Managing the “Mental Fog” Called Chemo Brain

Highlights As many as 25% of patients have chemo brain that is not a byproduct of other chemotherapy side effects such as fatigue. Try one of these brainteasers to exercise your brain. Click here.

This is the third and final article in our series on chemo brain. Click here to review the first article in the series and here for the second. In this issue, we discuss ways to manage chemo brain and provide resources available to help you cope.

Day-to-day Tips to Cope with Chemo Brain

Most people who have chemo brain have it as the result of another side effect of cancer such as anemia. Since such side effects are easily treatable, this is the first scenario doctors will explore. However, if treating the original side effect doesn’t help the chemo brain, there are other strategies you can try to help you cope.

A first step might be to visit a neurologist, psychoneurologist, or psychologist who is an expert at testing brain functioning (including diagnosing the symptoms of chemo brain). With testing, these professionals can determine the scope of the problem and then suggest the most appropriate mental exercises.

It’s important to engage in daily tasks to sharpen your mental abilities and manage the problems that may come with chemo brain. Below are a few tips:

• Use a detailed daily planner, keeping everything in one place – appointments, schedules, "to do" lists, important birthdays and anniversaries, phone numbers and addresses, and meeting notes and any other notes.
• Exercise the brain. Take a class, do word or number puzzles, or learn a new language.
• Exercise the body. Regular physical activity is not only good for the body – it also improves mood, alertness, and stamina.
• Get enough rest and sleep.
• Eat lots of vegetables, which have been shown to help maintain brainpower.
• Establish and follow daily routines and schedules.
• Pick a single spot for placing all commonly lost objects such as keys and glasses and put them there after each use.
• Focus on one thing at a time; don’t try multi-tasking.
• Track memory problems by keeping a diary of the time they are experienced and the events going on at the time. Keeping track like this can help you figure out what affects your memory. Tracking when the problems occur most can also help you plan around them, such as avoiding important conversations at those times.
• Try not to focus so much on the chemo brain symptoms, remembering that many people who’ve never had chemotherapy also struggle with memory issues.
• Talk about it. Tell your family, friends, and health care team what you are experiencing. You are not stupid or crazy; you just have a side effect that you have to learn to manage. And telling others about it may relieve some of the frustration you are feeling.
• Attend a support group where others with cancer may also be experiencing chemo brain. A support group can be a comfortable venue for commiserating about the condition and more importantly, learning tips for managing it. Click here to learn more about support groups.

Helpful Resources

The American Cancer Society is in your corner to guide you through every step of the cancer experience, so you can focus on getting well. Along with the American Cancer Society, the following sources can provide information and support. The first two organizations might be good resources to help find a provider to test your brain functioning (as mentioned in the article above).

American Psychological Association

Toll-free number: 1-800-374-2721
Web site: apa.org
Provides a hotline to get literature and discuss psychological concerns. Also makes referrals to state psychological associations to find a psychologist (sometimes called a counselor or therapist) in a specific area.

American Psychosocial Oncology Society

Toll-free number: 1-866-276-7443
Web site: apos-society.org
Provides referrals for local counseling, therapist, and social support services, aiming to connect patients and/or caregivers to psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, and social workers skilled in the management of cancer-related distress. All requests are confidential.

CancerCare

Toll-free number: 1-800-813-4673
Web site: cancercare.org
Provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer: people with cancer, their loved ones, and caregivers. Resources include telephone counseling, online support groups, free educational materials, and telephone workshops.

A Word of Caution: It's important to remember that most people do recover fully from the effects of chemotherapy. Because of this and because chemo brain is usually mild, you should not change any plans for the proven and effective therapies of chemo drugs just to try to prevent chemo brain.