Fibro Brain Fog, Thick as Ever

I've been on a strictly vegan diet since March 1st, almost three months.  I've also been taking 150mg, now 125mg of amitriptyline each day.  As I've written before, I'm been feeling better than I have in two years.  I'm able to exercise and do things that I couldn't even think about doing before. 

Yesterday I painted the wooden table out on the patio of the hotel I manage.  I was able to go down the stairs to our maintenance closet, walk back up the stairs holding a quart of paint and paintbrush and still have enough energy to paint the table.  After that was completed, I was even able to water the plants and do some pruning.  A few months ago, I wouldn't have been able to descend the stairs and climb back up without experiencing a lot of pain and shortness of breath.

I'm not sure what's responsible for this huge change in my condition and I sometimes fear it's simply a remission that will run it's course and eventually end.  After all, my diagnoses of Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) were never proven.  I always wondered if it were something else I was afflicted with but I could never afford the blood work to check for NK cell function, viral titers, VO2, RNase L and cytokines count.  I've recently read that these bio markers go along way towards scientifically "proving" these diseases.

My physical condition has improved tremendously but my cognitive impairment stubbornly continues to fog my brain.  I'm able to do so much more, but my memory and recall are horrible.  Unlike most people, I was always good at remembering names and faces.  In fact, I've embarrassed myself on several occasions by walking up to greet someone by name, who had no idea who I was.  At least that won't be happening any time in the near future. 

Now when I'm having a conversation with someone, I find myself not having the words to convey my thoughts.  It's almost as though I have a stutter.  I'll get stuck on a word like a broken record and have to stop speaking completely to "re-boot" my brain, then start the sentence again.  I'm sure people don't notice it as much as I do, but I feel really self conscious when it's happening.  I also find myself not being able to remember simple words.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining!  I feel so lucky that I have this time to do some of the things I haven't been able to do in the last two years, especially spending quality time with my two year-old daughter.  I'll never again take my good health for granted, knowing that I could loose it at any time.