Asking For Help! Brain Fog.

[BrandiS]

My name is Brandi I am 26 and from Ohio. I have no health insurance and am not eligable for any assistance where I live. I am at the end of my rope and am asking for help any where I can get it and am hoping someone here can help or lead my in the right direction. I have been sick for as long as I can remember. I remember it really hitting me when I was around 16 or so. My main issue is BRAIN FOG! Ive dealt with it since being 16 but it the past year Im at a point where I had to quit my job about 6 months ago. I am home bound and completely debilitated. I live with my parents whom are diabled themselves and are not in a position to help me at all. I have been diagnosed with RA, Fibro, IBS and depression ( which comes from the brain fog and the fact I cannot lead a normal live what so ever.) But due to no insurance i have not been able to get any help or answers beyond the diagnoses. I also had a blood test done for celiacs that came back negative. I feel as though if I could get rid of this brain fog I could handle my other issues. Due to my symptoms I really feel as thgough I could have celiacs and am trying my best to go gluten-free but being I live i a household that is not gluten-free I feel that is almost impossible. My other issue is that I CANNOT afford groceries. I do get $130 a MONTH in food assistance but im lucky to get some fresh fruits and veggies and a few other gluten-free foods and than my food allowance is gone for the month. I really want to go all organic. I Have no other income! I have worked my whole life and want nothing more than to be healthy again and go back to work and be a normal part of society. I NEED to get into doctors, i want to go the hollistic/natural route and want to get into a hollistic person as well. I NEED to go gluten-free/organic. I just NEED help. I feel so lost and so alone and feel the thing that is holding me back is $ and have no one to help me. I am so desperate to be healthy and get rid of this brain fog and other symptoms, if i could get rid of the brain fog i could function again and get my life back on track I feel. I never get any relief whatso ever either. It is something I deal with 24/7 with no breaks. Ive lost all sense of emotion everything. I no longer have the urge to date, marriage kids etc. So my questions is where can I go or what can i do for help? I had someone tell me a while ago about a website that you could share your story and set up donations through paypal? I have never been one to ask for help esp with $ in my life but I cant live like this anymore. I need help! Ive dealt with this long enough and its getting worsel. There was a point in my life where I could sort of function through it and can no longer. I am willing to try/do anything just dont have the income to do so. Any help, ideas ANYTHING would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much!

Brandi

[tom]

Hi Brandi,

Wow that's overwhelming. I don't know what to do about most of it. Needing a Dr w/out any insurance but w/out an obvious ailment/broken bone our health care setup is broken.

Are you close to 100% gluten-free? How about dairy? I was 24/7 miserable of varying degrees until 100% gluten-free, dairy-free (not just lactose) AND soy-free.

Are there good suspects for cross-contamination? Maybe going what now feels like "overboard" would help.

[ravenwoodglass]

It is possible to eat gluten free on the budget you have but it isn't always easy. I know as I have as little to use for food as you do. I buy one loaf of bread a week and my daily lunch is almost always a pnut butter sandwich. For dinner I do a lot of rice or Thai Kitchen noodles (in the oriental section of the store) with either just butter and a few different frozen veggies or with a pasta sauce. If ground beef is on sale I will make a pasta sauce with it using plain canned tomatoes. I'll have that on noodles one night, the next I will add some kidney beans, the night after that I will add some frozen green beans and if anything is left on day four I will freeze it.

While I would like to eat organic and fresh veggies I know I can't afford it and there is much less waste with frozen single ingredient veggies.

If you have some space, even a little bit, growing some of your own veggies can be nice. Lettuce and one or two tomato plants don't take a lot of space.

I get the biggest bang for my buck from beans and green squash. Plenty to eat and some to freeze for the off season.

Do you have a local food bank? If you do visit it and let them know you are gluten free. Some will give you extra canned veggies and fruits to replace all the gluten stuff you wouldn't be getting. It might be a good idea to also see if you can volunteer there. It will make you feel more useful and less isolated. It will also be a good reference when you are feeling better and able to get back to a full time job. Another bonus is that people are starting to donate gluten-free food more often than they used to. The place I volunteer will sometimes put aside some gluten-free stuff for me to take home on the days I am there.

