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Cognitive Issues

Messages
92
Location
North Carolina
Has anyone found any supplements or medications that have worked to improve brain fog or concentration?

My brain makes me feel like I am living in a very dense fog, and I often find myself staring out the window like a zombie. In fact, although I still have steady GI issues, widespread pain, and exhaustion, I seem to be more frustrated by my cognitive issues. I feel that if I could make some improvements there, I would enhance my quality of life.
 
Messages
48
Location
Somerset, UK
A ketogenic diet definitely helped me the most for cognitive issues. I know it doesn't suit everyone though. Haven't noticed any significant/sustainable effect of supplements so far.
 

xebex

Senior Member
Messages
840
Dopamine enhancing drugs seem to be the only ones that can take me out of the zombie-like attitude these days....:pem:

Problem : it increases heart rate
I do have success with other things but ritalin is helpful on the worst days, but the problem is I can only take it once a week sometimes only 2x a month, what dopamine drugs do you use and do you use it daily?
 

xebex

Senior Member
Messages
840
sugar free and processed food free diet is the main help - LDN helped in the past but i still need to be sugar free, NAC is super helpful for the days when my brain feels utterly gross and toxic, but i don't take it daily as it makes me get asthma.
 
Messages
83
Out of curiosity, have you already tried anything for your cognitive issues? Or have you identified any patterns to these symptoms?

For me, the cognitive issues seem to stem partly from orthostatic intolerance or overdoing it physically. Here are some lifestyle modifications that have helped me:

- Pacing and trying not to overdo things physically.
- Avoiding standing for long periods.
- Proactively resting after exertion (for example, lying on couch with feet up).

My doctor also prescribed me a beta blocker to address the jump in HR I get when going from sitting/lying to standing. In combination with the above changes, this medication also seems to have reduced my brain fog to some degree.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,679
Location
Alberta
Has anyone found any supplements or medications that have worked to improve brain fog or concentration?

Apigenin seemed to reduce my brainfog slightly. Not by much, but enough that I bought more (it's cheap). It stopped having a noticeable effect after the first couple of bottles, so I didn't buy more. Cognitive dysfunction is my worst symptom too. :(
 

Booble

Senior Member
Messages
1,390
Out of curiosity, have you already tried anything for your cognitive issues? Or have you identified any patterns to these symptoms?

For me, the cognitive issues seem to stem partly from orthostatic intolerance or overdoing it physically. Here are some lifestyle modifications that have helped me:

- Pacing and trying not to overdo things physically.
- Avoiding standing for long periods.
- Proactively resting after exertion (for example, lying on couch with feet up).

My doctor also prescribed me a beta blocker to address the jump in HR I get when going from sitting/lying to standing. In combination with the above changes, this medication also seems to have reduced my brain fog to some degree.

All of this!
Plus drinking lots of water.
Dehydration, even a small amount of dehydration, seems to result in brain fog.
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
For me, the cognitive issues seem to stem partly from orthostatic intolerance or overdoing it physically. Here are some lifestyle modifications that have helped me:

- Pacing and trying not to overdo things physically.
- Avoiding standing for long periods.
- Proactively resting after exertion (for example, lying on couch with feet up).

When finally a day comes that I feel less ill, a bit better, the occasional good day- my brain fog might be at minimal levels. So on that rare day, it won't matter- it will last one day, the mere act of thinking...will cause a subsequent crash. I'll inevitable do some small thing, and trigger PEM.

So I crashed pretty big time from one afternoon just lying down on bed- sketching. Another time, just lying on the bed, doing some science thinking. So now Im crashed from- thinking about painting something- just holding the paper and staring at a sketch I already did and thinking about how m ight I approach painting it. Kaboom.

On a day where I actually paint for about 15-20 minutes...maybe 1/2 hour max- crash the next day.

I can watch a little TV it seems without crashing, but reading thinking feeling thinking...very hard.
 

Booble

Senior Member
Messages
1,390
When finally a day comes that I feel less ill, a bit better, the occasional good day- my brain fog might be at minimal levels. So on that rare day, it won't matter- it will last one day, the mere act of thinking...will cause a subsequent crash. I'll inevitable do some small thing, and trigger PEM.

So I crashed pretty big time from one afternoon just lying down on bed- sketching. Another time, just lying on the bed, doing some science thinking. So now Im crashed from- thinking about painting something- just holding the paper and staring at a sketch I already did and thinking about how m ight I approach painting it. Kaboom.

On a day where I actually paint for about 15-20 minutes...maybe 1/2 hour max- crash the next day.

I can watch a little TV it seems without crashing, but reading thinking feeling thinking...very hard.

Oh, boy, sorry, Rufous. That sounds tough. :(
 

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,249
Oh, boy, sorry, Rufous. That sounds tough. :(

Well, my brain did work...for quite a long time..so thats fortunate.

In my case- I strongly suspect I'm dealing with a significant toxin build up and have not been successful at detox and getting it to clear. Thats just in addition to whatever is the more standard litany of reasons we are a mess.

So I get huge amounts of inflammation in my head....from the neck up. My vision is severely blurred and thats tied into the whole thing.