Is Chemo Brain real?

mcsessions
mcsessions Member Posts: 48
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My family and I think my Mom might be having some Chemo Brain symptoms.

Not recalling having a conversation, telling the same thing over and over, asking questions she has already asked.

I have done tons of research and found out it is possible for some cancer patients to have some of this symptoms but nobody knows the exact cause.

I contacted my Mom's Dr and told him we were concerned and wanted to know if this was something normal, temporal or what???

And he replied it is not normal and he is going to talk to her and proceed with any necessary exams?????

What are your thoughts on this? Have you had any chemo brain symptoms, what do you do to make them better? have you discuss it with your Dr.?

The worst part is that I haven't told my Mom this is going on, I don't think she notices it and I don't want to hurt her feelings.

I need some advice please!!!!

Thanks!!!

Comments

  • daydreamer110761
    daydreamer110761 Member Posts: 487 Member
    #2
    Yes, it's real.
    Although I was on a different cocktail and had cc, I can honestly tell you that it is real. By about the third treatment I noticed that I was forgetting why I went to a store, or in a specific direction when driving. I started keeping a pck of post it notes in my pure, car, bedroom, etc. Now, remembering to bring the note was a different story!

    A few of my friends noticed that I would also ask the same questions over and over. It does go away however, within a few months of treatment being over. Best wishes to you and your family.
  • mcsessions
    mcsessions Member Posts: 48
    #3
    daydreamer110761 said:

    Yes, it's real.
    Although I was on a different cocktail and had cc, I can honestly tell you that it is real. By about the third treatment I noticed that I was forgetting why I went to a store, or in a specific direction when driving. I started keeping a pck of post it notes in my pure, car, bedroom, etc. Now, remembering to bring the note was a different story!

    A few of my friends noticed that I would also ask the same questions over and over. It does go away however, within a few months of treatment being over. Best wishes to you and your family.

    thanks
    Thank you, my best wishes to you too. It's good to know that it will go away.
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #4
    I had a strange experience
    I had a strange experience that I haven't heard anyone else having. I was talking to a friend and made a comment about my brother was in the Navy. At the same time as saying it I had a visual image of him in my head in a navy uniform. My husband corrected me and said he was in the Air Force not Navy. I realized this was true and wondered where I had got that thought and image from. My husband thought I'd lost my mind.
  • mcsessions
    mcsessions Member Posts: 48
    #5
    Marcia527 said:

    I had a strange experience
    I had a strange experience that I haven't heard anyone else having. I was talking to a friend and made a comment about my brother was in the Navy. At the same time as saying it I had a visual image of him in my head in a navy uniform. My husband corrected me and said he was in the Air Force not Navy. I realized this was true and wondered where I had got that thought and image from. My husband thought I'd lost my mind.

    wow
    that's interesting how your brain had an image of what you were talking about, even if it wasn't the real thing.
    did you talk to your Dr. about it?
  • MAJW
    MAJW Member Posts: 2,510 Member
    #6
    Your MOM
    I think it depends on her age....how old is she? I finished chemo in August.....I didn't experience anything like what you've described......I just felt like I was in a mental "fog" I think it would be wise to let her physician determine the cause....

    I wish you and your mom the best..
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #7
    mcsessions said:

    wow
    that's interesting how your brain had an image of what you were talking about, even if it wasn't the real thing.
    did you talk to your Dr. about it?

    No, I didn't mention it to
    No, I didn't mention it to my oncologist. I forgot. Chemo brain. I was in the midst of chemo treatment.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #8
    mcsessions said:

    thanks
    Thank you, my best wishes to you too. It's good to know that it will go away.

    yes it is real
    i think you need to tell your mother that she has been experienced temporary changes. we all need to figure out how to manage the situation. Doctor's evaluation could be helpful too. For example driving could be a problem, other things like oven left on, running water, key. It is better for her to know tat she need to check herself. Previously we had a good discussion on board about Chemo brain.
  • mcsessions
    mcsessions Member Posts: 48
    #9
    MAJW said:

    Your MOM
    I think it depends on her age....how old is she? I finished chemo in August.....I didn't experience anything like what you've described......I just felt like I was in a mental "fog" I think it would be wise to let her physician determine the cause....

    I wish you and your mom the best..

    thanks
    Thank you, she is young she's 56 and has always had an extraordinary memory, that's why I'm a little concerned.
    She has a Dr. appointment on Monday.

    Thanks and best wishes to you too.
  • BELIEVEx3
    BELIEVEx3 Member Posts: 24
    #10
    mcsessions said:

    thanks
    Thank you, she is young she's 56 and has always had an extraordinary memory, that's why I'm a little concerned.
    She has a Dr. appointment on Monday.

