Anyone have issues with Chemo Brain ?

lilac08
lilac08 Member Posts: 6
edited August 2011 in Breast Cancer #1
I am new .... I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer with 3 nodes affected in 2010. I had a r mastectomy and did 4 rounds of a/c chemo and 11 rounds of taxol chemo . I started to have depression problems after my 2nd round of a/c. My motor coordination was bad. I had problems with saying words .... etc.

Comments

  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #2
    I've had some issues with short term memory loss
    math skills, and typing. Names are a lost cause. I've done some reading and they to eat lots of protein and try to exercise your brain. Is it getting better or is it my wishful thinking. I think it's getting better but I"m still using a lot of sticky notes and have to write everything down! The steel trap just is trapping any more. Hopefully yours will get better with time. Talk to your MO about the problem, and/or the nurses.
  • sea60
    sea60 Member Posts: 2,613
    #3
    skipper54 said:

    I've had some issues with short term memory loss
    math skills, and typing. Names are a lost cause. I've done some reading and they to eat lots of protein and try to exercise your brain. Is it getting better or is it my wishful thinking. I think it's getting better but I"m still using a lot of sticky notes and have to write everything down! The steel trap just is trapping any more. Hopefully yours will get better with time. Talk to your MO about the problem, and/or the nurses.

    I'm 5 years out
    and I still have problems in this area...yuck!

    Needless to say, sticky notes along with my brow pencil are my best friends.
  • sweetvickid
    sweetvickid Member Posts: 459 Member
    #4
    I am 7 months out from chemo
    I am 7 months out from chemo and still have days when I am just dumber than dirt.
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #5
    sweetvickid said:

    I am 7 months out from chemo
    I am 7 months out from chemo and still have days when I am just dumber than dirt.

    What was the question? i
    What was the question? i forgot!
  • mollyz
    mollyz Member Posts: 756 Member
    #6
    carkris said:

    What was the question? i
    What was the question? i forgot!

    I have it bad!!!!
    I'm 8 months out of chemo and boy it seems as if it gets worst my kids tell me it affected my thinking so i know something happened but im just glad to be here i bought new posted notes and they work just fine. I've always been the type not to remember things unless it's important so that still works for me but the rest is just out the window LOL. MOLLYZ
  • mruczko
    mruczko Member Posts: 110
    #7
    Chemo brain
    Finished chemo April 2010. At my age everyone tells me I have "senior moments" when I can't remember names, words, or forget mid-sentence where I was, but I know that is not the case. Math still works ok. Some months ago our support group had a seminar addressing chemo brain, it's real, not a figment of our imagination. Most ladies in the group had/have experienced some symptoms. It's supposed to get better over time????????
    M.
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #8
    mruczko said:

    Chemo brain
    Finished chemo April 2010. At my age everyone tells me I have "senior moments" when I can't remember names, words, or forget mid-sentence where I was, but I know that is not the case. Math still works ok. Some months ago our support group had a seminar addressing chemo brain, it's real, not a figment of our imagination. Most ladies in the group had/have experienced some symptoms. It's supposed to get better over time????????
    M.

    I completed treatment Dec.


    I completed treatment Dec. 2009 and I.............
    ..................................sorry, can't remember my thought.
  • Texasgirl10
    Texasgirl10 Member Posts: 668
    #9
    Lighthouse_7 said:

    I completed treatment Dec.


    I completed treatment Dec. 2009 and I.............
    ..................................sorry, can't remember my thought.

    Yep, I've got it
    I'm 5 months out of chemo & the chemo brain is awful. My short term memory is terrible now, & I have a hard time with words. I forget where I'm going & what I'm doing most of the time.
    I hope your chemo brain gets better.

    Hugs,

    Dawne
  • waffle8
    waffle8 Member Posts: 234
    #10
    Texasgirl10 said:

    Yep, I've got it
    I'm 5 months out of chemo & the chemo brain is awful. My short term memory is terrible now, & I have a hard time with words. I forget where I'm going & what I'm doing most of the time.
    I hope your chemo brain gets better.

    Hugs,

    Dawne

    I have been almost a year
    I have been almost a year out of treatment and just when I thought my brain was back to "normal" I started on the medicine Femara !
    Now I can't think!
  • CAchick
    CAchick Member Posts: 277
    #11
    It is really true...
    I am two years out from when I began my chemo...finished up in Dec. 2009. I have really noticed a change in my memory...I don't like it! But since I am still here to complain, still here working every day, and enjoying my family, I shouldn't fuss too much. I write myself a lot of notes...
    Sybil
  • Ritzy
    Ritzy Member Posts: 4,381 Member
    #12
    Texasgirl10 said:

    Yep, I've got it
    I'm 5 months out of chemo & the chemo brain is awful. My short term memory is terrible now, & I have a hard time with words. I forget where I'm going & what I'm doing most of the time.
    I hope your chemo brain gets better.

