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Dealing with long term side effects

Posted by Cocobud @cocobud, May 10, 2016

Hi all, Is it just me or do we all keep suffering for years to come, I am 2 years 2 months and I am still having a difficult time with memory, getting things done, takes forever. Am I alone and how long does it go on?
Thanks

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Head and Neck Cancers group.

I'm three years out with no improvement. We have made significant advances with cancer treatments, but survivorship...not so much. Hang tough!

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I am having some trouble with memory also and I asked my (hospice nurse) daughter about it. She told me it was called chemo brain. She also said sometimes it goes away and sometimes not. So, here's hoping it goes away for all of us. Who knows? But, we can always hope.

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I'm 15 months post cancer treatment. It's good to know others are experiencing memory loss and lack of energy. My taste buds seem to be at about 75% now which is a vast improvement over how I was. I am experiencing difficulty with lymph edema in my neck. Still undergoing physical therapy with some relief. I appreciate the folks sharing their experiences. My primary care physician at the VA doesn't seem able to relate.

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My brothers both use VA doctors. Sometimes their great and sometimes they are not, but thus far they have kept both alive when things looked very worrisome. One spent nearly three months in the hospital due to his lack of control of his diabetes and the other is still in care after open heart surgery.

I suggest that you find a support group where you will surely find people who relate.
Kathy

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I am a 6 year survivor of stage IV sac and still have some long term effects. Memory loss is either from cancer treatment or old age (70), but could be both. I have had several bouts of oral thrush. Am experiencing dry mouth all over again. Side of my head that had 50 radiation treatments and neck lymph nodes removed tingles and burns (like needles jabbing it) whenever cold air hits it. Still having many swallow issues and silent aspiration. I call cancer the gift that keeps on giving, it also gave me painful Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoporosis ( I've lost 4"in height). But all in all I'd do it all over again. I lived to be able to walk my beautiful daughter down the aisle on her wedding day! LIFE IS GOOD!

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Four inches! Oh, my. Guess I've been lucky, only lost and inch and that was after falling and rushing a vertebra. Walking in the dark and bumping into walls is not a good activity.

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I have several compression fractures in my spine. Since cancer treatment, my balance is off at times and I walk into walls during the day! Ha! Ha!

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Survivor215,
Walking the wall... Me too, especial early in the morning and if the lights are off (know I shouldn't do that, but it's harder to go back to sleep if one turns on the lights after waking up in the middle of the night). I also blame the balance issue on the loss of sight in one eye. But I am still able to walk the dogs if I don't get stuck on the computer in the morning.
Kathy

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I've attached 4 chemobrain related info sheets from CancerCare - patients here find them very useful - hope you will too. Chemobrain - keep memory sharp, Improving Concentration, Chemobrain - cognitive problems, and Chemobrain - Doctor, Can we talk?

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Thank you Faith, those info sheets are helpful.

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