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Radiation And Brain Fog
I'm only halfway through my 20 rounds of radiation. So far, so good, except for the day-long feeling that my brain is trying to catch up all the time. And the fact that my radiation oncologist pretty much dismissed my complaint.
I work a physically demanding and mentally demanding job as a tour guide. Leading groups through a house, including 4 flights of stairs up and down every hour, is no problem. The problem is fighting through my brain to remember names or things on the tour. It also includes my remembering, but not like I was there episodes [you know like when you're driving home, but don't really remember passing a spot]. It's like my body is fine and has energy, but my brain is like, "I'm going on vacation now".
Does this sound like anything anyone else has gone through?
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I am sorry you are having to find a way through this. Sadly the only way to the other side is through. I remember this brain fog, it was like I was fine in the morning for a few hours then just ran up against a wall.
This continued for a while after radiation was done, I did start to have a lot of physical fatigue about two thirds of the way in. This all lasted for a few months after treatment ended. I did find that small naps helped.
I spent my lunch and my breaks sleeping in a chair with an alarm beside me. This would get me through the day, then when I got home I slept for two hours before I even considered a meal.
Slow but sure, my energy returned and I took less naps and started to get some physical energy back too.
Is there any more treatment planned for after radiation? Do you have the ability to slip in some cat naps?
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2 Reactions@auntieoakley Luckily for me, 2 more weeks of radiation and I am done. I will just have to power my way through. There really isn't time to use the bathroom, let alone sit down while at work. It's just good to hear that I'm not crazy [which is what my doctor implied]. No seem to talk about the brain being tired, just the physical fatigue.
I’m not sure about the radiation in my case because I went through chemo before the radiation so mine was chemo brain and don’t think the radiation made it worse. May have prevented it clearing? However on the ai therapy, the brain fog is real. I can think if something I need to do, stop what I’m doing and open notes so I know to do it and forget what I was going to write down, it’s that quick. May or May not ever remember it. Also I have given up on remembering names and words are often lost. I know it’s the ai because when he took me off for a month it was much better. And yes, the physical fatigue is mind numbing at times.