Does anyone else experience brain fog with RA? Do not know if fog is from meds or pain.
12/30/09 10:50pm
I honestly think it can come from both. However, having had to stop even Tylenol lately (still on Enbrel), I can tell you that despite pain, my state of mind is BETTER than when I was on more painkillers (was on Celebrex for years, had to stop last spring, bothered my stomach too much). I still have a touchy stomach but it doesn't seem to drag my whole being down with it ... Celebrex at 200 mg would make me somewhat dreamy and out of touch. Tylenol was different but it was starting just to make me feel sick. Somehow, I've adjusted to the idea that honestly feeling the pain is somehow leaving me with a clearer head, and I like a clear head! Doesn't mean that my body can always do what I would like - but I'm less likely to injure myself further if I'm really feeling what's happening, not having it covered up with DRUGS!
P.S. I have to qualify, I am taking an herbal preparation that acts as a low-level painkiller and I probably would be lost without it. When my body burns out on that, I'll just have to come up with something else! So - I am still taking the edge off ... with Yucca AR. Pain can keep us from thinking altogether, I sure do know that! And when it's severe, you just do what you have to do, as long as that's happening!
1/ 4/10 10:45am
Humiea does tend to give you some fog, especially in the day or two following your shot - It also gets worse when I'm tired or overworked or not feeling well.. however, in my experience, even with the fog, I think more clearly than I do when I'm in a lot of pain. I've also found that as my body has gotten used to the drug, the fog has lessened.
1/ 2/10 3:50pm
RA can cause brain fog via the release of inflammatory chemicals called cytokines. And meds can also do this. I recently wrote a blog post explaining how scientists think brain fog may be caused in RA.
http://livingwithra.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/the-brain-fog-of-ra/
Andrew
1/ 5/10 9:22am
your link about brain fog (to your blog) is very interesting. And yet I think it's even more complicated that that - but I applaud your GP for being tuned into that problem. My GP thought I just had fibro until my wrist blew up, even though I tested positive for RA factor.
At the same time, I think that the state of mind that Enbrel would bring on is different than the depression I experienced otherwise. I would feel very much "up in the air" - slightly disoriented, because I think my body was so accustomed to putting up with certain body sensations including pain, and working around them, that having it disappear was disorienting for the active period of Enbrel (3 days). AFTER the 3 days, if I waited (which I now can do after several years on Enbrel), my mind would become more focused, if I could get over the hump of it wearing off, and I could be much more productive. It was frustrating when i was taking it every 3-4 days (the usual 25 mg twice a week), to just start to get my brain organized and then be thrown for a loop again. But - I've gradually learned to adjust my schedule accordingn to what I have to do vs. what I want to get done, or at least have the presence of mind to plan for!
But when I got past the initial 3 days plus the productive 3 days, then I would be in a lot of pain, mental & physical, and the first sign of going downhill was usually my mood, then pain. After taking the Enbrel, the mood would improve first, then the body....
That's why I really like having control over when i take it, rather than being stuck in a rigid schedule for an IV like Remicade, which totally blew me away anyway - it was overkill for me. I guess that puts me in the 'moderate' category rather than the 'severe'.
I also agree with Lene that overwork (or overplay,for that matter) can also cause stress that will cause a flair...
1/17/10 6:43pm
I'm not on any drugs for RA because of no health insurance and I have brain fog. I would have to say mine is just from the pain. You need to remember also that RA can affect the brain as it can affect ALL your organs.
1/17/10 7:52pm
Oh my goodness! I think that is my middle name. I constantly have brain fog extremely annoying. I think it is can be caused by meds. However, sometimes I just think it is part of RA.
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By julesinpain— Last Modified: 11/30/11, First Published: 12/30/09
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I also experience brain fog. It seems to have gotten much worse since Ive been on humira. I asked the doctor and she said it could be caused from the meds ans also from having long term chronic pain which I have had for 30 years with ra. I hope this has been helpful.