Does brain fog after kidney cancer surgery get better?

Many people in this community share similar experiences with cognitive changes after cancer surgery and treatment. The brain fog and fatigue you're describing are recognized side effects that can occur following major surgeries and the stress your body has been through. While recovery timelines vary for everyone, many community members have found that these symptoms do tend to improve gradually over time, though it can be frustrating while you're experiencing them. Consider discussing strategies with your medical team, and know that sharing your experience here helps others feel less alone in their recovery journey.

Lili, I’m sorry you’re going through this mental fog. I had a right radical nephrectomy and an 8 pound tumor removed in November 2023. I’m still struggling with some brain fog. The most difficult part for me is that I love to read but I can’t read new books because I can’t understand them. It is getting better, but your experience with cooking/burning dinner happened to me a few weeks ago. I’m trying to double check what I’m doing to make sure I’m shutting things off, locking the door, etc. To help with the brain fog, I started playing brain games like sudoku and apps like peak. I hope this helps.

Daniel S - thanks for this. Reading is one of the most difficult things. I have to re-read sentences two and three times. I recently began playing games I used to play and having some success with them. It’s going really slow, but it’s going. Thanks for responding.

Daniel, I wonder how big was that 8 pound tumor! I just had a left radical nephrectomy 2 months ago and my surgeon said that the tumor taken out was huge as big as the head of an adult person! It was grade 2 cancer. Two weeks ago, I had a CT scan and nodules were seen in my lungs. I’m starting to feel depressed now as I was hoping that I’ll be cleared of cancer after the surgery since that malignant mass was contained and no signs of metastasis. Now I feel so worried, as they are thinking of metastasis. I will be seeing my oncologist tomorrow and I wonder what’s next…??? Before my surgery and up to now, I’m on Keytruda and Axitinib. Just airing what I feel post surgery and maintaining all the treatments I’ve mentioned yet the possibility of metastasis. Ester