Dear @ Grithcel13 and Paul, not sure if Grithcel13 is actually “Gretchen” or not? Anyhow, I read both of your messages with a lot of interest. Brain fog is something that I’ve heard a lot about from hundreds of patients over the past 30 years that I’ve been working with the Hepatitis B Foundation. It’s real! As is right-sided abdominal pain. Both are symptoms that most doctors, including hepatologists, tend to dismiss as not real or unknowable. With that said, I personally haven’t had either either before or after starting medications almost 20 years ago. But I have heard from so many people living with hep b about these symptoms that I truly believe it exists.
Maybe Thomas or some of the other scientists on this forum have a possible explanation about why starting an antiviral medication could cause brain fog? Hopefully as Paul wrote about, it’s a temporary side effect? My only brain fog is a result of being 62 years and being post-menopausal. “Normal” memory loss like names and where my car keys are to mild confusion like walking purposefully somewhere in the house and then not remembering why I needed to go into that room. This is such a common experience with my other older female friends who do not have hep b, so I don’t attribute it to my condition.
Anyhow, it would be interesting to hear from other folks on the forum about their experiences with brain fog or not? And how they cope. Thanks “Gretchen” and Paul for raising a very interesting issue! Always, Joan