What causes brain fog?

[Schweddy]

I have suffered from intermittent brain fog since I've been on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for the last two years. I must say it is WAY improved from my pre-trt days. I've noticed it flares up after:

1. extreme exercise. Say a two hour plus run in the heat.
2. sex more than 3 or 4 times a day
3. a night of too much booze

Dehydration seems to be the common thread here. Is this the main cause? Can elevated prolactin cause brain fog?

I need to mention that I am hypothyroid and on Synthroid.

I'm curious as I am in a period of brain fog now and it seems to be lasting a little longer than usual. (Usually it's a day or two, now I'm going on day 3).

My protocol is 100 - 120 mg test cyp E7D.

Anyone have any experience with this. Anyone have any remedies?

 

[Megatron28]

No brain fog for me since I got on the juice. I'm wondering if you notice that you get foggy at the end of the week (relative to your injection) or if it can happen at anytime. Have you ever tried injecting more frequently --say every 3.5 days? The only thing I am basing this on is that more frequent injections woukd level you out more.

 

[totalburnout]

Very good question.

My own anecdotal experience has been it relates to quality of sleep, nutrition and energy output. Usually accompanied with bouts of bad fog is exhaustion and then ultimately getting sick for myself. Pre testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) this was a far worse occurrence and actually led us to believe I could have an autoimmune disorder - we ultimately did decide on Epstein Barr/chronic fatigue. testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has controlled/contained the problem.

I would certainly love to know what the causes are but it seems to be one of those all encompassing general symptoms that is too ambiguous to narrow down to a single cause.

 

[Schweddy]

Interesting. I have an autoimmune disorder: Hashimotos. [/I]

 

[bigben34]

I've had a similar experience as what you describe. For a while, I would workout, feel great, then 45 mins later I would "crash"- brainfog city..tired..zoned out feeling. I would have sex and then the same feeling would hit me shortly after. I always thought this was hormone related and maybe E2 would jump up after these things but that didn't appear to be the case. My levels were dialed in and i would feel good outside of these situations. The common theme with the activities that cause this is a boost in dopamine. Working out, sex, booze, all make you feel good and increase dopamine levels. When they come back down, it can sometimes cause a "mini-depression". That's exactly what was happening to me. I got one of my docs to prescribe a med that inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, making them more effecient and plentiful in the brain. The med is called Wellbutrin and is sometimes prescribed for depression. I take 150mg every morning and i haven't once felt that brain fog or crash since i started.
I have no idea if testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) effects neurotransmitters or if this is just a coincidence but it certainly has helped me out.

 

[Megatron28]

I've had a similar experience as what you describe. For a while, I would workout, feel great, then 45 mins later I would "crash"- brainfog city..tired..zoned out feeling. I would have sex and then the same feeling would hit me shortly after. I always thought this was hormone related and maybe E2 would jump up after these things but that didn't appear to be the case. My levels were dialed in and i would feel good outside of these situations. The common theme with the activities that cause this is a boost in dopamine. Working out, sex, booze, all make you feel good and increase dopamine levels. When they come back down, it can sometimes cause a "mini-depression". That's exactly what was happening to me. I got one of my docs to prescribe a med that inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine, making them more effecient and plentiful in the brain. The med is called Wellbutrin and is sometimes prescribed for depression. I take 150mg every morning and i haven't once felt that brain fog or crash since i started.
I have no idea if testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) effects neurotransmitters or if this is just a coincidence but it certainly has helped me out.

It would be interesting to see if your prolactin was spiking. That is usually what happens after sex. And prolactin is connected to dopamine I believe. Perhaps you could use a medication to control prolactin. Halfwit knows much more that I could hope to know on this topic. Will be interesting to get him to chime in with his thoughts.

 

[halfwit]

It would be interesting to see if your prolactin was spiking. That is usually what happens after sex. And prolactin is connected to dopamine I believe. Perhaps you could use a medication to control prolactin. Halfwit knows much more that I could hope to know on this topic. Will be interesting to get him to chime in with his thoughts.

Wow, that's a coincidence as I have a dear friend that was put on Wellbutrin after talking to him about a possible dopamine issue. Out of all the anti-depressants it's the only one that I would ever recommend as it isn't an SSRI. I honestly don't know for sure if this is a prolactin/dopamine issue, but that does make sense with regards to sex and they are inversely proportional as dopamine drives prolactin down. Feeling tired after a trip to the gym however could be something totally different, although you should feel more relaxed once that dopamine hits your body. Glad to know that the Wellbutrin fixed this, but I'm curious why it would work in the case of a post-workout slump - adrenal fatigue maybe?

Man, this stuff makes me want to change my major and just go endocrinology. It's a shame that I love electricity so much and would be a huge waste after all that damn math I had to go through, but I'd LOVE to know these answers for certain.

 

[HammerT1]

For me me I at least thought was combination of meds, lack of sleep from pain and stress that was cashing my brain fog. The testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) knocked off about 85 percent maybe a tad more at its height. I have been trying to figure a few things out recently. The whole prolactin questions has come to mind. Prolactin has also been mentioned by halfwit as something I shoubd get checked out. Sadly when things were that worst I don't have bloods other then for test and lipids. I will have to see if they might have been done earlier for some reason. Wish I had found this sight a lot sooner. I did have prolactin tested with last batch of tests from doc. I am am interested to really look at it all more deeply since I have had a little more brain fog more recently. I was attributing it all to lack of sleep again. But damn body chemistry can be a pita to figure out since not all docs are on top on their game or what issues meds can cause other then the basics.
I have toyed with going back to school for something in medical field related to all the issues I've had to deal with. It would be nice to have people who understood what was going on better. Damn I avoided biology/chemistry both times I was in college getting degrees. Ill regret that if that's path I choose.
Great question! I lost count of how many times I brought this up to numerous docs and ever got an explanation or any type of answer! Nor any way to try and treat it! The testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) clinics on the other hand were all familiar with brain fog I spoke with. They all offered up their ideas as to issues in my case as well. Sadly I skimped on testing and didn't get prolactin tested.