I would like to hear from those that experience severe "brain fog".
First, I think brain fog does not describe what I experience. I have severe memory loss and cognitive problems. I recently watched a movie that showed a women with early onset alzheimer's, it resembles what I experience.
Which types of meds have helped you? Anti-malarials, specific antibiotics etc..
I have been trying to do this all naturally, but I'm afraid I'll need a bit of help. Anti-malarials seemed to help most in the past.
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
I have found toxicity to cause this, so it could be any of the infections.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- And, with toxicity, there is inflammation.
Antioxidants are the number one helper to calm inflammation.
Of course, with a LL doctor, trying to figure out, and directly address infections is important but the commonality to all this is toxicity / inflammation and the typical liver & kidney supports are a good place to begin.
FISH OIL helps lessen inflammation and is often reported to help with brain function.
Vegetables & Fruits of the brightest & deepest colors tend to have the highest levels of antioxidants. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- VINPOCETINE is a very nice helper for the brain, some say. And for the ears.
Vestibular involvement can also be a huge factor in brain fog. Even the slightest dizziness or balance upset can make it very hard to think and concentrate.
Add to that the ototoxicity of many Rx and of lyme, TBD, themselves. So the kinds of antioxidants that also really help the ears are super important. Vinpocetine is top of that list.
. . . In a study published last year, researchers found that both nocturnal and daytime sleeping improved memory consolidation . . . .
Another study, conducted at the Beijing University of Technology, examined the effect of napping on athletes after training.
It found that naps could improve brain function and visual systems, and promote physical and mental recovery – a result that is in line with earlier research demonstrating that napping can facilitate motor memory consolidation. . . .
. . . “So if you’re looking for a restorative nap, you should sleep later in the day when you have an increased amount of slow wave sleep,” says Mednick,
“And if you’re looking for a nap that might aid your creativity, you should sleep earlier in the day when you experience more REM.” . . . . -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Haley,
You say that you "are trying to do this all naturally" - not sure what your direct anti-infective method is just be sure there is something (combination approach) that is direct, not just supportive. Just support will not be enough.
If you do not have access to a LL ND, you can find all kinds of articles and books here:
How to find an ILADS-educated LL ND (Naturopathic Doctor); Etc. -
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
When I had undiagnosed lyme, I once told my gyn that I believed I was getting Alzheimer's. (I was 47 at the time.)
She just laughed at me, but I was serious.
Eventually I found out I had lyme, babesiosis, and bartonella. I also had a brain scan and found I had 2 UBOs (unidentified bright objects) in my brain.
I believe that lyme caused my brain malfunction because once I got to a good lyme doctor and got good treatment for lyme, it began to reverse along with a lot of my other symptoms.
I have been free of these diseases for 10 years now. Recently, I had a brain MRI. There were no abnormalities found. So, my UBOs are gone. I have my normal brain back. It is wonderful. I have my normal life back.
I give all the credit to the Burrascano lyme treatment protocol which is what my final lyme doctor used to cure me.
I had undiagnosed lyme disease for at least 10 years, but still I got well. My treatment took 13 months and I was symptom-free after 8.
For lyme, I was given high-dose amoxicillin with probinecid and flagyl. For babesiosis, I was given Bactrim DS and I pulsed artemesinin.
Everyone is different. It is the brain inflammation that causes our brain problems. Inflammation cuts off the blood flow through the arteries feeding the brain. UBOs are believed to be areas of hypo (low) perfusion. So, likely, if you get good treatment for all of your tick-borne diseases, your inflammation will go down, blood flow to your brain will return to normal, and your brain function will return to normal.
I have had friends who had horrendous brain problems from lyme and still they regained their normal brain function once treated with the Burrascano protocol. The one I am thinking about believes she was born with lyme diagnosed as fibromyalgia. She got treated at age 50 and at that time had already given up her professional job due to brain fog and was about to be fired as a bank teller all due to lyme.
Her doctor got her a 3 month medical leave and she used that 3 months to treat her lyme disease. She was so improved mentally over that time that she was able to return to work and remember how to properly do her job.
She continued her lyme and coinfection treatment until she was cured.
You never met a happier woman than this woman who had basically given up hope of being her intelligent self again. Praise God!
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
I have had severe brain fog and cognitive difficulties. Years ago, Mino cleared both of those problems away very rapidly. This time, I'm using herbal remedies. Stephen Buhner's books on Lyme and his books on coinfections are great. This time, NOW Cats Claw Extract healed my brain fog and cognitive problems. I use the NOW Cats Claw that is concentrated 10:1 and gives you 1.5% standardized extract (1.5% Total Oxindole Alkaloids). Everyone's different. That's what works for me.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Neurotoxins for sure.
I don't think the actual bacteria are the cause, I think it is the toxins they produce, and also broken detox pathways we develop or are born with.
