Arimidex-Memory Loss

Jane, you do not need to search for reasons for memory-loss! After what you have been through, I'm surprised you remember your own name! It's a bit scarey, but as time goes on and you become healthier and free of chemicals, your memory will improve. Keep a diary and write everything down: I've been writing everything down..for years..even before BC! Saves a lot of embarrassment!

I agree with Vivre, estrogen deprivation to the brain may cause memory problems. - Just another  wonderful SE of the aromatase inhibitors. - I have had the same problem with femara (on it almost a year), mostly in conversation, where I stop in mid-sentence, because I can't find "the words.'

Julie

I have had my ovaries removed and am now on Arimidex - so I am dealing with early sugical menopause and the SEs of AIs. I am also suffering badly with post treatment fatigue which affects my cognitive abilities I think.

I am definitely foggy brained - it is the only way to describe it. But when I sit down to study (for my MA) or write letters I am fine. I had to learn 300 Latin terms the other day and did it no problem at all - yet I feel so fuzzy most of the time, so I really have no idea what is going on!

Wild horses wouldn't drag me off this incredible drug. I have a friend with mets who is being treated with Arimidex alone and who has experienced great results.

i am due to start arimidex after radiation. i just found this thread and will save it to my favorites. My memory is already bad.... i wonder if there is something we can do to help ourselves remember better? Also, are you ladies also not eating soy which introduces an estrogen like hormone into the body? Are you subscribing to diet and exercise? did you also do chemo?

I quit eating any soy products because of the hormone thing.  There is a list somewhere that I thought I saved that tells of all the products out there that contain hormone positive stuff in them.  It was scarey!!!!!

I'm not sure what helps with the memory loss.  I know eating a lot of fish is supposed to help.  And I try to write down stuff I'm supposed to remember, like appointments, stuff I have to do, etc.  I guess everything has it's side affects, no matter what it is!

I haven't been the same since chemo.  I am experiencing alot of the arimidex side effects and memory loss is one.  What I have done is given myself permission to let go... of things I think I should do and remember.  I was always type a and now it's time to be type b or c.  I'm letting myself slow down and meander through the rest of my life.  I am taking naps for the first time in my life, putting things off until tomorrow, finding new things to do and enjoy and not worrying about every little thing.  I am now along for the ride and finding humor in all the things I am doing wrong.

Your NOT, I have been on Fermara now since 2007 and yes, many many memory problems, none of which I ever had before BC, my mind is like a steal trap and I was always told you'll nevr have any friends because you remember way too much....OMG, one of the stupidest things I was ever told...I'm 47  years young now and read and work my brain everyday to combat the loss that many told me I would have, sure it comes and goes, but I can tell you that from personal experience when I had surgeries, I stopped all medication for months and I never felt better, when my On doc told me WHY, I told him, my numbers have constantly improved, my memory and focus never better, so why do I need a "pill" that you get kickbacks from as a distributor, when it does me no good....and I've constantly heard well becasue my tumor was 7x10 cm to start, then shrunk to 3x5 after chemo, then dbl mastmy, full hysterectomy, expanders, then 3 colonostomies to boot, I've had more stuff done to me overall than I care to elaborate on...and all I know is that when I'm on no medication I feel SUPER!!! I work out 5 x a week, eat all the good things that my body needs, baths, walks, reading, dog, kids, relaxation, yogi, taichi, etc. and I've noticed when I start the femara back up (I've done my own testing on my own body and how it reacts) everything returns...I take Vit D, fish oil and plenty of water and green/black tea....creating that overall feeling of peace and contentment in your head and doing what "is right for you" is what it's all about....I'm approaching my 5 year anniversay in remission and I have no intentions of continuing this drug, it will be the chance I take, had my genetics done, nothing, doesn't run in my family, no history, and my environment has changed drastically, the stress levels are low but I have also truned that around for myself by doing what keeps my mind at peace and focus....stress effects the body in many many ways!  Enjoy your day!  :-)

I've always had a great memory and was a whiz at trivia.  I've been on Arimidex for 2 1/2 years and can't remember things like people's names or what everyday ordinary things are called.  My biggest problem is that I'm a crossword puzzle addict; the harder,the better.  I cannot remember simple answers to the standard clues that I've answered for years on end.  The words are always at the tip of my tongue and I can't grasp them.  So, I let the clue go and, after a while, the answer comes to me - sometimes not for days and sometimes never.

