Re: Brain Fog Rehab

January 21, 2005

Carolyn,

Your #1 reminds me of a housekeeping system called " Sidetracked Home

Executives. " I started that system 15 years ago and still live by it. It

set me free. I put all my chores on index cards. They are color coded by

frequency (daily chores, weekly, monthly, season). All I have to accomplish

in any given day are the cards for that day. I can walk right by the mud by

the front door, because that is tomorrow's job. It seems like my house

would be a wreck--but it is 100% cleaner then when I tried to " get it

clean. " Once I finish the cards for the day, I am free!!!!! On the days I

just can't, they get filed for the next time they need to be done and I

start fresh the next day on new cards. No guilt. My house is still much

cleaner than before and the deep cleaning that I used to never get to, gets

done. It also gives me the feeling of being the boss and accomplishing

great things on a regular basis--something few of us feel when PA enters our

lives.

I'm glad you are back on the keyboard!

Ks Di

[ ] " Brain Fog Rehab "

>

> The following is addenum to my last posting. Okay, bear with me

> on a quick synopsis of the brain. Class are you with me? Ha, Ha.

> Essentially, the brain is a very complex message center dependent

> upon even more complex balances of chemicals and proper function of

> it's tramission processes to achieve it's or your goals. Are you

> still with me? C'mon wake up! Now most of the tasks that the

> brain atempts go unnoticed as we had previously " downloaded " the

> required data starting at childbirth and " updated " through out our

> childhood and into adulthood,albiet to the adulthood process

> certailnly not as quick as the previous two. What I now

> offer to you are much of what I had learned in nursing and in fact

> drew upon my previous learning esp. that pertaining to the rehab of

> stroke victims and brain injury patients. I realize that this is

> not the case with the " brain fog " that many have been posting lately

> but the " rehab " exercises will likely benefit any struggle in this

> area. A doctor should evaluate these symptoms and I welcome you to

> present the " exercises " for his/her review. Please forgive me,

> I want to outline this and my " tab " and " shift " buttons won't allow

> me. 1) I now think of my brain as a unruly child and treat it as

> such. I truly have to believe " Your'e the brain, I'm the boss " .

> If I don't do the mental excercises that I'm about to describe my

> brain will carry me into a mass of tangled thoughts that are like

> mental quicksand to get out of. 2) I have become a timer

> junkie. Yep, I mean that I use timers for almost evrything I want

> to accomplish. My favorites are the like the digitial one on my

> oven that give my brain the instant feed back that it requires.

> Before you think that I am nuts, please let me explain. I can

> become easily distracted. Just doing the simplest of things can

> endup in " mental quicksand " . Even while relaxing and having the

> remote in my hand and channel surfing I can end up stalled on a

> hispanic soap opera or even ESPN for crying out loud! I must give

> myself a task. I may perhaps, stand back look at a room , ask

> myself what needs to be done most.For example: Okay, Carolyn for

> the next 15 min. you are going to work on the kitchen counter. If

> something needs to be put in another room, put it to the side. Do

> not leave the room until the 15 min. is up. This is your focus,

> Carolyn. Work a little and look at the clock. If I'm on a roll

> and I want to extend the time for another 15 min. I can. Because

> I'm the boss. I usually work on two areas of the house at a time

> and assign myself " time " , use the timers and reward myself

> with " breaks " again, with the timer. What seems constraining

> at first is actually liberating. I am by no means cured. All you

> have to do is say " hi " to me at work and I have to acess the " page

> back " button in my brain. But my brain and I have learned to make

> comprmises. I'm able to access that " page back " button much quicker

> than before. I get " stuck' at times but rarely the " quicksand "

> events. This comprimise (of sorts) has also allowed me to have a

> bit of humor for the episodes and often make a joke of it. " Gosh, I

> knew that I should'nt have stayed out so late last night watching

> those Chippendales " . The one thing that my brain is absoultely

> unyielding on is as though it insists on saying, " Hey, Carolyn with

> out giving me caffeine and a crossword in the morning, uh this

> waking up thing, it's just not going to happen. 3) Think about

> it, have you also found that your sense of intuition has not been

> utilized much lately. Yes, girls I mean you. We have the upper

> hand in this dept. and we all know it. My text is again going on

> too long but I will happily respond to any that are interested on

> opening this dialogue up. When I earlier mentioned that I

> stand before a room to prioritize my tasks I mean it. I listen to

> my gut. I have to fight off the " Parlyisis through Analyisis " . I

> have only touched upon this topic but will hopefully leave a few of

> you with some helpful info and hopefully even more of you at least

> giving me the benefit of the doubt that I or this text may not be as

> crazy as appearences seem. Love to all, Carolyn

January 21, 2005

Great info, Carolyn!

