what actually causes brain fog?
 

after all these years and way too much of it I still don't know the cause. I tested my typing speed with and without brain fog and it was the same. I thought brain fog would affect it. looked online but could not find answers.

Apparently, your brain fog is not influencing your muscle memory. Different parts of the brain are involved in each task.

Mine seems to be caused by an increase in HR and BP... I wonder if it does not have to do with an increase in intracranial hypertension

Yes, I do feel a little out of it, but I can still do certain things fast. The key difference is that the experience is not as vivid and I almost feel like I am not in control.

I read that pulsatile tinnitus can be a symptom of intracranial hypertension but I do not have any of the other symptoms and have no desire for a spinal tap.
This may sound crazy but when my brain fog/irritation calms down, I can feel three stabbing spots on different areas of the head where the irritation seems to originate from.

Doesn't sound crazy.. same thing happens to me and gets worse with more pressure... the only thing so far that relieves pressure is alcohol and is cheaper than any med i have tried for sure.. .however, i have succumbed to the idea of a lumbar puncture... you may seriously want to consider especially if you have papledemia...

I am going to see that young neuro that I like and see what he has to say. if it's necessary I will get it.

Hey Mark :)
 

I thought it was my brain injury that caused it, however I think nutrition and sleep are factors as well. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and was advised to lose weight. A good night's sleep meant a world of difference for me, but changing my diet was also effective with helping my alertness. I cut out grains (mostly wheat) and began eating more fresh vegetables and fruit and lost over 20 pounds.

My understanding of vitamin therapy/rehab for brain injury is that it gives the injured brain a boost to help it work more efficiently. I believe that the fruit and veggies helps with that as well, and in fact my whole body is improved since changing my diet.

To summarize, the vitamin super charge combined with a diet change and good sleep has helped TREMENDOUSLY. I am working in a daily exercise routine as well which should add to the benefits along with meditation.

Vitamin regimen, a healthy diet, exercise and sleep.

I think that determining the cause is certainly useful, and helpful, but I'm good with whatever works. The bottom line is that the fog has gone because I'm getting a better quality sleep, have a greatly improved diet and the vitamin boost is great. My new body is a bonus!

Jamie :-)

Lack of good sleep will make anyone have brain fog.
The nights I have little sleep are a predictor for days of bad vertigo.
Go figure.

It's funny though. The FDA came out and said supplements neither cure nor aid a head injury. I think you got better sleep because you were healing. In all my prior brain injuries I did nothing supportive and got better. and feeding all the nutrients in the world to a severely damaged brain injury patient probably wouldn't make much of a difference. I think it makes us feel to good to think we have some control. I have a closet full of supplements from seven years and never felt a difference.

My point is simply that we must take care of ourselves: good sleep and good nutrition are most important, regardless of the severity of our injuries. I very nearly died and was not expected to live, so if that is not severe I don't know what is.

However, I was not always overweight and I have had the brain fog since 1972. My sleep issues were not related to head injury and very much related to being overweight, which appears to have increased the brain fog. Thankfully, that is not the case any more.

I wonder about what the FDA says: are they in bed with big pharma?

The supplements give me a great deal of relief and I suspect that may help others as well. I do not suggest that it is a cure all, only that I have found relief after 40 years and it works.

Your post may be discouraging to others, but any glimmer of hope should be shared, that's my feeling.

Jamie

The MS community has been using various nutritional supplements for years, to aid in remyelination of damaged nerve axons with some success.

Also nutrients that support mitochondrial activity in damaged cells can help with nerve damage, and many with peripheral neuropathies benefit. Terry Wahls MD improved her MS with just food --and wrote a book about it--Minding your Mitochondria. She has a TED lecture online.

The FDA requires studies to allow ADVERTISING of OTC products including nutrients however. A good example is SAMe which is allowed to put on its label, that it aids in 3 ways for healing. (joint, liver and mood). There were many studies in Europe with SAMe before it came here. Salonpas arthritis strength patches also got a nod to allow on their label that they work for pain. Nutrients however in US do not need studies to be available for sale. They just cannot advertise what they are intended to treat, on the labeling, and cannot claim "cures".

Nutrients usually do not have the backing of $$ to provide studies however. But some doctors still use and recommend them. Dr. Blaylock MD has used supplements in his practice for many years (he is a retired neurosurgeon). He has a website and newsletter with his recommendations.

When there is any nerve damage however the use of the word "cure" is inaccurate IMO. We can improve but I think cure is out of reach. And certainly the drugs given by RX do not provide any potential for healing at all. They are only symptomatic relief.

And there are some drugs that actually BLOCK healing or remyelination of nerves. Statins used for cholesterol have been shown to actually damage and kill nerve cells. There are photomicrographs now published about this damage and articles like this one.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671276/

Doctors Terry Wahls and and William Davis (http://www.wheatbellyblog.com/ are the reason I was able to lose weight. It took about a year to shed the pounds but I noticed the mental benefits kicked in very quickly. Thank you to those doctors for their bravery in stepping out of the box to promote good health and healthy eating.

the supplement business is a multi billion dollar industry. those with brain injuries need to be careful of their advertisements. also, the eternacept injections in florida. the hbot industry. people get desperate and spend money, a lot of money on unproven methods.
I never said don't eat well. I'm sorry you were so touchy, didn't mean to offend. whatever works for you, great.

