Foggy head bereavement

[toothless]

Hi, I wanted to know if anybody struggles with a foggy head and slow cognitive function because of it?

I will start with a bit of history, I have had mental health issues since I was a teenager and remember having the occasional foggy head then but I was able to do school and work as I got older.

In 2012, pregnant with my fourth child I found out at 20 weeks he was very poorly and after tests he was found to have a terminal condition. This is where all the stress started, I was heart broken. I decided to carry him full term knowing there was a 50% chance of still birth and death during labour, it took it's toll on me emotionally for the next few months I became anxious and with drawn.

Amazingly he was born alive and we had 6 weeks with him which I will never forget, even though he was disabled he wasn't that much different to look after than an ordinary newborn, I loved him and bonded straight away. He was such a calm peaceful baby who slept most of the time, but it was always there the fact he would die and it was hard to bear.

When he died it changed me forever, I felt traumatised, I loved him so much, I just wanted to die, my three other beautiful children kept me going but I suffered badly.

This is where my foggy head came in, I felt completely spaced and like the world wasn't real, I think my brain shut down. After a year I started having panic attacks when I went out and I could only cope with looking after the children and doing the school run, I lost the confidence to drive anywhere but school and anything different like appointments I couldn't deal with, I did go to the doctors who referred me to counselling but I couldn't cope with going.

I also developed health anxiety with my other children. Around this time I also started to become very ill and run down catching lots of colds and had a mini breakdown but I thought I was just physical and was diagnosed with post viral fatigue possible chronic fatigue but looking back my mental health played a massive part.

After a coule of years I started to feel abit better and got a job as a dinner lady at my children's school which gave me confidence but I ended up catching every bug going and had another breakdown both physically and mentally, I develped severe anxiety with severe physical symptoms.

This is where I finally got help, I left work, got counselling and started medication and 8 months on I feel lots better, I have more energy, I've started tai chi and meditation and mindfulness, I enjoy life more. I still pick up bugs alot though and my head is still foggy.

I have even started in a charity shop, I love the stock room but I find the till hard. I find the foggy head makes it's hard for me to concentrate and after being on there for a short time the fogginess is a hundred times worse, it makes me feel frazzled, I feel like I'm straing my brain. I don't notice the fogginess when I'm at home as I can do everything on auto pilot but I am forgetful and absent minded.

Im sorry for the essay but do you think I will always have this fog? I worry I will never be able to do a job which has cognitive aspects, I found the dinner lady job was lots of doing and not much number etc

Does anybody know of anythong to help?

Thanks for reading

[SLA]

Thanks for sharing your story, you've been through a lot.

Brain fog, and having trouble thinking clearly was one of the biggest issues I had with anxiety. I just never felt... here...

Several things helped mine:

Exercising. Particularly cycling. Getting the blood pumping does wonders for brain fog.

The other main thing was changing my diet and going gluten-free. I do not kid you when I say my brain for went within a week, and I have had a clear head, and better energy levels ever since.

It's worth a try.

[toothless]

Hi SLA :),

Thank you for replying, I will give your advice a go. I walk but not enough to get my blood pumping, so that sounds good and I will try the gluten free as I would love the fog to go.

I find I sometimes have a clear head for an hour or so in the evening and I'm so much more alert, it's nice to know it's part of anxiety though I've often wondered if my brains turning to mush.

[NoraB]

Hi SLA :),

Thank you for replying, I will give your advice a go. I walk but not enough to get my blood pumping, so that sounds good and I will try the gluten free as I would love the fog to go.

Hi Toothless, blimey, you've been through a lot. I am so sorry to hear about your little boy. That must have been horrendous.

Regards the brain fog, mine went when I went GF - also the burning mouth syndrome I'd had for about 6 months and the majority of my migraines. It's worth a go.

All the best.

[toothless]

I have never even thought about gluten before, I do eat alot too. What kind of foods do you eat? Are there any books you would recommend?

Thanks x

[SLA]

I eat all the stuff I normally would, but just have to get gluten-free versions.

Some things aren't as good, and some things like pasta are actually better. Gluten-free pasta is so light, and easy on the stomach.

It gets better every week. Super-markets are stocking more stuff every week, and Sainsburys and Tesco in particular have tonnes of stuff. Its coming down in price too.

Don't think I could ever go back. It's just not worth feeling crap for. :D

[toothless]

I will start next week, it's fantastic you've both seen improvements health wise. We have a Sainsbury's near us so next time I go I will take a look. I will let you know how it goes.

:)

[NoraB]

I have never even thought about gluten before, I do eat alot too. What kind of foods do you eat? Are there any books you would recommend?

Thanks x

Some of the bread is a bit blergh but Schar do a nice range and tastes the closest to normal bread imo. McVities do nice GF Hobnobs (inc chocolate) and Nairn do loads of GF crackers as a nice alternative to the bread. Tesco do a good range of GF foods. To be honest, there isn't much you can't get substitute wise and I agree with SLA that the GF pasta is nicer than the normal. I usually chuck a handful in my soups.

Word of warning...

A lot of GF stuff is rice flour based and you need to make sure you are getting enough fiber or you will get constipated, like I did lol. There are plenty of high fiber GF foods but you have to look at the ingredients until you know what's what.

I know when I've eaten something with wheat in it because I feel crap. I loved my bread but it's just not worth feeling like that.

Good luck.:yesyes:

[AntsyVee]

The foggy head, the numbness, the sensation that time has passed and you were on auto-pilot are also all symptoms of PTSD. Like the grief and trauma of losing someone that causes PTSD, it takes time to get rid of.

You are doing the right thing with the therapy, meds, mindfulness, and tai chi.

May I also suggest a book to you? It's called "The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma". Best book out there on PTSD and it explains why we get this stuff like the foggy head when dealing with this stuff.

[toothless]

Thanks for the heads up on the constipation, I will stock up on fruit too, I'm really looking forward to starting on monday.


Thank you for the book recommendation, I will order it, I enjoy reading and it may help me to understand more.

Thanks everyone :)

[SLA]

The 'Genius' range of breads are really good too, although I tend to only really have toast.

One of the best things is the Genius Fruit Loaf. Me and my daughter love that.