brain fog

[OldGuysRule]

I started Lupron and Zytiga about 5 months ago. Along with all of the other side effects, I have had a noticeable mental fog the has descended. Anyone else?

[mrscruffy]

yes, here and there. Mostly gone after 6 1/2 years of this

[OldGuysRule in reply to mrscruffy]

so it has gotten better in that time?

[mrscruffy in reply to OldGuysRule]

Yes , doctor suggested I start doing things like crosswords etc. Seems to have helped, no problems for a couple years now

[stillheretoday]

I've been on Lupron and Zytiga for 6 months now. I've noticed a little mental fog but it's gotten better. Now that I'm retired it's not as important. 😀

[gsun]

I have been on those for 4.5 years and the brain fog started about a year ago. Getting worse but my wife helps me keep it together.

[Spyder54]

Yes, Brain Fog is a known side effect with Zytiga/Lupron. I often have trouble at age 69 to find a word to complete a sentence. Yesterday was particularly bad for me. My wife clearly notices it.

There are some ADT Drugs that do not cross the blood brain barrier. Maybe someone could list those?? Mostly, they are much more expensive than Zytiga/Abiraterone. I may have to bite the bullet and switch. Mike

[OldGuysRule in reply to Spyder54]

I’m finding it more difficult to focus at work. I’m 62 and I work in fast paced setting with very detailed responsibilities. If and when I make a mistake or over look something it WILL show up. Actually, my boss has spoken to me about my increase in mistakes. I am in an industry that is slowing down and I am concerned that the OLD guy may get a pink slip.

[Mrtroxely in reply to OldGuysRule]

I can relate.I'm an lone working electrician.

Whole parts of sentences get lost, quick thinking at times is fucked.

Straight line thinking at times is fucked.

It's affected confidence in a jobe I've don for 35y!!!

The only positive side effect it a loss of anus hair....great for wiping my arse.

But not so good in morning getting outta bed n seeing where I skootched outta the bed!!!!

[pe43 in reply to Spyder54]

Check out this video with Dr. Neal Shore. He says "darolutamide really has minimal to no blood brain barrier penetration."

urotoday.com/video-lectures...

[Spyder54 in reply to pe43]

Thank you PE43. So I assume if Darolutimide does not cross the Blood Brain Barriier, that Brain Fog should rapidly defline? I guess all 70 yr olds (such as myself) will have some cognitive decline.

Just left a large neighborhood social. I found myself having diificulty with a key word near the end of a sentence 3x tonite. I asked for assistance, but all 3x it was me who came up with the word. Just awkward. Then had to go outside twice as I broke out in raging sweat (hot flash). And this is the minor side of Stage 4 metastatic PCa. Mike

[pe43 in reply to Spyder54]

Glad if I can be of help. Darolutamide certainly looks good regarding side effects. Here are two very recent short videos by Dr. Shore on this topic:

onclive.com/view/dr-shore-o...

urologytimes.com/view/dr-sh...

[Spyder54 in reply to pe43]

Thank you pe43. Nubequa/Darolutimide, seems better in many ways. My Zytiga/Abiraterone is about $140/mo. Have you found a way to lower the cost outside of a Human Trial?

[pe43 in reply to Spyder54]

I'm also on abiraterone (about $160/mo), and it's working well for the moment. I'm interested in darolutamide for possible future use, I'm not familiar with getting discounts for a brand name drug like this.

[watertender]

Definitely having this challenge. I am taking Orgovyx myself. Have asked a couple of different MO's about it and apparently there is not much to be done except as you state try to keep your mind active. Some days are better than others. I plan on trying some American Ginseng to help my fatigue so hoping that helps with the brain fog also.

[fireandice123 in reply to watertender]

I’ve been on American Ginseng for several months and it has definitely helped with fatigue.

[ARIES29 in reply to watertender]

Korean Panax Ginseng works wonders for me. Two capsules every other day helps along with a Ginkgo capsule.

[Carlosbach]

I was going to post this yesterday and then it slipped my mind.

I'm 67 and I've been on Lupron/Eligard & Zytiga combo for 27 months. I retired after 14 months on ADT, and I have the utmost respect for those of you who are still working a regular job.

The memory problems seems to have worsened the last 4 months. My SE's have really kicked up during that time. I have days when the brain fog and/or short-term memory loss lasts until 10 am or so. Occasions during the day when I go, why did I come in here? And, I have times when the chems flood my body, my emotions increase in intensity, I get a great wave of fatigue and then my brain seems to stop working on a self-directed level. When i recognize what's happening I have to take a break, because I do not trust my own judgement until it passes.

Resistance training seems to help more than my walking, but nothing I have tried has "fixed" the issue.

[Boywonder56]

I am one whos fog is getting worse....6 yrs lupron erleada....and since im an original erlada guinee pig.......it has extended my life.....but now qol is really taking a hit......and really dont know how much the aplutimide has to do with it.....since it crosses blood barrier in brain....im on the slow train to 2.0.........but fast train to forgetting my name.......bw

[SViking]

I was told that anytime after 50 years old, we all should start doing something mentally complex in order to stave off memory issues that occur naturally. The choices were learn to play a musical instrument, study advanced, mathematics, or learn a new language. I already speak several languages so I chose to teach myself how to play the piano using YouTube videos.

Within a month my stuttering stopped, and that mid paragraph blank stare completely disappeared. Come to find out that teachers are discovering young children learn much faster when studying a new language, a musical instrument, or advanced mathematics. The result for me was phenomenal.

[BrentW]

I was for many years a fast paced academic, publishing 3-4 papers annually. Now I struggle to manage one. Partly it is due to fatigue, hours each day being lost to naps. Worryingly, however, it is due to brain fog. I struggle to write a sentence more than a few words long. Putting together a cogent argument is therefore a challenge. She shame is that, though I am now retired, I loved research dearly and still try to do some.

[MateoBeach]

cognitive adverse effects of ADT, and also from chemotherapy, are common and real. Much research has established this. For me, estradiol patch helped considerably while on ADT. Testosterone on modified BAT an enormous help, though still does not restore verbal memory completely. New language learning was extremely impaired (Sanskrit). Must keep mind challenged and active nonetheless. So I read much science and medicine.

Tell your boss you have this and it is medically related and you may require “reasonable accommodation “ in your work. Cannot be fired for it.

[Kaliber]

I’ve been taking that well known memory booster you see on TV commercials, I forget its name …but it really works for me. ……………………….. what ? ………………….. !

😁😁😁

[Spyder54 in reply to Kaliber]

🤓😂🤪

[milehigh]

Brain fog was increasing worse and worse during my first 19 month tour of Lupron and Casodex. As an engineer, I struggled to do simple addition, I was forgetful, my mind would jump all over the place, short term memory became horrible. I had a psychologist test my IQ and it had dropped more than 10%. When I went on ADT vacation, it all slowly came back to pre ADT levels.That was 8 years ago. I’m in my 7th month of 5th round of ADT now, Lupron and Apalutimide, and there are still some brain issues that develop but nothing at all like the first round, at least so far. Best of luck!

[lookingforamiracle]

After a year of Lupron I found work emails would be missing words, no matter how many times I checked before sending. Organizing thoughts and research was getting more and more difficult. Estradiol patches helped tremendously with this and other side effects. Now a couple years later, after a round of chemo and nine months of zytiga, it is getting more challenging again. I will be 64 this Saturday and plan to work a few more years. Maybe I will get out that old keyboard and learn to play this time. - Will