Oh...whew!  I misunderstood.


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I accidentally say things like "Jelly Bean" when I mean "Lady Bug." I do that pretty often.  I have, several times, referred to "vitamins" as "batteries"  and I understand why my mind gets those  two confused, but last week, I said "I have to go take my diapers." THAT one was scary. I had been out to buy my son diapers several hours before I was going to take my vitamins. VITAMINS, I tell you! They're called VITAMINS!!!!  

Thanks to all who have posted here on this subject! When I first saw this topic a couple of months ago, I was able to relate to that feeling right away and it made me suspect that my feeling was a result of sleep apnea. I just couldn't pin down the exact cause of my problem. Ironically, none of the sources I've looked at thus far which list the symptoms of sleep apnea specifically mention brain fog. They repeatedly list broad symptoms like day time sleepiness, fatigue, etc. and I never really felt that way.

Since Feb., I've been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea and I'm waiting to get my CPAP machine. In the meantime, I'm sleeping on my side and that's helping somewhat. I'm now coming out of the fog and looking forward to better days ahead.

For the most part, I was thinking that I was just not a day time person, but I see what was happening now. I was waking up feeling foggy and then I would have all day long to catch up on my oxygen intake, and that's the reason I felt so much better in the evenings. It's making sense now. I just wish my family doctor had suspected sleep apnea when we discussed my "spacy" feeling. Instead, she gave me Zoloft.

Wow, can I relate to this topic.  I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea.  I don't snore, I'm in the middle of average weight, my neck is thin, and I'm a woman, so no one, including me, thought I had this, except one doctor (bless him).  I did ask for a sleep study a few years ago because I was tired and had high blood pressure, but that (normally good) doctor just poo-pooed it.  Since the diagnosis, I've been noticing how many things are likely related, and a main one seemed to be both brain fog and hyperfocusing to stay awake.  It's a relief to hear others talk about this.

Last night I had my sleep study.  I spent about 5 hours on the CPAP.  For the first night, it wasn't too bad getting used to.  This morning I was a little tired, but the brain fog was significantly better.  I went to the store this afternoon and stood there and remembered 15 things I needed.  This is very unusual.  I usually can only remember 1 or 2.  When I try to make a list I cannot remember enough of the things to make a list, either.  Well, today I stood there in the store and made a list.  WOW!

I'm very eager to get the CPAP.  I want to see what it's like to live life without the brain fog!

I would add to this that I felt and described it as "brain tired".  My body was not physically tired but my brain was tired.  It just wanted to sleep.  Once using the machine ... it immediately went away

grim wrote:

I would add to this that I felt and described it as "brain tired".  My body was not physically tired but my brain was tired.  It just wanted to sleep.  Once using the machine ... it immediately went away

I probably used the term "brain dead" most days for many years.  When someone asked how I was at the end of the day, after work, I'd just say "brain dead."  I figured everyone felt that way.

I kept using the term "cloudy"  to describe it, so once I saw the term "foggy," I knew right away what someone was describing. I also kept comparing myself to a zombie. Though I was able to get about physically, I was rather lifeless inside and my mind and body weren't in sync. with each other. It's rather difficult to make someone else understand what this feeling is like unless they have experienced something similar. It often felt eerie doing normal things, like walking down the street, sitting in a restaurant, and even walking along the beach.  I sometimes felt like an outsider/alien. So it really was a major task going on long trip when I had this feeling and trying to get through it sanely. I just couldn't function too well and I think perhaps it was rather similar to having mental problems, at least temporarily.  At any rate, the experience has made me more empathetic towards others with health issues.

For years I thought I had derealization because I never felt quite present or alive. It was like I was watching life rather than participating in it. I learned how to hide my memory problems in conversations by asking people questions about upcoming things because I couldn't remember anything we had previously talked about. This is what  brain fog was for me. I realize now this was a symptom of severe sleep deprivation caused by apnea. I agree that it should be included on sleep apnea symptoms lists.

I'm so glad I now found a term to sum up how I feel every day, hour by hour.  I've postpone looking for a better higher paying job, but fearing the higher stress and focus needed for more responsibility that I might get fire.  Angry and completed frustrated how these sleep test are dragging on, mostly because of the wait time between each booking.  It's been a year since I started the test, at first, mild, then I was diagnose with moderate, and I'm still waiting for the next test, because I was sent to a more advance facility.  The problem, is my situation is quite different than a lot of sleep apnea case, which by I have a nasal inflamation on the right side of my nasal passage, in addition to the collapse of my throat.  My next test is May 29, and crossing my finger.

