Chemo memory loss

Does chemo affect your memory? What are the causes of memory loss? Is chemo brain really cancer brain? Difficulty concentrating. Feeling of mental fogginess.

Evidence has been building that cancer chemotherapy can impair memory for at least a few years after treatment. Now, a new study shows that this effect can linger as long as 10. If you are having memory problems and trouble focusing on tasks, finding words or managing daily activities, you are not alone.

These are examples of symptoms of “chemobrain,” a possible side effect of chemotherapy that can affect cognitive or thinking abilities. Here are just a few examples of what patients call chemo brain : Forgetting things that they usually have no trouble recalling ( memory lapses ). Trouble remembering details like names, dates, and. It’s a normal part of getting older for many people.

But it can also be a sign of a deeper problem, such as. Loss of memory may last from minutes, to days, or longer. This can affect your quality of life. Cancer Therapies Associated with Memory Loss: Chemotherapy medications that contribute to confusion such as hydroxyurea, high dose ifosfamide or methotrexate.

Whether you have memory or concentration problems (sometimes described as a mental fog or chemo brain ) depends on the type of treatment you receive, your age, and other health-related factors. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy may cause difficulty with thinking, concentrating, or remembering things. Learn what might cause it, how long it will last, and what to do about it.

During chemotherapy treatments, you may notice memory or thinking changes, sometimes referred to as chemobrain. Chemobrain affects your cognitive or thinking abilities including: memory , attention, concentration, word finding or retrieval, multi-tasking, learning, and sense of direction. Short-term memory loss treatment depends on the underlying cause. For example, sudden memory loss could be associated with a brain aneurysm of brain tumor. In addition thyroid hormone imbalance, strokes, traumatic brain injury or concussion, brain infections (encephalitis, meningitis, etc.), and treatment for cancer can also cause short-term memory loss.

Some chemotherapy ( chemo ) treatments have been linked to problems with memory , learning, and thinking. This particular chemo side effect is often referred to as chemo brain. Many patients will regain their normal abilities to think and remember after chemo stops, but these chemo side effects may continue in some patients.

Cognitive Disorders And Memory Loss In People With Cancer. Some cancer patients may experience problems with cognition. Cognition has to do with a person’s mental process of thinking, learning, remembering, being aware of surroundings, and using judgment.

This is the kind of cognitive decline that usually occurs with aging. When a person has short-term memory loss due to Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, there can be sudden memory or attention deficit. Since then I have experienced short term memory loss and it gets worse by the week.

There are times that I am engaged in a conversation and I have to stop talking mid sentence because I forget what I was talking about. Post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment describes the cognitive impairment that can result from chemotherapy treatment. Approximately to of people who undergo chemotherapy experience some level of post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment.

The phenomenon first came to light because of the large number of breast cancer survivors who complained of changes in memory , fluency, and other cognitive abilities that impeded their ability to function as they had pre-chemotherapy. Surprising Causes of Memory Loss If you have difficulty remembering things, your mind may make the leap to Alzheimer’s disease – but that’s not the only cause of memory loss.