really big mental lapse

snommintj

I've had several small lapses in memory since chemo. Today was different, I had my fantasy football draft; my wife dropped me off. The draft form required, phone number, address, and e-mail address. I couldn't remember any of it. I left my wallet and phone in the car when my wife dropped me off. My football draft lasted 4 hours, the whole time I tried to remember. I knew the street I lived on but not the number, I've had the same e-mail for 15 years and phone number for 10 years and couldn't remember. The harder I tried to remember the further the info seemed to slip from me. Eventually it all came back to me. I have been sick and haven't slept more than a few hours per day last week and I got very little sleep last night. Do you guys think that coupled with chemo brain would cause such a lapse or do I need to get checked out.

Patteee

ya know, I would get it
ya know, I would get it checked out, just because.

I think the lack of sleep could do this, aren't you suppose to be taking care of yourself?? as in SLEEP????

I have had a couple of alarming things that I have chalked up to chemo brain- driving- I have always been a very careful driver, no tickets, no accidents. But lots of near misses lately, like I am spacing out while driving. Never anything quite like a lack of firing cells on my phone number or address-

Mike49

I have alot of ansomnia
I take ativan for sleep and whenever I forget I will be up all night. I can't remember simple things for hours sometimes when I loose sleep. If loosing sleep is new and this memory lapse is not commmon, what does it hurt to ask your Doc?

esined

Until my husband started
Until my husband started taking sleeping medication (abient) he was forgeting quite a bit of things, like turning off the stove top and locking the house. And after one round he had a small fender bender. Sleep deprivation is probably the bigger factor for you. When we talked about him taking sleeping aides, his reason was he didn't want to get dependent on a drug. But he depending on the most toxic drugs to cure him and his need for sleep was greater.
Let your doctor or chemo nurse know what is happening with you. They will have numerous suggestions that have worked for other patients.
For mu husband the suggestion was to do sleep preparations. Don't drink or eat any caffine after 3:00 p.m. Don't watch any action movies or sports (hard during football)right before bed. Stay off the computer (again hard)right before bed and drink a soothing tea.
He had been better at remembering things since he can now sleep most nights. Infusion days are still had because of the steroids.
Best wishes, you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Denise

kristasplace

Chemo brain
Hi John! It sounds like chemo brain to me. It's crazy that the doctors aren't recognizing that chemo brain even exists, but i have always had a perfect sense of direction, and now find that i don't recognize where i am sometimes in a city i've lived in my entire life. It's a very scary feeling. I agree with everyone else that a lack of sleep contributes to it, but overall, i'm convinced that chemo gave me brain damage. Why wouldn't it, it's such a toxic poison they give us hazmat materials to clean up any spills!

Hang in there! There are exercises you can do to strengthen your memory skills. I've started reading a lot more, and trying to learn how to keep from getting easily distracted.

Many hugs,
Krista

bdee

No sleep and memory
I don't sleep much now, either and I take Ativan and Ambiean. I stay awake until 2:00 or 4:00 a.m. and get up around 8:00 a.m. But memory started getting bad before the sleep problem and I also say things I would never had said before. I am 55 years old and my kids have heard me say a curse word for the first time and I don't even remember saying it. I've got lost two times driving, once to the library (I go there at least two times a week) and once to my daughter's house. Our library is about 5 miles from our house and I ended up on a road 15 miles from our house, but was able to find my way home.
I also have trouble thinking of a word when I'm talking. I'll know the definition and how to use it, just not the word that I'm looking for. But the word is so common, most people can find it for me. I'm blaming my problem on chemo brain because it started before the sleep deprivation, but the sleep deprivation has added to my problem.

Debbie

Paula G.

Your lapse
John I would ask your doctor about it. I know that my husband has trouble sleeping and it does mess with everything when you don't sleep. He feels crappy all day. He has said many times that a good nights sleep make all the difference in the world. He has said he has had a bit of chemo brain. You would know more about that one.
Ask your doc if he can help you with the sleep thing. John takes ambein.There are others out there. Somtimes it doesn't work either. Good luck Paula

tiny one

chemo brain
Chemo brain can go on long after treatment is done. You might want to get it checked out. Meds, sleep deprivation and just having alot to deal with, it's no wonder that it's hard to remember. Hugs for you.