Ladies:  I have been on Arimidex for almost 8 years and  this past year I noticed a serious memory problem.  However my Onc refuses to accept the fact it could be a side effect of what the lack of estrogen is doing to my brain.  I insisted my primary care doctor do a CT Scan on my brain to check for tumors or other signs leading to memory problems.  They could find no abnormal findings in my brain.  I asked him if he thought I was starting up with dementia (I am in my early 70's) but he says "no" that dementia has specific signs which I don't show.  He feels it is probably stress.  Now one thing I have realized.  When I can't think of a word I want to use, the worse thing I can do is try to keep thinking about it.  If I go on to something completely different and take some relaxing breathes, the word I was trying to think of "always" pops back into my mine!

Frankly I still think the Arimidex does cause memory problems but how can we convince our Onc of this?  Now I am told he wants to keep me on it another 8 years as long as my bones don't deteriorate.  So great!  I may be able to walk but I'll be the oldest babbling idiot in some institution at this rate!   Frankly I think in the years to come, they are going to "have" to admit Arimidex affects the mine and our thinking and we will finally get the answers we need.  It may be too late to help patients like myself but those coming behind us may benefit from our problems.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer 2 years ago. I take Arimidex and have come to accept fatigue and memory loss episodes. I figure... I either continue Arimidex, fatigue and memor loss epiosdes or face the possibility or a reoccurance of cancer. It is a no brainer to me. I will do whatever I need to do, to not have a relapse and another cancer experience. In four years, I hope to remember it all, if I don't, by then I will have new stories that I will remember, and ....enjoy sharing.

I am curious as to why in 2012 there are no posts to this memory loss discussion.  After surgery and radiation treatment  for stage 1 breast cancer I have been on Arimidex for 5 months and memory loss is a problem.  I am experiencing all the same types of loss as described above- whole conversations, wrong word being spoken, names,...  This is scary stuff as both my parents had dementia.  Can anyone say that these symptoms have passed since you first posted your own observations?  Or have they intensified as the years go by?  Any alternative drug therapies out there for estrogen receptive breast cancer?  I am 58 and feeling too young for this extent of memory loss.  Yes it will also be a discussion I have with my medical oncologist.

I am 63 and have been on Arimidex for 4 months now. I have noticed memory loss and am worried that it will get worse. I don't have an appt with my oncologist until September so I will wait and talk to him about it then. I love to read and lately I haven't been able to concentrate long enough to read a book. Hopefully it doesn't get worse. I was not warned about this side effect. I am taking calcium and vitamin D to prevent more bone loss as I already have osteopoenia.

 I had a left breast mastectomy on Feb 28th after being diagnosed with ILC in several areas of the left breast; my lymph nodes are clear. I had no chemo and no radiation. Since taking Arimidex I haven't had a good night sleep. I fall asleep and then wake up later mulitple times during the night. I've had a few leg cramps and some headaches but nothing too bad. So far I have had no aching joints so that is good.

I'm trying to stay positive but not too happy about my memory.

Would like to hear if anyone else has memory problems?

Colleen

Hi,

 Thank you for your response. It is frustrating to say the least but I guess if it doesn't get any worse, I will stick with the arimidex. My cousin was on it for 5 years and she suffered from achy joints. She has been off of it for awhile and is doing better although she says that her hair is still thin. My hair is thinning as well but not bad yet. Also, I am now having trouble waking up at night and not getting back to sleep. I'm going to start taking the medicine in the morning to see if that helps. Any problems with sleeping for you?

Colleen

I am so relieved to hear from others suffering memory loss. I have been taking Arimidex for 2 years and 3 months, after having a lumpectomy, and my memory loss has got really bad. I was afraid that I was taking Alzheimer's. My son laughs at me repeating myself and forgetting names. I do remember the names after a while, but it's really scary when I can't remember that I've done something, and go to do it again. I also have pain in my joints, tiredness, and sleeplessness. I am 70 years of age, but didn't have problems with my memory until I started on Arimidex. Thank-you all so much for sharing your stories.