Cognitive Delays / Memory Problems
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.
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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!
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