Brain Fog

[Alady1620]

Will it go away after treatment?  

I have it.  I have it REAL bad.  I can't remember jack and I get confused very easily.

Anybody have suggestions on minimizing BF during treatment?  I try to read and stretch my brain but that is not always possible.  I need more ideas.

[silverangel]

hi. I don't have an answer for you, but if misery likes company...you got me! I seem to be staring out into space alot of the time this past week. I can't focus. I'm 19/48 now. I try to go about the day in a normal fashion, but something is missing...MY BRAIN!!! LOL

[SJL]

I have to agree with Silverangel. I have finished two rounds of therapy(48 & 52 wks.)I am now on Maintainence. My brain fog is still running rampant. I cannot make decisions, have no follow-through on anything & no interest in anything.I might have 6 projects started but I cannot stay focused long enough to finish any one. I am certainly blaming it on the meds, as I was never like this before. I would appreciate any suggestions also which might help with this. This is one major side effect that is keeping me from returning to work. It is very hard for me to communicate, finding the right words!

[jmjm530]

Alady says "I can't remember jack"
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He probably forgot you as well :)

But seriously, I've had lots of sides during treatment, but my memory stayed pretty sharp. However, I am having trouble remembering things post-treatment. Maybe there's just more on my mind now, but you would think it be the other way around.
____________________________________________________________
SJL says "Lots of side effects during treatment, but
I cannot make decisions, have no follow-through on anything & no interest in anything.I might have 6 projects started but I cannot stay focused long enough to finish any one. I am certainly blaming it on the meds, as I was never like this before."
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Of course it could be the meds. However, everything you mention can also be classical signs of depression, and a lot of folks have reported post-tx depression. Many people don't realize that you don't have to feel "depressed" to have clinical depression. Do hope you feel better soon.

-- Jim

[Alady1620]

I hope that jerk forgot me too!  LOL

[azgrl]

I had brain fog prior to tx which was not normal for me.  It has only been over the last 7-8 months probably.  It seems to be getting worse as the days go by....I'm only on shot 2.  

One thing I've been doing is sticky notes everywhere.  My husband leaves me sticky note reminders and I leave them for myself.  My three year old also leaves me little scribbles or pictures of spiderman.  The thing I have to remember is that I won't remember.  Because I will think of something that needs to get done and think okay I'll remember that but I don't so right at the time I think of it I have to write it down.

now if I can just remember to read the notes.


deb in az

[Dale_Ray]

SJL: If I could explain it it would be exactly what your note said. No follow through and believe it or not that is my strongest talent other than whinning since starting treatment.

Alady: I don't remember Jack either and if there ever was a jack I don't want to remember ha! Jim is probably right Jacoline probably wouldn't remember me either. I leave that kind of impression.

I feel like the straw man in the wizard of oz on a quest for the missing brain. IF I HAD A BRAIN!!!!!!!! I think I will find it post treatment. Wishing everyone wellness. Dale

[FlGuy]

Didn't you ask this question yesterday?
Concentration issues seem to be fairly common, although SJL's seems rather severe. Working on projects (that's my job) was especially challenging on tx.  Keeping track of things was made easier by taking better notes, working on lists where I used to be able to juggle more things.  Knowing your 'remembering capacity' is important to build processes to guard against dropping balls. I had a particular problem with rembering what date/day it was. Reading was a tough chore too.  I gave up books til it was over.  On the lighter side, there have been some funny stories here about the effects of brain fade: lost cars, lost keys, secret places for pop corn, mixing up the purposes for hemorroid cream and chapstick.  Don't worry, you won't remember any of this tomorrow.

[Dale_Ray]

Let me make a suggestion - spiral notebook and chaulk board in the kitchen. It looks goofy (sorry goofy) but they would find me out following the little sheep around if I didn't make all the notes and reminders. Now when my dad pauses and says he forget what he was saying I just tell him not to worry about it I forgot what he was saying too. Dale

[jmjm530]

Please check in when you get a chance. Folks are forgetting you fast.

[Dale_Ray]

Alady I know where Jacko is I saw where he had moved to the UAE and where's a vale and sheet. Rumor has it that you should move on unless your ready for a lot of surgery and night time stories. Isn't life a Wonderland of a thriller. If I find another Jack I will keep Jim posted and he can pass it own.

[NYgirl]

It comes and goes but so far for me in seven months it's never been really GONE.  It's horrible. My boss thought I was some sort of moron as I'd stand there and forget what I was talking about in mid-sentence.

Some people have said different vitamins and things have helped them.  Honestly I didn't try them and probably should but when I went to look it was really expensive and I just didn't have anymore money to spend on stuff like that.  It is an expensive disease with the extra add ons like Gold Bond (which nobody here can live without LOL) and things like that = let alone the meds.

Best of luck!

[MrsOckert]

Thanks for the info.  I did a search and came up with the conversion, etc.

