Describing the Fog – poll included

I’m still struggling to come to terms with the best way to describe the Fog to other people.

To me the Fog has two distinct parts:

  • The Physical Fog, which causes the heaviness in my limbs and the weird spinning sinking sensations I sometimes experience,

and

  • The Mental Fog (or Brain Fog), which causes the confusion, inability to focus and all the other fun symptoms that come with it.

Through Foggy Frog and Friends I have managed to start describing both of these aspects, but I don’t feel like I’ve quite got the description right

Foggy Frog is the one that’s always on my shoulder. He’s weighing me down and makes it feel like I’m pushing through mud whenever I’m trying to do anything. Somehow, he’s also managed to get into my head and muddle everything up. Because of this I have trouble remembering things and can’t focus on anything for more than a few minutes at a time without zoning out.

From Introducing Foggy Frog and Friends (c) Megan S, November 2013

…she feels the weight of them upon her body and can feel her energy draining away. She is weak and shaky…

From Fighting Them… (c) Megan S, October 2013

The world is spinning. As I close my eyes I am sinking. I can feel the ground below me giving way, as my body slowly gives in to the fog and the weight.

From Spinning and Sinking… (c) Megan S, November 2013

Foggy Frog is here
Heaviness and confusion
Moving through the fog

From Foggy Frog and Friends Haikus (c) Megan S, November 2013

All of these descriptions are good BUT I don’t feel they quite get the intensity and debilitating nature of the Fog that comes with chronic illnesses like ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia.

So, I’ve decided to turn to you for help. Please take part in the poll below and if you can think of other descriptions that I haven’t mentioned please add them.

How would you describe the ‘Fog’?

[polldaddy poll=7607139]