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Last night I went onto Breastcancer.org to read the latest discussion topic in August on Thinking and Memory.
One interesting thing hit me in regard to the side effect that we have all attributed to Herceptin - memory problems and not finding the "right" word (I have the not finding the right word problem).
This can be attributed (according to this particular discussion) to chemo but more likely to menopause or chemopause. Apparently low estrogen levels (and those on an aromatase inhibitor even more so) cause the memory problems and the not finding the right word problem. Women who don't have bc but are going through menopause or are perimenopausal also have this problem.
Also, abruptness of menopause (via chemo or oophorectomy) makes things even worse, especially for women under 50 or those that weren't starting to go through menopause before chemotherapy (like me and many of you). I think mine was bad as I wasn't going through it and 8 months after my last chemo, I got my period back but promptly got my ovaries removed and then went on Arimidex (all the while, being on Herceptin but only for a couple of weeks at that point) so... I blamed it on Herceptin versus lack of estrogen.
Even if you are ER/PR neg (I am only ER+ but PR neg hence the Arimidex for me), you still had chemo which at least temporarily (or for some, permanently) shuts down your ovaries.
I guess a test is those on Herceptin who got their period back and are ER/PR negative so they take no antihormonal. What side effects do they have in regard to memory (some others like tiredness, headache and runny nose I do attribute to the Herceptin and I get them too but not the headache every time).
Just thinking out loud here.
Kind regards
Becky
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