What's that old saying? "the proof of the pudding is in the eating".

Meaning we can only judge something if we try it and experience it for ourselves.

Talking supplements isn't a control issue for me. Sure I feel better now my B12 is higher. I feel better when I take my anti- anxiety supplements, but they don't help me because I feel I have some control. If they didn't make me feel physically better why would I take them? :confused:

You take a number of various medications. Do they help you? Are they proven to help you?

btw I didn't read Jamie's post as "touchy".

MarkNeil said
"The FDA came out and said supplements neither cure nor aid a head injury."

The FDA has never researched supplements. They rely on private parties to research supplements. Since no such research has been done, they feel they can say that. Plus, the FDA is STRONGLY influenced by Big Pharma. As I say, The FDA is the best government administration government can buy.

" I think you got better sleep because you were healing. In all my prior brain injuries I did nothing supportive and got better. and feeding all the nutrients in the world to a severely damaged brain injury patient probably wouldn't make much of a difference. "

Supplements may not reverse brain damage but they do allow a damaged brain to perform at an optimum level for that damaged brain. They also assist with any healing that may be possible. Just as a cast does not cause healing of a broken bone. The cast just creates a condition where the body's healing mechanism can perform best.

"I think it makes us feel to good to think we have some control. I have a closet full of supplements from seven years and never felt a difference. "

I don't feel the difference as much as my wife observes a difference. She can tell when I have missed a few days of my regimen. Now, she never lets me go more than a day without taking my regimen.

Supplements are not a 'take this and you will feel better tomorrow'. Often, the changes are very slow over an extended period of time.

In my experience, the improvements come slow but the relapses onset faster.

Lara, you've read my posts. you should know that I've come out and said getting hooked on pres. pills at 15 as a cure all was a disaster. and you know the maoi was my downfall, followed by the oxy's and subs. I need no reminder what a waste pres. pills mostly are.

that's why I have stopped taking dexilant, flexeril, simvastatin, gabapentin and losartan. Big pharma has made a fool of me enough.

Mark In Idaho, you are right. I'm impatient and have never really followed through very long on a vitamin/supplement regimen. For some reason, they destroy my stomach and I am forced to stop. I will continue the turmeric and the B's.

No amount of supplements or vitamins are going to fix men's problems, sleep disorders, pain, the biggest issues I have after seven years.

Literature does indicate they are very helpful the first five weeks of concussion.

I was just stating the truth that I rebounded from all of my prior injuries with NO changes in lifestyle. Perhaps supplements and vitamins would have sped it up. I don't know. It seems though that my brain pre injury worked fine without any special diet or vitamins.I guess post injury it is different.

If "touchy" was a bad word to use, I apologize to any sensitive members.

It would have been nice if rickybobby had posted again after his etarnacept injections.

I didn't say "touchy" was a bad word to use. :confused:
What I said was that I didn't read Jamie's post as being touchy as you suggested. I wasn't being snarky btw.

I figured we were talking about brain fog and bad days and how we try to fix it.
Sleep helps me. I figure if I can improve certain nutrients that are lacking in my physical being then I can help my mind become less stressed and then I can maybe have those good days where it's easier to walk around than the others.

I was also just pointing out that it's a bit of a seesaw with the supplements vs medications argument and that for me - Lara - if something helps (whether that is short term or long term) it's enough proof for me to continue using it.

We don't necessarily need double blind clinical trial type proof, as far as I'm concerned, to know if something helps or improves each individual.

:)

mark,

It appears you are stuck with the research/literature. I choose to use the personal empirical method to determine if supplements help.

When I read the various studies published, I find there are very important issues hidden in the details. Rarely can a study be taken at face value. There is usually an agenda being pursued.

The complaints you have may not be treatable. Or, they may need you to be more disciplined in your daily life before you see an improvement. Some times, we just have to learn to accept these symptoms.

It is easy to understand how a uninjured brain works fine without supplements. The injured brain has different needs. It is under a different stress load.

When you have had your weight under control for 6 months, have been eating a healthy diet and stayed with a good supplement regimen for the same period, you can then say whether these things help you. Until then, you are just relying on weak evidence. I know how difficult it is to be disciplined, especially when depression and discomfort are the controlling factors of each day.

I just cant seem to accept what happened. I hope everyone makes improvements and feels better.

I know how difficult it is to be disciplined, especially when depression and discomfort are the controlling factors of each day.

Mark, you really understand this injury. Depression and discomfort are brutal. My weight went below 350 but eating less, not eating well. There's a difference,

I feel like a little kid who wants to hold his breath until this goes away.

I HATE that it has made me afraid. I was almost NEVER afraid of anything that I can remember. Boxing was a piece of cake compared to this.

Must start Eating well, losing much more weight, taking the supplements, praying and trying to stay positive and keep a little busy.

It's a lonely injury.