    Thanks and best wishes to you too.

    Chemo Brain can be real but............
    I am happy your mom will see her Oncologist on Monday. Many of us have expereinced chemo brain and it is real and can last for many months and years. At one time it was thought to be induced by stress, we now know that there are actual physiologic changes that occur. And yes the stress of a breast cancer diagnosis also contributes to it. However, because breast cancer can be so insidious, symptoms need to be evaluated by her physician. And if she is feeling a loss of control, your worries may hurt her for a moment, but in her heart she knows you love her and is blessed that you care. Mom and daughter relationships can be trying during the journey...........but love prevails!!!
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #11
    BELIEVEx3 said:

    Chemo Brain can be real but............
    I am happy your mom will see her Oncologist on Monday. Many of us have expereinced chemo brain and it is real and can last for many months and years. At one time it was thought to be induced by stress, we now know that there are actual physiologic changes that occur. And yes the stress of a breast cancer diagnosis also contributes to it. However, because breast cancer can be so insidious, symptoms need to be evaluated by her physician. And if she is feeling a loss of control, your worries may hurt her for a moment, but in her heart she knows you love her and is blessed that you care. Mom and daughter relationships can be trying during the journey...........but love prevails!!!

    Chemo brain here
    I'm 40, and have always had an abnormally good memory -- like I'm the kind of person who can repeat our conversation from 3 weeks ago back to you verbatim, and tell you what you were wearing at the time!

    I started having minor memory issues after my diagnosis (before chemo), which I'm sure was just the stress of diagnosis, treatment decisions, surgery, etc. But I started having much more noticeable problems about halfway through chemo (I did 4 cycles of Cytoxan/Taxotere). My problems are nearly all in 2 specific categories: I have a difficult time holding onto information long enough to get it into short-term memory, and I sometimes really struggle to retrieve information from long-term memory.

    I finished chemo 4 weeks ago, and I do think that my memory problems are finally starting to improve a little. I strongly believe that you can't dismiss the effects of stress -- stress is absolutely known to affect memory, and there isn't much that is more stressful than fighting your way through months and months of cancer treatment!

    I highly recommend the book Your Brain After Chemo: A Practical Guide to Lifting the Fog and Getting Back Your Focus, by Dan Silverman, MD, Ph.D and Idelle Davidson. I bought it from Amazon the day it was recommended by someone here on this board, and I'm nearly finished with it -- it was published only a few months ago, so is a great resource for the most up-to-date research on chemo brain.

    Traci
  • e_hope
    e_hope Member Posts: 370
    #12
    oh yes..
    OMG.... YES, its real.. one of the fun side effects from chemo no one prepare you for. I am 36.. so age is not an issue ... and would forget conversations with people.. ask my poor husband the same question numerous time because i didn't remember asking him.. and would lose my words and train of thought when talking to people..

    it does get better once your off the chemo drugs
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #13
    e_hope said:

    oh yes..
    OMG.... YES, its real.. one of the fun side effects from chemo no one prepare you for. I am 36.. so age is not an issue ... and would forget conversations with people.. ask my poor husband the same question numerous time because i didn't remember asking him.. and would lose my words and train of thought when talking to people..

    it does get better once your off the chemo drugs

    yes i experience it too. I
    yes i experience it too. I think for me it is a combo of the stress, the anesthesia from the surgeries and the meds during chemo. i'm trally foggy right after I think its the decadron, then i feel clearer. then repeat. Its not as bad as I thought it would be, but i am careful to tell my husband messages right away, to have him at appointments, and I really dont drive unless i havent taken meds and I feel perfect. I really think its the chemo.
  • Booberta
    Booberta Member Posts: 61
    #14
    carkris said:

    yes i experience it too. I
    yes i experience it too. I think for me it is a combo of the stress, the anesthesia from the surgeries and the meds during chemo. i'm trally foggy right after I think its the decadron, then i feel clearer. then repeat. Its not as bad as I thought it would be, but i am careful to tell my husband messages right away, to have him at appointments, and I really dont drive unless i havent taken meds and I feel perfect. I really think its the chemo.

    Well just great!!
    I don't mean to make light of your mom's situation but hearing that she started with a great memory and is having such problems makes me wonder if I won't have to be kept in a cage and fed through the bars. My short term memory left with meno and there have been no sightings of it since. OK, I'll just have to fess up I'm a natural flake.

