Brain Fog

Not sure exactly what brain fog is? Well, did you take a medication and end up feeling like you were in a cloud, not fully conscious or "not really there"? These are just some of the ways people who have experienced brain fog describe the feeling. Symptoms of this side effect include frequent bouts of forgetfulness, lapses in attention, lack of focus, feeling scattered, disoriented or confused even when it comes to making simple decisions. You start to be less and less productive as a result and some people end up losing self-esteem and developing mood disorders because of it.

Please note though that drugs are not always to blame for this set of symptoms but fortunately it is usually a reversible condition. The following steps can be taken to improve the condition (please note though that this is not an exhaustive list of possible treatments):

Correct any nutrition imbalance(s): basically, make sure you are getting an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals. Everyone is different so be sure to take an appropriate vitamin for your own gender, age and stage in life
Avoid allergens: if you have allergies to any substances, you should try as much as you possibly can to stay away from them because allergic reactions can also trigger the symptoms of brain fog
Sleep, sleep, sleep: believe it or not, most people are not getting an adequate amount of sleep and this also can lead to "foggy brain", so... get some... it could help to alleviate the symptoms
Exercise: it does seem almost cliche but a little exercise goes a long way. By increasing blood circulation and blood supply to the brain and increasing your energy level symptoms can not only be well-controlled but actually dissipated
Treat any hormonal imbalances: okay, this one you cannot do on your own. You'll have to be assessed by a physician and if they determine that you have any type of hormonal imbalance e.g. thyroid problems, etc., getting that corrected will help to alleviate the symptoms of this side effect

Drugs That Can Cause Brain Fog

Acyclovir (Zovirax)
Amantadine (Symmetrel)
Amitriptyline (Elavil)
Atenolol (Tenormin)
Chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton)
Cimetidine (Tagamet)
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
Clonidine (Catapres)
Codeine
Cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril)
Dextromethorphan (Various cough medications)
Dicyclomine (Bentyl)
Digoxin (Lanoxin)
Dimnehydrinate (Dramamine)
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
Diphenoxylate (an ingredient in Lomotil)
Disopyramide (Norpace)
Eszopiclone (Lunesta)
Ganciclovir (Cytovene)
Glycopyrrolate (Robinul)
Hyoscyamine (Anaspaz, Cystospaz)
Imipramine (Tofranil)
Levodopa (Sinemet)
Meperidine (Demerol)
Methylprednisolone (Medrol)
Metoprolol (Lopressor)
Metronidazole (Flagyl)
Naratriptan (Amerge)
Nortriptyline (Pamelor)
Orphenadrine (Antiflex)
Oxybutynin (Ditropan)
Pentazocine (Talwin)
Prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone)
Propoxyphene (Darvon)
Propranolol (Inderal)
Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)
Rizatriptan (Maxalt)
Scopplamine (Scopace)
Selegiline (Eldepryl)
Solifenacin (Vesicare)
Tolterodine (Detrol)
Zalpelon (Sonata)
Zolpidem (Ambien, Ambien CR)

A doctor is a general practitioner who calls in
a specialist to share the blame

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June 13, 2009

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