According to the formula my ANC right now is 3385.  That just seems awfully high.  The neutrophils are 73% and if I read correctly 50% - 60% is normal.  At week 2 my ANC was 2145.

So ..... can your ANC get too high?  Is that indicative of another kind of problem?  Or do I have too much time on my hands obsessing about blood work when I should be working and earning the paycheck I get each week?  LOL

Thanks for your help.  do you think when your finally thru with all this you'll have the equivalent of a medical degree?  :)

[Alady1620]

Flguy said: Did you ask this question yesterday?

BWAHAHAHAH!  I might have.  I honestly don't remember.  LOL


I think I found JackA$$.  He changed his name to Cheney.

[timedog]

This is a good topic as it seems to have effected us all here to some degree. One thing I had read on another site to help the brain fog is do repitious menial task like gardening, I have tried this and it seems to have helped. As I mentioned in an earlier posting another thing I found that has helped me when the fog is the thickest is to put myself in a situtation where I have to talk this, to date, as helped clear a bit of the pea soup away. I am quickly approaching shot 5.

As has been stated here time and time again this journey in many ways is different for all of us. One quesiton I have for the group in regards to side effects is if you have suffered from side effects was it from the begining or did them come later in the treatment, did the side effects you suffered come all at once or did they add on as tx progressed.

Who has tried supplements and have they helped.

thought this info might be helpful for us newbies.

[Dale_Ray]

I'm at 20 with 28 left. The sides started at about day 2 and increased until week 11 or 12 and then started backing off. That was me though and we are all different. Things have improved a lot since starting but prior to treatment I felt good all the time and energy was great. Brain for is the hardest to deal with during working hours. I keep beating away at little projects at home to keep my focus and it seems like a loosing battles at times. I don't know about supplements my doctor keeps telling me nothing goes in your mouth unless we talk first so he has my respect on this one. Good luck I guess this is the big night for this crew. Dale

[MrsOckert]

As you said everyone is different and the sides are going to vary from not only week to week but day to day.

I can only speak for myself, but my sides have gotten worse in the second half of my TX.

Other people breeze thru tx.  Some start off bad and go downhill from there.

There are common sides for everyone, but how they react to them is going to be different.

Good luck to you. Valorie

[beamishboy]

supplemnts:i take vit e&c,folic acid,selenium,zinc,N-acetyl cysteine,alpha lipoic acid,coenzyme Q10.......what diff it makes,i don't know; they are"not" suppose to interact w/ trx meds,but discuss w/ doc......
Hey i'm doing week21,shot 22 is monday.....my last shot is Oct 9th!!!!! Dale ray we are Racing to the end!! almost half done!  SilverAngel right in there on the turns,,,Let's Raise some dust and burn-up this track.........listen to me,can't get sh!t done or think strait,,,but can i ever talk sum!!!! i need a nap.....later folks

[lilmoma]

I just call my brain fog my little blonde moments, and laugh at myself. It is my coping skill (to laugh) is that a skill?


I had a horrible day, had to call the police on one of my employees, I thought I was gonna be hurt by him. MY Asst. ran into my office (behind me) I locked the door. I had to get the nerve up to go back out and terminate him. I have been shaking like a leaf since, I feel like my "whole immune system" just shut down from the intense stress, and now I actually have a fever. I called my boss to tell him what was going on, he was blown away, and of course wanted details, I could only say "he went pyscho" there just was no other explaination for what took place.

[Chriskid]

God the fog.  The other day I was cutting in a new closet shelf.  I cut the sucker three times and it was still too short.

[cajunlady]

That was tooooooo funny.  Keep cutting; maybe it will fit.  Anything is possible on tx. HA HA

You are a brave one using power tools on tx.  I am afraid to pick up my little hand shovel to plant flowers. LOL

cajun

[MrsOckert]

That must have been a horrible experience!!  What a thing to have to go thru.  I hope your able calm down soon.

Good heavens, what's wrong with peoplel these days.

[can-do-man]

(to laugh) is that a skill?..... For blondes? YES

[jmjm530]

My ANC comes already converted so I don't know how to do it. That number does seem very high. Maybe someone else can help you convert.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Been sweating more than bullets the last few days -- reflux has even gotten worse. LOL.

As many of you know, Quest's Heptimax is run in two parts. Like passing one test isn't enough you have to pass TWO to be non-detect:)

I got word five days ago that I passed test 1 -- the PCR part. That's good news. But then I was told there was an "R" next to the TMA part and the person thought that meant "re-run". Haven't slept much in the last five days. The way I figured it was no way they run-run the negatives, they only re-run the positives.

To make a long story short, I'm negative (non-detectible) to <5 IU/ml. This test was taken 16 days after my last riba and 23 days after my last peg shot. By no means am I anywhere near home free but at least I'm non-detectible today. For the past five days I would have bet the farm the virus was back.

Hopefully a decent nights sleep tonight.

-- Jim