chemo brain??

SMR013069

Anyone experience the chemo brain or chemo fog I have read about? I was diagnosed with IDC in May. I am about to have my third round of chemo. I am a police dispatcher and I just seem so disorganized and forgetful. If anyone has had problems with cognitive function during chemo....is there anything that helps?? I need the paycheck so I can not stop working while in chemo. Thanks. Sara

tjhay

Sara, I am sorry to say that
Sara, I am sorry to say that many of us have experienced chemo brain, unforunatley about all you can do is work puzzles that work the mind to try and keep it sharp, There is not a lot that can be done about, on top of the fact that some doctors dont even belive it is a true side effect of chemo. the dorks
good luck with your treatment
tj

zahalene

tjhay said:

Sara, I am sorry to say that
Sara, I am sorry to say that many of us have experienced chemo brain, unforunatley about all you can do is work puzzles that work the mind to try and keep it sharp, There is not a lot that can be done about, on top of the fact that some doctors dont even belive it is a true side effect of chemo. the dorks
good luck with your treatment
tj

Yes, Sara....
If you look around this board a little you will see 'chemo brain' here, there, and just about everywhere.
However, it varies widely in degree and severity.
One or two suggestions: Since you need to continue with your job, try to reduce the stress and 'business' in other areas of your life. Simplify where ever possible.
Also, get plenty of rest and try to fit some 'mini breaks' into your work day...brief times when you can totally move your focus from the work tasks and do something relaxing, whatever that is for you (the puzzle idea comes in handy here).
Eating frequent, smaller meals tends to keep your energy level up and your cognitive processes sharper, rather than having those big, coma-inducing lunches or dinners.
You will soon find your stride, and though it may not be as ground-covering as you are used to, it is important to pamper yourself a little just now.
God bless.

padee6339

Chemo Brain
I have a friend who talked about the "idiot box in the living room that provides hours of mindless entertainment" when she couldn't remember to say "TV". Or the white box in the kitchen that keeps things cold. I laughed with her about it, until it happened to me. I am 4 months out of chemo and a little over a month out of Rads, and I still have difficulty remembering things, passwords, words! I have no idea how long it lasts or if it ever really goes away, so I continue to do (now which I'm addicted to) word games, soduko, reading, anything to keep my mind as sharp as I can.
Pat

tasha_111

padee6339 said:

Chemo Brain
I have a friend who talked about the "idiot box in the living room that provides hours of mindless entertainment" when she couldn't remember to say "TV". Or the white box in the kitchen that keeps things cold. I laughed with her about it, until it happened to me. I am 4 months out of chemo and a little over a month out of Rads, and I still have difficulty remembering things, passwords, words! I have no idea how long it lasts or if it ever really goes away, so I continue to do (now which I'm addicted to) word games, soduko, reading, anything to keep my mind as sharp as I can.
Pat

Hi
I am 13 months out of treatment and the chemo brain was really bad at first, I couldn't count money, do conversations, read, watch telly, or cope with anything complicated..like dressing myself LOL
It got better for me after a few confusing months. I'm almost back to normal(ish) now. Hope this helps.
Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxx

mimivac

tasha_111 said:

Hi
I am 13 months out of treatment and the chemo brain was really bad at first, I couldn't count money, do conversations, read, watch telly, or cope with anything complicated..like dressing myself LOL
It got better for me after a few confusing months. I'm almost back to normal(ish) now. Hope this helps.
Hugs Jxxxxxxxxxx

It gets better
Many of us have this. It's very common, it seems. But I've heard that it gets better with time. My own chemo brain has improved somewhat in the months since therapies ended. I like the suggestions of word games and puzzles. Physical exercise is also known to help mental acumen. I read a lot. During chemo, I picked up a thousand-page novel with dozens of characters, just to keep myself sharp. I'm still reading it....

Mimi

SMR013069

mimivac said:

It gets better
Many of us have this. It's very common, it seems. But I've heard that it gets better with time. My own chemo brain has improved somewhat in the months since therapies ended. I like the suggestions of word games and puzzles. Physical exercise is also known to help mental acumen. I read a lot. During chemo, I picked up a thousand-page novel with dozens of characters, just to keep myself sharp. I'm still reading it....

Mimi

Thanks everyone I really
Thanks everyone I really appreciate all the suggestions, and just knowing that I am not losing my mind that it does happen to other people. Take care ladies you are all amazing! Sara

tgf

SMR013069 said:

Thanks everyone I really
Thanks everyone I really appreciate all the suggestions, and just knowing that I am not losing my mind that it does happen to other people. Take care ladies you are all amazing! Sara

Sara
If you are losing your mind ... there are a LOT more of us out here than you can possibly imagine who are in the same boat. Yes it is very frustrating ... to search and search your brain for a particular word ... but just can't find it ... and then end up describing what the "thing" is. Can't tell you how many times that has happened to me.

I work full time ... and thank goodness I work with very understanding and patient people because I know I ask the same questions over and over. I've tried making lists and notes ... but when I go back to refer to them I have no idea what in the world I meant.

I am so easily distracted and can forget what I'm talking about in the middle of a sentence ... or sometimes in the middle of a word.

