Fibromyalgia and impaired memory. If you or a loved one has fibromyalgia, then you might be familiar with something this: forgetting what the inside of your house looks like, struggling to find common words, or even forgetting what it was you were thinking about in the first place. Maybe you had to withdraw from school because you couldn’t remember what you read. If you’re dealing with fibromyalgia, there’s a good chance you’re suffering from impaired memory, concentration, and overall cognitive function. In fact, according to the National Fibromyalgia Research Association, 46% of fibro patients suffer from both fibromyalgia and impaired memory.

Some fibromyalgia patients have found that their cognitive function seems to get more impaired as time goes on. Apparently, some people don’t often have that symptom during the early years of fibro. Rather, it kind of comes with time. And not in terms of impairment that comes with aging. This is different. The National Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Association explains, “…we have found that FM patients perform more poorly than age- and education-matched controls on tests of several different types of cognitive function.” Ok, so there is something distinctly abnormal, a serious problem happening with the cognition of fibro patients, right? Well then, what exactly is happening and what can be done about it?

One study from Korea, published in 2012, concluded “that the working memory deficit found in FM patients may be attributable to differences in neural activation of the frontoparietal memory network and may result from both pain itself and depression and anxiety associated with pain.” In other words, fibromyalgia includes pain, depression, and anxiety that individually and collectively cause the brain to behave abnormally. Indeed, the study went on to add that “memory and concentration problems in FM patients were related to impairments in their ability to organize and plan ahead, express themselves, respond quickly to questions, and to drive.”

Sometimes we refer to these cognitive problems in fibromyalgia patients as “brain fog. If you deal with this, then you know chronic fatigue and disturbances in your sleep seem to make it worse. A study showed that fibromyalgia patients are not receiving enough oxygen to different parts of their brain. The Arthritis Foundation speculates that a possible reason for this could be that a fibro patient’s central nervous system is off kilter which leads to changes in the brain’s blood vessels. Thus, impaired cognitive function.

Fibro fog! Makes ya feel like your going crazy! I take 4000mg of fish oil a day (started on 1000mg a day and added another 1000mg each month) and it helps so much! Dont struggle so much with brain fog and can actually concentrate at work and I have increased memory. 😃

I have Fibro Fog all the time it feels like. I’m 49 will be 50 this November and I think I’m going crazy. I’ve stopped working due to pain and fatigue but nothing is helping me. I here your pain.

Yes. Fibro is a disorder of the nervous system. The nervous system is your brain and spinal cord.

Yes I have brain fog terribly and it is soooo frustrating!! I know I’m getting older but come on, 56 isn’t supposed to be like 86!! I always had high marks in school and won the English award when I graduated so it’s not like I always struggled and it drives me crazy!! I have learned that when I’m in a flare up, there’s no point in trying to do anything, even something as simple as writing a grocery list!! Fibro just plain sucks in so many ways and it’s worse when people laugh at you when you say you have fibro fog!!😢