Fibromyalgia and Brain Fog
Having Fibromyalgia and brain fog can be very scary. It also known as Fibro fog. Brain fog or Fibro fog means that people with Fibromyalgia often have difficulties with concentration, become forgetful, remembering things and taking part in conversations.
Brain fog is also known as mental fatigue. And just as the body is very fatigued in people with Fibromyalgia it is no surprise that they are also mentally fatigued.
It can be very distressing and people with Fibromyalgia worry that they have some form of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. These fears can be allayed as one study found that Fibro fog did not develop into Alzheimer's disease.
For some people with Fibromyalgia, brain fog is their worst symptom, more so than chronic pain or chronic fatigue.
Many people with both Fibromyalgia and brain fog report their concentration, memory and attention span is much worse if they are experiencing a Fibromyalgia flare. A Fibromyalgia flare is when symptoms such as pain and fatigue increase.
There are many theories as to why people with Fibromyalgia experience brain fog. Most revolve around poor sleep, chronic fatigue and mental distraction due to chronic pain.
It may be that low levels of serotonin are to blame for Fibro fog.
According to the NHS research has found people with Fibromyalgia have abnormally low levels of serotonin in their brains.
I have written about ways to increase serotonin naturally.
My experience of having Fibromyalgia and brain fog
At my worst having both Fibromyalgia and brain fog was very challenging for me. I had always had a good memory for names, faces and general knowledge. One of my hobbies was to enter general knowledge quizzes and I even appeared on the TV quiz The Weakest Link many years ago. I would even go so far as to say I was quick witted.
But as my Fibromyalgia developed I could no longer answer questions quickly. My memory was poor and I would often lose track of what I was saying.
The following is what I wrote to explain the Fibro fog I was experiencing to my rheumatologist.
“I seem to lose my words mid-sentence sometimes. I cannot find the correct word or words. I cannot remember people’s names. I sometimes stare into space and forget what I am doing. My husband often asks what I’m staring at.”
I cured my brain fog and poor memory by following the advice given in my Cure for Fibromyalgia