Chemo brain...

kikiz said:

Before I had even read a
Before I had even read a post or heard of it online, the kids and I had noticed a difference and already knew it had to do with the Chemo. We have explained it to family and friends and use humor and also coping teniques, such as lists or I just tell the kids so they can remember for me.

As far as the few people that thought I was just trying to get attention or just could not be kind about it, well, I took advantage of my "Chemo Brain" and forgot their phone numbers and when they called I relagated their ring tone to "Ding Dong the Witch is Dead".

Lori

Disneynutt said:

Are there really any
Are there really any scientific studies proving the existence of "chemo brain". I don't think so and personally I don't believe in it. I think people just become hypersensitive to things "not working right" as they age but if they go through chemo. Perfectly normal events are chalked up to chemo brain or old age. We are just to sensitive. I think back to my 20s and/or 30s and I remember doing some really stupid stuff that if I did now I would definitely attribute to alzheimers or chemo brain. It's just we are told this stuff exists and we start attributing everything to it; even not coming up with the right words immediately. Everybody does that no matter their age.

I know of some studies that have shown that older people still come up with right answers but just not in the milliseconds it takes someone in their 20s.

Anyway, that's my opinion. I don't need anything else to worry about these days. I firmly believe we are ok. :-)

Hissy_Fitz said:

Like Sarah, I was always
Like Sarah, I was always known for having a "memory like an elephant". When I was a child, I astounded my mother by proving that I remembered events that had occurred when I was less than 2 years old. I memorized whole sonnets from English Lit without breaking a (mental) sweat. I got extra credit in middle school for reciting (from memory) "Wreck of the Hesperus" in its entirety.

I was the partner everyone wanted when Trivial Pursuit was all the rage. If I had once known your birthday, or your middle name, chances were that I would still know it 20 years (or more) later. Even if we had not spoken in the interim. All that suddenly began to go out the window after my first chemo treatment.

Ten minutes after my daughter phones, my husband will ask, "What did Christa want?" and I haven't a clue. I have to stop whatever else might be going on inside my head and really, really concentrate on recalling a conversation that I just had. It drives him crazy. It drives ME crazy.

Here is what the ACS says about "chemo brain":

For many years cancer survivors have worried about, joked about, and been frustrated with the mental cloudiness they notice before, during, and after chemotherapy. Even though its exact cause isn't always known, this mental fog is commonly called "chemo brain." Patients have been aware of chemo brain for some time, but only recently have studies been done that could start to explain it.

Doctors have known for years that radiation treatment to the brain could cause problems with thinking and memory. More recently, they are finding that chemo is linked to some of the same kinds of problems. Research has begun to show that some cancer drugs can, indeed, cause certain kinds of changes in the brain. But it is also showing that chemo is not the only thing that can cause problems with thinking and memory for people with cancer.

Though the brain usually recovers over time, the sometimes vague yet distressing mental changes cancer patients notice are real, not imagined. They may last a short time, or they may go on for years. These changes can make people unable to go back to their school, work, or social activities, or make it so that it takes a lot of mental effort to do so. They affect everyday life for many people, and more research is needed to help prevent and cope with them.

What is chemo brain?
Here are just a few examples of what patients call chemo brain:

•Forgetting things that they usually have no trouble recalling -- memory lapses
•Trouble concentrating -- they can't focus on what they're doing, may "space out"
•Trouble remembering details like names, dates, and sometimes larger events
•Trouble multi-tasking, like answering the phone while cooking, without losing track of one of them -- less ability to do more than one thing at a time
•Taking longer to finish things -- disorganized, slower thinking and processing
•Trouble remembering common words -- unable to find the right words to finish a sentence
Doctors and researchers call chemo brain "mild cognitive impairment." Most define it as being unable to remember certain things and having trouble finishing tasks or learning new skills. But some doctors call it chemo brain only if it doesn't go away or get better over time. How long it lasts is a major factor in how much it affects a person's life.

For most people chemo brain effects happen quickly and only last a short time, while others have long-term mental changes. Usually the changes that patients notice are very subtle, and others around them may not even notice any changes at all. Still, the people who are having problems are well aware of the differences in their thinking. Many people do not tell their cancer care team about this problem until it affects their everyday life.

For the person who has lost some brain function, even short-term problems with thinking and memory can be scary. Some people may have trouble remembering simple things, like closing doors or turning off lights. Others may notice that their brain doesn't work as quickly as it used to. These kinds of brain problems can cause trouble at work and at home. People who notice problems with their thinking may feel even more upset if their doctors blame it on aging or act like it's nothing to worry about. It is distressing to wonder if you will ever be able to do your job again, or if you will get lost on the way to a place you've been to dozens of times.

Hissy_Fitz said:

I was doing the crossword
I was doing the crossword puzzle this AM, and the clue was "green gem stone". I sat there looking at the emerald ring on my finger for what seemed like HOURS, but was only minutes, I'm sure. I was so upset because I could not remember the word - a word I knew absolutely that I SHOULD know - and finally I had to just get up and walk away. It eventually came to me, of course, but it took a long time. Way longer than it should have. This frightens me almost as much as the cancer. I hope it goes away, or at least gets better.

Carlene

goatiegirl said:

I can relate.
I am a teacher, and I can't seem to get the words out sometimes. I think chemo definitely takes a toll on the old cognition. Hang in there! We will think clearly again.

Goatiegirl (Nan)