# Anyone else still have brain fog?



## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

I just feel s.l.o.w... Like i'm always on that prolactin buzz. I think i can remember what it felt like before, but gawd, that was sooooo long ago. I used to be really bright, and could figure things out really quickly, grasped new ideas right away, was clever even. HA! Now i have to really work at learning new things, and sometimes i'm downright incoherent. I've been nursing for over 2 1/2 years now!! I cant be the only one who still has brain fog, can i?


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## Chi-Chi Mama (Mar 13, 2002)

I'm right there with ya... well, a couple of months behind.. dd is 2 and 4 months.









someone told me last weekend that there are certain herbs that are supposed to help with the mommy fog - how pregnancy / nursing takes certain things out of your body, but you can take supplements to help replace them.. made sense, but I'm too slow / foggy to follow up on that


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## Carmel (Jan 31, 2003)

I have to day... dd is almost 3 and I feel like I am JUST waking up form it all. And it feels great. I tink the 'wake up' was a combination of nihgt weaning and my seperation... I started thinkning about htings I had been wanting to think about for years! I hope it happens for you soon.


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

Carmel~i'm glad to hear that there's hope for us yet! :LOL

Chi-Chi Mama~ supplements? herbals? tell me more. I tried googling up something, but i'm not having any luck. I'll ask in health and healing, maybe someone over there knows.

One thing that i did find when i was googling around was an exerpt from the LLL site. Someone was referring to mama's milk as milk of amnesia! How true.


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## Embee (May 3, 2002)

Oh, I hear ya. Right there with ya. It's been three years, two months... *sigh*

Occasionally, I have a lucid day (ok, half day, moment?) and think, hey, I'm finally emerging... only to wake up the next day, well, asleep.









In particular, I'm not nearly as verbally sharp as I was pre-child/nursing. I have strong opinions on lots of subjects and yern to be able to discuss them articulately alas, I lack recall skills for words and phrases. It's soooo frustrating. *sigh* Specifically, I want to be able to discuss my parenting philosophy with family who question it. Add to that, explaining to my sister the teacher why we're going to unschool, etc. I would like to be able to say more than, "CIO bad. Child-led nursing good. We're unschooling because it feels right and because um... um... let me go get the book." DUH

I do find that taking care of myself does help somewhat. DS started sleeping much better at about 2 1/2 and there has been some improvement as a result, but I'm still foggy much of the time. I don't see him weaning anytime real soon so...

Um, what was this thread about again?







:


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## longjon's_wife (Mar 29, 2002)

DS turned three a few weeks ago, and I think my brain fog is beginning to diminish! I've also cut out coffee, pretty much eliminated dairy, cut back on pasta/bread, and have increased (in a large way) my consumption of fruits and vegetables (raw or steamed). I also started taking a B vitamin last week. I am finding it easier to accomplish tasks during the day, as well as work on projects that have been pushed back these three years!

DS alternates between sleeping all night and nursing a couple of times during the night. Overall I'm sure the extra sleep is helping. I have to be honest and say that I am looking foward to when he'll fall asleep on his own. Due to DH's long work hours, we hardly ever have any time to ourselves.

I'm still not back to my normal level of productivity, but a lot of that is also having a small child around to help me!:LOL


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## Chi-Chi Mama (Mar 13, 2002)

Quote:

_Originally posted by Embee_
*
In particular, I'm not nearly as verbally sharp as I was pre-child/nursing. I have strong opinions on lots of subjects and yern to be able to discuss them articulately alas, I lack recall skills for words and phrases. It's soooo frustrating. *sigh**
Oh, how I feel you there
















ok, I think this thread has been the push I needed to follow up with that woman and get more info on the supplements.

because dd is beginning to sleep a lot better, and there might be a light at the end of the tunnel for me.. but I was thinking about bring up the idea of TTC to dh this summer... so that's another 4-4.5 yrs of brain fog??









oh, the sacrifices we make for our children.


