Best Of
BC, Bipolar, and Freaking Out
*I apologize for posting twice. I posted this as an answer in an old thread and then realized I needed to start a new topic if I wanted any responses. Sorry. I am new to all of this:
Just saw this thread and am hoping it gets me thru the next few weeks. I have Stage 3b and am scheduled for a mastectomy this week, so I am freaking out with anxiety. But what really has me going insane is an oncologist who insists on bringing up a bipolar diagnosis from 30 years ago and telling me I need a shrink. (And putting stuff like this in her notes.) I fired my last oncologist for the same reason. Bipolar doesn't define me any more than my cancer dx does. Why is it so easy for a medical professional to stigmatize someone instead of empathize with them because the BC sword of Damacles is hanging over their head? Do they not understand that one does not need to be bipolar to freak out over all that we are going through? Has anyone else had this problem? I find it insulting, kind of unethical, discriminatory, and not at all helpful. But maybe that's because I need to "take my meds"? Lol Anyway, please wish me luck. I've never had major surgery. Or general anesthesia.
Anyone else with thyroid cancer too?
When I met my oncologist for the first time I joked to his receptionist that I must have reached my expiration date. Well, I just found out that I have thyroid cancer too. I was so upset that I left his office without a copy of the biopsy report so I don't even know what type it is but I do know that he said it is not an aggressive kind. Ultimately, I guess this is not a big deal but I was certain that the biopsy was going to come back benign. I had found on the web that thyroid nodules benign or malignant come up as a hypermedabolic on PET scans but sure enough my parts are expiring one by one. I will find out more after Thanksgiving but they will probably take the nodule and the thyroid out. I looked up some information on the web about thyroid cancer and there is a relationship between the thyroid and the breasts, so I'm just curious if anyone else has had thyroid cancer too? Thanks for listening to my whining...
Re: Honoring KBL, Kris B.
As a community, we want to honor Kris and the gift of her presence in our support group and discussion forums. Kris showed up with openness, courage, and kindness, reminding us how powerful it is simply to be there for one another. She was deeply knowledgeable and offered guidance that helped others feel more grounded and less overwhelmed. In many ways, she was like the “mother hen” of our group—looking out for everyone, offering encouragement, and helping us feel safe and cared for.
Kris also shared her journey with remarkable honesty, including her decision to enter hospice and her thoughts about dying. She spoke with such transparency and openness that it not only deepened our respect for her but also gave others the courage to face their own fears and find comfort in shared understanding.
We will miss her deeply, but we will carry forward the compassion, wisdom, and strength she so generously shared. Kris was, and will remain, a part of the heart of our community.
With love and respect,
Melissa and the team at Breastcancer.org
moderators
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
I've been reading back to catch up during my absence and am heartbroken to learn of Illinois Lady's passing. She was an encouragement and I will dearly miss her here on BCO. Betrayal I appreciate your posting the obituary.
Re: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
After reading all your comments, I looked up my childhood home on Google maps. The people who bought it originally replaced the fencing and really did a nice job, but it is a bit run-down now after 70 years. I have no idea who owns it now but the grass is now brown and the fruit trees and flowering shrubs my dad worked so hard on are gone. There are brown leaves and mess in the street gutters although they have one of their cars under a nice cover. It is hard to look at… It is in a housing tract and most of the other houses look the same or a little better.
Tomorrow I see a genetics counsellor. I had my blood-work done already and this is to discuss the results. I am adopted so I did this for my daughter and granddaughter. It should be interesting. It is too late to help me, but I will do anything for them.
We keep having afternoon rain. I am thankful for all the green and the cooler temps.
Re: Ribociclib/Kisqali with Letrozole - Any one on this combo?
hi 🙃 so quiet here still , no news is good news I’m thinking
All super with my new oncologist (I was passed on because of a hospital merger). Had a list of 5 things I needed to get off my chest , never got to it because she had the same things on hers and beat me to it. Oncologist : I wanted to see you in real life because I’ve never met anyone on Kisqali for so long. Me : so you actually looked in my file ? You all get the gist of my cancer journey.
