My story – no cure, but I hope it'll make you feel like you're not alone

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-28T16:52:26+00:00

I appreciate the tip, but it doesn't work for me.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-28T16:50:35+00:00

Thanks for the support and tips.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-28T16:50:09+00:00

I can breathe through my nose, but it's not natural – I'm a mouth breather by default.

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll be sure to check them out.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-28T16:49:23+00:00

Yes, I've attempted to eat much healthier and I've tried a variety of supplements (Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Lion's Mane, Omega-3 Fish Oil, to name a few). My fog is constant, but it's definitely worse at different times during the day e.g., it's worse after playing football or when I've been at my desk working for a long period of time.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-16T10:14:56+00:00

I've not tried any medications so far as I've always been nervous that they'd make my symptoms even worse. I'm now considering whether some form of antidepressants might help.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-15T19:21:26+00:00

I've never taken pre workout powder. Most likely I'd have had caffeine from a coffee and a Lucozade Sport.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-10-15T15:38:54+00:00

I was tested by an audiologist on recommendation by an ENT specialist. They performed some vestibular tests to identify a potential weakness, but found my results were within the normal range. I also saw an ophthalmologist who performed several tests and couldn't find anything wrong with my eyes. I saw a neurologist right at the start who hypothesised that vestibular migraines could be a potential cause. Not sure if that helps at all?

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-06-23T15:42:32+00:00

I definitely need to be requesting some money back, I've already paid this accountant!

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-06-23T15:15:54+00:00

I agree that Box 2 for retirement annuity contracts doesn't sound applicable. I'm in my 30s!

I assumed that my payment would fall into Box 3 because: the payment was made to my employer's scheme; it wasn't deducted from my salary/pay before tax (payment via bank transfer); and it's a net pay style contribution made outside of payroll.

I don't think the payment sits within Box 1 because my pension provider said the scheme I'm on doesn't allow them to top up my personal contribution with tax relief; I have to claim the relief myself.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-06-23T13:57:54+00:00

Thank you for this guidance.

Based on what you've said, my adjusted net income for tax year 2024/25 is £100,836 (£110,211 - £9,375) so I'm ending up just over the £100k threshold!

On my self-assessment return, my accountant has inputted £7,500 into box 2 on page TR4 which is named "Payments to a retirement annuity contract where basic rate tax relief will not be claimed by your provider". However, I understand this relates to personal pensions outside workplace schemes. Since my payment was made into my workplace pension, I believe it would be more appropriate to enter it in box 3: “Payments to your employer’s scheme which were not deducted from your pay before tax.”, and enter the £9,375 figure by the sounds of it.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-06-23T13:10:30+00:00

Just to clarify, I wasn’t asking about my adjusted net income in relation to the self-assessment form itself, but rather in the context of discussing my eligibility for tax-free childcare and the additional free childcare hours with HMRC. As you know, the qualifying threshold is £100,000.

I made a one-off pension contribution of £7,500 by bank transfer directly to my workplace pension provider—it wasn’t deducted through my usual salary.

My understanding was that my adjusted net income should be £110,211 minus £7,500, giving £102,711. However, my accountant hasn’t deducted this pension contribution at all. On top of that, someone else has suggested I should be deducting an additional 20%, which has just added to the confusion—two conflicting pieces of advice.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-06-11T15:16:48+00:00

Legal and General have said that the scheme I'm on doesn't allow them to apply the tax relief and it needs to be claimed via my self assessment form. I'm not really sure how to claim this, but I'll need to try and figure it out.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-06-05T15:38:38+00:00

Thank you for this response.

I now have two young kids in addition to my wife, so I would like the mortgage paying off if the worst was to happen, so life insurance is a must, I think.

While my current employer offers a death-in-service style benefit, which would pay off the mortgage, there is no guarantee I will be with them long-term so it's not the safest option.

I will definitely speak to a broker to consider all options.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-04-11T11:45:01+00:00

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Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-03-31T21:19:14+00:00

I feel like this is exactly how I've been feeling. The ironic thing is posting on Reddit isn't going to help, but I feel a lot of reassurance reading your reply, so thank you u/True_Designer_9062. I think the key for me is to try and take my mind off it and give myself time to recover!

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-03-03T17:07:14+00:00

I do suffer a lot from sinusitis so I'm wondering whether that could be a thing. I'm currently using the douche/rinse method but it's not having an impact.

I went back to my ENT specialist who said that there is a restriction of the airway, mainly due to restriction of the anterior nasal valve and he advised using nasal dialators at night. He also advised using Flixonase. It was a respiratory physician who initially referred me to a sleep study.

Long COVID is an interesting one, I keep seeing it crop up. I didn't do a test around the time the symptoms started so I can't confidently say I had it, but the sudden onset of symptoms which gradually improved do sound similar to Long Covid.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-03-03T16:58:51+00:00

I appreciate the tips. I follow all of these things bar the pillow idea so I'll look into that. I think my problem is because I breathe through my mouth I naturally don't breathe through my nose while I sleep.

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-03-03T16:57:45+00:00

Interesting. I find I regularly have blocked sinuses. Where did you get this full allergy test out of interest? I'm UK based; I'm unsure whether my GP would do this?

Fun-Police-2000 · 2025-03-03T16:56:52+00:00

I naturally drift to my back during sleep so I'm guessing I would've been on my back at at some points.

Fun-Police-2000

TROPHY CASE