Whats This Brain Fog I've Been Reading About. It's Ruining My Life.

[fire-chickens]

I've started a new job through a hiring agency at a vitamin plant where my parent's have worked since the 70's and my mom is currently the only one who still works for the company at another facility, my dad is 71 and has since retired in 1998. I've busting my butt, working hard and I've had my good days and my "off" days, but I have so many "off" days its killing me. I do stupid stuff all the time whether it be putting a pallet on an elevator without stacking it on right or just plain simply screwing little things up or just making myself work harder and not smarter. and I get criticized as to why I did what I did and told to do it a different way, and all i can say is "I don't know why I did that, I guess I wasn't thinking.. I know my co-workers probably think I'm messed up in the head, or not all there. It's not funny and it's truly making my life a living nightmare, I've got HUGE shoes to fill, including my brother who worked for the team I'm on for a year until I got in. I want to get a direct job, and if i keep this up I won't make it, and this job is my life, and if I screw it up I'll off myself or something. I can't live with myself for messing up and failing my parent's reputation, its not in me to deal with that as a man. I want to perform as good if not better than my brother did too, and my work effort is there but my common sense is OUT THE WINDOW! Its like I cannot focus, I have had Celiac for my entire life and i always thought since I found out this past summer that its probably left me well, dumb in the head due to the fact that my body never got all the nutrients it needed. I feel like i got the short end out of all my brothers. I'm only 100 pounds at 20 years old still.

i seriously seriously need advice, i can't admit I have celiac because that would keep me from getting a job there. And I feel like neither of my parents don't take this disease serious enough to the point where they'd believe this "brain fog" stuff. I can't tell my dad I've been performing poorly at work and this is likely the issue, I just can't. I've been spiraling down everyday emotionally its now like everyday I have a day where I'm just "out there", i can't take much more of this. Is there and actual name for this "brain fog"? is it a mental issue? because its literally destroying my life one day at a time. I've been eating gluten free for 2 months as well.

[sora]

I've started a new job through a hiring agency at a vitamin plant where my parent's have worked since the 70's and my mom is currently the only one who still works for the company at another facility, my dad is 71 and has since retired in 1998. I've busting my butt, working hard and I've had my good days and my "off" days, but I have so many "off" days its killing me. I do stupid stuff all the time whether it be putting a pallet on an elevator without stacking it on right or just plain simply screwing little things up or just making myself work harder and not smarter. and I get criticized as to why I did what I did and told to do it a different way, and all i can say is "I don't know why I did that, I guess I wasn't thinking.. I know my co-workers probably think I'm messed up in the head, or not all there. It's not funny and it's truly making my life a living nightmare, I've got HUGE shoes to fill, including my brother who worked for the team I'm on for a year until I got in. I want to get a direct job, and if i keep this up I won't make it, and this job is my life, and if I screw it up I'll off myself or something. I can't live with myself for messing up and failing my parent's reputation, its not in me to deal with that as a man. I want to perform as good if not better than my brother did too, and my work effort is there but my common sense is OUT THE WINDOW! Its like I cannot focus, I have had Celiac for my entire life and i always thought since I found out this past summer that its probably left me well, dumb in the head due to the fact that my body never got all the nutrients it needed. I feel like i got the short end out of all my brothers. I'm only 100 pounds at 20 years old still.

i seriously seriously need advice, i can't admit I have celiac because that would keep me from getting a job there. And I feel like neither of my parents don't take this disease serious enough to the point where they'd believe this "brain fog" stuff. I can't tell my dad I've been performing poorly at work and this is likely the issue, I just can't. I've been spiraling down everyday emotionally its now like everyday I have a day where I'm just "out there", i can't take much more of this. Is there and actual name for this "brain fog"? is it a mental issue? because its literally destroying my life one day at a time. I've been eating gluten free for 2 months as well.

I am sure others will come on here to comment that have more experience and knowledge.

I am new to it all but I went through the same thing. I am sorry this is happening to you.

My first thought, is wheat used in the making of these vitamins? You may be getting exposed.

I had to quit my job, I was working in a bakery and made the dumbest mistakes and ended up in tears one day and I wanted that job sooooo bad.

I call it brain fog but I have seen others refer to it as 'gluten head'.

Charlotte

[ravenwoodglass]

Are you taking supplements? Sublingual B12 and a good gluten-free stress level with Bs and C may help a bit. You also need to make sure you are getting enough sleep, something that can at times be hard when you are young.

