CHEMO BRAIN

Another serious post......
Since having chemo, I have noticed at times I have a hard time with remembering something.  Yes, I had this problem before....like going to a room to get something and forgetting what it was that I was going to get!  But, it's worse since my diagnosis and sometimes I just feel "foggy".  I say the wrong words sometimes or can't think of a word.  My sister did the same thing last year.  We learned that our treatment is a cause of this and we just have to deal with it.  Some days are worse.....maybe when I'm tired.  Yesterday I noticed it a lot and it's frustrating....and I was very fatigue yesterday.  I even left my ATM card in the ATM machine....the bank just called.....arghhh!   One of the worse frustrations of it is when people don't understand or don't think it's "real".  So, for those who have never heard of this, I want to tell you it is "real" so you can understand what a cancer patient is going through, besides the physical.  When I say something wrong or forget something, I jokingly blame it on "chemo brain" (now I have something to blame it on...LOL), but even though I often joke about it, it is real and on a "bad day" (like yesterday), it can be very frustrating.  It's also a "little scary", as the brain is one of the areas that breast cancer will spread to.....so, that's always in the back of my mind.  I ask myself "is this chemo brain or something else".  Yes, the fears are always there.....you just push them back and don't dwell on them, but they pop up from time to time.

This information comes from the Mayo Clinic.  You can read the entire article at this link.  http://www.bing.com/health/article/mayo-MADS01109/Chemo-brain?q=chemo+brain

Despite the many questions, it's clear that the memory problems commonly called chemo brain can be a frustrating and debilitating side effect of cancer and its treatment. More study is needed to understand this condition.

Signs and symptoms of chemo brain may include:

• Being unusually disorganized
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating
• Difficulty finding the right word
• Difficulty learning new skills
• Difficulty multitasking
• Fatigue
• Feeling of mental fogginess
• Short attention span
• Short-term memory problems
• Taking longer than usual to complete routine tasks
• Trouble with verbal memory, such as remembering a conversation
• Trouble with visual memory, such as recalling an image or list of words

Signs and symptoms of cognitive or memory problems vary from person to person and are typically temporary, often subsiding within two years of completion of cancer treatment.

Another good article can be found here.  Although it is called "chemo brain" there can be other factors causing it, including the estrogen blocking pill I am taking.

http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/PhysicalSideEffects/ChemotherapyEffects/chemo-brain

Until next time....I think I'm going to take it easy today and rest up.