Anastrozole Brain Fog

Posted by lisman1408 @lisman1408, Jan 17, 2019

I started taking Anastrozole in October 2018 after radiation for stage 2 breast cancer. Has anyone had ‘brain fog’ or memory loss with this medication? If so, what have you done to relieve this annoying side effect?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Breast Cancer Support Group.

My wife Mattie has memory fog. I have to ask her to clarify what she just said. If she doesn’t understand me she will ask me for clarification. There is nothing wrong with misunderstanding. Patience is of paramount importance where it comes to relationships, especially when the woman you love is suffering from the side effects of anestrasol. All the other challenges are difficult enough as it is without the brain fog. Being her support and her advocate is my passion. As for copping with and understanding what she is going through, I pray for her. God is my sounding board.

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@reneed

I actually talked to oncology pa yesterday. I'll try it again but if cognitive issues go back to being worse I'll be put on something else. The brain mri was normal too, thankfully.

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👋 Hi. I previously reported (6 yrs on Anastrozole) I noticed my mind wasn’t the same. I felt my memory issues was due to that . I’m curious what med were you on for your memory issues and if it helped??? Ty

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@dorothyktumpos

Yes still fight brain fog and chronic fatigue since 2015. I have tried supplements and acupuncture but nothing has seemed to make a difference.

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I feel there’s been no real progress for our memory problems . It seems anyone who’s been on Anastrozole have/had this issue.
Until I joined this site I never knew there were others with memory and cognitive issues. It’s comforting and reassures me I’m not alone.
Mayo Clinic site has been so informative and comforting. I’m not alone and hopefully able to help others with my experiences. 👍🙏

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@rosy54

I feel there’s been no real progress for our memory problems . It seems anyone who’s been on Anastrozole have/had this issue.
Until I joined this site I never knew there were others with memory and cognitive issues. It’s comforting and reassures me I’m not alone.
Mayo Clinic site has been so informative and comforting. I’m not alone and hopefully able to help others with my experiences. 👍🙏

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I also have brain fog and my cancer was in 2005. I think it never goes away completely.

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@katieread2023

I also have brain fog and my cancer was in 2005. I think it never goes away completely.

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Hi @katieread2023 and welcome. What type of breast cancer did you have? What tips do you have about coping with brain fog long term?

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@gldilli

I found an NIH study titled “The Impact of Obesity on Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment” published on 2019 Mar 27. This is not the original study that I saw that implicated weight as a factor in BC treatment but this one is pretty good.

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Maybe you should start a thread about this topic. There seems to be some interest in it. I know there are multiple studies about this and the estrogen component. It is a distinct topic of its own. Given the sensitivity to it, please remember to be kind.💕

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@auntieoakley

Maybe you should start a thread about this topic. There seems to be some interest in it. I know there are multiple studies about this and the estrogen component. It is a distinct topic of its own. Given the sensitivity to it, please remember to be kind.💕

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I will consider it.

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This is a great chat - just joining now. I'm 50 and I had breast cancer/lumpectomy/chemo/radiation. I was on Tamoxifen until I was fully menopausal (brought on by chemo) then Anatrazole, and now exemestane. It's only been a month on the exemestane but I don't see a real change. Very bad joint pain, serious brain fog, weight gain (strange protruding bloating) and the hot flashes. The brain fog is my biggest issue because I work full-time supporting my family at a fairly demanding job. I see the studies - taking an AI is important but I was curious if anyone is having any luck with a supplement or medication to help with the brain fog. Thank you in advance and good luck to you all!

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@sonjard

This is a great chat - just joining now. I'm 50 and I had breast cancer/lumpectomy/chemo/radiation. I was on Tamoxifen until I was fully menopausal (brought on by chemo) then Anatrazole, and now exemestane. It's only been a month on the exemestane but I don't see a real change. Very bad joint pain, serious brain fog, weight gain (strange protruding bloating) and the hot flashes. The brain fog is my biggest issue because I work full-time supporting my family at a fairly demanding job. I see the studies - taking an AI is important but I was curious if anyone is having any luck with a supplement or medication to help with the brain fog. Thank you in advance and good luck to you all!

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That must be challenging to work a demanding job with brain fog. I'm not aware of any supplement or medication that helps. Have things improved at all with exemestane? How are you doing?

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I have recently seen an improvement in my brain fog and energy levels by following a keto type eating plan. After a recent vacation I had a few lbs to lose so I decided to go keto light (I still eat a small amount healthy carbs). It is working great and the added bonus is improved brain fog and energy levels. I was worried about my LDL levels but my research suggests that people need to worry more about blood sugar levels which is not an issue for me. It takes a lot of will power but the results on the scale and how I feel make it worth it. I’ve been on Anastrozole since March 2022.

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