I can't help it. I don't know how much longer I can continue to work with this problem. It's getting harder and harder to keep my mind focused and come up with the right answers when I need to. I figure as long as I keep making it back home at night (sooner or later) I'll be ok.

[janet]

Ladyinmaille,

There could always be another answer for our "brain fog" as we age, I am almost 50, our body slows down the production of hormones, so perimenopase and regular menopase can cause "brain fog" too. Just ask around you will be surprised! I am no longer working outside the home. The income is missed but I am healthier, not so much stress on a daily basis.

I used to get so upset when I couldn't remember what I had for dinner last night or someones name....is it really that important???

Take care

janet

[JJT]

I'm so glad I found y'all. I feel like i'm not totally crazy now. I told my husband "See, there are a lot more people than just myself, who have this "fog". I, thankfully, do not have it as bad as some of y'all but sometimes I can't for the life of me remember something. It's frustrating at times. Also, a question....I have been going to bed around 11:30 and going to sleep instantly. Then I wake up about 4:00 and cannot go back to sleep for a couple of hours. Unfortunately that is usually the time i'm supposed to get up. Then I feel drugged and achy all day. Anyone else that this happens too? I don't know if I need a sleeping pill because I am able to go to sleep, just not stay asleep.

Thanks