Mesothelioma Among Many Cancers that Leave Survivors with 'Chemo Brain'

Mesothelioma survivor Michelle Marshall didn't need a medical study to tell her the chemotherapy she received years ago had scrambled her ability to remember things. She has one now. "Chemo Brain" is an all-too-real issue for many people dealing with cancer, according to a recent study. Having foggy thoughts and forgetting routine things are a couple of the not-so-obvious side effects of chemotherapy that often get overlooked, despite the frustration it causes. "My hair grew back. I don't get sick to my stomach anymore. I've got energy again. But I still can't remember things," Marshall told Asbestos.com. "And I used to have a great memory. That's the side effect they don't warn you about." Chemotherapy as a cancer treatment often comes with physically and emotionally draining side effects. Nausea and vomiting, hair loss, fatigue, mouth sores and diarrhea can be exhausting, but they also normally pass in a relatively short period of time. Cognitive impairment -- commonly called Chemo Brain -- can linger for years. And it's as real as any of the more obvious side effects. Marshall, 54, went through chemotherapy after her mesothelioma diagnosis in 2002 and again after a cancer relapse in 2006. Before chemotherapy, she worked as an executive assistant to a high-powered CEO in New York City. Today she is on disability and essentially retired. "I can get lost just driving out of my neighborhood. I can't even imagine trying to multi-task again," she said. "I'm glad they have a name...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Treatment & Doctors Source Type: news