Chemo brain from anthracyclines

Hi Mary, I had the same chemo as you and didn't notice much impact to memory. The treatment definitely takes a toll psychologically and emotionally so I suspect that some symptoms are the result of being hit by the shock of the diagnosis. And then normal aging should be taken into account as well.

I was 54 when I started chemo. My job requires a lot of focus and good attention to detail. I worked through chemo and continue working in the same line of business but with increased responsibilities. I just don't think that would be possible if there were any serious impact to brain function from AC.

hi Mary,

I can also attest to the issues you have. way back shortly after I finished chemo, I researched chemo brain. It is absolutely true that the toxic chemicals we are given affect the delicate brain cells. In short we are all brain damaged. Some have more problems than others, and some just cope better.

For me I am thankful I am alive, have no regrets about my tx, and simply let go of what I can't remember. It 's actually no longer distressing to me.

I work in IT in a fast-paced job that requires a lot of focus, and a lot of details to keep track of. I have definitely noticed a huge change in my ability to add new memories, and retrieve old ones. It's much harder now to focus on complex tasks, or get back to where I was if I am interrupted.

I'm not on an AI so I can't blame that. I noticed the change toward the end of neo-adjuvant chemo, which had put me into instant menopause. I had my one remaining ovary removed at the same time as my mastectomy. At the time, I chalked up the mental issues I was having to the stress of trying to go through BC and work full-time simultaneously. For the first year following chemo, I had the kind of stress from it that could easily have created these types of cognitive and memory issues. But after that, things calmed down, and I have not spent so much energy worrying about cancer coming back.

Since then I continue to notice deterioration in my mental abilities. I try to cover it up, because I need to keep this job until I'm ready to retire. I really don't have any idea whether it was from chemo, the oopherectomy, or just normal brain aging. I would think it would have to get a whole lot worse before it would come to disability. Frankly I have my doubts whether I would get anywhere on a disability claim unless the brain damage was so obvious anybody could see it.

All this and as you say Mary, it looks as though AC+T for luminal A (which I am assumed to be) was not really worth it. But my onc (who always looked on the bright side) said that even though it didn't appear to do much to my visible lesions or lymph nodes, there was a good chance it knocked out smaller things that may have been floating around unseen. But secretly I have always wondered whether that was just to save me from the rage at having gone through all that for no good reason.

Some of it is related to chemo, some to the normal aging process, some to aftereffects of general anesthesia (I had four sessions of it in 16 months), some of it is stress and the overall emotional landscape of BC, some of it is (I'm convinced) the anti-hormonals, and some of it, according to my friends who are older than I am, the instant - and in my case permanent - menopause. That just has to make a contribution.

My memory is nowhere near what it was before, but it's better now that I'm a few years out. That some of it is no doubt attributable to menopause makes me feel like I'm less of an outlier, as in age-appropriate.