juliej wrote:I second the recommendation of Ativan. Ask your onc for a prescription. It's a "two-fer" drug -- it helps the nausea AND the anxiety. Take a dose right before bedtime and it will also help you sleep.
Getting diagnosed with cancer is a life-changing event. Sometimes the mind has trouble processing what's going on. Add in the side-effects of chemo and suddenly you feel like you're in a mental fog all the time! The term "chemo brain" is used to describe this state. I know patients who've taken methylphenidate for chemo brain. It's a stimulant drug primarily used for ADHD and chronic fatigue syndrome, but it works for some cancer patients. You might talk to you onc about it.
I was a very active person before my diagnosis so I used exercise to increase my mental alertness. It helped some (more oxygen to the brain is always a good thing!) but the biggest effect was from the endorphins it produced. Endorphins are the body's natural "feel good" drug. They stimulate feelings of well-being, help you feel focused, and diminish the negative effects of stress.
You say you're doing some light exercise now, but I suspect your lack of sleep is hindering your efforts in this direction. Use the Ativan and see if you can get more sleep. If it doesn't work for you, ask your onc about trying Xanax or Ambien. It's amazing how many problems poor sleep quality can cause -- fatigue, depression, lack of concentration, memory issues, stress, etc. Get that problem under control and I think you'll see an improvement in your mental alertness too.
Hope this helps!
Juliej
juliej wrote:I second the recommendation of Ativan. Ask your onc for a prescription. It's a "two-fer" drug -- it helps the nausea AND the anxiety. Take a dose right before bedtime and it will also help you sleep.
Getting diagnosed with cancer is a life-changing event. Sometimes the mind has trouble processing what's going on. Add in the side-effects of chemo and suddenly you feel like you're in a mental fog all the time! The term "chemo brain" is used to describe this state. I know patients who've taken methylphenidate for chemo brain. It's a stimulant drug primarily used for ADHD and chronic fatigue syndrome, but it works for some cancer patients. You might talk to you onc about it.
I was a very active person before my diagnosis so I used exercise to increase my mental alertness. It helped some (more oxygen to the brain is always a good thing!) but the biggest effect was from the endorphins it produced. Endorphins are the body's natural "feel good" drug. They stimulate feelings of well-being, help you feel focused, and diminish the negative effects of stress.
You say you're doing some light exercise now, but I suspect your lack of sleep is hindering your efforts in this direction. Use the Ativan and see if you can get more sleep. If it doesn't work for you, ask your onc about trying Xanax or Ambien. It's amazing how many problems poor sleep quality can cause -- fatigue, depression, lack of concentration, memory issues, stress, etc. Get that problem under control and I think you'll see an improvement in your mental alertness too.
Hope this helps!
Juliej
Caat55 wrote:... I have been going through cupboards, reading labels ...
Caat55 wrote:Real brands of pasta from Europe doesn't have it, not the brands the sound Italian but really made there. I am going to make my own bread, gives me an excuse to feel the house with amazing scents, spoil my husband. Most gluten free products don't add folic acid. Corn meal has it though. But there has to be an organic product. I got Bobs Redmill organic flour. Natural sources from food sources are okay, it's just the added folic acid or folate that bad.
I will let you know bread name, going to market today.
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