Vertigo and/or brain fog

General
1

I’ve had a horrible time this week with brain fog. I could barely function at work. I had tons of maintenance to complete on the chemistry analyzers and just could not seem to concentrate on what I was doing. I had to pull the manual out and go by the step by step instructions. I still managed to do something wrong because another tech had to fix it. This is not my ‘usual’ area to work in but I have managed to complete the weekly & monthly maint. before without creating a mess. It’s like I can’t fully focus on anything. This is not something that I can deal with while at work. My work requires that I am 100% engaged.

I am really scared that I won’t be able to continue my job if this keeps up. I’m afraid to talk to my boss about it because she really doesn’t understand. I have PsA and fibro.

I was out on fmla several days in Oct due to medications changes and withdrawal symptoms from stopping Cymbalta. Then I went back to work the third week in Oct & managed to break my foot leaving work on 10/26/15. I was out until 12/28/15 for that injury.

I’m having a bad flare with joint pain, shoulders, sternum, elbows, SI joints and my feet again. In addition to the brain fog, today & last night I’m terribly dizzy. I’ve had a sinus infection since returning to work but I went to the doctor and was treated for it. So I don’t know if this is vertigo or part of PsA.

If you have problems with brain fog, how do you deal with it? And what helps?

My husband & I have 2 kiddos in college and I really can’t afford to be off work. I called in today because I just can’t function. I’m scheduled to work Sat & Sun of this weekend and I plan to work and try to deal with my symptoms as best I can. I will be the only tech in the lab so it will be stressful. I hate feeling like I’m letting down my boss and coworkers. We are so short staffed right now. All this stress is definitely wearing on me.

I have a regularly scheduled appt with my rhuemy 1/28. I will be getting a second opinion from a new rhuemy in March. I’m on leflunomide 20 mg daily. I know it’s not working. He only seems concerned about treating my fibro. He never seems concerned about my joint pain, limited and decreasing flexibility or the inflammation in several joints. No imaging ever ordered by him other than an initial chest X-ray 6/2014.

2

I can't help you with a fix for brain fog. The couple times I've had it at work I was so totally confused I just wanted to go home but was afraid to get in my car and drive! Most of the time my "brain fog" is just stumbling on words or being at a loss for words--not sure if that's brain fog or just fatigue.

That's awful about your headaches, too! And, why doesn't your rheumy get you on a biologic like Enbrel or Humira? I don't get why he's ignoring your PsA!

I hope your weekend goes better and you can concentrate at work! Good luck, and I also hope someone can tell us what works to stop their brain fog!

3

Hi, I can totally relate to your brain fog issues, I too have PsA and Fibro and in my case I’m convinced the Fog is worst when my Fibro flares. The only thing I’ve found to help is rest, dropping the stress, adopting mindfulness and mindful meditation. It’s no quick fix, and its hard to start this approach and stick with it. But as with a lot of lifestyle changes it can be really beneficial. One book that’s really helped me is “Mindfulness in Plain English” by Bhante Gunaratana.

The more stressed I would get about working with brain fog and the stress of messing up at work, the worse the fibro and the fog would become, it was a vicious circle. I’ve had to become very focused on what does me good. I’ve become much less critical of myself, I’ve been kind to myself.

I can’t claim to have shown brain fog the door, but I’ve been steadily working at being mindful and using mindful meditation since September (partly why I haven’t been on this site for so long) and I no longer feel myself to be a danger at work on really bad days.