Brain fog better in cold

[Bradford]

I frequently get acute heavy brain fog (a really heavy feeling in the head that makes me almost feel dizzy/disoriented) that can last for 30 minutes or more. I notice that when I take a shower I usually feel better. I often get it when I'm in a hot car. When I walk into a cold building I get so much relief.

Anyone else experience something similar? Any theories on why this could be?

 

[minkeygirl]

I have constant brain fog. I haven't figured out what it's from. I think many if us suffer from that. @rosie26 fog is affected by temperature i think.

 

[rosie26]

I'm not sure but I think it's to do with low blood volume in regards to heat. I am the same in the shower.
Just to be more complicated though, I am worse in winter when the temperature drops below 13C. Ugh. I have a worse problem with head inflammation in winter.

 

[shah78]

Whenever the brain fog rolls in I jump in my Jackkrruse.com cold tub. It provides 50%-100% relief 90%of the time. The relief lasts for a just an hour up to many hours. Then reapply. I'm hoping a gram of yucca will accomplish much the same thing.

 

[minkeygirl]

I just started taking Yucca and it has done nothing for my brain fog yet and not sure it will. I started it for sleep but it's keeping me up all night if I take it before bed so I'm going to try in the morning.

 

[SOC]

I frequently get acute heavy brain fog (a really heavy feeling in the head that makes me almost feel dizzy/disoriented) that can last for 30 minutes or more. I notice that when I take a shower I usually feel better. I often get it when I'm in a hot car. When I walk into a cold building I get so much relief.

Anyone else experience something similar? Any theories on why this could be?

I agree with @rosie26, that you might want to look into orthostatic intolerance (OI) possibly due to low blood volume. Heat can make blood vessels expand which creates more volume in your vascular system. If you're already low on blood volume, too much volume to fill and not enough blood to fill it causes problems getting enough blood up to the brain. That can cause heavy brain fog, dizziness, and other cognitive/neurological problems.

Many PWME have problems in hot showers and hot weather for this reason. Cool/cold showers might help in some cases.

You might want to be tested for orthostatic intolerance. If you haven't read this article here at PR about OI, you might want to give it a glance and perhaps try the Simple Test for Orthostatic Intolerance in that article.

 

[taniaaust1]

I frequently get acute heavy brain fog (a really heavy feeling in the head that makes me almost feel dizzy/disoriented) that can last for 30 minutes or more. I notice that when I take a shower I usually feel better. I often get it when I'm in a hot car. When I walk into a cold building I get so much relief.

Anyone else experience something similar? Any theories on why this could be?

You described low blood volume issues and you probably have orthostatic intollerance too of some kind eg POTS, you need tilt table testing or at least a poor mans test done in your doctors clinic. The heat affects these issues and gives brain fog, heavy feeling in head.. I call it head pressure, dizzyness and feeling disoriented which last a short time or more. (its different to usual ME crashes as this kind of thing only lasts a shorter time with the episodes which usually clear up as soon as one gets cool esp if laying in a cool spot

This at least is one of the more treatable ME symptoms.

I assume you were talking about taking a shower to "cool" down.. as warmer showers are bad for this.

Consider getting yourself a "cool vest" to wear.. and drink more and have more salt to try to raise your blood volume up more.