Interviewing With Brain Fog

[bbdailey]

So I had an interview today with the typical brain fog. I got through it but to be honest there were a few times I felt like I almost lost it. My head goes so blank and I also got a few sensations where it felt like my brain was giving up. Dont think its natural anxiety bc I didnt have this problem until the last few years. Anybody have similar experiences? Any tips lol?

[mushroom]

That doesn't sound like a fun experience. I never had the brain fog (unless I always do ) so can't really offer any advice or help.

When I was still in the job market, I used to go out on interviews all the time, even when I wasn't looking, just to keep my hand in, keep up with the market, keep up with all the new HR techniques, get used to handling the awkward questions. It got to be a game - I guess I am a bit of a masochist

[thleensd]

I totally feel your pain! My last job I had super brain fog during the interview. I was pretty surprised I got it anyway

Best of luck to you.

I do feel like my brain fog is worst certain times of the day or if I haven't eaten recently. I try to book important things during the best brain times. It's not always that predictable, but I find certain foods are helpful: high proteins and good fats. Sugars make me a little um...unpredictable. =)

[AVR1962]

I was in real bad shape there for awhile. My brain just was not functioning at all. I forgot how to run a ATM machine. I teach music and the theory I have known was gone. I could not complete a sentence without either having my words come out like I was stuttering or forget what I was saying all together. I would drive to go somewhere and forget where I was going. I would leave heaters on and burners on, boiled dry a few pots. I blew off get togethers I had a agreed to with friends which is not me and had no recollection of making the plans. My daughter talked to me one night about something, next day she followed up on it and I could not recall the conversation at all. Not only was this scary but I thought I had lost my mind.

I did a simple online questionaire for Alzheimer's and passed. Once docs realized I was having a reaction to wheat they felt this would eventually clear up and meantime I learned just to laugh it off with my family. My daughter could tell when I was under the influence of gluten, so to speak.

I had to really really tighten up my diet. For me, this all started not quite a year ago. As long as my body was getting any drop of gluten in any form I was not getting better. After 9 months of being dizzy, which I had along with this, my balance stabilized and SLOWLY my brain is responding.

Now when a student walks in I many times know what pieces they are working and what worksheet they were assigned so they can no longer try and pull the wool over my eyes that they had no scale to practice, etc because I actually am remembering.

Before anyone realized it was gluten, docs sent me for an MRI to see if I may have had a stroke.

In your case you've said you've had this the past few years. My question is how long have to been successful with the gluten-free diet? Is there anyway you could still be getting any gluten at this point? I am still forgetful but compared to what I was, there is no comparison. I do believe it was directly related to gluten in my situation and the only way that I found it got better was time without any gluten and I do challenge myself, challenge my memory. However, as far as I have come I think a job interview would probably throw me, probably more fear of messing up than anything. I had planned this winter to do some volunteer work for the wounded soldiers in a loacal medical facility however, even at this point I am afraid my memory might fail me.

[dilettantesteph]

I get very bad brain fog too. When I am really bad, I can't even log on here. It is worse when I am nervous. Calming techniques help. Try to do things slowly and methodically. Think carefully before you speak etc. My job is one where a little mistake can cause big problems so I'm really careful there. I go slow when I'm glutened. I hope you got the job.

[bbdailey]

I was in real bad shape there for awhile. My brain just was not functioning at all. I forgot how to run a ATM machine. I teach music and the theory I have known was gone. I could not complete a sentence without either having my words come out like I was stuttering or forget what I was saying all together. I would drive to go somewhere and forget where I was going. I would leave heaters on and burners on, boiled dry a few pots. I blew off get togethers I had a agreed to with friends which is not me and had no recollection of making the plans. My daughter talked to me one night about something, next day she followed up on it and I could not recall the conversation at all. Not only was this scary but I thought I had lost my mind.

I did a simple online questionaire for Alzheimer's and passed. Once docs realized I was having a reaction to wheat they felt this would eventually clear up and meantime I learned just to laugh it off with my family. My daughter could tell when I was under the influence of gluten, so to speak.

I had to really really tighten up my diet. For me, this all started not quite a year ago. As long as my body was getting any drop of gluten in any form I was not getting better. After 9 months of being dizzy, which I had along with this, my balance stabilized and SLOWLY my brain is responding.

Now when a student walks in I many times know what pieces they are working and what worksheet they were assigned so they can no longer try and pull the wool over my eyes that they had no scale to practice, etc because I actually am remembering.

Before anyone realized it was gluten, docs sent me for an MRI to see if I may have had a stroke.

In your case you've said you've had this the past few years. My question is how long have to been successful with the gluten-free diet? Is there anyway you could still be getting any gluten at this point? I am still forgetful but compared to what I was, there is no comparison. I do believe it was directly related to gluten in my situation and the only way that I found it got better was time without any gluten and I do challenge myself, challenge my memory. However, as far as I have come I think a job interview would probably throw me, probably more fear of messing up than anything. I had planned this winter to do some volunteer work for the wounded soldiers in a loacal medical facility however, even at this point I am afraid my memory might fail me.

Thanks for the comments! AVR- I too was much worse off before gluten so I definately couldnt handle having any interiews at the time . I was forced to talk like I was a child because I could not think at all. I have been gluten free since this May and got a little better very slowly. In july I cut out soy and dairy and most corn, and also started taking thyroid medication(my thyroid levels are all normal just have TPO antibodies of 200). Within a month I started feeling better and the brain fog was substantially better. I could actually think for once. Then a couple weeks later I had a colonoscopy and it all went downhill 5 days after that. So I stopped the thyroid medication(for a month with not much luck) Then started it again for 9 weeks. I felt no better this time so I figured it must have been the diet that helped me the first time. So I have been on a very strict diet the past 2 weeks and stopped the thyroid meds a week ago. I have also been very careful about CC so hopefully I will see some results soon

The interview I had was the first of 3(if I make it through all of them) so Im hoping that my brain will make it through ok:)

[AVR1962]

Thanks for the comments! AVR- I too was much worse off before gluten so I definately couldnt handle having any interiews at the time . I was forced to talk like I was a child because I could not think at all. I have been gluten free since this May and got a little better very slowly. In july I cut out soy and dairy and most corn, and also started taking thyroid medication(my thyroid levels are all normal just have TPO antibodies of 200). Within a month I started feeling better and the brain fog was substantially better. I could actually think for once. Then a couple weeks later I had a colonoscopy and it all went downhill 5 days after that. So I stopped the thyroid medication(for a month with not much luck) Then started it again for 9 weeks. I felt no better this time so I figured it must have been the diet that helped me the first time. So I have been on a very strict diet the past 2 weeks and stopped the thyroid meds a week ago. I have also been very careful about CC so hopefully I will see some results soon

The interview I had was the first of 3(if I make it through all of them) so Im hoping that my brain will make it through ok:)

I'm also on a thyroid med. At first I thought it was that which was giving such bad headaches but it eventually passed while on the meds. My thyroid also tests fine. I have a growth which docs have been using an iodized med to try and shrink but unfortunatly after more than 6 months on the med it has done nothing so I am going in for a biopsy tomorrow.

Good luck to you on your remaining interviews, sound like you are getting things figured out!

[bbdailey]

This isnt related to interviewing but still on the subject of brain fog. Does anyone feel like they have difficulty making a solid opinion? For example I watch movies and tv shows and after they are over I have trouble determining/remembering if I liked it or not.. seems like most things I just chalk up to being ok because my brain just doesnt function like it should.