memory

wild willy
wild willy Member Posts: 63 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

tried to post earlier but didnt go thru. my question is : is it " normal " for chemo to effect your memory pretty bad ? mine is shot to hell and i dont know if its age ( 75 ) or the chemo. i,m 4.5 yrs out from tonsal cancer. just thought i would get some input.

Comments

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #2
    I never had Chemo.....

    Not sure if can give you any answers that will help. I never had Chemo but from stories I have been told it might be a small part. I do certain meds will effect memory and some in combination with other will as well. Age to a small extent can but there is usually a medical condition more than just age. My son had a very bad car accident and had much damage to him and that has effected his memory. At times he suffers from CRS [Can't Remember S**t] and he is only 30. Most likely it is a combination of just everything you have gone through. My wife says I have selective memory, and I select not to remember what she tells me. This is not really true, as she has had several small strokes and I beleave it is her and not me all the time.
    How ever:     Selective memory really exists and we can train our mind to forget embarrassing moments completely, research claims. 

    I would loov up side effects on any new medication you have if this is something that has come on very resent, or has it just been a slow progression? Best of luck and others will chime in with better answers.

    Bill

  • lornal
    lornal Member Posts: 428
    #3
    Yep

    Chemo will affect your mind, as well as anesthesia.

    Lorna 2007 & 2014.

  • Reillypp
    Reillypp Member Posts: 20
    #4
    Memory loss

    I didn't have chemo, radiation, 40, ended 11 months ago and I still have memory issues.  OIts better, a few months ago i couldn't finish a sentence, I couldn't remember what I was even talking about!  

     

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #5
    Reillypp said:

    Memory loss

    I didn't have chemo, radiation, 40, ended 11 months ago and I still have memory issues.  OIts better, a few months ago i couldn't finish a sentence, I couldn't remember what I was even talking about!  

     

    Memory

    Do you mean like the other night when I valet parked and put the keys in my purse and took them with me?  Four hours later, my car was right in the middle of their drive where i left it.  Actually, I had chemo in 2011 and 2014 and haven't noticed a significant amount of memory loss, I think the valet incident was more out of habit or shall I say stupidity.

    I do hope your issue is temporary.

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #6
    my original dx was 8/2009.  i

    my original dx was 8/2009.  i had 35 rad tx.  i do not remember any thing after that for about the next 2.5 + years.  i was redx 2/2012.  i do not remeber being told, discussing surgery, spending a month recovering in hosp., requiring 4 more surgeries due to complications, nothing.  i literally have that time of my life missing.  i only know what i've been told.  i've asked doctors how and why this happened but i honestly never got any answers.  my lary surgery was 2/28/12 and I am still asking questions and learning new things i went through from 2009-2013.  some say i'm luck not to remeber because i went to hell and back, but for me, i don't agree, i do NOT like not knowing what i went through and what all was done to me.  so, can tx cause memory problems, YES!  that is the only explanation I can come up with.  i was fine until then.

    i pray your memory never gets that bad and that maybe it was just a fluke with me.  good luck.

    God bless you,

    dj

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