Cognitive changes after chemo

Baeph,

Your story opened my eyes as none have before. I had to look up Ampullary cancer. My experience with a cancer diagnosis. My husband had 3 heart attacks by the age of 38, (family genes on both sides) leaving him with 2/3rds functioning heart muscle. In 2006 we went to visit his family before holiday prices increased. He was 49 then and no male had lived to see 61. After seeing everyone we made an "I will IF you will pledge". I thought he was the one that needed a checkup more than I did. Within 30 minutes after mammo I was told I had breast cancer by my gynecologist with no surgery/treatments until 01/17/2007. To get to my point...the cancer diagnosis was within a few days of Thanksgiving. It was like a bomb went off in my head. I could not wrap my head around how to deal with it. No holiday dinners for us that year. I fell inside my head and could not get any clear and positive thoughts even though I have strong faith. Looking back it was due to My Lack of Control and all the what-ifs. I was/am a highly functioning "A" type personality. I was/am still the CFO of our household and at the time all I could do was think of how to help my husband if cancer took me. In your opinion because you know him better than any psychiatrist may your husband have any of these fears within? I fought hard to keep it from my loved ones and Did Not Speak of it. Heck, I barely spoke to anyone. I cannot tell you how often I pretended to be asleep so not even my husband would Hover over me and ask again & again if I needed/wanted anything! Time does heal and in my case, it was not speaking with a psychiatrist. I felt empowered again thru forums like this. Do you think that would help him to get his empowerment back? I'm here to tell you that life can be good again!!! Keep the faith and take it one day at a time. For me, the last thing I wanted was to see another dang Dr. I was told 04/2021 that they were highly suspicious of recurrence however for me I do not fear cancer any longer so I waited until my mammo confirmed breast cancer recurrence. 05/25 I had a double mastectomy that's still not healed (dehiscence). I wake up every day knowing how blessed we are. I've added you and your husband to my prayer list.

I am 71 and have been through chemo, radiation and a lumpectomy. I am on AI's now(this is about my 3rd or 4th one). This whole thing started about 5 years ago when I found a lump in my breast. Anyway, I have what they call "chemo brain" now but due to my age, I have to wonder, is it that or is dementia setting in??? It scares me to death. Sometimes I think I'm getting better, then all of a sudden something happens that I can't remember or get a grip on. My mind just goes blank. It's awful.

@sally484 71 isn't old. I'm 69 and I've started forgetting things. Short term memory is especially affected. Have had one round of carb.pac. and am now on enhertu--for a year now. So I haven't had much of a break from treatments for 2 years. I chalk up my memory problems to the chemo.

OMG!! I thought I was going crazy!!! I worried about it so much I was making it even worse. I finally asked my doctor and he explained that it was Chemo Brain and I wasn’t losing my mind. I just wish it would stop!!! I’m already a year out of treatment!!! God help us 🙏

God have I ever! I feel STUPID!!! I forget what I was talking about, I ask a dozen times a day what time it is etc etc. I ask my Dr. and he tells me that it could last for years!!! They don’t tell you that before you agree to the treatment.

@bcwarrior God Bless you!!! I was diagnosed two years ago and I still can’t grasp the fact that I have breast cancer or should I say HAD! I really don’t know what to say because I don’t know if I’m cancer free I go for a mammogram every six months and all I get is I’ll see you in six months. They never tell me if the cancer is gone if I still have it.????? I guess if I had it, they would be doing some kind of treatment on me still but I would just like to hear the words it’s gone! I feel like my life will never be the same. It just seems like after this chemo and radiation. It’s just one thing after another after another. I never feel like me anymore. I’m gonna try hard harder. I want my life back.!!!!