It creeps in when you're not watching. It makes you forget what you came into this room for. It makes it impossible to do math in your head. It's...Fibro Fog! (Cue horror movie scream.)
I'm sure there's some sort of medical term for it but we FibroMIGHTS call it Fibro Fog and it sucks. It's the symptom that makes us look like total space cadets or incoherent idiots. FF is pretty much exactly like it sounds; our brains feel foggy, misted over with confusion. We can be easily distracted and very forgetful. It's the symptom that is making it hard for me to write this post right now! Everything around me is grabbing my attention and I'm finding it difficult to focus on typing and coming up with words. I also have a stiff back and a crick in my neck, which only adds to the distraction factor.
I don't know what causes FF but there's no denying it. I actually felt very relieved when I found out that it's a normal fibro symptom. I was honestly a little worried about myself when the fog began. Having a total lack of concentration and difficulty remembering basic vocabulary can be disconcerting. There were times when I would walk into a room to talk to a staff member, forget entirely my reason for being there, give up, and walk away. My husband finds it irritating when I space out during a conversation or lose my train of thought mid-sentence. I really can't help it but that doesn't make it less frustrating.
Sometimes the results of my FF can be hilarious...for others. A verbal pause in the middle of a sentence that entirely changes its meaning, for example. Merciless coworkers are still teasing me about one such slip. I find, once again, that a sense of humor is the only way to deal with it. Being able to laugh at myself makes it easier to cope, for the most part. Sometimes the fog is so thick I just want to give up on the day and hide in my room with a book, which I may or may not be able to read at that point. Those down times are okay, as long as I don't let myself wallow in them. FF comes and goes so I try to go with the flow and do the best I can given the circumstances of each day.
Gentle hugs, FibroMIGHTS!
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