In the order that helped me:
1) Detoxing neurotoxins with chlorella and activated charcoal 2) Byron White's NT-Detox. There is also a BT-Detox that works great also.
3) Mycotoxins. From mold, such as black mold and also candida. These can be bound to certain binders and pooped out.
4) Chlamydia Pneumonia.
5) In no particular order, the toxins produces by, and also from die-off, Lyme, bartonella, babesia, and Viruses.
Just my own personal experience
Posted by S13 (Member # 42830) on :
One possible source are neurotoxins from bad GI flora. Bacteria/protozoa/fungi/parasites.
For people who have this detoxing can help a bit, but restoring gut flora is probably more helpful in the long term. Sadly, there is no one easy quick way to restore gut flora.
Abx can sometimes help in the short term (if bad gut bacteria are the source of toxins) but can also be counter productive, and in the long term they dont restore the balance of the flora.
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
Thanks for the feedback guys. I will look into all of those things. I'm sure I do have neurotoxins too, but mine is due to infection. I know this because of the way it responds to medicine. Of course, I don't want to be on medicine the rest of my life.
I have a good protocol for keeping the gut healthy, I usually can tell if my brain is foggy due to gut issues.
My issue goes way beyond fog, it is severe cognitive deficit.
Posted by bitbit99 (Member # 43654) on :
I don't say this for everyone but myself I have lost at least 40 percent of my cognative ability.
I was a sharp guy , read contracts etc no problem.
My dr did test about 6 yrs ago and showed either grey matter or white matter decrease.... I cant even remember.
It was some sort of brain swelling or brain shrinkage... it showed up on ct scan or whatever.
I laid in bed for a year sweating... I would change my t shirt 3 times a night.... my bed was soaked.
Thank goodness my body knew enough to sweat or I would be a vegetable,,, (not far off some days)
I just have to live this way now... I don't really think for me there is much hope and think damage is permenant.
On A good note.... I think that maybe my life at the time was not going the right way and I had to be forced into a better way of thinking and living.
if ya get what I mean.... Thanks for having me around :0
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
I think it's a combination of things. Neurotoxins for one. As for infections, I think bartonella is a big one. Because my cognitive symptoms improve the most when I'm taking meds that hit Bart.
Posted by CD57 (Member # 11749) on :
Haley, how is the mHBOT helping your brain?
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
Bitbit have you treated Babesia?
CD57 - there have been times that I felt the oxygen was helping ... I'm sure it has, but I think I'm going to need something additional. I will lose my job if I continue like this.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Bitbit, you said you sweated and soaked your shirt at night - that sounds like babesia.
I have Lyme disease only and I've been able to treat my brain. I've been having a measurable brain change throughout treatment time. My prolactin level was at 220, supposed to be 20, I underwent brain surgery, no pituitary tumor was found, I was declared a medical mystery 6 years into having unknown Lyme disease.
When I got diagnosed, 25 years later, I started on antibiotics and natural anti-inflams. I started getting blood tests done, I think 2 years later after starting treatment, and the prolactin level had dropped to 150. And continually dropping, now in the 40s. Getting close to normal.
I tell you this story to say you can treat your brain. My abx were 150mg clindamycin a couple times a day for 5 years, mangosteen juice, noni juice and grapeseed extract capsules, and turmeric.
The count is dropping even though I am not on abx anymore. I am allergic to most abx, so I treat naturally with anti-inflams. They are working to continually drop the count!
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
Robin - wow that is a high Prolactin level! Mine has always been high but is now normal. I wonder why Lyme causes high prolactin. I wonder if that may be a clue as to which infection is predominant.
Posted by LisaK (Member # 41384) on :
I never really understood the use of that word 'fog' . maybe I never had it then that bad, but I do get brain BLANKS. and brain skips and brain pain. haha.
I have lyme alzheimers , pretty much. trying to keep it at bay and while I am not the best patient I am trying my best.
I think whatever you can do to help the memory or the fuzzy 'drunky' kind of brain sx, the better.
"The results of our study show that arginase and diamine oxidase were decreased in animals treated with caffeine. The level of lipid peroxidation (MDA) was decreased also.
The inhibitory effect of caffeine on arginase activity indicates that caffeine provides more arginine for consumption in other metabolic pathways. Considering the central stimulant effects of caffeine and the decreased lipid peroxidation level, it can be assumed that moderate short-term consumption of caffeine may be beneficial for brain function."
I am really sensative to stimulants so I have to be really in tune with myself to know what days I can handle extra caffiene or not. but I deffinitely see a huge improvement when I drink coffee! green tea can also help , but coffee seems to really do the job for me.
another thing I recently did that made me feel a lot sharper/smarter again was a month long gentle homeopathic cleanse. it is BodyAnew Cleanse. you can get the multipack to kit several areas of the body, or order just the brain/mind one if you want. Vitacost has the best prices.
I hope you al lget some relief. this really sticnks, especially if you feel stupider than you used to!!