Brain-fog vs Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) -- for

me, they seem to be one and the same, and it's getting

worse. I'm 42.

The timer trick is an ADD coping method I learned from

my mother (she's a teacher specializing in ADD kids).

I've used it in the past, and I think I need to start

using it again! <G>

Caffeine is another -- a mild dose of stimulant to get

the brain focused.

Something to add to the list: A LIST!

I'm lost without my lists. I can't walk into a store

without my list that tells me I'm in THIS store for

THESE SPECIFIC items. Otherwise, I end up in the tea

aisle, confronted by umpty dozen different teas (or

cereals, or colors of nail polish), paralyzed by the

number of choices and unable to select one.

Keep sending us more tips as you gather them!

--

=====

--------------------------

Stein

www.noblefusion.com/astein

If you're tired of fighting battles with yourself

If you want to be somebody else

Change your mind...

-- Sister Hazel

__________________________________________________

January 22, 2005

> [ ] " Brain Fog Rehab "

>

> HI! Thanks for replying. It's refreshing to know that there are

like principles being applied to similar didorders. This is all

fairly new to me. When I mentioned that I now see my brain as an

unruly child, I mean it . The cause or changes are not fully

understood to me yet. Maybe they never will be. Quite simply, this

brain that I have now is not the one that I had before. To a

positive extent I got fed up and decide that I needed to take

control. " Brain fog Rehab " is putting it mildly. I think that I

sent mine to " Boot Camp " . As children, most of us start out with

these beautifully receptive brains so eager to learn. Most of us

have heard of someone having to enter physical therapy for what ever

reason and describing it as having to start all over from square

one. The challenge lies in that the adult brain is not this

beautifully receptive organ that it once was in childhood. The

adult brain is faulted with pride and ego issues, impatience,

stubborness and preconceived " comfort zones " . Even outside of brain

fog episodes I have noticed that my ability to spell is sometimes a

struggle. Hey, moderator, Can you get a spell check feature engaged

for our posting and replies? Hitting the dictionary.com is too time

consuming. The brain loves feedback and rewards and the use of

timers and your card system provides that. So that I don't take

up too much room with this one reply, please look for my responses

to those who have replied to this topic.

{Editor's Note: Sorry, but you have to set up spellchecker at YOUR end. I

often correct the mispelling of medicines in order to ensure that no one is

trying to look up " embrell " when the medication is actually " Enbrel " , however,

other than that you need to do your own spell checking. You may well have that

capability on your PC or in your email browser. However, no one here is grading

you on spelling, punctuation or grammar, so don't worry about it! Just say

whatever you'd like to say. We all understand. Kathy F.}

January 22, 2005

>

> Great info, Carolyn!

>

> Brain-fog vs Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) -- for

> me, they seem to be one and the same, and it's getting

> worse. I'm 42.

>

> The timer trick is an ADD coping method I learned from

> my mother (she's a teacher specializing in ADD kids).

> I've used it in the past, and I think I need to start

> using it again! <G>

>

> Caffeine is another -- a mild dose of stimulant to get

> the brain focused.

>

> Something to add to the list: A LIST!

>

> I'm lost without my lists. I can't walk into a store

> without my list that tells me I'm in THIS store for

> THESE SPECIFIC items. Otherwise, I end up in the tea

> aisle, confronted by umpty dozen different teas (or

> cereals, or colors of nail polish), paralyzed by the

> number of choices and unable to select one.

>

> Keep sending us more tips as you gather them!