If I could just mention to everyone "brain fog", and everyone would required no explanation, that be really great.  Unfortunately, most people can't comprehend or relate to my extreme lack of sleep even if I explain to them.  It's costing me my social life, intimate life, sex life, family life, and my career pursuit.

Brain fog is a really good name for all of those symptoms.  I just finished my master's degree in one year with tremendous brain fog. I would ask the stupidest questions during class!  My bi-pap has not cured my brain fog yet, but I keep using it every night, all night.  It is nice to hear from some of you that it will help eventually.

Troppo,

Same feelings too. I wasn't actively participating in life but it was like I was watching in from outside my body. Like with some job interviews I've had, I was sitting there and I was watching myself being interviewed.  How eerie that felt! I've had a lot of problems doing well with job interviews and have been attributing it to anxiety. I'll never really know the extent of how this has impacted my career advancement and relationships.

I just recently started feeling like this....it's been a week now and when I try to describe it to myself or others I used the terms cloudy, out of it, foggy....like the feeling i got when i slept too much and felt disoriented and took a few hours to snap out of it....its like feeling like that.....but i dont snap out of it this time.....or even like after a hangover...i just feel out of it.. i find i have to think alot about things or even things i just read or wrote....even as im writing this....i dont know where it came from but it just happened....and i thought i was going insane.....if this really is what u call brain fog then i am so happy that others have experienced this as well and im not alone.....

I didnt find however that this morning i woke up and my mind was finally clear...i had my daily coffee in the morning then right after that i went right back to feeling foggy.....it took about 4 hours(right after i ate lunch) to snap back out of it but now its been back and its quite scary....Im not sure really why I got this or where it came from.......
i do get stressed out easily, and i do get very depressed after a night of drinking and im a highly sensitive person.....if anyone has any answers or guidance i would really really appreciate it......

I can say however that it started right after a night of drinking.......the 2 weeks before i went out and drank i was so caught up in my side business ontop of my fulltime job that i couldnt keep up and i was a little stressed and overwhelmed...i decided to go out and drink one night and the next mornng as usual i was hungover, alittle depressed...then later that night i had a panic attack....got about 4 hours of sleep and have been feeling like this since......

thanks so much for reading....i welcome any comments.....
p.s hope this all made sense.....

emery54 wrote:

I just recently started feeling like this....it's been a week now and when I try to describe it to myself or others I used the terms cloudy, out of it, foggy....like the feeling i got when i slept too much and felt disoriented and took a few hours to snap out of it....its like feeling like that.....but i dont snap out of it this time.....or even like after a hangover...i just feel out of it.. i find i have to think alot about things or even things i just read or wrote....even as im writing this....i dont know where it came from but it just happened....and i thought i was going insane.....if this really is what u call brain fog then i am so happy that others have experienced this as well and im not alone.....

I didnt find however that this morning i woke up and my mind was finally clear...i had my daily coffee in the morning then right after that i went right back to feeling foggy.....it took about 4 hours(right after i ate lunch) to snap back out of it but now its been back and its quite scary....Im not sure really why I got this or where it came from.......
i do get stressed out easily, and i do get very depressed after a night of drinking and im a highly sensitive person.....if anyone has any answers or guidance i would really really appreciate it......

I can say however that it started right after a night of drinking.......the 2 weeks before i went out and drank i was so caught up in my side business ontop of my fulltime job that i couldnt keep up and i was a little stressed and overwhelmed...i decided to go out and drink one night and the next mornng as usual i was hungover, alittle depressed...then later that night i had a panic attack....got about 4 hours of sleep and have been feeling like this since......

thanks so much for reading....i welcome any comments.....
p.s hope this all made sense.....

Wait, have you already been diagnosed with apnea and are getting treatment and still feel this way?

PS When I say "brain fog," I mean it feels like my brain is filled with fog ... thinking about things is like trying to drive with limited visibility ... it feels heavy ... that sort of thing.


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No i havent been diagnosed with anything yet....i havent even made it in to the doctors cause i cant get in right now......

Yeah, I had all of those feelings due to my brain fog. It made me feel like I was walking around like a zombie and just not all there. It can really make you feel like you're about to lose your mind! I just wish my family doctor had suspected it when I described my cloudy feelings.

I strongly suspect you have sleep apnea if you have some of the other associated conditions: snoring, being overweight, over 40.  You need to see a doctor asap. Until then, force yourself to sleep on your side.  Try this and let us know if it helps any. That helped me while I was waiting on my CPAP. I slept on my side and elevated my head on two queen size pillows.