Forum Discussion
Half a boob, half a brain!!!
Well, after having an MRI to explore why I am having frequent headaches, GP told me yesterday that I have several ischemic lesions (non cancerous, for which i am grateful) in white matter of brain! He...
Hi Michele. Cancer Related Cognitive Impairment (CRCI) is a real thing. In fact they are beginning to think that cognitive function can be impaired by the cancer itself, before treatment even starts.
We all mix up wirds, forget them and why we walk into rooms sometimes, but for me it's definitely got worse since BC. To start with your diagnosis tends to put everything else out of your mind! The stress, the worry, the uncertainty, and then the treatment. And then the pills... For many of us, myself included, BC induced menopause. How much CRCI would I be experiencing if I had already gone through 'the change'?
Tamoxifen blocks the uptake of estrogen in any tumour that is trying to grow, but your body still makes it. Aromatase Inhibitors prevent the production of estrogen. Estrogen is used pretty much everywhere in your body, including your brain.
Google estrogen in the brain and you'll find multiple articles and studies that will be of interest. Eg:
https://www-news--medical-net.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.news-medical.net/amp/health/Estradiol-and-the-Brain.aspx?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news-medical.net%2Fhealth%2FEstradiol-and-the-Brain.aspx
You'll also find articles that say it's not fully understood. No surprise seeing as it's the primary female hormone and given the sexism of medicine...
So far (short of taking an illegal drug!), I have found no answer to get round this. I'm afraid it falls into the 'suck it up, it's the price you pay for reducing your risk of more cancer' category. My oncologist did tell me that reading can help with the word salad problems, so maybe put aside half an hour in your day for a good book! K xox
We all mix up wirds, forget them and why we walk into rooms sometimes, but for me it's definitely got worse since BC. To start with your diagnosis tends to put everything else out of your mind! The stress, the worry, the uncertainty, and then the treatment. And then the pills... For many of us, myself included, BC induced menopause. How much CRCI would I be experiencing if I had already gone through 'the change'?
Tamoxifen blocks the uptake of estrogen in any tumour that is trying to grow, but your body still makes it. Aromatase Inhibitors prevent the production of estrogen. Estrogen is used pretty much everywhere in your body, including your brain.
Google estrogen in the brain and you'll find multiple articles and studies that will be of interest. Eg:
https://www-news--medical-net.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.news-medical.net/amp/health/Estradiol-and-the-Brain.aspx?amp_js_v=a2&_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.news-medical.net%2Fhealth%2FEstradiol-and-the-Brain.aspx
You'll also find articles that say it's not fully understood. No surprise seeing as it's the primary female hormone and given the sexism of medicine...
So far (short of taking an illegal drug!), I have found no answer to get round this. I'm afraid it falls into the 'suck it up, it's the price you pay for reducing your risk of more cancer' category. My oncologist did tell me that reading can help with the word salad problems, so maybe put aside half an hour in your day for a good book! K xox