Researchers from the UCLA Center for Culture and Health recently studied the problem with focus groups and in-depth interviews of 74 women who had completed breast cancer treatment. Their research was published in the Journal of Cancer Survivorship.

Many of the women in the study described cognitive changes that were both frustrating and upsetting to them. Most of the women complained about the medical community’s failure to acknowledge chemobrain symptoms. Women were also upset that they didn’t receive any warning about the cognitive problems that affected their work and family lives.

The researchers concluded that chemobrain can seriously affect the lives of cancer survivors – emotionally, psychologically and economically. They noted that a clear understanding of the impairments faced will help doctors develop therapies and interventions to improve the lives of cancer survivors.

The American Cancer Society offers some tips on dealing with chemobrain.

(Image Cancer Survivor’s Garden in Chicago via Wikimedia Commons)

Post from: Blisstree

Confronting Chemobrain after Breast Cancer

An interesting study, published in the most recent issue of the journal Neurology, found that people over the age of 45 years who had a high lower blood pressure number, the diastolic number had a higher chance of having memory or cognitive problems than those who are normotensive, or have normal diastolic blood pressure numbers.

Researchers looked at almost 20,000 people who were over 45 years old. According to a press release from American Academy of Neurology,

For every 10 point increase in the reading, the odds of a person having cognitive problems was seven percent higher. The results were valid after adjusting for other factors that could affect cognitive abilities, such as age, smoking status, exercise level, education, diabetes or high cholesterol.

Most people tend to focus on the upper number of the blood pressure reading, the diastolic pressure. While it can be dramatically high, such as 200/110, doctors have come to recognize that the lower number plays a large role in heart and brain health as well. In this instance,

Research has shown that high diastolic blood pressure leads to weakening of small arteries in the brain, which can result in the development of small areas of brain damage.

At this point, researchers don’t know if this is reversible or not. But, by knowing that there is a relationship between higher diastolic numbers and memories, doctors have an even added incentive to try to keep those numbers low.

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Post from: Blisstree

Memory Problems? How’s Your BP?

There is one element of this fabulous change in direction in a woman’s life that people are familiar with…but don’t seem to dwell on.

Memory loss or scatter-brain-ness. (And I am just in the beginning stages, I think.)

It’s one thing when I’m standing alone in my pantry — wondering if I was supposed to be looking for an ingredient, or if I was supposed to go get the mail.

It’s quite another when this gem of a side affect…appears in public.

When hubby and I were in Vegas, I left (his mother’s antique) a black beaded purse in a cab.

(followed by him dragging me through the casino back to the ladies room where I fibbed and said I’d left it). Oh the horr-ah.

On the flight back home I lost my boarding ticket… then I thought I lost my wallet…but didn’t remember I plopped it into a plastic food bag.

(You should have seen my face blanch with fear at the thought of telling him.)

He just kept making these faces at me, as if to say God woman, you are a ditz! What is wrong with you?

I couldn’t even chalk any of it up to being drunk, ’cause I wasn’t! And if I were to tell him what I was going through, he’d then know I was old.

Someone needs to come up with some memory techniques which are designed especially for pre and menopausal women, or I swear they’re going to find out that this is the reason for identity theft!

Post from: Blisstree

Menoupause Is The Word Of The Day