>

> --

>

> =====Dear Allision: Thank you for your reply. You bring up the

very interesting analogy between brain fog vs. ADD. I think that

many of us use the cathall phrase of brain fog as a way to describe

the feeling that many of us have that are (new) and very noticable

changes. Having to apply effort to seemingly trivial tasks is

certainly new to me. Until about a year ago I only suffered such as

symptoms of overload and burnout. I am a former card carrying

member of the " I am woman, hear me roar " club, ha, ha. I only semi

jokingly can't help but to ask myself if estrogen is responsible

for the higher level of thinking and intuition that (admit ladies,

we have always felt to superior to the men, sorry guys) we probably

felt(at least had fleeting) episodes of prior to estrogen

depletion. After typing in " brain fog " into google I also found out

that there are distinct findings in this compalint in fibromyalgia

suffers, which many here also suffer from as well as suggestions of

this complaint with related inflammatory dieases. PA is

autoimmunine in origin but like so many other dieases it's one of

it's sad effects is inflammation. When I was actively in nursing

you probably would not even notice(if you were my patient) that

while you think that I am having a simple conversation with you, I

was also assessing your IV function, the condition of your

dressings, the color of your skin(that gentle stroke on your face or

shoulder) also told me if your skin was cool, warm or clammy, your

mood, as well as determine how you are tolerating or responding to

medications or treatments that have been given to you. I think you

get the idea. Ah, those were the days. Can't imagine doing that

now. In addition, I can no longer tolerate the physical endurance

as well as the mental stress. I don't know how to be the reduced

or " lite " form of a nurse. It was a passion. I was also your

advocate, your kick in the butt when you needed it, your confidant,

no appetite, no problem perhaps some of my homemade cookies can

persuade you. Are you more of the savory type? I also make one

helluva a stew. I have my brief periods of mourning over this

loss. I do believe that God blessed me with at least having had the

opprotunity to know and experience the intangible reward that anyone

in the helping professions feel that you get when you know that you

in some measure have affected a positive change or outcome in

somones life. Gosh, did I digress again or what? Assuming that

I have left you at least partially awake, I know that some of the

symptoms of ADD mimic the brain fog that many of us complain of.

Your mother knows far more about ADD than I do. It's my

understanding (and you or your mother correct me if I'm wrong) that

ADD occurs in childhood and usually improves in adulthood. I know

that it can extend into adulthood but it's usually matures in nature

as the brain matures. I know that threre is a lack of impulse

conrol to varying degrees in most children and that ADD children

have a great struggle with this that can even put them at high risk

for criminal activity, esp. in adolescence. Again. please correct

me if I am wrong, ADD, to my knowledge does not have a onset in

adulthood. I am left with a curiousity that I doubt many Dr's can

honestly answer: Is something going on here with a double whammy of

the common complaint of many women with memory problems with peri

and full blown menopause along with the apparent connection of

inflammatory disorders or have I: B)Just lost my marbles all

together and flatter my self by sugggesting otherwise. Seems like

I've opened up a whole new can of worms, eh? One thing I am sure

of is that we will be chatting more about this in the days to come.

Is it my imigatation or is it true that it's the females that seem

to be experiencing the majority of compalints with " brain fog " ?

Until next time, With Love and all that jazz, Carolyn Okay,

ladies, all together now: I Can Bring Home The Bacon, Fry It Up In

The Pan, Because I Am WOOOOOOOOOOOOMan and Ill Say It Again,WO-M-A-N!

c'mon , I'm entitled to hanging on to a few grandiose memories.

January 22, 2005

dictionary.com ? This brain fog person thanks you for the tip !!

>

> > [ ] " Brain Fog Rehab "

> >

> > HI! Thanks for replying. It's refreshing to know that there

are

> like principles being applied to similar didorders. This is all

> fairly new to me. When I mentioned that I now see my brain as an

> unruly child, I mean it . The cause or changes are not fully

> understood to me yet. Maybe they never will be. Quite simply,

this

> brain that I have now is not the one that I had before. To a

> positive extent I got fed up and decide that I needed to take

> control. " Brain fog Rehab " is putting it mildly. I think that I

> sent mine to " Boot Camp " . As children, most of us start out with

> these beautifully receptive brains so eager to learn. Most of us

> have heard of someone having to enter physical therapy for what

ever

> reason and describing it as having to start all over from square

> one. The challenge lies in that the adult brain is not this

> beautifully receptive organ that it once was in childhood. The

> adult brain is faulted with pride and ego issues, impatience,

> stubborness and preconceived " comfort zones " . Even outside of

brain

> fog episodes I have noticed that my ability to spell is sometimes

a

> struggle. Hey, moderator, Can you get a spell check feature

engaged

> for our posting and replies? Hitting the dictionary.com is too

time

> consuming. The brain loves feedback and rewards and the use of

> timers and your card system provides that. So that I don't take

> up too much room with this one reply, please look for my responses

> to those who have replied to this topic.