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## Selissa (Jun 15, 2003)

oh geez and here i was thinking i was imagineing my dinished capacity. Well at least i know i'm not crazy on top of dense. IT will end someday...I figure 1-6 years in my case since ds is only one and that is only if we don't have another in the next few years...sounds like i'm cursed to be a bit dumber for years. *sigh* oh well i probably won't remember anyway.:LOL
edited to fix some typos


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## RachelGS (Sep 29, 2002)

Oops, what was your question again? I forgot...







: Nope, the brain, she's not so good.


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

It's nice in a way to know that i'm not alone. I really hesitated to post in case i was the only one. Now i know i'm not crazy either. :LOL I too suffer from not being able to either find the right word or put the words together properly sometimes. It's incredibly frustrating. It's way beyond that 'it's on the tip of my tongue' kind of thing, it's more like it's way over in a different galaxy and there's no way i'm going to find it anytime soon.







:


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## istamama (Jan 5, 2003)

Hi,
I was recently recommended a great book called "Natural Guide to pregnancy and postpartum health' which outlines all the nutritional deficiencies that can occur due to the enormous nutrient drain of pregnancy and nursing. it spells out the effects on the woman, including brain fog, moodiness, ppd etc. Its a great book, and recommends specific nutrients for specific problems.
Istamama.


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...roduct-details

thanks for the book recc!!

it looks like a 'must read'


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## chrysgee (May 16, 2003)

I'm took something called Tang Kei for a couple months to clear up the nursing fog. (DD was about 18 months at the time.) Its a chinese medicine thing and I'm not sure it would work for everyone/you should fing an herbalist, chinese dr, aurvedic dr, etc to prescribe, how to find it... BUT it definitely improved my mental/verbal prolactin haze. I teach yoga in a college setting for a living so being able to speak clearly to adults is a must! I'm still foggy sometimes but not at all like before.


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

http://www.susunweed.com/Weed_letter_May-02.htm

Quote:

Dong Quai - Angelica sinensis

Also spelled Dang Gui, Tang Kwei, Tang Kuei, Dong Gway.

Cherished all over the Orient as a supreme ally for women with reproductive/uterine/hormonal distresses, dong quai roots are now readily available in North America.
http://www.kellymom.com/herbal/ref/h....html#dongquai

Quote:

Dong Quai (aka: Dong Kwai) is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation due to its effect on estrogen and photosensitivity. Little is known regarding breastfeeding and Dong Quai, but it is a very potent herb with steriodal effects. Also contraindicated in persons taking blood thinning agents.
http://www.herbmed.org/Herbs/Herb90.htm#Category3Herb90

http://www.mycustompak.com/healthNot.../Dong_Quai.htm

Quote:

dong quai is sometimes referred to as the female ginseng.
*******************
Hm, after skimming thru all of that it seems like donq quai/tang kuei works on brain fog because it acts as a stimulant. Did you notice any stimulant effects on your nursling? A couple of those references said not to use it while breastfeeding, but i'm inclined to believe that's because of lack of hard data and not necessarily because it's unsafe.


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## Audra's Mom (Jan 25, 2004)

I am sooooo glad I stumbled upon this discussion! I have felt that since I was pregnant w/ my dd (now one year old) that I just cannot think or react the way I used to! I do breast feed my daughter but never thought that had anything to do with it! I feel so much better now to know that other people are dealing with this too.

I used to be soooo sharp that I could figure out everything my dh said to me...... Now sometimes I am like "what are you talking about???" and truly mean it. Just today I could not remember the name of our old church choir director- had to ask my dh.... It's embarassing!

Tricia
Mom to Audra 2/27/03


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## moss (Feb 7, 2004)

It is embarrasing isnt it. *sigh* I'd love to get some of that old clarity back.


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## RachelGS (Sep 29, 2002)

I forgot one of my best friends' phone numbers, and three days later have had to email her to ask for it. I've only called her a thousand times. How embarrassing.


