Can't concentrate

I'm 5 days post-op, am on the Climara .1 patch. I have a book that I started pre-op and just can't concentrate long enough to read. Is this due to the surgery, estrogen patch, or something else? I also sometimes feel like I'm in a brain fog, often losing my train of thought or searching for the correct word. I am not on narcotics.

Has anyone else gone through this? Will it improve with time?

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Originally Posted by LoveBirds I'm 5 days post-op, am on the Climara .1 patch. I have a book that I started pre-op and just can't concentrate long enough to read. Is this due to the surgery, estrogen patch, or something else? I also sometimes feel like I'm in a brain fog, often losing my train of thought or searching for the correct word. I am not on narcotics. Has anyone else gone through this? Will it improve with time?

Hi Gail,
I am 5 months post op and still have concentration problems..I used to love reading..lucky if I can manage sections of the newspaper now! This lack of concentation is a menopause symptom..I guess it will improve over time..I hope!!
The brain fog does get better..I had it too but it went away after about 8 weeks or so..hang in there it will get better!
Heal well!

Hi!!
It could be just from the surgery itself - from the anethesia as well as your body going into healing mode. Before my surgery I bought a bunch of magazines and had books (I also love to read) and they sat next to me for about 2 weeks before I picked anything up to read. I felt like I was in a fog - even concentrating on TV seemed hard. Give yourself a little time. I had thought I'd be scrapboooking and reading, and puttering around the house during recovery - boy was I wrong! It took about 4 weeks for me to feel like I was returning to the living world. It does get better, just takes a lot of patience. Take care!! Hugs!

Melanie---

you sound exactly like me... 3 1/2 weeks post op, i'm just now starting to pick up those books. Funny you mentioned scrapping... pre-surgery, I had visions of me getting all kinds of stuff done in my albums... well.. I just got the stuff out this morning for the first time to take a look at it....

it is strange how it has taken so long to feel like doing stuff like this again.... i told my DH that just when I start feeling up to doing stuff, it'll be time to go back to work... and it will :-( oh well... at least we are healing and getting better each day, right? That is most important.

Hi --
Beth-Yeah - I didn't get into my scrapbook/craft room until a few days before I returned to work..I was very frustrated about that. I have a really nice cushy chair that I can lower and raise - my table is high- the first day I sat on it for more than an hour I regretted it - it hurt and made me feel really sore. You and I have talked about all the other issues - I was pretty down and miserable that even the joy of scrapbooking seemed not so joyful!!
I used to wonder where the days went - I am normally a very active person - I'd roll out of bed around 8, finally get in the shower around 11 - and then it was lunchtime..my kids would come home at 2:30 from school and I'd be zoning out on the couch watching TLC. I started being a little fearful of the couch potato I seemed to be turning into -- but once my head cleared and I could move around more the desire to plop on the couch disappeared completely.
I am actually amazed at the amount of energy I feel now and how mentally I feel like a totally different person. Now my mind is clear, and it no longer feels crammed with feelings of worry and despair of how to deal with pain 24/7.
Looking back, its probably a good thing that the first several weeks your body feels like its shut down - its giving you time to heal the way you are meant to..
Hugs to everyone!!

Yes... I wonder every day where the hours went and feel miserable cause I hardly did anything except maybe the dishes, take a shower and straighten the house. I, too, am used to being active (I work full time and have a 7 year old). it is so true that it is probably good that we don't feel like doing anything the first few weeks.

I am just so thankful to have this site to come to and "commiserate" with other women that know exactly what I'm going through!!!

Thank you to everyone!!