Do others in your home eat gluten? If so you need to be sure that you are doing all you can to prevent cross contamination. To heal quickest eating foods that are whole and unprocessed is the best. It does take some time to heal and if you are being CC'd that alone can cause depression issues.

I hope you are feeling better soon. If the depression gets too bad don't be afraid to call a hot line. There is no shame in being ill and celiac can mess up our moods really badly.

[fire-chickens]

i take a gluten free vitamin everyday. also i don't know if one of the products i work with are doing it, it could be and I've thought of that, but for the most part have ignored it. there's a bunch of different powders we work with, such as dry mixed tocopherols, caffeine, potassium citrate, citric acid, maltodextrin, taurine, niacinamide, there's many more but i'd need to get a list.

[India]

If it's any help, my brain fog improved a lot when I started following a FODMAPs eating plan. Coeliac disease gave me several other food intolerances and fructose in particular turns my brain to mush.

Also worth mentioning - a relative with much worse brain fog issues was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and the treatment made a remarkable difference. Took bloody ages because he's pretty young and not too overweight but it can affect people of any age or size.

Hope things improve for you soon.

[ciamarie]

I have a supplement that has maltodextrin in it that gives me brain fog. I know it's supposed to be gluten-free when it's in food, but I'm not sure that applies to supplements. (This one in particular doesn't say it's gluten-free). And even if it's a gluten-free supplement (with or without maltodextrin) it's possible something else in it bothers your system.

In addition, I also avoid corn syrup since it makes me tired and sometimes also gives me brain fog. I haven't actually had anything with corn syrup (that I know about) since going gluten-free about 6-7 weeks ago, so it may not hit me as bad now as it used to. I have recently started to eat (organic) corn tortillas and popcorn and that seems to be o.k.

Also, soy is a thyroid inhibitor, it's something else you might want to look at.

[Tedzo]

Our hearts go out to you.....there are many people who have experienced brain fog.

In my case, it was heavy metal poisoning. That, combined with a gluten diet,(didn't know I was intolerant) gave me brain fog, or some think fish fog. I had become toxic with mercury from dental fillings and too much fish, lead from the paint in my house.

Then I found out I was gluten intolerant. All of these issues can be resolved and I'm thinking and feeling much better.

Keep searching, appreciate your dilemma.

[GFinDC]

I get in a brain fog when I am glutened. It affects my sleep also and that makes it worse of course. Gluten can affect the brain, read about gluten ataxia to learn more. Anyway, it can go away also but you may need a really clean non-contaminated diet for that to happen. People often suggest B-12 for nerve / brain healing. Since you are only 2 months into the diet you are still in the learning stages. I know I was making gluten mistakes long after that. It may help to avoid processed foods for a while.

I take melatonin sometimes to help with sleep.

[Reba32]

why do you say that if you admit you have Celiac disease it would keep you from getting a job there? That seems a bit extreme, unless the company uses gluten in their products, which would be most definitely contributing to your poor job performance, and you're better off NOT working there. At all! Regardless of how well the rest of your family does/did there, if there is gluten floating all over everywhere, it's not the job for you. Find something else, that won't contribute to your ill health.

Good luck!

[Aly1]

i take a gluten free vitamin everyday. also i don't know if one of the products i work with are doing it, it could be and I've thought of that, but for the most part have ignored it. there's a bunch of different powders we work with, such as dry mixed tocopherols, caffeine, potassium citrate, citric acid, maltodextrin, taurine, niacinamide, there's many more but i'd need to get a list.

I hate to say it but it really may just be the environment you're working in. I think that is a highly likely scenario. Is there any way to find out definitively if gluten-containing products are processed there? I would try to do some research. You don't want to be in a position where you are going to fail at something that is important to you and where you would fail in front of your family and friends too. Find out about the ingredients you are being exposed to. If gluten cross-contamination is the issue, you will not heal there and you will continue to make mistakes and suffer from brain fog. And there won't be anything you can do about it but be proactive and leave. I know you don't want that to be the case, but SOMETHING is causing the brain fog. If it's your work environment, then you've got to go before you ruin your own reputation and self-respect.

In either case, remember - it's not your fault. It is what it is, and maybe you will have to go out into the world and create a different, new path than the one your family has. One where you can be healthy, clear-headed and PROUD. (Maybe working at a certified, gluten-free facility!)

Don't give up, find out what is causing this and then take whatever action is necessary. Good luck!