>

> {Editor's Note: Sorry, but you have to set up spellchecker at

YOUR end. I often correct the mispelling of medicines in order to

ensure that no one is trying to look up " embrell " when the

medication is actually " Enbrel " , however, other than that you need

to do your own spell checking. You may well have that capability on

your PC or in your email browser. However, no one here is grading

you on spelling, punctuation or grammar, so don't worry about it!

Just say whatever you'd like to say. We all understand. Kathy F.}

January 24, 2005

In response to your comment regarding the onset of ADD in adulthood.

I was diagnosed with PA 10 years ago. I have worked in a professional capacity

for over 30 years and had never had a problem with my memory, organizing, etc.

However, 3 years ago I started to have episodes of losing things, forgetting

names of people I was talking to on the phone, or forgeting who I was speaking

on the phone or why I called them in the first place. I use to have a recall

that was remarkable - and then all of the sudden I didn't and the change was

dramatic and when I look back on it, it was sudden and very noticeable to me. I

was working for a lawyer w/alheizemers (sp?) so it was my responsibility to keep

him in check - so I thought that perhaps I was just too stressed that I also

started not to remember what I was doing - anyway I told my rheumy about this

and he reassured me that this wasn't the onset of alh. but that I should

probably be tested by a neuropsychologist. I took a battery of 5 hours of tests

and was diagnosed with adult acquired attention

deficit disorder. When I asked why - I was told that stress and pain and pain

medication over a long period of time just wears at the brain. Anyway - I've

been medicated ever since. After 2 years I had to change my meds because they

just weren't effective anymore.

I know when you describe this to just about anyone - how you never had this

problem before but now you do - mostly the response I get is " oh, that's normal

- everyone does that - or I do that - it's just age " or - just that you're

trying to make up excuses for doing things that make you look either stupid or

lazy - I get very very defensive. It is almost impossible to explain it anyone

and have them understand - unless they live with you. I started living with my

sister in July and I know she thought I was making this up - until she saw what

happened to me when my meds stopped working. She is now very understanding and

knows that I need notes and reminders and that you have to ask me several times

if I understood a new task (directions on how to solve a mechanical problem

that's new to me) or to make sure everything is taken care of before I leave for

work (3 dogs, 4 birds, 8 fish, door locked, everything turned off, etc. She's

very patient. She has arthritis but I don't know if

it's rheumatoid or what - but she's in alot of pain all the time and I wonder

if this will happen to her sometime down the road (she's 4 years older than me)

- but she does not use medication except for Aleve for her pain. I've been on

pain meds for years (Darvacet but now Percocet) and my flare ups are pretty

intense and now I've been on predinose for about 3 months until I can once again

start with Enbrel (had to stop it when I lost my medical insurance and now

getting financial assistance from Enbrel). Even when I was on Enbrel, however,

I still had the memory deal - I don't really know if it improved or not because

that's about the time I started " losing my mind " so to speak.

So, anyway, the answer is a definite yes to the adult onset of ADD - it's

extremely recognized in the medical community, as well as mental health

community. I do see a psych for the meds, dosage, etc. I would have the

testing done if you can afford it - make sure it's a reputable neuro psych who

works with either a rehab facility or is recommended by your own physicians who

understands your medical background.

January 24, 2005

>

> In response to your comment regarding the onset of ADD in

adulthood.

