RE: Either Called Chemobrain or Chemofog

[Guest guest]

Tom,

My biggest concern, when I started my ‘intermittent ADT Lite’ therapy

was the potential for mental effects. The physical side was of less concern. I

have been subject to depressive cycles all my life and I really didn’t fancy

being kicked into one of those – as any depressive will tell you, its not a lot

of fun down in a black hole. But there was nothing that dramatic, although of

course I was only on Zoladex and only for three shots. Monitoring my mental

state closely, I found that the biggest change was emotive – very difficult not

to stop waves of sadness sweeping over me for no reason – and what I might term

‘enhanced concern’ - where I was becoming irrationally concerned (at least by

my previous standards) about all manner of things. I nearly cancelled a

proposed trip to Italy

because I was so worried about pickpockets for example!! I also found it more difficult

to concentrate at times.

One the current (second) round of ADT Lite

I have not experienced the same level of changes – perhaps because I was less

concerned?

But I have no doubt that in many men ADT

and Chemotherapy induce unwanted mental problems – like all the side effects of

treatment, there is also no doubt in my mind that these will be very variable.

All the best

Prostate men need enlightening, not

frightening

Terry Herbert - diagnosed in 1996 and

still going strong

Read A Strange Place for unbiased information at http://www.yananow.org/StrangePlace/index.html

From: ProstateCancerSupport [mailto:ProstateCancerSupport ] On Behalf Of Tom

Sent: Wednesday, 16 February 2011

3:53 AM

To: ProstateCancerSupport

Subject: Re:

Either Called " Chemobrain " or

" Chemofog, " the Long-Term Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Decline in Cancer

Survivors Is Real

Guys,

I should not have coupled what I said with this article. I am a former

psychotherapist and what I am talking is cognitive response time, motivation to

do anything, mental alertness, driving for distances and cannot keep awake no

matter what I put in, a sharp sense of humour and ......

No matter what mental tricks I used or tools and I know a few I could

not overcome those things. My

friends would look at me like I had stroke or something. As you guys did I

will have to figure alternative ways to deal with but to tell I have to work

harder when I could not find the motivation to get off the couch. I respect you

guys a lot! I have never been mentally and emotionally effected as I was on

that stuff so I guess it is just me and my unique response to it..

Does anyone have cheap but good website or source for vitamins?

You guys have really educated me on the physicall medical knowledge and

I soo appreciate that!

Tom

From: Alan Meyer

To: ProstateCancerSupport

Sent: Tue, February 15, 2011

11:19:20 PM

Subject: Re:

Either Called " Chemobrain " or

" Chemofog, " the Long-Term Chemotherapy-Induced Cognitive Decline in

Cancer Survivors Is Real

Chuck Maack wrote:

....

> Much of combating androgen deprivation therapy is the will to

> do so. If you just lay back and let life go on and the

> medication do its " thing, " in my opinion that is when men run

> into trouble. On the other hand, if you set yourself to

> combating this danged disease with at least what you do have at

> your disposal, you will get through what can otherwise be an

> ordeal much easier. Though I am aware of other men who claim

> to have a problem with cognitive functioning while on ADT

> medications, I know of many more who, through personal efforts,

> have done so with much less problem. I have been

> on/off/on/off, and more recently on, ADT medications for the

> past over 14 years, and if you note my posts to the support

> lists, I apparently still have reasonable cognitive

> functioning. I still recall most everything though admittedly

> have lapses where I have to give some thought...but I’m in my

> 79th year of life, so I certainly have to chalk up some

> " issues " to the aging process.

....

I agree with this 100%. I think that when a person experiences

cognitive decline the best thing he or she can do is to work

harder at it, concentrate harder, think harder, stay mentally

active, pay more attention.

There was a famous study of Alzheimer's disease conducted in a

convent. All of the nuns agreed to allow the researchers to

perform autopsies after they died. The nuns were pretty elderly

and many died during the period of the study.

The results of the autopsies were surprising. Some nuns

obviously had Alzheimer's disease and their autopsies showed it.

But the surprising thing was that there were also some nuns whose

autopsies showed significant amounts of Alzheimer's disease but

nobody knew. Everyone who knew them thought they were perfectly

intelligent and alert.

The researchers speculated that the women who did not show their

Alzheimer's were people who worked very hard at thinking and who

managed to overcome their deficits, working around memory lapses

or confusions by trying harder and finding alternative ways to

come up with what they needed.

I know that brain damage is real and that it can be difficult to

overcome, but what else can we do but try? And if we do try, we

can surprise ourselves with how well we can do. The brain is a

pretty flexible instrument, capable of working around problems

and engaging alternative pathways when it needs to.

So my feeling is, don't despair. Keep at it. Work hard. Don't

give in to resignation and depression. Even if you don't fully

succeed, you'll do a lot better than you thought you could.

Alan