I have had chemo brain since 2005 and it has shown no signs of going away. My major problem other than the recognized symptoms is that I already had clinical depression before my chemo. This is an inherited problem coming from my mother's side of the family. Since the chemo I have constantly been feeling as if my medications no longer work. The depression, anxiety and stress have increased about 3 fold. I went to a psychiatrist starting in 2006 and was basically told nothing and was just given a bunch of different meds to take and nothing helped. According to her records I have 3 separate personality disorders and a bunch of other garbage that is not true. What else can I do??????
- Thread starter Kathy R
- Start date
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Re: Chemo Brain Symptoms
1. What meds were you given and when you say "nothing helped" did you notice any difference at all with any of your symptoms?
2. What were the purported 3 personality disorders and the "bunch of other garbage"? i.e., what were the diagnoses, whether or not you think they were accurate?
1. What meds were you given and when you say "nothing helped" did you notice any difference at all with any of your symptoms?
2. What were the purported 3 personality disorders and the "bunch of other garbage"? i.e., what were the diagnoses, whether or not you think they were accurate?
Re: Chemo Brain Symptoms
Hi
1. I was already on Prozac 80mg when I went to see her. She added Wellbutrin to the mix and when I had an adverse reaction( told her that I had already had that happen) to that she put me on Cytomel. She then changed my Prozac to Zoloft (not unusual for me) and added Seroquel. I then had my Trazodone increased for sleep (OK with that)
Added Dexedrine for possible ADD (keeps my energy up at least). Buspar was added next and stopped after 2 months. Remeron was the next thing but didn't last long as I had a severe adverse reaction to that. She then added Lamictal and in the end deleted the Cytomel.
I had told her that I was told I had CB but that did not interest her in the slightest.
at my very first 40 minutes session she decided I had Avoidant, Histrionic and Obsessional personality disorders. In the 2 years I went to her she never told me anything about these. In her letters she says that I constantly talked about what was wrong with me or my son or my family. She would start our session with questions like How are you doing today? What have your emotions been like? How have you been feeling physically? How is your son doing? I would answer her questions and then she would ask for more info about whatever and then makes it sound like I was the one who initiated the conversation and wouldn't shut up
After looking up a couple of the drugs she put me on I am a little upset about her actions.
Cytomel -causes irritability, insomnia, increased appetite. She never advised me of these. Also I take Gabapentin and Nadalol, two drugs that could cause adverse interactions.
Seroquel- causes irritability, excessive weight gain, increased appetite, difficulty thinking or concentration. Again she knew I took Nadalol, she knew i had urinary problems,and that I had tranquilizers. She never asked about diabetes and i had had gestational diabetes with my son. I was never told about not doing excessive exercise, to stay out of the sun and to be sure that I drank lots of fluids. Considering that the anxiety and irritability were 2 of the problems I was having and also that I could not lose weight as I need to and that I would get overheated very quickly, I am shocked that she gave me these drugs.
She had also wanted me to go to group therapy. I told her that I had done the group therapy when I was first diagnosed in 1990 at UBC. I told her that it had been a very negative experience for me and as I was supposed to avoid negative situations I was not prepared to put myself back into that position. she harped on nothing else for 2 years.
thank you
Hi
1. I was already on Prozac 80mg when I went to see her. She added Wellbutrin to the mix and when I had an adverse reaction( told her that I had already had that happen) to that she put me on Cytomel. She then changed my Prozac to Zoloft (not unusual for me) and added Seroquel. I then had my Trazodone increased for sleep (OK with that)
Added Dexedrine for possible ADD (keeps my energy up at least). Buspar was added next and stopped after 2 months. Remeron was the next thing but didn't last long as I had a severe adverse reaction to that. She then added Lamictal and in the end deleted the Cytomel.
I had told her that I was told I had CB but that did not interest her in the slightest.
at my very first 40 minutes session she decided I had Avoidant, Histrionic and Obsessional personality disorders. In the 2 years I went to her she never told me anything about these. In her letters she says that I constantly talked about what was wrong with me or my son or my family. She would start our session with questions like How are you doing today? What have your emotions been like? How have you been feeling physically? How is your son doing? I would answer her questions and then she would ask for more info about whatever and then makes it sound like I was the one who initiated the conversation and wouldn't shut up
After looking up a couple of the drugs she put me on I am a little upset about her actions.
Cytomel -causes irritability, insomnia, increased appetite. She never advised me of these. Also I take Gabapentin and Nadalol, two drugs that could cause adverse interactions.
Seroquel- causes irritability, excessive weight gain, increased appetite, difficulty thinking or concentration. Again she knew I took Nadalol, she knew i had urinary problems,and that I had tranquilizers. She never asked about diabetes and i had had gestational diabetes with my son. I was never told about not doing excessive exercise, to stay out of the sun and to be sure that I drank lots of fluids. Considering that the anxiety and irritability were 2 of the problems I was having and also that I could not lose weight as I need to and that I would get overheated very quickly, I am shocked that she gave me these drugs.
She had also wanted me to go to group therapy. I told her that I had done the group therapy when I was first diagnosed in 1990 at UBC. I told her that it had been a very negative experience for me and as I was supposed to avoid negative situations I was not prepared to put myself back into that position. she harped on nothing else for 2 years.
thank you
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Re: Chemo Brain Symptoms
:confiused: What was the bad reaction you had to Welllbutrin? Cytomel is a thyroid medication - that shouldn't have anything to do directly with adverse reactions to the other medications. Do you have a thyroid condition?
