Re: Methotrexate and Brain Fog?

[Guest guest]

There was an article in the LA Times this morning talking about the long term effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer patients. Apparently there is some connection between chemo drugs and a loss of cognitive ability (they don't specify what kind). The reason I bring this is up is because they said that usually chemo drugs do not pass through the blood membrane that protects the brain - except for methotrexate taken in high doses.

So what does that mean for us? What's a high dose? And what about continued use? Not to be an alarmist, or anything, but I feel that too often my doctor does not really address the serious side-effects of the many drugs that he's prescribed for me.

I'd be interested in anyone who has any thoughts on the subject.

[Guest guest]

Gloria,

This is news to me. Nothing in my research addresses what the article

describes. However, the dosages for RA compared to cancer is

considerably lower and there may not be any relevance for us. I take

only 7.5 mg of Methotrexate weekly.

Best wishes,

Jay

> There was an article in the LA Times this morning talking about the

long term

> effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer patients. Apparently there

is some

> connection between chemo drugs and a loss of cognitive ability

(they don't

> specify what kind). The reason I bring this is up is because they

said that

> usually chemo drugs do not pass through the blood membrane that

protects the brain -

> except for methotrexate taken in high doses.

>

> So what does that mean for us? What's a high dose? And what about

continued

> use? Not to be an alarmist, or anything, but I feel that too often

my doctor

> does not really address the serious side-effects of the many drugs

that he's

> prescribed for me.

>

> I'd be interested in anyone who has any thoughts on the subject.

[Guest guest]

I'd love to blame by fogginess on the 20 mg. of Mehtotrexate I take

weekly. :-) But, I have read nothing about that for dose amounts

used for RA.

-

> There was an article in the LA Times this morning talking about

the long term

> effects of chemotherapy on breast cancer patients. Apparently

there is some

> connection between chemo drugs and a loss of cognitive ability

(they don't

> specify what kind). The reason I bring this is up is because they

said that

> usually chemo drugs do not pass through the blood membrane that

protects the brain -

> except for methotrexate taken in high doses.

>

> So what does that mean for us? What's a high dose? And what about

continued

> use? Not to be an alarmist, or anything, but I feel that too often

my doctor

> does not really address the serious side-effects of the many drugs

that he's

> prescribed for me.

>

> I'd be interested in anyone who has any thoughts on the subject.