Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Brain Fog: Menopausal or Otherwise


I have been such an erratic blogger lately. I'm not sure what is up with that. I know I haven't been sleeping real well for the last couple of weeks because of upper back pain issues. So the time that I usually blog which is early in the a.m., has found me with literal brain fog. I can't think of a thing to blog about, well not anything that would even seem fairly interesting. I tried switching it up and blogging in the evening but that hasn't met with any better results because I'm just so tired my brain is on slow speed by that time. My days are so busy with the dayhome kids and then everything my own growing teenage/adult children are up to that not much brain space is left. Add to that responsibilities I take on at church. Well. I'm surprised I remember to put my mascara on in the morning. Oh yeah, I've missed that on occasion to. Or maybe it's menopausal brain fog. Don't laugh. It's not an excuse. It was actually on the news a couple weeks ago in their health report. And it's real, people! I am living proof.

For example, I leave one room to get something from somewhere else in the house and by the time I arrive there I have forgotten what I went for. My house is not that big! It takes all of 5 seconds to get from one place to another. So frustrating.

Another example: names disappear right out of my brain when I need them. This doesn't mean I can't remember someone's name whom I've just been introduced to. No, it's names of people I've known for years and sometimes see very often. It somehow just turns to nothingness when I need to recall it. When I'm introducing a new dayhome parent to one I've had for years, or someone I know at church to somebody new. So embarrassing.

And again: When I'm talking to hubby or the kids, I'll be telling them something and mid sentence I'll forget what on earth my point was. These little lapses make my otherwise detail oriented personality very upset. And it makes them look at me very strangely. My wonderful detail laden stories now have a split second hole in them. So maddening.

They said on the news that this lasts up to 5 years. 5 YEARS! So that would make sometime around 2014-15. That's a long time to wait for my witty repertoire (yeah right) to return to it's former glory days here on ye ole blog. So be the excuse lack of sleep, overbusyness or menopausal, guess I better start carry a notepad around and jotting ideas down as soon as I have them rather than waiting for an official blogging time. But then, with the way it's been, I'll probably forget where I put the darn notepad down last. Sigh.

15 comments:

Linda said...

I am so there with you Susanne - and immensely comforted to know is isn't just me!
I take great comfort in hearing my 31 year old daughter say the same thing happens to her. We're choosing to blame it on having far too much to process - lives that are far too busy. It works for us!!

ellen b. said...

I heard someone call it mentalpause yesterday. Oh yes...I feel your pain. The notebook is a real good idea if you remember to carry it with you :0)

Mary said...

I'm so glad there's a name for it! Glad I'm not the only one!

Hollace said...

Honestly, I have to laugh because I am so much like your description. I can start a sentence to my husband, "The thing is,..." and forget right in the middle of the sentence what I was going to say. I hope it comes back. I asked my doctor if I have early onset Alzheimer's and she said "No". I know some of it is being over-busy and having too much to think about. Good luck with that!

Anonymous said...

Sorry, this made me chuckle...and have this to say....You Are NOT alone...
~~HUGS~~

Tina Leigh said...

Some days are worse than others for me. My mom and I have been talking about theses same issues.......wait...what were we talking about aagian?? Just kidding....but it is a pain and add the oddness of working night shift!!! Sometimes I catch myself in a stare...until my coffee kicks in.

Islandsparrow said...

I'm with you Susanne - and relieved to hear it's menopausal and not old age :)

Brenda said...

At least you know it could get better, lol. Maybe you are just too tired from sleeping with pain, or taking a medication that affects you.

Just keep doing Fridays and we'll stay with you!

Donnetta said...

I can relate and it seems to be worse lately as well.

I'm going with the lack of sleep theory as I would hate to think I was menopausal already.

But then I did recently learn from my doc that I am experiencing some pre-menopausal symptoms. *sigh*

Even so... I'm sticking with the lack of sleep theory. :-)

BARBIE said...

I can so relate. I started early menopause at the age of 37 after my last child was born. I am no 44, and well, it's still going. I haven't had a cycle for four months I always forget what I am doing in the rooms I walk into. All I want to do is eat, sleep and be grumpy some days. I hope my menopausal days are coming to an end.

Faith said...

lol...i am SOOOO there, Susanne! I know it's menopausal because so many of my friends my age (50) are experiencing the same thing...AND I found out from my ob/gyn that joint pain is often associated with menopause...maybe that's why your upper back is bothering you? for me it's the knees and shoulders...
hang in there...i also have to make lists otherwise....yikes!!

Barbara H. said...

I know what you mean. I hate when I am saying something and forget why I started down that path.

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

I was planning to leave a comment, but...

what was I saying? :0)

Karen said...

I'm right there with you, and by the looks of your comments, we're in good company, Sarah -- er, Sally, -- uh, Susanne!

Michelle said...

I know exactly what you are talking about, sometimes I even forget how to spell a simple word like "why" or something like that. 5 years, oh that cannot be possible, my family and I are in serious trouble