>

> I was diagnosed with PA 10 years ago. I have worked in a

professional capacity for over 30 years and had never had a problem

with my memory, organizing, etc. However, 3 years ago I started to

have episodes of losing things, forgetting names of people I was

talking to on the phone, or forgeting who I was speaking on the

phone or why I called them in the first place. I use to have a

recall that was remarkable - and then all of the sudden I didn't and

the change was dramatic and when I look back on it, it was sudden

and very noticeable to me. I was working for a lawyer w/alheizemers

(sp?) so it was my responsibility to keep him in check - so I

thought that perhaps I was just too stressed that I also started not

to remember what I was doing - anyway I told my rheumy about this

and he reassured me that this wasn't the onset of alh. but that I

should probably be tested by a neuropsychologist. I took a battery

of 5 hours of tests and was diagnosed with adult acquired attention

> deficit disorder. When I asked why - I was told that stress and

pain and pain medication over a long period of time just wears at

the brain. Anyway - I've been medicated ever since. After 2 years

I had to change my meds because they just weren't effective

anymore.

>

> I know when you describe this to just about anyone - how you never

had this problem before but now you do - mostly the response I get

is " oh, that's normal - everyone does that - or I do that - it's

just age " or - just that you're trying to make up excuses for doing

things that make you look either stupid or lazy - I get very very

defensive. It is almost impossible to explain it anyone and have

them understand - unless they live with you. I started living with

my sister in July and I know she thought I was making this up -

until she saw what happened to me when my meds stopped working. She

is now very understanding and knows that I need notes and reminders

and that you have to ask me several times if I understood a new task

(directions on how to solve a mechanical problem that's new to me)

or to make sure everything is taken care of before I leave for work

(3 dogs, 4 birds, 8 fish, door locked, everything turned off, etc.

She's very patient. She has arthritis but I don't know if

> it's rheumatoid or what - but she's in alot of pain all the time

and I wonder if this will happen to her sometime down the road

(she's 4 years older than me) - but she does not use medication

except for Aleve for her pain. I've been on pain meds for years

(Darvacet but now Percocet) and my flare ups are pretty intense and

now I've been on predinose for about 3 months until I can once again

start with Enbrel (had to stop it when I lost my medical insurance

and now getting financial assistance from Enbrel). Even when I was

on Enbrel, however, I still had the memory deal - I don't really

know if it improved or not because that's about the time I

started " losing my mind " so to speak.

>

> So, anyway, the answer is a definite yes to the adult onset of

ADD - it's extremely recognized in the medical community, as well as

mental health community. I do see a psych for the meds, dosage,

etc. I would have the testing done if you can afford it - make sure

it's a reputable neuro psych who works with either a rehab facility

or is recommended by your own physicians who understands your

medical background. Dear Kathleen, Thank you for your

response. I mean it. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I will

never pretend to be a expert on much of anything. I do pass along

info relating to my previous experience in medicine but am always

100% honest if I have the slightest doubt on anything. I wish that

the docs were as honest with simply saying that they aren't sure

about somethihng as I am. I try everyday to honestly and humbley

approach it with the desire to learn something new everyday. I

figure with this attidude I can be one positive attenna type

receptor for not only learning but growth as a human being. This

process always includes being able to sincerley say, " I'm sorry when

necessry, " I was wrong " and perhaps most importantly feel grattitude

in your heart that feels like a cup of hot chocolate and a warm

blanket in the winter. I wish you the best. Please let me know if

I can help. I feel some what uneasy that your treatment has

stallled and is lacking the results that it could. Very glad to

hear that you had a specialist work it up. Are you around a

university that could provide you with futher assessment on a

sliding scale basis? If you're stuck with out that option, would

you like us to assist in locating servvices for you? We are here

for you, right group? Love, Carolyn

January 24, 2005

Kathleen,

I too have been diagnosed with Adult ADD. With my new meds I have greatly

improved. My testing was suggested by my pcp out of the blue (or at least I

thought out of the blue). He noticed I wasn't as sharp as I used to be. I've

been with him for at least 10 years and we've always bantered about something or

other during office visits. He noticed that I was suddenly searching for words

(I was a technical writer so finding the correct word had never been a problem

before).

I still misplace stuff and am still a bit slower with the comeback but I no

longer sit at my desk wondering why I'm sitting there and what I'm supposed to

do when I have a stack of obvious work sitting right in front of me.

Your right, lists work. I invested in a bunch of long, thin, lined, note pads

similar to shopping lists. I have them everywhere. I write down todo's as soon

as I think of them. One thing I have noticed is that once I write something

down I seem to remember it better.

Sandy swOhio

Kathleen Merillat <kamerillat@...> wrote: