Chemo Brain

Overview

This memory and concentration problem happens to some cancer patients during and after chemotherapy. With chemo brain, you feel like you're living in a haze. This makes it hard to do daily tasks.

Causes

Why does it happen? Well, we don't know, exactly. It may be linked to your cancer, your treatment, or even your genes. There may be many factors involved. We're still trying to learn more about this problem.

Symptoms

What are the symptoms? With chemo brain, you may feel tired and unable to concentrate. You may feel forgetful and detached. You may misplace things and forget people's names. You may have to read something several times before you understand it or remember it. You may feel confused and disorganized. Chemo brain can make it hard for you to do things you used to do.

Treatment

How do we treat it? If you have chemo brain, keep a list of your symptoms. Your doctor will look at this list and help you deal with your problems. You may benefit from therapy or counseling. Talk to your doctor about the options available to you.

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.