I'm having a hard time describing this to my neurologist. She tells me that the brain fog is just a symptom of my headaches, but I think it's something different, brought on by movement among other things. The fog is a fuzzy state of consciousness where I'm able to go about my day, but in a haze. Other effects are dizziness, nausea, and headaches but generally the pain isn't terrible compared to normal migraines. Another side effect is a sensitive brain, meaning that if I jolt my head around at all, it intensifies all of the above mentioned effects.

This goes back to a concussion from a collision playing sports two years ago. I had headaches and brain fog for three or four months and a host of other symptoms, especially in the month or two immediately after the injury. The next year I was pretty much OK, but then I got another concussion on a much milder incident on the basketball court. Actually, I probably received the concussion but played again the following week not realizing that my light headed state that week was head injury related, especially after not having any major trauma that I could remember that would have caused it.

That led to another few months of dizziness and fog. A few months later I was ok aside from the occasional bad headache, but they generally were quick and sharp and something I could deal with. Driving at night would be an example of when those would kick in.

Another few months pass and then about 5 weeks ago...the brain fog is back. It started with a week or two with the migraine like headaches, but then it happened...the brain fog came back. The only thing I can point to is a return from my vacation for a month to work. Is it possible that simply working and using my brain and handling stress brought on what feel like the beginning symptoms of a concussion again?

The big question is, do you know about the brain fog? It's like I just got another concussion when it kicks in. It can happen drying my hair with a towel after showering. It can happen when driving over a bumpy road. Turning my head too quickly and ever so slightly bumping my head. I feel dizzy, lightheaded, and just fuzzy when I have these symptoms which can last for several hours at a time. Another way to trigger this is to manipulate my eyes, like keeping my head still and watching a finger go past my face each way. Doing this for a few seconds can leave me nauseous and dizzy for the rest of the day.

Back to the original point, the doc says this is just part of my headaches, but it's not like the headaches I also get that are just intense head pain. That pain is terrible, but I can take a sumatripton and that generally helps. At least when I'm feeling those headaches, my head is relatively clear, unlike with the brain fog which feels kind of like the bad end of a hangover.

Doc just put me on Topamax for the headaches. We'll see how that works, but will this have any effect on the fog or will just resting and trying to stay as stable with my head as I can for a long time until it's not quite as sensitive be the only thing I can do?

What about alternative therapies to these brain drugs? Acupunture?