Is there really such thing as fibro-fog or am I crazy? I suffer from fibromyalgia, and my family does not believe me when I say I forgot something important I had to do .
They say I'm just lazy.
There are days when I can't think strait, especially if I am in great pain or if
weather conditions are very bad.
I've always been an excellent speller, and sometimes, I have to consult dictiionary to be
able to write common words. Is this normal ???
Maria
Its very normal and can be one of the most distressing part of fibromyalgia. This inability to concentrate, to find the right words, to twist ones words and numerous other cognitive problems is called fibro-fog in FM, brain fog in CFS and chemo-fog and chemotherapy patients who have CFS-like problems.
You might refer your family to the excellent Wikipedia article on fibromyalgia that mentions Fibro-fog. Good luck with your FM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fibromyalgia
Yes it does exist, as a 30 year fibro patient, they are many ways to combat this. If you don't already, start making list of things to do, things you want to remember. Look at your diet, do you eat lots of starches? If so, these can contribute to your fog. Get yourself on a high protein diet. Lean meats, cheeses, veggies, eggs; all of these things will help you eliminate the fog over time. You truly are what you eat. Josie
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<!-- [if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]-->Absolutely it is real. I feel that much of my feeling like I am going crazy is because most symptoms of Fibromyalgia are unseen and unreal for most people to understand. Therefore it leaves us feeling like we are going crazy. Non Fibro folks are "not able" to understand our symptoms.
Usually you hear comments like, you can't be that tired, how you can be in so much pain, all you did was walk, how can you forget where you live. Well, yes I did. Many times with my children in the car I would drive past our home and my children you tell me I drove past the house. Scar yes. Alzheimer was one of the test they ruled out when first being diagnosis with Fibromyalgia due to my forgetfulness.
This haze we are clouded by is something only another Firbromyalgia suffer would understand. That is why support groups are important. You are not going crazy, forgetfulness or fibro fog is VERY real.
Lazy,Crazy,Hazy,Dizzy,Dingy...yep, experienced all that AND heard them all as negative destructive comments. There is such a thing as secondary wounding. The illness alone carries a bad stigma to it that eats away at your self esteem, then to have family and friends support the stigmas of "You don't look sick, you're just lazy or wacked out"? Phew, that puts a stick in my spokes everytime. That is sceondary wounding, its from others and ot your condition. Be careful of that and learn to educated people that hurt you unintentionally, then if they dont change, then stay away from people that hurt you.
But back to your question...Fibro fog is real as real as my kids asking me where we are going becuse I passed the house after picking them up after school. Missed appointment, jobs, picking up my kids gave me a reputation as a flake. Medication helps some to focus but it does not work when the weather is couldy...the Fibro fog bug is stronger and I am left in a haze all day.
Diet, stress and enviroment can affect it a lot so be aware of what increases your fog. It took me years of journaling how I felt, what I did, ate or the weather conditions to determine what triggers it in me.
I am gald you are asking for help and questioning yourself...you are not crazy. ^_^
I was recently diagnoised with FM and have these same symptoms. I first thought that on top of having FM that I was developing dimentia, my grandmother developed it before she passed. I work in a retail pharmacy, and some days I will be writing things backwards from what I heard, unable to spell simple words, can not add. Its frustrating but I have to Laugh at myself because it makes you feel stupid. I talk to myself so I can remember what I am doing, my co-workers be asking me What? I just tell them I am talking to my other self, and everyone laugh. I am going to find a way to get over this.
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