Who has chemobrain and how does it affect you and When did it start ? has it ended??

[kat in the delta]

I have had alot of problems with organizing, just getting ready to get out of the house...so bad that my husband now refuses to take me out to eat or to a ballgame. I just cannot get myself together..I feel like I was alittle bit like this before the cancer,,but recently It has gotten completely out of control...I lose alot of important things..I read 1 article on this at a site I will post when I find it again ....I really need some input help and advice ...please help me, some of you....kat in the delta

[kat in the delta]

here is the article

http: www.apa.org/monitor/apr05/chemobrain.html

I hope it is correct...I could not even remember how to get back to the her2 site and thread starter and how to put this on this site except to hit the GO Back marker....THAT'S BAD !!!
HELP !!!!!!

[Montana]

Kat,

I couldn't organize anything or function very well after chemo. We have a business and I just couldn't concentrate very well and left most management decisions up to my husband and daughter in law. I think it took about a year after chemo (dose dense A/C) before I was pretty much my old self. I kept doing crossword puzzles as I heard they were good for the brain!

It WILL get better!

[kat in the delta]

In one article I read that some patients were given the med. Ritalin, to help them focus. Anyone get meds that helped along with other therapies for CHEMOBRAIN ??? I have done the crosswords and have highlighted things and have 5 notebooks with info. somewhere around------ info i have written down to help me remember....I am having a rough time with this.....kat in the delta RSVP
I went to a neurologist yesterday and he gave me some RX to make me slower ???? and less manic {????}--but he only saw me for 10 min....I was trying to get it all in--- so I guess he thought I was Hyper.!!!...Going to him( 15 min away from my house) was the only thing I did all day --got home at 6 pm and slept til the next morning---I am definitely NOT HYPER or manic, but need to be....I did NOT take the RX HE prescribed--thank goodness.....kat

[Montana]

Kat, I don't think there is much you can do....just be patient...it will get better. Try to take it a little easier on yourself. Writing notes of things to do helped me.

[kat in the delta]

My Onc sent me to a neurologist ==noone else to see in this small town/city......He gave me a prescript. for some type of seizure meds also used for Manic-Depressive people. He gave me 4 samples and a prescription.....but after reading a little about it....I thought is was exactly the opposite of what I needed...It would cause me to be more drowsy and take off any High/Manic feelings ---which are not many now..I am more depressed than MANIC....I need to see a neuropsychologist, not a neurologist who is a foreigner...He asked me ?'s and that was the only thing I did all day and I went to sleep when I got home around 6pm until the next day without taking his RX...
I have tried so hard....I have used Highlighters, marked calendars.....I have so many Notes to myself tapes to mirrors, the refrig. and even E-Mailed myself on the computer and on my cell phone.....I am pathetic. ....My house is always in a kaotic state which makes matters worse....I cannot get my husband or sons to lift a finger....I cooked for Thanksgiving, but my mother came in with another 8 dishes of Food....I just cannot even walk back into the Kitchen at this point....I missed all the sunshine today which really depresses me...Sorry about all the complaining, but I need to get some of this out of my system...Has anyone else here had problems with organizing and focusing on ONE thing at a time ?? Now, my youngest son-just said his newgirlfriend form Texas was driving here and would be HERE tomorrow late afternoon....I just think it is umpossible. I may just leave and go ???for the whole weekend....
I did see where there will be a teleconference on the Breast Cancer treatments such as memory lost and more on Nov. 29th thru www.cancercare.org.....I will have to e-mail me or can someone remind me to watch it ???
Hopefully there will be some solutions....kat in the delta {the home of the blues,,for sure)






w

[kat in the delta]

cancercare #'s are:
1-800-813-4673
if you cannot get try,,..1-800-521-5401, or maybe 1-888-337-7533 ..someone tell Joe and Christine to listen......kat

[Merridith]

Wow Kat:

I've been reading your posting string. You are having quite a bad time of it. I can't believe that your husband would refuse to take you to a restaurant or out to a ball game with him.....Especially when that is the type of thing that would be good for you. That's nasty.

It also sounds like you are the chief cook and bottle washer. Are you in the position to temporarily hire help? That might assist you. Even some 13-14 year old kid looking for baby-sitting equivalent money might be willing to drop by and do things for you like dishes, washroom & ironing after school.

I also had TERRIBLE chemo brain. It was so bad that at one point after I loaded my groceries into the car after shopping at a store that I had shopped at for years, I actually couldn't figure out where to drive to get home.

I also did the calendar, post-it note thing. I kept a notebook beside the phone and jotted quick notes on who phoned, when, and a synopsis of the conversation while we were talking so that I could track the conversation later. I didn't want to keep repeating myself like Granny!

The best method for coping I found was to keep a daily diary - not one to talk about what I felt, but a work journal that recorded who I spoke to, decisions, appointments etc. It was ONE central location for everything. Someone asked me out? I checked the journal. Should we buy the VCR? I checked the journal for a notation. Going somewhere? After the decision to go somewhere had been made, over the next few hours I would make a list of things to do IN the journal.Then when it came time, I would systematically do each thing on the list, ticking as I went. I refused to be responsible for things like hotel keys or anything that required tracking. I actually would state that I had chemo-brain and wouldn't be responsible for any outcome.

And to answer your worst fears......yes it does go away. After you stop chemo, you'll notice a significant improvement after 3-4 months. But the full effects take at least a year (if not more) to fade completely.

Take care!
Merridith

[kat in the delta]

If possible, go to www.cancercare.org There is a teleconference from 12:30pmCental to 1:30pm central-- register and then call or try to get in anyway by calling:
1-800-521-5401 Side effects of Chemo: includes chemobrain, lymphdem..neuropathy and more...!!!kat

[kat in the delta]

I listened to the teleconference and the Dr. said to go to the San Antonio Cancer Sym 2005, and look for chemobrain...I did and it the same rx he recommended. He said in PURE form. Let me know what you all think... "You know we all have to help ourselves and help each other to get through this fog of living between each of the cancer tests that we may be taking every 3 or so months" (my thoughts,at end)........kat in the delta