Fight for my love

Hi John,sorry to hear
Hi John,sorry to hear that.Short of sleep is not good.When I am short of sleep,the next day I will feel uncomfortable all over the place and my heart will beat very fast.Anyway check with the doctor and also let your wife drive you to the places you need to go.I also suggest you to write down these things on a piece of paper,like: your street name and street number,tel No.,your wife's name and her tel No.or anything else important to you.And put this piece of paper in your pocket or wallet,so this way,if you really run into anything like this again,you will have your references.Anyway please see a doctor soon,hopefully you are going to have a good quality sleep soon.Take care.

grammadebbie

same boat
I have many of the same "brain"problems. I've been done with chemo for 1 year and not noticing any improvement. It took several surgeries, chronic pain, almost 3 years before emergency surgery that found the cancer stage IIIc. My doctor says it may be Post traumatic stress that I'm dealing with. Have been taking medication (Prozac). Seems to help with the fear and depression but havn't noticed any help with the "brain". Have a great family so we do alot of laughing - takes the edge off. I pray things get clearer for you.

Blessings to You and Your Family

Debbie (gramma) their is another Debbie so I added gramma.

lisa42

memory
John,

I know that lack of sleep combined with chemo brain can do that. It must have been frustrating, scary, and probably kind of embarrassing too. I feel like that sometimes, myself. Sometimes I feel like I've got a glimpse into the world of my father in law, who has Alzheimer's. I was a teacher and I feel so stupid much of the time. I can hardly think of anything historical, names, dates, presidential facts, states and capitals that I've tried to help my kids study- can't remember them (& I used to teach 5th grade where they learn them & I've had them memorized for years) & I often struggle with even helping my 9 yr old with her math homework without getting confused myself. It's weird- I haven't ever had a lapse (at least I don't think so!) while I've been typing or online here- for me, it's mostly been while trying to think of words, names, or dates, etc. while talking. If I were you, I WOULD mention it to your doctors, as having a lapse of forgetting your own address is definitely serious. Possibly something to look into that I've heard about but have never done is biofeedback. They also supposedly can do exercises with your mind on the computer and perhaps your doctor will have other suggestions. In the meantime, take plenty of fish oil and B vitamins & hopefully others will have additional suggestions. Try to not freak out too much over it, or the stress of it all may end up making it worse for you. Find something to take to help yourself get caught up on your sleep & you may start getting better too.

Take care and let us know what you find out,
Lisa
Take care & let us know

Annabelle41415

grammadebbie said:

same boat
I have many of the same "brain"problems. I've been done with chemo for 1 year and not noticing any improvement. It took several surgeries, chronic pain, almost 3 years before emergency surgery that found the cancer stage IIIc. My doctor says it may be Post traumatic stress that I'm dealing with. Have been taking medication (Prozac). Seems to help with the fear and depression but havn't noticed any help with the "brain". Have a great family so we do alot of laughing - takes the edge off. I pray things get clearer for you.

Blessings to You and Your Family

Debbie (gramma) their is another Debbie so I added gramma.

Forgetting
I think it is just chemo brain. I can be asked to do something and 30 seconds later I would forget. I actually forgot to pickup my granddaughter the other day and never gave it a second thought, even though I was going to meet my daughter. I haven't forgotten my address or phone number but I think that after forgetting my granddaughter that might be the next thing. I hope that you feel better.

Kim

eric38

lisa42 said:

memory
John,

I know that lack of sleep combined with chemo brain can do that. It must have been frustrating, scary, and probably kind of embarrassing too. I feel like that sometimes, myself. Sometimes I feel like I've got a glimpse into the world of my father in law, who has Alzheimer's. I was a teacher and I feel so stupid much of the time. I can hardly think of anything historical, names, dates, presidential facts, states and capitals that I've tried to help my kids study- can't remember them (& I used to teach 5th grade where they learn them & I've had them memorized for years) & I often struggle with even helping my 9 yr old with her math homework without getting confused myself. It's weird- I haven't ever had a lapse (at least I don't think so!) while I've been typing or online here- for me, it's mostly been while trying to think of words, names, or dates, etc. while talking. If I were you, I WOULD mention it to your doctors, as having a lapse of forgetting your own address is definitely serious. Possibly something to look into that I've heard about but have never done is biofeedback. They also supposedly can do exercises with your mind on the computer and perhaps your doctor will have other suggestions. In the meantime, take plenty of fish oil and B vitamins & hopefully others will have additional suggestions. Try to not freak out too much over it, or the stress of it all may end up making it worse for you. Find something to take to help yourself get caught up on your sleep & you may start getting better too.

Take care and let us know what you find out,
Lisa
Take care & let us know

I think you have gone crazy - NOT!
I`m sure part of it has to do with chemo brain but it`s probably more from lack of sleep. That alone will cause a severe mental lapse. People even start hallucinating after a few days of not sleeping.

Eric

tootsie1

I'm sorry
I haven't had any experience to help you with this, but I just want to say I think you should talk to your doctor about it. And I'm very sorry you're going through it.

*hugs*
Gail