Chemo brain? Will it ever recover?

[MartaCiom]

Hello Ladies. I am 3 months after chemo. Please tell me your experience with 'chemo brain'. I am getting completely lost with the lack of multitasking and unbelievable forgetfullness. Seriously how can you cope when you go shopping and forget at least half of things from your list! Will it ever go away? X

[Lily-Anne]

Hi

It does go away but it takes ages. I had a few forgetful moments before chemo but after it was totally scrambled, probably for the best part of a year which is around how long the drugs linger

LA xx

[Neona]

Interestingly when I was on steroid treatment for polymyalgia I had the most terrible brain fog. I went to my GP one day because I felt terribly ill and had chest pains. She gave me a spray of nitromin, the angina drug, under the tongue and the brain fog cleared instantly. It turned out that I had ovarian cancer and probably never had polymyalgia. So presumably the cause of the brain fog was constriction of the blood vessels as nitromin relaxes them. Unfortunately my GP would not let me keep the spray.

[Manchesterlady in reply to Neona]

Hi Neona , that’s very interesting, I was diagnosed with polymyalgia two years ago . Could hardly move till I was put on steroids. Then in March this year was diagnosed with high grade 3c. I am convinced there is a link , perhaps lowered immunity. .yes to brain fog , there are a lot of similarities I feel .

Sheila

[Neona in reply to Manchesterlady]

I believe that the polymyalgia is a misdiagnosis and that the inflammation was caused by the cancer. Although my ca 125 was normal I was seriously anaemic. My GP always thought it was cancer and didn't believe it was polymyalgia- if only I had qualified for a scan I would have been caught at stage 1.

[Lindaura in reply to Neona]

We want it! Do you think we can ask our Oncology docs about it?

Nitromin.

I will remember it.

Thanks,

Laurs

[Neona in reply to Lindaura]

You could try but I guess that you will be met with disbelief. Apparently nitromin lowers your blood pressure and can make you keel over although the only thing I noticed was instantly getting my brain back- like a miracle.

[27-359]

Hi. I am over a year out of treatment and have to say that my memory is dreadful. I am not sure if it is as a result of chemo or just down to ageing. I forget words that I know and people's names and need to write all appointments in a diary and check daily to see what I should be doing! I used to work in a job where I was responsible for administering drugs, and I know that I wouldn't trust myself to do it now.

Jenny

[Hidden]

It does improve but I thought I was the only one who experienced this phenomenon. I can pause mid sentence and think what was I saying. My hubby & I often have a laugh after I’ve gone into kitchen for the 3rd time & still cannot remember why LOL.

Plus I’m sure he uses it as an excuse for not doing something I’ve asked him as I cannot be 100% sure I did 😂

[Hidden]

Lol typical man.

I've not got any reason for my brain fog yet find myself stopping mid sentence,or forgetting what I'm in the supermarket for.I write down reminders for some daft reason in code then haven't a clue what the heck the code means...I blame my age and hormones or lack of them.

[JayGeeCee]

6 months post chemo and it’s still terrible! I’ve also become unbelievably clumsy! I’m forever knocking into things, or dropping things. It drives me crazy...a short drive believe me 😂

[Lyndy in reply to JayGeeCee]

I think chemo affects your sense of balance and spatial awareness...walking was one of my ways to get fit after chemo and for months I regularly fell into hedges and ditches most weeks!

[grammeejill]

I am 3 years post chemo and yesterday I heated water in the microwave, spooned in creamer, stirred, turned on my morning program, and drank most of the cup before realizing I forgot to add the instant coffee... 😁

[January-2016-UK in reply to grammeejill]

Tee, hee!

[lynn6156 in reply to grammeejill]

I've made a hot drink a few times then wandered off and started something else only to find the drink stone cold an hour later - but yours is just too funny

Lynn

x

[JayGeeCee in reply to grammeejill]

😂. I made tea using cold water from the Brita filter instead of the kettle...

[Hidden]

Hi Marta. I keep asking myself this question. I've been on the OC treadmill for almost 7 years: total of 1 year on chemo & around 4 years or more on a clinical trial drug. Brain-fog is very common in my life. Grocery shopping is easy cos I write lists. But when people tell me things, especially at the hospital, I only seem capable of holding 1 thing in my brain. When another is added, I'll probably lose the first!

So the question remains: is it chemo or age? Don't suppose there's any way to be certain. Best wishes - what was your name? Pauline.

[Tesla_7US in reply to Hidden]

Chemo is neurotoxic!! You are not imagining your cognitive decline. We have consented to systematic poisoning in the attempt to kill cancer cells. Chemo kills more than cancer cells.

[MartaCiom in reply to Hidden]

This I still remember but do forget otger people names. We have just moved into small village son started new nursery and its so embarrasing to forget names things and not being able to communicate as before - as people may not realize i had chemo i may just appear as a totally dumb person:/

[MartaCiom]

Also, as I supposed to be a walking encyclopaedia for my 4 year old (2year old daughter is not there yet ..) i find it most challenging when my brain is not existent i wish there was more info or advice for us. I guess Sudoku may not be enough

[Perthgirl]

Sorry what was the question??😂😉 18 months since I finished front line chemo and no improvement in sight! I write everything down and then forget where I put my notes 🤔

[Cropcrop]

I’m 4 years now with NED, my old brain has gone on a long term vacation, my sense of balance and cognitive ability both left home too, it is all very slowly coming back but my ability to understand forms and some information is still negligible, it was better when I worked as I had to engage my few remaining cells but since I retired I’m just gormless, I find it a bit frustrating but, I’m still here and if I’ll always be a dumb blonde then I’ll take it. It can be frustrating but we adapt and approach things differently, it’s a brilliant excuse when I do stupid stuff, I just blame my chemo brain. I hope it improves for you, It’s probably better for me now than it was when I first finished chemo so there is hope, take care and try not to worry about it too much lovely ❤️Xx Jane

[kewl1]

My chemo ended March 21 and I believe my chemo-brain is mostly gone but certainly not totally. I have a hard time thinking of words sometimes which will stop me mid-sentence while I struggle and often will never think of the word. I was forgetful before and I think I am now almost back to that point. My balance has improved as well although not back to pre-chemo yet

[dryden1]

I cannot decide if it's chemo brain or old age I finished my last course of chemo for Ist reoccurence last Sept 2017, I am at the moment on watch and wait.Just been in to my local bakers and asked for 3 pork pies, Sorry we haven,t got any the girl replies, so,,I say Thanks, I will have 3 pork pies please!!!!!!!Chris

[grammeejill]

Words escape me, too. Simple sentences become a struggle. Very strange feeling.

[Pishi123]

I used to get frustrated and then decided to laugh it off and then that helped me to cope with. You just have to be patient.

Angela

[bamboo89]

Lord, sounds just like what happens if you're taking full spectrum cannabis oil ... when I used that for a while (instead of chemo), thoughts were like vaguely interesting passing clouds that disappeared from view before I had even attempted to grasp them, including names, what I was doing, why I went into the kitchen/bathroom or wherever, what I needed in the supermarket, why was I holding the phone, discovering I was wearing trousers but no pants, finding my keys in the refrigerator, all that stuff... Surely chemo brain must pass eventually, or at least improve... I hope for all your sakes it does.

[MartaCiom in reply to bamboo89]

Ha ha you made me laugh:)) i guess there is not much we can do just laugh it off and hope people will accept the change! X

[bamboo89 in reply to MartaCiom]

Well, if you can't change it, taking the mick out of it and laughing is not a bad way of dealing with life's difficulties generally, is it... but I hope it does pass eventually. Or at least before we're all old enough to get dementia...