    Do what you can for your mom. Most of all make sure she's safe. I know that it will be hard for both of you now, but from what I have been reading on this thread, it doesn't last forever.
  • Kelly248
    Kelly248 Member Posts: 2
    #15
    Good book on chemo brain
    It's called YOUR BRAIN AFTER CHEMO: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO LIFTING THE FOG AND GETTING BACK YOUR FOCUS. You can get it on Amazon and in bookstores. One of the authors is Dan Silverman, MD, PhD, at UCLA.
  • terpsi
    terpsi Member Posts: 33
    #16
    Marcia527 said:

    I had a strange experience
    I had a strange experience that I haven't heard anyone else having. I was talking to a friend and made a comment about my brother was in the Navy. At the same time as saying it I had a visual image of him in my head in a navy uniform. My husband corrected me and said he was in the Air Force not Navy. I realized this was true and wondered where I had got that thought and image from. My husband thought I'd lost my mind.

    chiming in on chemo brain-- had it b4, again have it now
    I found out about chemo brain in 2004 when I first went through chemo. It diminished months after I finished my treatment. I did a lot of crossword and picture puzzles and, my favorite, sudoku.

    In 2009 I got the diagnosis of advanced (metastatic) breast cancer and started treatment. I've been on chemo weekly since April. I can tell you that, after researching information online (blogging about them for others) I have had similar strange experiences. I will hear myself saying something entirely different from what I intend and yet cannot seem to grab it before it escapes my lips. Things at work are just embarrassing. I'll say something like, Let's plan to get all of the renaissance folders done by Thursday. I'll think, WTH am I saying? I don't mean that. I mean presentation folders. I'll see the quizzical looks on the others in the meeting change into mild amusement--they all know and are very sweet and understanding. When I'm done with the statement, I'll say, Did I just say . . . and they will confirm it at which point I'll say, Sheesh, I meant to say presentation folders . . . This happens to me frequently. I can't find the word or the name or the number when it's something or someone (like my dad's phone number) or my good friend's name, for heaven sake's. It's darned creepy. I have too many stories, I can't remember.

    Also, Marcia, I'm also one of those people who had a memory that trapped information on the fly. Now, the information just flies over in and out with no retention. It's darned annoying since I was always able to rely on this valuable strength. So I'm back to the word, picture and sudoku puzzles.

    Cheers,
    donna peach
  • aztec45
    aztec45 Member Posts: 757
    #17
    Chemo Brain
    Yes. Chemo brain is very real. The American Cancer Society has some good information about it and someone mentioned a book about it that I intend to buy. It was about my 3rd round of chemo when I noticed it. It comes on primarily when I am very tired or have not had enough rest. I forget why I enter a room. I lose track of my car keys, my cell phone, my job tools, and forget what things are called sometimes etc. It is like I can't find the words. My boss finally realized it was real when I could not remember how to insert a photo in a report and I forgot my company address. He had to remind me of each. It is kind of scary when you experience it and embarassing but it happens. I take notes and write down everything I do and what people tell me. It helps. I try to keep my mind active like puzzles, games, and I am taking a computer class - trying to keep my mind active. I make sure I come home from work when I am tired and I take a lot of naps. I try to stay rested. Talk to the Onc about it. They can explain it better or even explain it to your loved ones or a boss.

    What I worry about is that it may take time to get my total brain back to normal or it may come back in part or most scary - not at all.

    The main thing is to be understanding and help your mom when she is going through a moment. She may not want the help or recognize she needs the help but you got to help her. You only have one mom.

    Pat
  • KeriLee
    KeriLee Member Posts: 25
    #18
    Chemocussed
    It is true, my family termed it chemocussed. It's very frustrating and even now my memory isn't what it once was. Ya know with chemo they're killin our cells good and bad that includes brain cells. best of luck.
    Keri
  • mcsessions
    mcsessions Member Posts: 48
    #19
    Thank you ALL
    For all your comments I feel relieved now that I know that many of you have experienced similar symptoms and they don't last forever.
    I will definitely buy that book.
    You are my best source for support and reliable info!

    THANK YOU!!!!!!
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #20
    mcsessions said:

    Thank you ALL
    For all your comments I feel relieved now that I know that many of you have experienced similar symptoms and they don't last forever.
    I will definitely buy that book.
    You are my best source for support and reliable info!

    THANK YOU!!!!!!

    Yes, It's real. Durning
    Yes, It's real. Durning chemo a few weeks ago I was watching the discovery ch and they did a mention on chemo brain. I had all the nurse's watching this thing. Yes it is very real.
  • kathyrcady
    kathyrcady Member Posts: 27
    #21
    chemo brain
    I hope that what I say will not be offensive to anyone, and it is just my opiniun. Its just that any drug (chemo) that is so toxic to the body as to kill cancer cells ,along with normal cells ,and is circulating in the bloodstream has got to effect every part of the body. I wish the best for your mom, and she is lucky to have you,Kathy

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