GMS52

I had horrible brain fog on midodrine. I didn't realize that it was the midodrine until I didn't take it for a day. I refused to take it again once I realized how much it affected me. My concrete and abstract thinking were so impaired that If I had in my mind a way to do something and then had a question or couldn't do something, I was at a standstill. I know that people met me in that state must have thought something was off with me, because I was confused by the simplest things. It felt like when I was reading more technical things for works or things with steps that I wasn't able to see part of the page. I can't offer much help, other than to confirm the side effect, since I quit it as soon as I realized it. While I was on it, I did develop some coping mechanisms. I would write everything out about a topic before a meeting or conversation, because I couldn't think in the moment, but if I thought it all through before and reviewed the notes right before the meeting, it was fresh in my mind. When it was appropriate, I kept the notes open, but I felt weird to bring notes into what was supposed to be an informal meeting or conversation. Then I would take a walk and think things out while walking (I can focus and think better when walking), and send a follow-up about anything I said wrong or couldn't completely answer. I also try to get everyone to email me rather than calling, so I don't have to answer in real-time and can put it off I am not thinking clearly. I also find that lists/plans keep me on track and I rank each task by how much of my brain is needed. Once, it hits me that I don't have the brain power to do what I am working on, I stop switch to something that needs less brain power and/or take a walk. When reading or working through something more complex, I try and find a way to organize the information so that I figure things out as I am reading/working through and then have a reference for later. I use a lot of charts for notes, they are easy to get info from right away, help you focus on what your aims are for reading/concepts, and sometimes when you are very foggy, you can just fill out a chart that you will understand when your mind is more clear. I switched tenses, because even though I am off the midodrine, I do have lots of times of mental impairment. I know you are probably wondering what I replaced the midodrine, and the answer is currently nothing, so I am definitely struggling throughout the day.