ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Post-Treatment => Topic started by: Me and my Schwanno on March 06, 2008, 10:34:17 pm
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I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced memory loss following radio therapy. I've noticed a loss of short term memory that mildly interferes with my work to a degree that I must keep much more detailed notes than I did before. To a much smaller degree I've noticed a loss of mid-term memory (going out months or a few years). Finally, I've noticed a reduction in my ability to quickly process information. This seemed to hit several months after the radio therapy, and about the same time I began to experience a reduction in hearing on the same side as my radio therapy.
My radiation oncologist says he's never heard of this as a side effect.
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yes, well, they haven't heard of it in general. But, you're not alone in this! lol I became the Post-it King! My desk looked like it was more Post-it than desk. It would have taken an archaeologist to find a particular note, and weeks of digging. By the way, Post-it didn't work for me in the end as I could never find the right one! Spiral notepad worked much better, and looked clearer too! :)
Short-term memory, mid term memory, concentration, comprehending what was going on at meetings, not really being able to process information as normal, getting overloaded at the slightest discussion with multiple inputs - like two people talking... Been there. Took a bit of time to get through that for me, but by the 8th month things started improving. At the time I had to get a dispensation from attending meetings and from doing anything involving groups of people. For a lecturing job, that's kind of difficult to do! lol BUT, and this is the important part, things will improve. And one day you'll wake up and suddenly realise that you're feeling better and can handle things again, slowly. Happened to me, one night I was thinking 'this is hell!' and in the morning I felt fine!! Weird. Full memory recal and concentration didn't fully come back until about 10-12 months. And even now, at times it is still easy to get overloaded, depending the circumstances and the fatigue level.
Anyway, hope things will improve for you.
All the best, Lorenzo
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I might have thought more often post-surgery than radio
but you have more-or-less got it right
as the brain corrects for the "dis-function" on the balance, affected side,
alot of the short term memory is used up - to balance,
to walk straight, - and not fall over
And notes, and careful planning will get around some/most of the issues
for example, I hardly forget .........anything ?
Tony
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Hmmm...
I hope it is the case that memory and concentration issues are a result of brain having to do extra work to compensate ... and not some permanent distruction of perfectly good brain cells!
I have a job which calls for meetings and more meetings, lots of thinking, writing (clearly, consisely) and "advising". I wonder if i might have to ask for a move to some lighter duties for a while??
Anyway, GK still seems like best bet to me...
It is great to find out things like this "before"!
thanks.
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Short term memory loss is what seemed to effect me. I'll say to my husband you know what? His answer what?????????I completely forget that quick what I wanted to say.
mema
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Hi everyone
As much as I hate to admit it my memory is getting worse and I am having to write lists all the time . I love watching TV quizes and
am thrilled to bits if I do quite well but lately even the most obvious answers that I know for sure are taking their time to come up .
Having said that my husband who has no AN is just as bad and he just puts it down to getting older and having too many things to think about at the same time . One thing for sure is that my handwriting as well as spelling is getting worse and I end up typing everything since I am having trouble even reading my own writing sometimes .
Regards Kat
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Kat,
I think your right about memory loss and age related. As we get older I am 59 we tend to forget things more often and not as quickly. My sister is 50 and she too is noticing memory issues.
mema