Forum Discussion

rose's avatar
rose
Member
7 years ago

Does radiotherapy cause brain fog?

Hi all, 

I know chemo can cause brain fog, but can this be a side effect of radiation too? I haven't needed chemo, and have had 15 radiotherapy treatments. I'm not overly tired, which is great, but am finding it difficult to concentrate. It;s taking me about twice as long to write easy reports - I just can't seem to get the words and thoughts out. I'm an academic and so writing comes naturally to me, but at the moment, I just can't seem to do it. Has this happened to others? Or maybe it's symptomatic of me not wanting to work at all...I'm working full-time whilst going through treatment. Thanks everyone. 
radiotherapy

32 Replies

Sort By
Show More
  • JoeyLiz's avatar
    JoeyLiz
    Member
    7 years ago
    Radiation doesnt directly cause brain fog, but when you think about the whole picture of what your going through it isn't suprising that you can't concentrate etc. 
    Take it easy and best wishes!
  • Afraser's avatar
    Afraser
    Member
    7 years ago
    Possibly both, which doesn't help much. I haven't had radiation so haven't any personal experience, although fatigue seems very common. Working through isn't the same for everyone - even if you are physically OK to do so, some find it a great distraction from obsessing about cancer/treatment while other find it an additional burden, irrespective of their normal feelings about their day job. Pushing it may not be helpful - possibly taking a break, and giving your mind some rest, if that's possible, may help kick start your concentration again. Best wishes.