You are not very far into the diet and things will get better. It shouldn't be too long before you are feeling well enough to get back to work or to check into going to a local community college to train for a job that you can physically handle. The one good thing about having a nonexistant income is you would qualify for a lot of help with grants to go to school.

Things will be up and down for a bit after starting the diet but don't get discouraged. There will come a day when you wake up and realize the brain fog has lifted and that will be a great day.

[Kirstie]

My name is Brandi I am 26 and from Ohio. I have no health insurance and am not eligable for any assistance where I live. I am at the end of my rope and am asking for help any where I can get it and am hoping someone here can help or lead my in the right direction. I have been sick for as long as I can remember. I remember it really hitting me when I was around 16 or so. My main issue is BRAIN FOG! Ive dealt with it since being 16 but it the past year Im at a point where I had to quit my job about 6 months ago. I am home bound and completely debilitated. I live with my parents whom are diabled themselves and are not in a position to help me at all. I have been diagnosed with RA, Fibro, IBS and depression ( which comes from the brain fog and the fact I cannot lead a normal live what so ever.) But due to no insurance i have not been able to get any help or answers beyond the diagnoses. I also had a blood test done for celiacs that came back negative. I feel as though if I could get rid of this brain fog I could handle my other issues. Due to my symptoms I really feel as thgough I could have celiacs and am trying my best to go gluten-free but being I live i a household that is not gluten-free I feel that is almost impossible. My other issue is that I CANNOT afford groceries. I do get $130 a MONTH in food assistance but im lucky to get some fresh fruits and veggies and a few other gluten-free foods and than my food allowance is gone for the month. I really want to go all organic. I Have no other income! I have worked my whole life and want nothing more than to be healthy again and go back to work and be a normal part of society. I NEED to get into doctors, i want to go the hollistic/natural route and want to get into a hollistic person as well. I NEED to go gluten-free/organic. I just NEED help. I feel so lost and so alone and feel the thing that is holding me back is $ and have no one to help me. I am so desperate to be healthy and get rid of this brain fog and other symptoms, if i could get rid of the brain fog i could function again and get my life back on track I feel. I never get any relief whatso ever either. It is something I deal with 24/7 with no breaks. Ive lost all sense of emotion everything. I no longer have the urge to date, marriage kids etc. So my questions is where can I go or what can i do for help? I had someone tell me a while ago about a website that you could share your story and set up donations through paypal? I have never been one to ask for help esp with $ in my life but I cant live like this anymore. I need help! Ive dealt with this long enough and its getting worsel. There was a point in my life where I could sort of function through it and can no longer. I am willing to try/do anything just dont have the income to do so. Any help, ideas ANYTHING would be very much appreciated. Thank you so much!

Brandi

I'm so sorry you feel this way, but things will get better!! Going gluten free is the best option for you, just eat easy simple meals and you will see an improvement and be able to go to college, get a job and get to your life again! You just need to help your body heal.

I've found gluten free bread lasts longer than normal bread, so thats a great thing to have in the house. Simple things like gluten free crackers, rice, peanut butter, gluten free cereal, yoghurt should be the basic items you have!

Try drinking lots of water and tea. I'm not sure where you live but maybe try and find a coeliac support group or club, email a coeliac foundation and ask them for advise about treatment, food etc...

I know in England once you are diagnosed with coeliac you get gluten free foods discounted through the government, maybe this is an option for you wherever you are?

Be positive! Eat simple easy food and know you will get better soon. I wish you best of luck!

[Bubba's Mom]

Try to eat mostly whole foods, like fruits and veggies, meats, eggs.

Omit dairy and soy for a while along with the gluten. It may help the brain fog lift faster?

Get bags of potatoes and carrots. They can be cooked and eaten alone as a veggie, or used in soups/stews. Watch for whatever produce is on sale and load up. Same with meats. Eggs are cheap and can be cooked in a number of ways.

Rice is cheap and can be flavored with a variety of spices or veggies.

Be careful about contamination of your ingredients and pans/can opener.

Brain fog takes a while to heal, but it will eventually so be patient.

Best wishes!