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## Selissa (Jun 15, 2003)

yeah, I'm in math again after years...turns out math and mommy fog don't really mix *sigh*


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## calebsmama03 (Feb 6, 2004)

so glad I'm not the only one! It never occurred to me that BFing continued the pregnancy induced memory loss! Maybe I'll look into som eherbal remedies...


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## MamaAllNatural (Mar 10, 2004)

So, it looks like I would've been exiting the fog as my dd just turned 3, but then of course I'm exclusively breastfeeding my youngest ds who's 6 months old! Well, when I do come out of the fog in a few years I wonder if I'll even know what to do with myself?







:

I am glad I'm not alone too!:LOL


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## charmarty (Jan 27, 2002)

Id type more but I cant remember what to say.


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## chrysgee (May 16, 2003)

I didn't realized Tang Kei and Dong Quai were the same thing.

My DD is pretty active so its hard to say if it made her more active. I didn't notice it. She's toned down recently but this is months after I stoped taking it.

Part of the reason I went to see this doctor to begin with was that DD was so hyper and I was so depressed/foggy. So I'd be surprised if he meant to give me something that would elevate her activity level. I didn't notice it as a stimulant on myself. What I most noticed was my sleep improved and my vocal inflection increased. The dr knew I was EBF. In fact the reason I went to him was that Aurvedic medicine is so pro-BF. They actually think of BF as giving your child more years of life and encourage you to do it as long as possible. I know Tang kei is a Chinese herb, but it was a aurvedic dr that recommended it to me.

Again if you think you'd like to try it I would suggest going to an herbalist/chinese/or aurvedic doc first.


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## Zaxmama (Mar 2, 2004)

wow am I glad I found this thread.. I was starting to think something was wrong with me and DH is convinced something is wrong with me..he fears I will forget DS somewhere..(not even a possibility as I am sure we all know) but I have placed things on top of the car while strapping DS into his carseat and then driven off and lost them..for example: a bottle of water, a sippy cup, and my wallet..not once but twice.. yes I lost my wallet with credit cards and DL in it not once but twice..somedays I think I would forget my head if it wasn't attached but I know that would never forget my babyboy..and its nice to know there is a light at the end of the tunnel I would have never linked my EBF to this goofiness..thanks for making me feel better..


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## Seeking Refuge (Nov 2, 2002)

I swear I am going to make DH read this thread. Sometimes I don't think he believes that it is the nursing that is making me not able to remember things as well. SOmetimes I am afraid that it will never come back. DS is 30 months old now and we are TTC so I may be doomed to eternal fog









Has anyone taken flax seed oil. I thought I read somewhere that it helped but I am not sure about taking it while nursing.


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## *Erin* (Mar 18, 2002)

oh, wow, i never connected the nursing and the mama fog. duuuuuuuuh.
see? see how foggy I am?? i havent really tried anything to help clear my fog, though i do suffer from it even more if i forget to take my b vitamins and my prenatals. if i get enough sleep (or dd sleeps thru the night, and i get to too) and i eat decently, i feel better, but still not...on.
i would be so interested in something herbal or homeopathic (or arvyedic (sp) that would help. i used to be so sharp. really really articulate and clever. now it's all i can do to hold my end of a conversation. this is so me :

Quote:

Specifically, I want to be able to discuss my parenting philosophy with family who question it. Add to that, explaining to my sister the teacher why we're going to unschool, etc. I would like to be able to say more than, "CIO bad. Child-led nursing good. We're unschooling because it feels right and because um... um... let me go get the book." DUH
im all about "lemme go get the book". lol.


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## chelbymommie (Mar 12, 2004)

wow I am trying to finish a degree in microbiology and WOW am I sllllllllooooooooowwwww!!!

It takes me twice as long to figure out something i could of figured out 4 years ago.
but it is all in the name of LOVE!!!!
would rather have a foggy mind and my Little love of a toddler any day!!!

who needs to rememeber Thermochemistry anyhow!!!


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