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Re: Drug for chemo brain
KsGal,
My only suggestion is that you give it at least a few *months.* (Okay, one more suggestion: ask for a thyroid panel. Not just a TSH test, but the entire panel. If your thyroid is wonky, it won't matter what else you do until you get it fixed.)
Healing takes time. Sometimes it takes a lot of time. We can use supplements as a shortcut (I take 30+ a day), but even then, the brain cannot heal itself overnight.
I had about resigned myself to gibbering idiocy for the rest of my days when just a few days ago, I noticed that my memory was improving, that I was comprehending more than half the words I was reading, that I was getting more done in less time, that I no longer lost quite so many easy words at the very tip of my tongue. I still have a few issues, but I'm now hopeful that the glow at the end of the tunnel is daylight instead of an oncoming train.
Several months ago when I was bemoaning the loss of my mind, one of the very wise women in this group wrote to me, "Don't be too hard on yourself." It's good advice. You'll get there.
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2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change
3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much
4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer
5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5
6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3
7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66%
7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11
9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64%
9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012
12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy!
2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17
5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial
6/19/12 MUGA 61%
8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged)
9/4/12 Herceptin done!
9/6/12 Port out!
7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013
5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg
9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation
10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy
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