Cognitive Delays / Memory Problems

[chicagoetc]

This is an update / inquiry into delayed effects of chemotherapy. The question is: Can one of the chemo's in AC+T affect brain functioning?

There is already at least one discussion on this board pertaining to the effects of treatment on cognition. Hopefully this will get you there:

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/sho...tion+cognitive

I finished chemo (AC + T) at the end of May. I had worked basically fulltime through everything starting with a diagnosis in July of 2007. I'm on Herceptin but had expected memory/multi-tasking/other similar problems to decrease or stop. But they didn't. In mid-June I was interviewing someone, taking notes on a computer and, all of a sudden, because very nauseous. I had to quit the interview. Since then I haven't been able to do this, or not yet.

Besides the nauseousness, memory and other task related problems became worse. They had been there before but not in the same way. I told my oncologist who sent me to a neurologist who sent me to a psychologist for neuropsych testing.

[In the meantime I had to drop back to half-time work as it became harder and I became less effective.]

Results of the neuropsych testing: I don't have a memory problem. I have a cognitive one, probably related to chemo, specifically on focus/attention. It's not stress/anxiety. It's not hormones. It's not depression. It's something about how my brain works now (hopefully not forever). It affects memory. If I can't focus then I'm not going to remember things. [E.g. if someone is talking and I lose track of the conversation, I may not remember what was said earlier.]

I'm not complaining. God has been good to me. It's just a surprise and something that needs more treatment/attention.

I wonder if some of the memory problems related to "chemo brain" could possibly be similar to others here? [Or maybe we are just all different.] And if so, from what chemical?

Melanie

PS: It's all a bit disorienting for me. It doesn't help that I'm having followup reconstructive surgery soon.

[juanita]

i did different chemo than you but still had "chemo brain". i also was put into chemopause, so that could contribute to it. after 4 years it has gotten better, but do still have some problems.