Chemo Brain

Ah yes chemo brain.  I am right there with you!  I hate it with a passion.  I am a medical receptionist during the day and a mom after hours...lol  I get home and like you want to say turn off the *&^*& TV, the head it not clear, I loose words during conversations and forget simple jobs at work..I am at a loss of what to do!

I ended chemo in August of 2007 and I still have chemo brain. I am in a study at Stanford on the emotional and cognitive effects of chemo on the brain. It was a 4 hour appointment with a brain MRI at the end. Since there wasn't any testing prior to my diagnosis and chemo, it's hard to judge, on paper, what the true effects are. I'm now at the part where I do "games" on my computer to see how my brain learns new things. I'm hoping my participation will help someone, somewhere...

Linda

Mine is terrible.  I pray it goes away. My Onco. does not think it is chemo brain. ( I doubt he even believes in it) He says... when you are thrown into menopause... and all estrogen is gone... that causes the brain/memory issues...

Ritalin - that was good to see that post.  I have just had my PCP write an RX for me.  It is a low dose I will give it a couple of weeks and I will let everyone know.

Chaparrita, I understand your frustration.  My oncologist just acts like its no big deal.  Thankfully, I have a psychiatrist who listens and believes me.  I take Adderral for ADD and it helps with the chemo brain a little but I still feel like I'm scatterbrained, I forget a lot of things, I can't think of words or names all the time.  I even had to resign my job because it required so much multitasking.  I finished chemo in Nov. of 2007 and I'm still coping with it.  I live in AL also if you'd like to swap numbers or something.  I need support.  I hope you see this.

So here is my question...at what point in tx's did you realize the chemo brain was severe. For example, if I have one or two tx's will I have a sense that there is a problem soon enought to stop?

Dont worry, you didn't scare me, was already scared about this.

I like Concerta better than Ritalin. It works longer. I take 2+36 mg.

There is no harm in trying, if you do not need it , it will have no effect. If it works, you needed it. There is a tendency to underdose adults, I was on too low a dose for a long time.

Since Chemo is still elective for me, I really wonder if it's the right choice.

My cancer councelor thinks the CMF(which I will likely have) may cause less damage than the newer drugs, so I am keeping my fingers crossed and praying on this.

UPDATE...so I spent the day researching this. I think there is one report that says if you have a problem before chemo you may be more likely to have long lasting or severe chemo brain.

I guess the good news is that my hospital has a phd researcher who specialises in the cognative impact of breast cancer treatment. I called and left a message saying that I really want to meet with him before I see oncologist on Tuesday, so keep your fingers crossed for me!

here is a link

Microsoft PowerPoint - Ahles-Survivors Conference 6-17a-Ahles

I'm so frustrated, 7 rounds of chemo done one more to go.  My diagnosis is serious but IM so fed up with all of the side effects. When I say I have chemo brain, my husband just tells me your being silly its nothing it will go away. I guess I have been fighting the battle so hard I haven't had time to be angry and now all of sudden I'm mad as hell at all that my body has gone through and all that I still have to face! Radiation is the next step in "My Adventure" and Im tired, my body and mind are wrecked- everyone is so excited for me that chemo is almost over and I feel like this adventure will never end.

Ok, I had a long chat with my MD about chemo brain today, and to be honest he didn't know much. His only suggestion is since I am already on the max dose of meds, maybe that will do the trick.

My hospital has a psychologist who specializes in cognative damage from BC treatment, I am seeing him on the 10th. I will not make my chemo decision without that consult.

Question-- did any of you have CMF?

Just to offer a little bit of hope to those who are just over or in the midst of chemo -- I noticed a serious decline in my cognitive functioning during and right after chemo, but I have also notice significant improvement in the past month or two. I was one of those whose chemo put her into menopause plus I'm on tamoxifen which also is associated with cognitive decline so it was a big shock to suddenly not be able to crank out 2000 works in 4 hours or to be able to speak extemporaneously and to have serious word-finding problems. But it has improved. Still need to write things down and check those notes when memory is involved, but I'm doing much better with stopping mid-sentence having lost not just the word but the threat of my thought all together. I can now do the Washington Post crossword most days, though I have to write the vertical answers out horizontally.

I loved my hair, my mind, my arm strength. BC attacked them all.

OK gals, I tried to talk a lot about this at my oncologist appointment. I saw both a "fellow" and my onc.

To be honest they are somewhat dismissive of chemo brain. I mentioned the Stanford brain imaging study and the fellow said (in a British accent) "do you really expect a study with 28 people to change how we treat hundreds of thousands of women."

I said I appreciate what you are saying, but to be honest I think the medical establishment is a bit slow on this.

But I only have one little brain and I need to defend it.

I will say I mentioned my concerns about driving, it's allready a challenge, and if my add got worse I'm not sure I could handle a commute at all. 

That seemed to make it less abstract.

I'll be honest this has become the top consideration in my chemo decision. 

PS.  Yes, I did the CT- NYC commute in rush hour.