Fibro Fog/memory issues

[tormented]

I was just wondering if anyone out there has found a solution or way to help reduce fibro fog/memory issues.  I have it most days.  It seems like it is worse in the morning, but gets better after a few hours.  It is also worse when I don't sleep very well or experience more pain.  I have tried to do little things to make it easier for me when I am having this problem.  I always put my car keys in the same place.  I have written down important numbers and maintain them in two notebooks in case I "loose" one.  I keep a log to make sure that I take all of my medication, eat, brush teeth, etc... 

I do have an underlying metobolic disease that impacted my memory.  Last year, I suffered considerable memory loss.  It has gotten better, but it is still hard to function.  The neurologist that I see keeps telling me that it will get better, but I am frustrated.  I had the fibro fog way before the memory problem occured, but the ability to concentrate and focus keeps getting worse.

I'm hoping that someone on this board has at least a partial solution.  I'm open to any suggestion.

Thanks

Tormented

[looneylane]

i find some of the memory vitamin packs seem to help me a bit with the fog but it is just my experience I go to Natures fair and find a comprehensive brain function one.

[AJohnsy]

I try to play a few "mind" games to improve memory... but I'm pretty sure that its more about keeping myself busy. I'm lucky if I remember my birthday, what I ate 2 hours ago, or other important things like how to spell my last name!

I'd appreciate a brain transplant. I think this one's spent!

[foxgrove]

I'm in the same boat as Adam here.  They say it helps your brain to do teasers and stuff but I'm darned if I can remember yesterday or this morning or people's names or words... I hate that one the worst.. you go to talk and suddenly, you can't put two words together that make sense and nothing but sounds come out of your mouth.  It's like the ultimate stutter combined with a baseball bat to the memory.

However, I know how to make it worse!!  (and in reverse, how not to make it worse)  Sleep is the biggest key.  Even though I sleep terribly, even that amount of sleep is so precious.  If I get to bed too late or have stressful situations going on late in the evening, my head is shot for the next three days for sure.  If I wake up too early and go back to sleep, often it gets worse.  It's often better to just get up and go from when you woke. 

Naps are great but set your alarm for either 20 minutes or 90 minutes.. anything in between and you'll be groggier than before you went to sleep.  At least, that's what I've found.. even 10 minutes too long and your body is toast.

Missing meals will throw my head into a spin usually about 3-5 hours later.  Try to keep your meals at a consistent time about every four hours or so as glucose levels in your sugar will impact your ability to concentrate, making easy tasks harder and more tiring.  Several smaller meals keeps your blood sugar much more stable.

Oh.. and don't ever get dehydrated.  It takes me so long to get my legs back under me once I've gotten dry it's not funny.  Adam's ale as my dad calls it... just good pure clean water. 

[ronr]

Alarms to remember meds and notes.  Lots of notes to myself that I can even interpret sometimes, when I can find them.

[AJohnsy]

"Missing meals will throw my head into a spin usually about 3-5 hours later." - Fox
"Alarms to remember meds and notes.  Lots of notes to myself that I can even interpret sometimes, when I can find them."

Also great advice. I'm a huge note & alarm person... which I forgot to mention.  Thanks for picking up my slack, guys! 

[tormented]

These are really good suggestions.  Thank you. 

I never really thought about keeping regular meal times.  I take 14 different medications daily plus 13 different supplements.  I get so involved trying to remember taking things that I often skip meals so I can keep up with the dosing requirement.  Some of the amino acids I take for my metabolic condition have odd schedules.  I'm going to redo my checklist on Thursday after my doctors appointment and plan time to eat at set times.

I like the suggestion of using alarms. I never would come up with that idea.

Thank you again for your help.

Tormented

[denny]

Adams ale.i didnt understand that when you said it before.
I thought you were poking fun at my post.lol

Nothing helps that i can tell.
And i sleep a lot!

[db]

When my fog hits the only things that seem to help are rest and pain meds.  I spend most of my day trying to avoid the fog.  It use to be 24/7 but the last few years I've gotten it to subside.  I start out pretty good if I get a good nights sleep but even then somewhere around 2-3pm it starts to creep back.  Then I just try to hold on to not go to bed too early but still past 8 pm is difficult. 

db

[Robby]

My life is one big schedule with alarms. Seven days a week I get up at the same time, Dawn always tells me I could sleep in on the weekends, but every time I have I have regretted it, so I don't do it anymore. Then I have alarms set on my cellphone for every med time during the day, that way I don't forget then take it an hour or so late, messing up the rest of my daily schedule. I use the Google calendar because it is just wonderful, when checking out at the Dr's office, she tells me when my next appointment is, since by this time I already have the calendar open to the New Appointment page, all I have to do is click the microphone and speak my appointment, and it will translate my words into an actual appointment on the calendar on the right day, at the right time. If I need to call someone the next day, or something similar, I have a notepad app that I can speak something like that into, and it will alarm at the right time and tell me what I'm supposed to do. Or I can make a list to go shopping, and check off as I go through the store. Without my calendar's and notepad's I would be completely lost. I even have to set a reminder if I call someone and I'm told to call back in an hour, without that reminder it will be three or four days before I remember to call back.

[db]

I don't use alarms of any sort.  If I'm sleeping in then it is a very good, and rare, thing.  My body tells me when I've missed my meds and I have dwindled it down to just Neurontin.

db

[pffft]

Getting a good night sleep and avoiding caffeine helps me avoid the fog most of the time. Instead of coffee when I wake up now I make a nice smoothie with spinach celery cilantro kale and a banana to keep it all separated, without the banana it is like swamp water. Every once in a while I will still get it but it happens a lot less. I do not think the coffee causes it directly but it made my sleep less productive and harder to get to sleep.

[denny]

I find alarms get lost in the fog.
I dont hear things when it gets bad.
Notes are quickly lost,so...
I get too frustrated trying to fight it.
I guess i just accepted it to some degree.

[LizardKing]

I was gonna make a comment, but, uhhh.... yeah, I thought I had something to say in this thread but
well, HEY! I am eating lunch.

[foxgrove]

  EXACTLY!!!