I asked my Rheumatologist to explain the memory, concentration, retention problems that we experience.
He answered quickly and easily, "Pain, it is from chronic pain"!
So there is your answer from Michael M. Rezaian, MD, Rheumatology, Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor University of West Virginia.
Well, in a way, that's good news if it's not affecting the memory center in our brains. In other words, if our brains, like our joints, are still intact, then I'm happy.
I guess we cope pretty darned well, despite it all, as we are able to write coherent sentences, despite the pain,and we a re also able to reach out to others, despite the pain. I'm glad to know that our compassion centers are intact, and we still can remember enough to write useful posts such as yours, SK.
Well, pain does affect the brain, it changes it, according to his (Rheum) definition. I can tell you that my last three MRIs of the brain when they were looking for brain lesions from Lupus or MS, were 'clean'. That was some very good news!
I have never found any evidence that the brain change can be reversed if the source of the pain is eliminated, but is pain ever eliminated from something such as this? Don't know!
This may not really pertain to my point, but it is very interesting! So, I'll include this one.
http://www.northwestern.edu/newscenter/stories/2012/07/chronic-pain-apkarian.html
This link states that they can tell who is likely to suffer chronic pain rather than 'get over it'.
This PhD says the brain change from chronic pain CAN be reversed!
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/eyes-the-brain/201105/does-pain-change-the-brain
She explains that pain is an attention demanding process. I would certainly agree!
Yes, yes, yes! Such a simple explanation that makes much sense. Now, they need to figure out what causes the pain and fix it.
I do notice that the fibro fog is worse when I do too much and get overly tired or when I am in pain.
Exactly. I even had an argument about it with my doc a couple of weeks ago the dumb a.. He reckoned it was nothing to do with fibromyalgia, assuming I was playing dumb myself. Tut! What are they like? Any one in pain 24/7 is not gonna think straight are they? Or remember petty details about nonsense. Or keep up with some waffling idiot
Jo, I love your adjectives. Quite different from what we use. 
you are always good for a smile and a laugh.
"Bloody English!" lol. Thanks. I love you Americans. Really nice people, and loads of takeaways!!
Or me leaving the cat out for hours lol. And spraying my cappucino with deodorant instead of the chocolate powder yesterday. I must be in a LOT of pain. The docs should know how much pain we're in by how scatty we are, and give us the good stuff!
He got that right! I don't even bother to dwell on the fibro fog with the doctors because it stands to reason that we are in chronic pain states with barely any sleep. How could a person not have "fog"? If we could get the pain gone, the fog would lift, because we would sleep. All our energy is used up from the muscle spasms and the pain state. It's a miracle that we even do what we do every day.
I try do puzzles and games to keep my brain exercised. It works a bit but I'm still mental from the pain.