    Hugs,

    Dawne

    Hi and welcome, even though
    Hi and welcome, even though I am very sorry that you are here. I didn't have chemo, so, I can't answer on chemo brain. I had a lumpectomy with rads.


    I found that my memory isn't as good as it was prior to bc. I just call it cancer brain.


    Seeing all that we go thru, it is no wonder that we do have some memory loss and find that our brains don't function like they did before our diagnosis and treatments.

    Praying you feel better,


    Sue :)
  • Heatherbelle
    Heatherbelle Member Posts: 1,226 Member
    #13
    Mine is terrible, and I'm 10
    Mine is terrible, and I'm 10 months post chemo! Putting words together, finding the right words, and my memory is SHOT! I have to write down EVERYthing & am constantly forgetting things! All I can do is laugh about it, because it really is a small price to pay for the chemo doing it's job. I do get really frustrated with it, though.
    I also have had a few bouts of my depresion worsening. When it seemed to get really bad, I went to my family Dr., and he added another med to the antidepressant that I was already on, and that seems to be smoothing things out a bit!
    *hugs*
    heather
  • susie09
    susie09 Member Posts: 2,930
    #14
    Lighthouse_7 said:

    I completed treatment Dec.


    I completed treatment Dec. 2009 and I.............
    ..................................sorry, can't remember my thought.

    I write notes everywhere or
    I write notes everywhere or else I would never remember half of the stuff I should. :(
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #15
    Heatherbelle said:

    Mine is terrible, and I'm 10
    Mine is terrible, and I'm 10 months post chemo! Putting words together, finding the right words, and my memory is SHOT! I have to write down EVERYthing & am constantly forgetting things! All I can do is laugh about it, because it really is a small price to pay for the chemo doing it's job. I do get really frustrated with it, though.
    I also have had a few bouts of my depresion worsening. When it seemed to get really bad, I went to my family Dr., and he added another med to the antidepressant that I was already on, and that seems to be smoothing things out a bit!
    *hugs*
    heather

    I wasnt trying to be flip,
    I wasnt trying to be flip, but yes i definately have chemo brain, however it has improved. I find it distressing when I forget to write things down and miss apointments. I find it is worse when I am stressed or tired.
  • Lighthouse_7
    Lighthouse_7 Member Posts: 1,566 Member
    #16
    carkris said:

    I wasnt trying to be flip,
    I wasnt trying to be flip, but yes i definately have chemo brain, however it has improved. I find it distressing when I forget to write things down and miss apointments. I find it is worse when I am stressed or tired.

    I was only kidding too! I
    I was only kidding too! I hope everyone knew that. I have trouble finding words and forget so many things.
    I see the difference since chemo. Just one of those things that I learn to live with, but it sure helps to know that you are not alone.
    Hugs,
    Wanda
  • smalldoggroomer
    smalldoggroomer Member Posts: 1,184
    #17
    I have had problems with
    I have had problems with chemo brain also. Names are also the worst for me. I don't remember them until I hear them many many times. And some times I will have to think about the simplest words to spell. But it has improved since chemo is over. I just wonder if we always have it to some degree.Take care, ? ? ? Kay yeah that's it. LOL
  • Tkitty
    Tkitty Member Posts: 56
    #18
    smalldoggroomer said:

    I have had problems with
    I have had problems with chemo brain also. Names are also the worst for me. I don't remember them until I hear them many many times. And some times I will have to think about the simplest words to spell. But it has improved since chemo is over. I just wonder if we always have it to some degree.Take care, ? ? ? Kay yeah that's it. LOL

    Chemo Brain
    Oh yes, definately had "chemo brain". Go into a room and don't remember why I went in there. Names escape me. I was beginning to wonder if I'd developed ADD because I can't focus on anything for longer than 10 minutes. Three months post chemo. I am hoping it gets better.
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #19
    chemo brain.
    I discovered I had ADD about 7 years before bc. When I spoke with the medical oncologist I asked if there was any chance that chemo would change my brain enough to get rid of my ADD. He said no of course. It does seem that the symptoms of each have a lot in common. So far I do not have chemo brain and I only have one more treatment to go. I also have not had my ADD change. Darn it. I was so hoping that chemo would possibly reset the neurotransmitters in my brain and make it work like a finely tuned machine. No such luck.
  • pscheer
    pscheer Member Posts: 56 Member
    #20
    I had chemo brain. I called my boss and left what must have been a really weird message on his answering machine. He was trying to call my onc to find out what was wrong. I also thought I was just fine and got ready to go to work, had the car keys in my hand and walked right into a wall. I decided to stay home after all. I came out of it all ok. After all treatments were over I was told to do crossword puzzles or play scrabble, things like that. I am not good at crossword but I played concentration and another game where you were are given a jumble of letters and had to find all the possible combinations to make words. It helped a lot.

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