Again
Are you or are you not ADHD? Buspar is for anxiety - did you need this because of the dexedrine? Again, wondering about the Cytomel in there.
I'm not sure that saying you talked about your son and your family is an "accusation" as opposed to an observation.
I need to correct the use of the word "causes" in these paragraphs. While some of those may be reported side-effects of those medications, that does not mean that all people are going to experience them, and gthere really is no way as yet to predict who will and who will not experience adverse side-effects with this sort of medication.
Additionally, a history of gestational diabetes does not, as far as I know, add to risk for diabetes per se.
:confiused: What was the bad reaction you had to Welllbutrin? Cytomel is a thyroid medication - that shouldn't have anything to do directly with adverse reactions to the other medications. Do you have a thyroid condition?
Again
Are you or are you not ADHD? Buspar is for anxiety - did you need this because of the dexedrine? Again, wondering about the Cytomel in there.
I'm not sure that saying you talked about your son and your family is an "accusation" as opposed to an observation.
I need to correct the use of the word "causes" in these paragraphs. While some of those may be reported side-effects of those medications, that does not mean that all people are going to experience them, and gthere really is no way as yet to predict who will and who will not experience adverse side-effects with this sort of medication.
Additionally, a history of gestational diabetes does not, as far as I know, add to risk for diabetes per se.
Re: Chemo Brain Symptoms
The reactions I had to the Wellbutrin were headache, dizziness, nausea and feeling jittery. I was given Cytomel for an energy booster. She said this was quite common.In her own words "Because Kathy has the Cytomel now to bolster mood." No, I don't have a thyroid condition. Because of the trouble I was having, concentration on things and forgetting things so much that the Dexedrine was an option to see if it would help. The only thing it helps with is my energy level, which is now such that I can usually make it through the day without a 2 hour nap. Buspar was to see if it would counteract the loss of libido.
Her letters to my doctor are written from a particularly negative aspect. They are written in a way that makes it look like I would start to talk about something with no urging from her and then she would not be able to redirect the conversation,which was never the case. She has even stated since that I have bullied, intimidated and demanded from certain people and that they are afraid of me. I quietly asked these people about this and was told by them that this was an out and out lie.
I know that I talked to her about CB and that I had then been told it was a true medical condition by the oncology nurses but that did not get her to look into it at all. She just chalked it up to something else she thought I could complain about.
The reactions I had to the Wellbutrin were headache, dizziness, nausea and feeling jittery. I was given Cytomel for an energy booster. She said this was quite common.In her own words "Because Kathy has the Cytomel now to bolster mood." No, I don't have a thyroid condition. Because of the trouble I was having, concentration on things and forgetting things so much that the Dexedrine was an option to see if it would help. The only thing it helps with is my energy level, which is now such that I can usually make it through the day without a 2 hour nap. Buspar was to see if it would counteract the loss of libido.
Her letters to my doctor are written from a particularly negative aspect. They are written in a way that makes it look like I would start to talk about something with no urging from her and then she would not be able to redirect the conversation,which was never the case. She has even stated since that I have bullied, intimidated and demanded from certain people and that they are afraid of me. I quietly asked these people about this and was told by them that this was an out and out lie.
I know that I talked to her about CB and that I had then been told it was a true medical condition by the oncology nurses but that did not get her to look into it at all. She just chalked it up to something else she thought I could complain about.
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Thread split from Chemo Brain Symptoms
Hmmm...
I assume you are no longer with that psychiatrist? Do you have another psychiatrist or other therapist now? or how is the depression being treated?
Hmmm...
I assume you are no longer with that psychiatrist? Do you have another psychiatrist or other therapist now? or how is the depression being treated?
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
No, I don't see her anymore. In fact just last fall I had wanted some info on a new procedure and as she is now the head of the psych dept of our local hospital I figured she would be the best one to ask. To put a long story short I now have a case against her with the College of Physicians and Surgeons. This is how I found out what she had been telling my doctor about me. He thinks she nuts too.
I have read the articles about CB and do implement the suggestions into my life. The only thing is my memory is so bad that I can forget my planner or lose my lists in the blink of an eye and then the frustration hits. I find it very hard sometimes when I want to do a certain thing and I can't because of the stress it can cause. I was always an active busy person and now I find it very hard to try to get back to some semblance of that person without having a melt down.
My depressive illness is monitored by my GP and I get my meds from him. Where we live there are no other psychiatrists in the area and can't get into any in the next city over, they just send you back here. Very frustrating. Fortunately I have a small support system with my husband and a few good friends.
I have read the articles about CB and do implement the suggestions into my life. The only thing is my memory is so bad that I can forget my planner or lose my lists in the blink of an eye and then the frustration hits. I find it very hard sometimes when I want to do a certain thing and I can't because of the stress it can cause. I was always an active busy person and now I find it very hard to try to get back to some semblance of that person without having a melt down.
My depressive illness is monitored by my GP and I get my meds from him. Where we live there are no other psychiatrists in the area and can't get into any in the next city over, they just send you back here. Very frustrating. Fortunately I have a small support system with my husband and a few good friends.
David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
What about seeing a psychologist? That could help you with additional resources for coping with depression (e.g., CBT) and with the chemo brain/memory issues.
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