r/AskBelgium • u/Mean-Pain-7337 • 5d ago
Problems with brainfog?
Ive been having problems with brain fog, I feel like I now have it permanently or something, just that my thinking goes slowly and I cant focus. Im a student and right now during de blok I really want mental and cognitive clarity and ability at 100%. Its not due to the heatwave because Ive had it for months. And tips about lifestyle habits etc? You can ask and ill answer because I really want to get rid of it
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u/PsychologicalBank343 5d ago
How often have you had covid? It's a well known post-covid symptom.
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u/Mean-Pain-7337 5d ago
I think I had it once back then yeah, but just felt like a cold
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u/PsychologicalBank343 4d ago
The severity of your initial infection does not really mean you cannot get any long covid symptoms, unfortunately. And how sure are you you didn't get any more infections afterwards? Because covid's been going around for years now, any cold you've had the past few years might have been covid...
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u/DukeCabboom 5d ago
It could be stupid from my part but doesn’t hurt asking; you think the vaccine could cause such a thing?
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u/lordnyrox46 5d ago
It can be caused by bad sleep, stress, depression, long COVID, ADHD, vitamin deficiencies, burnout, etc. Do you have any other symptoms like headaches, weakness, memory problems, etc? Either way, you should talk to a professional about it, and they’ll guide you from there.
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u/Troglobitten 5d ago
Ignore all the advice you get on reddit and speak to your doctor. Brainfog is very vague as a symptom and could be related to many different things, from benign to serious.
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u/DukeCabboom 5d ago
What kind of doctor do you recommend? GP (at least mine) seems following a procedure that’s too vague
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u/Troglobitten 4d ago
GP is generally the best aproach yes. If your GP is too vague, you can always tell them your cocnearn and ask for clarity. If they don't or can't do that, then you could always see a different GP. This is an essential part of your rights as a patiënt.
Your GP should essentially be someone you can speak clearly to without shame about your health.
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u/Dizzy_Database_119 5d ago edited 5d ago
Since you're a student and might need immediate relief, try supplementing Omega-3 and Lion's Mane (available on amazon.de). It won't help you find the cause but Lion's Mane can be very effective against brain fog 🤷♀️
I would add basic vitamins too and stop after exams. Finding the missing piece in your diet can be very hard without blood tests
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u/Jolly_Potato 5d ago
I would just go to a doctor, could be an iron deficiency which would be easily diagnosed with a blood test and solved with supplements.
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u/Cisco756124 5d ago
do you snore? ever considered you might have sleep apnea?
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u/Mean-Pain-7337 5d ago
I snore sometimes, my brothers have recorded it haha, dont know what other symptoms would be
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u/Cisco756124 5d ago
that's a good indicator, contact a doctor and ask for a sleep study.
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u/Schniffa 5d ago
If you also feel like you are more tired than you should be through the day, definitely get this checked out. A lot of people live their whole life without knowing and it can do serious harm long term.
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u/DirkjanDeKoekenpan 5d ago
Do you drink alcohol or smoke weed?
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u/Mean-Pain-7337 5d ago
I never smoke weed but yes I drink, maybe every 2 weeks on average(obv not now)
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u/DirkjanDeKoekenpan 5d ago
That shouldnt be enough usage for persistent brain fog imo so we can rule that out.
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u/kurisu_1974 5d ago
I smoke weed and my mental state is 110% it does not give you brainfog. Hell it might even help the guy relax
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u/DirkjanDeKoekenpan 5d ago
I have been smoking weed for over 15 years, daily for over 10 years and I can guarantee you that you have brain fog, you just don't notice it. I have had multiple periods of extended non-usage in that time for different reasons and there is a difference between getting up after a day when I smoked, and getting up when you haven't touched weed in a few weeks.
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u/kurisu_1974 5d ago
Sorry I call bullshit. I can do any mental test and probably score better than 80% non smokers.
