Dear Dr. Silverman and Ms. Davidson,
I just read with great enthusiasm your book which I hope is the first step toward an understanding of "Chemo Brain." I am nearly 5-years out from surviving surgery/dose-dense ACT (Adriamycin, Cytoxan and Taxol) chemo/radiation for stage 3 breast cancer. I was 39 at diagnosis,
and have had my life turned inside out not by the cancer itself, but ironically from the life-saving treatment. I was fortunate to have Dr. Virgilio Sacchini from MSKCC in NYC as my gifted surgeon, and Dr. Robert Cooper from Praxair Cancer Center in Danbury CT as my oncologist. I will always be grateful to my medical team for saving my life after I discovered the lump in my left breast in the fall of 2004. My daughter was 4-years old at the time, and she is my reason for my continued quest to regain my quality of life.
and have had my life turned inside out not by the cancer itself, but ironically from the life-saving treatment. I was fortunate to have Dr. Virgilio Sacchini from MSKCC in NYC as my gifted surgeon, and Dr. Robert Cooper from Praxair Cancer Center in Danbury CT as my oncologist. I will always be grateful to my medical team for saving my life after I discovered the lump in my left breast in the fall of 2004. My daughter was 4-years old at the time, and she is my reason for my continued quest to regain my quality of life.
The topics you discuss have all been brought up in the past 5 years to my oncologist; specifically, WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BRAIN? I look at "Before Cancer" photos and do not even resemble that woman in personality, mood, capacity, etc. at all. I have lost a portion of myself, and have been told it is generalized anxiety, depression, normal aging, "life", but KNOW that I have suffered a mild form of brain damage from chemo. I used to stand in the aisle at the grocery store and completely panic at the idea of selecting what I needed. Also, losing my car, keys, wallet, unable to pull an outfit together for my daughter in her overnight bag if she had a sleepover, bouts of paralyzing depression, rage and uncontrollable sadness. As I was finishing my radiation treatments, my father was diagnosed with multiple myeloma and died within a year, and my marriage has also failed as a result of subsequent stresses related to the cancer and treatment. I am a different person today than I was before treatment, and am desperate to find my new NORMAL.
I have tried Effexor, Prozac, Cymbalta, and even Provigil to combat the detrimental effects left from chemo, to no avail. Even today I struggle with lost vocabulary when speaking, and when I have too many choices I am completely overwhelmed. Recently, I have been advised by a naturopath to investigate the possibility of adrenal/thyroid fatigue. I go for saliva and blood tests soon, and am interested to see if this might be a possibility. It was suggested that I have had a severe iodine issue for years, hence the cancer and mood problems.
I want to thank you for your book, and applaud your efforts in raising awareness of the damage caused by chemo. There is an enormous population of young women survivors that are struggling to have their voices heard, and to work toward a cure for cancer that will not destroy one's quality of life.
-- Ellen K.
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I don't have chemo brain, but really like your blog. You're providing important information. Keep up the good work!
ReplyDeleteEllen and I need to connect. I went through the exact same cocktail of chemo and I am NOT the same person I was before. I have battled with adrenal fatigue and hypothroidism since my last chemo treatment in December of 2007. I was perfectly healthy (outside of the cancer) before chemo and I would NEVER take that stuff again. For the last 4 years I have continuously struggled with my endocrine system and am convinced it is due to long term chemo damage that "they" never tell you about.
ReplyDeleteHi Susie,
ReplyDeleteIf you'd like to email me privately at IdelleDavidson@gmail.com, I'll do my best to connect you with Ellen.
Are you by any chance in Los Angeles? If so, there's a "chemo brain" workshop coming up on Tues. evening, Feb. 21st from 7-9 at the Cancer Support Community (I'll be on the panel). The information may help you. Here's the link: http://www.cancersupportcommunitybenjamincenter.org/Calendars/12_0102/Chemo%20Brain.pdf
I finished chemotherapy a year ago, and herceptin treatments 4 months ago. I thought my brain would revert to normal but it has not. my short term memory is not good - it used to be exceptional- and my ability to recall words as needed is abysmal. I have also noticed some kind of language sorting problems I did not have before-- . sometimes I confuse even words I know or have used many times in the past.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteMany of us have experienced those very symptoms so I know how frustrated you must feel right now. I wish I could tell you that there's an easy fix, but unfortunately I don't know of one. My best suggestion would be to practice some of the strategies in our book which really do seem to help. Good luck!
I had 6 months of Chemo 12 years ago for stage 4 Non Hodgkins Lymphoma, My brain has never been the same, I had all the symptoms described by others above and only just recently have found going off wheat seems to have helped a lot.
ReplyDeleteThat's very interesting. Did someone advise you to do that? How have your symptoms lessened?
ReplyDeleteOur story started last spring when my husband was diagnosed with cancer. He went through chemo & radiation for 6 weeks. Had surgery. Did another round of chemo in the Fall. In October, I started noticing a change in him. He did mention to his Dr. about being edgey. The Dr. said it was probably the steroid they were giving him with the chemo. He has always had a Type A personality and a temper but this has taken the temper to a new level. He can't seem to control his temper anymore. I am trying to be very understanding because I know how hard this must have been to go through. I get so tired of being yelled at all the time but I can live with it. But now it is starting to affect others. Our grandsons were over last week when he had one of his small episodes and they just kind of looked at him like what is going on. They might not have thought anymore about it but I still see the look on their faces. I am at a loss for what to do.
ReplyDeleteHave you thought of getting a second opinion? A neuropsychologist may be able to help you and your husband figure out what's going on. Good luck!
ReplyDelete