Brain Fog

Over the past approximately two years, I have been experiencing ongoing cognitive and neurological-type symptoms, with brain fog being the most consistent and troubling issue. The brain fog is present most days, though not necessarily every single day, and it varies in severity. Some days it is mild, while other days it significantly affects my ability to concentrate, think clearly, and function at work (On some of the "worse" brain fog days, the best way I can describe how I feel is similar to the mental haze or cognitive fatigue that occurs after spending several hours staring at a screen, such as watching television or playing video games for an extended period. It feels like a persistent mental “haze” or heaviness, accompanied by difficulty concentrating, slowed thinking, and sometimes a mild headache. The sensation is not vertigo or confusion, but rather a dulled, foggy feeling that makes sustained focus and mental clarity difficult.). There have been periods lasting months where the symptoms were very mild and barely noticeable, but since December they have become more consistent and prominent again.

In addition to the brain fog, I experience mild headaches and a general sense of lightheadedness. More concerning, however, are intermittent episodes that come on in sudden “waves.” (I will have more on this below) During these episodes, I feel intensely lightheaded, almost as if I am going to pass out. These episodes are often accompanied by tingling in my hands and sometimes in my face. When they occur, they are very disconcerting but usually last only a few minutes before resolving on their own. Historically, these episodes happened infrequently—perhaps once a week at most—and there have been stretches of months when they did not occur at all.

A notable change occurred during the first full week of January, when I experienced three of these episodes in a single day. Two occurred at work, and the third happened while I was at the fire station preparing to respond to a fire call. That cluster of episodes caused significant stress and concern, particularly because of the fear that these symptoms could interfere with my ability to work and function normally. Since then, I have felt more anxious about the symptoms, and I am unsure whether stress is contributing to them, whether the symptoms themselves are causing increased stress, or whether both are interacting and making the situation worse.

I have noticed that these wave-like episodes tend to occur when I am around other people, such as during work meetings or social situations. They can happen even when I am not actively participating in conversation. I have not identified a clear physical trigger beyond this pattern, and I am unsure whether this observation is meaningful or coincidental.

Recently, my symptoms have begun to affect my sleep. I have had several nights where my head simply feels lightheaded, which further increases my concern and fatigue.

Background. Around the time these symptoms first began (2 years ago)—within a few months’ window—I experienced several significant life events. I had an appendectomy, which I assume is unrelated but wanted to note for completeness. I started a new job that is primarily office-based, resulting in a substantial increase in daily computer and screen use. I also had COVID for the third time. Additionally, I moved into a new house. A few months after moving in, my landlord discovered mold in the crawl space. A professional remediation company treated the area, and I was told the mold was addressed, but I do not know whether there could still be environmental factors contributing to my symptoms.

My main concern is that over the last several weeks the symptoms seem to be worsening, particularly the brain fog and the frequency of feeling unwell. I am trying to understand whether this could be related to stress or anxiety, environmental exposure, post-viral effects, sleep disruption, or another underlying medical or neurological issue. At this point, I am looking for clarity on what may be causing these symptoms and what steps should be taken to properly evaluate and address them as this has been going on way to long and it really stressing me out at this point. I am going to my family Dr Next week to talk with him about this and see what his thoughts are for next steps as I had talked with him about a year ago and he had me do a month long Elimination Diet last January to see if it was possibility of food related but didn't really seem to change anything. (I am probably missing something but this is what I could write down for now.) Thanks for the help