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u/Revolutionary_Fix902 5d ago
Get yourself tested with ADHD. Look it up. If it resonates with you, then see your doctor
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u/Extreme-Second6855 5d ago
Hey,
I might be able to help. Recently, i got diagnosed with allergy to wheat and barley. Eating this caused also brainfog from time to time, maybe good to check on allergies and see how your diet might change things?
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u/ScienceMuggle83 5d ago
Hello. Do you drink soda and/or eat junk food? Too much can affect the brain. (No judgement here, I'm not in a position to judge anyway lol)
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u/Mean-Pain-7337 5d ago
Soda not so often but yeah sugary apple cherry juices and sweet things like nutella
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u/ScienceMuggle83 5d ago
Thanks for the answer. You might want to ask your doctor, maybe have bloodwork done.
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u/Maleficent_Glove_477 5d ago
There are so many things that can give brainfog : thyroïd, antidepressants (was that for me), long COVID, inflammation, hypotension, etc.
It's very hard to know.
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u/DukeCabboom 5d ago
Was your case related to the antidepressants medication?
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u/Maleficent_Glove_477 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yes, immediately after taking it, I've got it along with sexual dysfunction and anhedonia, as well as muscle weakness and few others things. Unfortunately some side effects remained after the cessation and I was diagnosed with axonale sensitive polyneuropathy due to those drugs.
The name of this multisystemic disease is PSSD which if you ask me don't give justice to the disease since it only points the sexual aspect of it while it can affect all organs in the body, much like a lupus but without specific antibodies except maybe anti-histones. And so, severe brainfog can be one of the symptoms, as well as pulmonary embolisms in my case. No need to say I am young with no history of all of that in my family, and previously in good health. Genetic testing came back negative as well. So I guess it's affecting endothelial function and give all sort of symptoms.
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u/Tine_the_Belgian 5d ago
You could try excercises to help the nervous system regulate eg diy acupressure, slow bls (eye) movements or butterfly hug, heart coherence breathing, cold shower
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u/Artistic-Curve4072 5d ago
Check your sugar levels. A lot of people havd diabetes without being aware.
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u/Kingston31470 5d ago
I would add gut health to the list in addition to what others mentioned. I have IBS and it is crazy how connected guts and brains are. So if you complain about slow digestion, bloating and that kind of stuff that may slow you down.
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u/Silly-Ad667 4d ago
Get bloodwork done first, iron and thyroid especially. For the blok itself I dosed Ketone IQ before long sessions, or just try structured sleep and cold showers.
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u/PickleVin23 4d ago
Besides all the other good advice here I just want to drop this: NAC. Strong antioxidant that can help flush stuff in the brain.
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u/MartinD94 4d ago
Meditation or at least relaxing with your eyes closed focusing on your breathing might help to concentrate better and make your head clearer.
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u/Crazytje 3d ago
Go see a doctor, could be anything from vitamine deficiency to what you eat or lifestyle.
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u/PutMobile40 2d ago
I had the same thing, started as a student. It was caused by hyperventilation. For me it gets worse if focus on a specific task like programming or digital drafting.
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u/MoonALM13 1d ago
Have you had digestive issues recently? I started having brain fog due to IBS 16 years ago due to a gut infection.
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u/ContentiousPlan 5d ago
Have you looked into a ketogenic diet?
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u/Mean-Pain-7337 5d ago
Not yet, what would it do?
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u/ContentiousPlan 5d ago
It can make the brain function better, its a very long subject so i recommend watching The Diary of a CEO on YouTube. He interviews alot of doctors about the subject
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u/jupiler91 5d ago
Just get a perscription for relatin, you probably have ADHD anyway.
If you don't have ADHD it still works obviously and can actually give you a nice little productive high.
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u/StarSpectore 5d ago
What a weird thing to say. Are you a doctor or smth to diagnose a stranger on the internet based off 1 symptom?
Dont follow this advice op. Get checked
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u/jupiler91 5d ago
You need a doctor to get a prescription in the first place, so yea definitly find the right one and play up your 'symptoms'
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u/-some-dude-online 5d ago
Do you spend a lot behind screens? Or do you go by your day almost always having input (headphones, audio books, podcasts, music, YouTube, reels, etc..)