Chemobrain

A few of the patients were talking yesterday about something called "chemobrain" which they were experiencing, so I googled it and found this -

What is chemobrain?

The terms "chemobrain" and "chemofog" refer to cognitive changes during and after cancer diagnosis and treatment. Though these terms imply a relation to chemotherapy, it isn't clear that chemotherapy is responsible. What is clear is that some people with cancer do notice increased difficulties with certain mental tasks during and after cancer treatment.

In general, researchers have found that chemotherapy can affect your cognitive abilities in the following ways:

Word finding. You might find yourself reaching for the right word in conversation.
Memory. You might experience short-term memory lapses, such as not remembering where you put your keys or what you were supposed to buy at the store.
Multitasking. Many jobs require you to manage multiple tasks during the day. Multitasking is important at work as well as at home — for example, talking with your kids and making dinner at the same time. Chemotherapy may affect how well you're able to perform multiple tasks at once.
Learning. It might take longer to learn new things. For example, you might find you need to read paragraphs over a few times before you get the meaning.
Processing speed. It might take you longer to do tasks that were once quick and easy for you.
About 20 percent to 30 percent of people undergoing chemotherapy will experience cognitive impairment, though some studies report that at least half the participants had memory problems. Changes in memory during and after treatment may be very subtle. You might notice changes during your everyday tasks and as you start working again after treatment. The memory changes are often so subtle, in fact, that researchers find that people who report having memory difficulties tend to score in the normal ranges on tests of their cognitive ability. That makes it more difficult to understand, diagnose and treat the memory changes.

What causes the memory changes?

Doctors don't know what causes the cognitive changes associated with chemotherapy. It was previously thought that chemotherapy drugs didn't enter your brain, but were kept out by the blood-brain barrier, which separates chemicals that should be in your brain from those that shouldn't. But some researchers now suspect some chemotherapy drugs may be able to slip past the blood-brain barrier. This could potentially affect your brain and your memory.
It isn't clear which chemotherapy drugs are more likely to cause memory changes or if higher doses pose a bigger risk than do smaller ones. And it isn't possible to predict who's more likely to have cognitive impairment after chemotherapy.
A number of factors can cause temporary memory problems in people undergoing chemotherapy — making it difficult to identify the so-called chemobrain from the normal stresses of treatment. Temporary memory problems can, for the most part, be treated. Causes include:
Low blood counts. If your blood counts are low, you might feel tired, making it difficult to concentrate.
Stress. Being diagnosed with cancer and starting treatment is stressful. Stress also makes concentrating difficult.
Medication to treat side effects. Certain medications for treating side effects including nausea and vomiting may cause drowsiness. When you're tired, it may take longer to complete tasks.
Lingering depression. Depression is common in people with cancer. If your depression continues after your treatment, you might find it difficult to pay attention.
Lingering fatigue. Fatigue is a side effect of several types of cancer treatment, including chemotherapy. Your fatigue might end when your cancer treatment ends, though it also can continue after treatment.

"Cancer is hard...getting help shouldn't be."