Chemo brain; not just a temporary phenomenon

alexa61

Hi everyone,

I am 8 years out now and am so grateful for all the wonderful support on this site.  I received Taxotere, Cytoxan and Adriamycin.  I took  a job with an insurance company as a nurse case manager 1 year ago and was fired after 3 months.  I thought that the reason that I did not succeed on this job had to do with the poor training that I had on a very complicated computer system that required constant changing of screens to accomplish 1 task.  I have never been fired from a job before. I decided to use the time off to go to Dr's apts that I had been putting off.  In the process I ended up on opiates because the Restless Leg Syndrome that I have has been so poorly controlled (that is a whole story in and of itself). Bottom line is that I ended up being dx'd with sleep apnea and the neuro MD suggested that I apply for disability since the meds that worked were causing me so many side effects and he had run out of options. As part of the whole disability thing, I was required to go to a neuro psych Dr.  I did below average on the testing that he gave me. He told me that I have chemo brain which is manifested by short attention span and memory problems.  I did not know that "chemo brain" is a permanent thing.  Has anyone else experienced this years after receiving chemo?  My short term memory is getting so bad that I can put something in the refrigerator, turn around to do something else and forget what I just put in the fridge.  It was a very sobering day yesterday.  It is so hard to admit to myself that I have mental limitations.  I really don't want to be on disability but I have used up all my retirement trying to get down to the bottom of my problems.  I have been offered a job that I am supposed to start Jan 6th.  What if I turn down the disability and find that I can't do the job?  What if I start the job, get accepted for disability and then get turned down when they find out that I went to get a job.  I don't know what to do. I met a nice man that I really connect with.  I don't know whether or when I should tell him about all of this.  I feel alone and scared.  As a single mother, the one thing that you need are your mental faculties!  I hope that this does not get worse!  Thanks for letting me vent.

Moderators

Hi Alexa,

Unfortunately, this is a very common side effect of breast cancer and treatment! 

You may be interested in checking out the transcript of the October 2008 Breastcancer.org Ask-the-Expert Conference about Managing Chemo Brain, to find some tips to help manage this side effect.

There are also some helpful Research News articles that  you might find interesting!

We hope this helps!

--The Mods