HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post

chicagoetc · 12-27-2008, 05:00 PM

Carol,

Actually I have trouble filtering sounds etc but not as bad as you. The thing is I always have had it to some extent. I'm ok around sounds but get two or more voices or a voice and music or the television and I'm good for nothing, don't know what anyone is saying, getting extremely frustrated very fast. My vestibular system has been out of whack (spell check says "wack" is not a word but "whack" is) probably all my life...it just took decades for someone to diagnose it. More recent problems have included consistent problems with balance, visual field shifting, increased nausea etc. Energy is an issue to but my oncologist prescribed exercise (walking) from day one. Working and attending to numerous medical/cancer issues has kept virtually all my free time going for the past year and a half. A full day with no down time is hard. Though working halftime was nice while I did.

And, I agree, those saying that "brain fog" or "chemo brain" is not real are missing something important. Hoping like you that others will say more about how this has affected them...

Melanie

12-27-2008, 05:00 PM	#27
chicagoetc Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Chicago Posts: 196	Carol, Actually I have trouble filtering sounds etc but not as bad as you. The thing is I always have had it to some extent. I'm ok around sounds but get two or more voices or a voice and music or the television and I'm good for nothing, don't know what anyone is saying, getting extremely frustrated very fast. My vestibular system has been out of whack (spell check says "wack" is not a word but "whack" is) probably all my life...it just took decades for someone to diagnose it. More recent problems have included consistent problems with balance, visual field shifting, increased nausea etc. Energy is an issue to but my oncologist prescribed exercise (walking) from day one. Working and attending to numerous medical/cancer issues has kept virtually all my free time going for the past year and a half. A full day with no down time is hard. Though working halftime was nice while I did. And, I agree, those saying that "brain fog" or "chemo brain" is not real are missing something important. Hoping like you that others will say more about how this has affected them... Melanie __________________ Diagnosed: 7/13/07 (or 7/7/07) Surgery: 8/15/07 Modified Radical One Side with Lymph Node Dissection Pathology Report: ER/PR-, HER2+ with FISH at 8.4 copies, Grade 3, Stage IIIa, 3.2 cm tumor plus 4/19 positive lymph nodes Portacath: 9/7/07 Chemo: 9/14/07 with AC (every three weeks) for four rounds Physical Therapy for ROM Loss / "Cording" (but not Lymphodema) Taxol + Herceptin weekly (started 12/2007 with 8 of 12 Taxol) Radiation: (28 rads from 3/07 to 4/07) Reconstruction (silicone implant) Herceptin done (10/08) Cognitive Remediation (11/08 - 12/08) Lymphedema Diagnosed 5/10/10 (almost 3 years post cancer diagnosis) Lymphedema Rehab 9/10/10 - 11/10/10 Six years NED...7/7/2013!