I am starting back to school after an absence (again) and I am very concerned about my ability. My grades have already suffered from it especially the last semester. My memory is so awful it makes retaining info difficult and the fog also makes understanding harder. Any advice? I can’t take any ADD meds because the Provigil I take for fatigue already elevates my heart rate and BP.
I suffer from some ADD so have always been in a fog long before the fibro fog. I find that caffeine helps me focus a bit better/sharper.
I also find that info stays with me longer if I write it down. For classes maybe taping them and then going home and writing down significant parts as well as highlighting them too. Seems to help the info to stay put a bit longer.
Plenty of sleep. Being tired will make your fibro fog go crazy, it seems.
Stay nourished too. If I'm hungry then I really lose concentration.
Maybe some gentle relaxation exercises too, like closing your eyes, then counting slowly from one to ten without thinking of anything else. I've done it in the bathtub before work and it does help.
Sorry, wish I could help more!
When I went back to work from full disability it was a gradual return to work. Recommend taking maybe one class if you can. Also, see if you can take an online class. Tell your professors what is going on. You will probably find them to be supportive. It’s hard to go back to school or work so try to take it slow. I hope that helped
Unfortunately I can’t go part time as my only funding is federal loans and I must be full time for that. Thank you both for the suggestions. I have tried things like writing it down. I take notes during a lecture and then I was making like a study guide out of them. I was still finding myself to be very forgetful. I know I noticed like at fathers day that I had even forgotten what I had written in the cards just a few hours later.
Hey there, my honest advise for you, based on my own experience would be to invest in a dictaphone and microphone. With permission you can record your class/lecture, even if they do not want you doing that they should be ok with you recording your own notes on to it. There is a software program you can get with it called audio notetaker 2.5. With this you plug your dictaphone into the computer and it allows you to take what you have said and visualise it with blocks. You can change the colour of important parts. You can break it up, connect it, rename parts, delete blank spaces, make notes in a margin and the like.
I hope this is of help. If you would like more information then feel free to add me on here and I will try to help you.
Mikex
Is there federal assistance for disabled students? Have you talked to someone like a guidance counselor at your school? Your school should provide disability accomodations for you. For example, if a student is deaf, the school provides someone who knows sign language.
Also, I would get a handicapped parking pass. We qualify - but you will likely need to have your doctor fill out some information.
Do you live on campus?
I would definitely talk to your professors on the first day of class. What year are you? I found that once I had picked my major the department staff was really helpful. I Had mono and almost had to drop out. If your professors know what is going on they may modify their course plans to accommodate you. They will likely understand if you miss class or an assignment.
For the fogginess, I would recommend you tell your professors about it. I have taken classes where the students organize a note taking service. Basically you take turns and pay a small fee for the cost of making copies. Also, maybe a study group could be organized by your classmates. Just a few ideas from my many many years in school. 
Don’t give up on your dreams - I know you can do it.
I have talked with my advisor in the past about it. She is the only wildlife professor and I must have her as my advisor to keep the concentration. She has been absolutely horrible about it really. My break this last semester was partly because she would not make accommodations in her class for my knee. As for the disability accommodations I live in Louisiana which is not known for its understanding nature of things like this. I really doubt the campus would see this as a true disability. And the federal aid I will look in to as well as the note taking thing.
That is just awful to hear. Can I ask which school you are in? What is your area of interest?
I’m going to do some research and ask a few folks about it. I have several friends who are university professors and I will let you know what they say.
Take care and keep us posted