I'm really surprised that I can find my way home

hugs.
teena

Alexis F

tgf said:

Sara
If you are losing your mind ... there are a LOT more of us out here than you can possibly imagine who are in the same boat. Yes it is very frustrating ... to search and search your brain for a particular word ... but just can't find it ... and then end up describing what the "thing" is. Can't tell you how many times that has happened to me.

I work full time ... and thank goodness I work with very understanding and patient people because I know I ask the same questions over and over. I've tried making lists and notes ... but when I go back to refer to them I have no idea what in the world I meant.

I am so easily distracted and can forget what I'm talking about in the middle of a sentence ... or sometimes in the middle of a word.

I'm really surprised that I can find my way home

hugs.
teena

Chemo brain is very real.
Chemo brain is very real. Oncologists even admit to this. Sad that it happens, but, it does.

I think just having bc and going thru what we have to do causes this too.

Paula1001

chemo brain
Ah, the infamous chemo brain. I know it well. It lives in my brain and causes me pain. Well, not real pain. Just frustration. To cope, I've forced myself to slow down when speaking to allow for a second or two to manage some form of word retrieval. I still try to keep my vocabulary above a second grader's, but have learned to fret less if I can't remember the "big words". Oddy, if I close my eyes while word searching, it comes to me faster.

I write notes, in detail, for scheduling and whatnot. My calendar is right by the phone that we use most often and everything goes on there now.

I'm done with A/C and have had 8 of 12 Taxol/Heceptin treatments.

As you can see by the number of responses, you are not alone in this. Hang in there and good luck.
Paula

sunnygirl

Paula1001 said:

chemo brain
Ah, the infamous chemo brain. I know it well. It lives in my brain and causes me pain. Well, not real pain. Just frustration. To cope, I've forced myself to slow down when speaking to allow for a second or two to manage some form of word retrieval. I still try to keep my vocabulary above a second grader's, but have learned to fret less if I can't remember the "big words". Oddy, if I close my eyes while word searching, it comes to me faster.

I write notes, in detail, for scheduling and whatnot. My calendar is right by the phone that we use most often and everything goes on there now.

I'm done with A/C and have had 8 of 12 Taxol/Heceptin treatments.

As you can see by the number of responses, you are not alone in this. Hang in there and good luck.
Paula

chemo brain
Ah, the joys of chemo brain!!!

I have learned to camoflage it somewhat by inserting other words or simpler ones. I think doing the puzzles helps.

My hubbie had by-pass surgery last summer so the two of us make quite a pair--yes, by-pass brain is the same as chemo brain!!

At least, we've learned to laugh about it and figure with the two brains together, we're close to one good one!! LOL

Cheryl

Noel

sunnygirl said:

chemo brain
Ah, the joys of chemo brain!!!

I have learned to camoflage it somewhat by inserting other words or simpler ones. I think doing the puzzles helps.

My hubbie had by-pass surgery last summer so the two of us make quite a pair--yes, by-pass brain is the same as chemo brain!!

At least, we've learned to laugh about it and figure with the two brains together, we're close to one good one!! LOL

Cheryl

I do not have chemo brain,
I do not have chemo brain, but, I have rad brain. I think it all goes along with just having bc and all that we have to endure.

And, Cheryl, you are sure a cute couple!

Hugs, Noel

Peter_C

Chemo brain gets better and some meds might help

Hi,

I have chemobrain and over the past 2 years it has gotten better. Initially, I had trouble with conversations and would forget what I was going to say before the person that I was speaking with was finished talking. I had a neat game on a Gameboy called 'Brain Age' and that helped (I am 49). Now I find that my brain works slowly and I'm not able to multitask. I find that taking a stimulant (Ritalin) helps me be a little more focused (but you'll need to check with your doctor obviously). I lost my job because my performance deteriorated and the economy went down the tubes. I got another job and I find mental stamina is the main issue.

One thing that I think is that Chemobrain is not all from the chemo, but I think the stress that you experience when diagnosed and during treatement has an effect on your brain (when someone is really stressed out, they'll experience trouble thinking clearly). You should slow down and realize that after treatement you may need to give yourself some time to just recover from the experience and when you look fine and don't feel fine, just remember that is normal.

You'll be ok.

Alexis F

Peter_C said:

Chemo brain gets better and some meds might help

Hi,

I have chemobrain and over the past 2 years it has gotten better. Initially, I had trouble with conversations and would forget what I was going to say before the person that I was speaking with was finished talking. I had a neat game on a Gameboy called 'Brain Age' and that helped (I am 49). Now I find that my brain works slowly and I'm not able to multitask. I find that taking a stimulant (Ritalin) helps me be a little more focused (but you'll need to check with your doctor obviously). I lost my job because my performance deteriorated and the economy went down the tubes. I got another job and I find mental stamina is the main issue.

One thing that I think is that Chemobrain is not all from the chemo, but I think the stress that you experience when diagnosed and during treatement has an effect on your brain (when someone is really stressed out, they'll experience trouble thinking clearly). You should slow down and realize that after treatement you may need to give yourself some time to just recover from the experience and when you look fine and don't feel fine, just remember that is normal.

