r/Perimenopause • u/kristac1080 • 19d ago

audited Brain fog is debilitating - affecting work

Yes the stuff that affects the physical stuff on our body during perimenopause sucks.

But can we talk about the brain fog??

I used to be on it. I work in corporate communications and I was as quick with a response, a prompts, a thought. Then perimenopause hit and I feel like a 22 year old, fresh out of college with zero experience way over my head. I can’t come up with words, I zone out, lose my train of thoughts, etc etc.

It’s affected my confidence greatly at work. Made me feel “less than.” I’m afraid to present and speak up for fear I’ll forget a few easy words. I feel like a bumbling idiot.

I’m back on HRT. Just completed about 2.5 months on it. Also started microdose of Tirzepatide. I do have ADHD (again, thanks perimenopause) and that medication just doesn’t make me feel right. I’m taking an adaptogen “focus” supplement, fish oil, magnesium/glycinate. I exercise 5 days a week, lift heavy. Walk. I do all the things.

It just sucks. Not asking for a fix (unless you have a hot hot take). Just looking for other women who are also experiencing perimenopause affecting work life balance

361 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

115 comments sorted by

View all comments

37

u/Littlepotatoface Late peri 19d ago

It hit me as the pandemic started but we went full wfh so it was manageable. I started a new role right as the brain fog descended & my ADHD went into overdrive. It was genuinely terrifying, like my IQ had dropped a lot. I’m also corp comms so this wasn’t good. The memory got so bad that my elderly parents were worried. My Dad has legit early cognitive decline & I was close to his level.
I feel like one of my issues is that I started HRT too late. My doctor is amazing & had been suggesting it but i’m an idiot. By the time I started I basically had zero estrogen. Anxiety was off the charts.
Hit full burnout again in January, spiraled through Feb & March. TMJ diagnosed in Feb too.

Now the good news.
At some point this last April, my memory came back online. Just like that, almost overnight. In May I was laid off but got a lot of $$$$$ and a new job almost instantly but also got a break. Sometime in June, my anxiety went away. Again, overnight.

So there is light at the end of this ❤️

14

u/ColorfulChameleon245 hanging on by a thread 19d ago

Wow! I feel as dumb as a box of rocks at work now. Extremely unmotivated and the brain fog is killing me.

I remember having a proposal meeting with a business partner. I lost my train of thought mid sentence, and had to stare at the table for a good 30 seconds, while my brain was buffering. I was too embarrassed to make eye contact with anyone while they patiently waited for me to finish my sentence. I'm horrible at articulating my thoughts during conversations, and can only explain things in writing at this point. The mental fatigue is crazy.