You'll be ok.

I think someone said it
I think someone said it really is just Cancer Brain. We have to go thru and endure so much with bc that it just overwhelms our minds and gives us trouble. I think that makes a lot of sense. Cause I have problems and I didn't have chemo. And, I was fine before bc. Honest!

SMR013069

Alexis F said:

I think someone said it
I think someone said it really is just Cancer Brain. We have to go thru and endure so much with bc that it just overwhelms our minds and gives us trouble. I think that makes a lot of sense. Cause I have problems and I didn't have chemo. And, I was fine before bc. Honest!

Thanks again everyone....and
Thanks again everyone....and Noel I did not need to hear that you have it from radiation too....geez...I have chemo number three of eight on tuesday then surgery then radiation after............so I guess I have a long time to look forward to being foggy. Oh well. You guys are great thanks for everything, made me feel much better. Sara

j916

SMR013069 said:

Thanks again everyone....and
Thanks again everyone....and Noel I did not need to hear that you have it from radiation too....geez...I have chemo number three of eight on tuesday then surgery then radiation after............so I guess I have a long time to look forward to being foggy. Oh well. You guys are great thanks for everything, made me feel much better. Sara

INSANITY!!!
I honestly felt like i was going insane!! My brain used to be extremely sharp, i was known for being quick witted....and OMG! i became a blubbering, forgetful, blank stare, person!!!
I fought it for the longest time, and then sat myself down and literally had a strong heart to heart talk with myself and determined that fighting it was obviously not working, and i just had to buck up and face the fact that Chemo Brain is in the house.
Lists and sticky notes became my BFF. I went to the store and bought some pretty notebooks in different sizes, for my desk at work, for next to my laptop at home, sticky notes for bathroom mirrors, the front of kitchen cabinet doors, and especially the front door. IT WORKED WONDERS!!! the ones at home worked best...the ones at work took a little longer because i would forget that i had written things down...LOL LOL
but as time goes on, i am finding out that i am having to write fewer and fewer things down, so hopefully CB is starting to lessen some.
So....PEN, PAPER, STICK IT!!!!! that's my best piece of advice!!!
OH!!!!
AND LAUGH!!!!! This is probably the only time in life you'll get away with "forgetting" the amount of things that you do!

CynSu

Chemo Brain ??
Dear Sara,
-- No you are not crazy and this is VERY common. I had breast cancer in 1999 with a bilateral rad mast. and chemo. 10 yrs. later, I still suffer from chemo brain, tho' not nearly as badly. I wrote an article about it, with info on research that has been done on it, at
http://milkywayfarer.wordpress.com/2009/02/03/what-is-chemo-brain-and-what-causes-it/
which might help you.
-- Even 7 yrs. after I was diagnosed and treated, I lost my purse when it slipped off my shoulder just outside our apt. and I DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE IT! By the time I did notice (not more than 20 minutes afterward), of course it was gone with $200 cash, credit cards, ID cards, etc. I now wear my purse messenger-bag-style so that CAN'T happen again.
-- Doing word puzzles and reading help, as does Websurfing, oddly enough. The article will provide a lot more info than I can input here. Just know you are far from alone and you are NOT crazy. LOL
Take care and good luck!
CynSu
http://milkywayfarer.wordpress.com/

tgf

j916 said:

INSANITY!!!
I honestly felt like i was going insane!! My brain used to be extremely sharp, i was known for being quick witted....and OMG! i became a blubbering, forgetful, blank stare, person!!!
I fought it for the longest time, and then sat myself down and literally had a strong heart to heart talk with myself and determined that fighting it was obviously not working, and i just had to buck up and face the fact that Chemo Brain is in the house.
Lists and sticky notes became my BFF. I went to the store and bought some pretty notebooks in different sizes, for my desk at work, for next to my laptop at home, sticky notes for bathroom mirrors, the front of kitchen cabinet doors, and especially the front door. IT WORKED WONDERS!!! the ones at home worked best...the ones at work took a little longer because i would forget that i had written things down...LOL LOL
but as time goes on, i am finding out that i am having to write fewer and fewer things down, so hopefully CB is starting to lessen some.
So....PEN, PAPER, STICK IT!!!!! that's my best piece of advice!!!
OH!!!!
AND LAUGH!!!!! This is probably the only time in life you'll get away with "forgetting" the amount of things that you do!

Yes !! Laugh !!
I think if we weren't able to laugh at ourselves and what we do with chemo brain ... I'd think we would really go crazy. Even crazier than we are now. I love reading about some of the things people have said and done ... and it makes me feel so not alone. Just a bunch of people trying to function in our own little "funny farm." I am not alone ... and none of us are. We all know what chemo brain does ... and it is frustrating ... but also a bit entertaining. LOL

I went out to dinner last night with 3 girlfriends and I can't tell you how many times I would stop in the middle of a sentence and totally forget what I was talking about. Then there were times when I got so "confused" about something ... all I could do was one of those "blank stares" we talk about. Thank goodness I don't have to do any public speaking ... or I'm sure the whole thing would end up on America's Funniest Videos.

hang in there ...

hugs.
teena