Well , my news : they’re going to do hereditary genetic screening of 17 cancer genes. Oncologist agreed not having children was no reason not to , the goal is to have a plan in place once Kisqali fails. She didn’t even blink when I said I’m going off the drugs for 5 weeks 👍 And we’re revisiting the Zoladex vs real menopause vs removal ovaries next consult. No more mammograms, she thought them barbaric so getting that switched to breast mris instead. I hope it wasn’t a one off and she stays this agreeable. 6+ years on Kisqali, I know some of you here have been on it longer. who’d have thought.
Hope and hugs to all of us here x
forza
Re: My Husband, My Life, My Love, My Family, My Cancer
@tanya_djamila @snow-drop @intolight @irishlove @illimae @mara51506 @eleanora @cookie54 @threetree @wren44 @goldensrbest @mkestrel@candy-678 @gailmary and all whom I have missed here. Saying Hi and updating. I had my last scan yesterday the brain MRI. . Last week the nM Bone & the CT Scans. I haven’t been feeling too well since. Nausea, acid reflux and esophageal pain, extreme tiredness and another annoying cough that keeps me awake at night.. I got the MY Chart notification this morning on my CT results. I’m really confused by it and has me questioning this cough I’ve had. Usually the scans always say stable and unremarkable and all organs are normal…. this time they mention GGO. ground glass opacity in both lobes. and in the impression they keep mentioning scattered sclerotic metastases and mention of lesion in femur and pubic groin. area…..this i all so new, but in the impression summary……. Am i being paranoid about my lungs?
FINDINGS:
CHEST:THORACIC INLET: Normal.
MEDIASTINUM/HILA/AXILLA: Stable posterior mediastinal node superiorly measures 1.3 x 0.8 cm in the tracheoesophageal groove on the right.
CARDIOVASCULAR: Cardiac size is normal. No pericardial effusion.
LUNGS: Central tracheobronchial tree is patent. Mild scattered atelectasis. There is patchy groundglass opacities bilateral lower lobes right upper lobe posteriorly slightly increased in conspicuity from prior examination. No suspicious nodule. No mass or consolidation. No pleural effusion. No pneumothorax.
BONES/SOFT TISSUES: Scattered sclerotic osseous metastasis. Postsurgical changes of the left breast and axilla.
ABDOMEN/PELVIS:HEPATOBILIARY: Liver is normal.
Gallbladder and biliary tree are normal. SPLEEN: Normal.
PANCREAS: Normal.
ADRENALS: Normal.
KIDNEYS/URETERS/BLADDER:
Normal. REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS: Uterus and adnexa are unremarkable.
BOWEL: Moderate hiatal hernia. No bowel obstruction.
PERITONEUM/RETROPERITONEUM: No adenopathy or ascites.
VASCULATURE: Scattered arterial calcifications. No abdominal aortic aneurysm.
BONES/SOFT TISSUES: Scattered sclerotic osseous metastasis. Surgical changes in the right anterior abdominal wall ____________________
IMPRESSION: 1. Scattered sclerotic osseous metastasis.
2. Posterior mediastinal node, stable.
3. Patchy groundglass opacities bilateral lower lobes and right upper lobe posteriorly slightly increased in conspicuity from prior examination. Findings may reflect infectious/inflammatory process.
?????????
Re: CMF treatment survivors and experiences
Hi there, I am 52 years old and had the same chemo course. Looks like you would have started already. I had mine from Jan 2016 to Sept 2016. I hope you are doing well!
Re: Doing Well on Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs)
I was on generic anastrozole (Teva) for 3 years and had many aches and pains and when I woke up in the morning my legs felt like they were made out of cement. The pains got progressively worse, especially the tops of my feet. It got so bad at the beginning of this year that I was having trouble walking. I switched to the brand name Arimidex in February and it was life changing!! I still have a bit of stiffness and my feet have a slight ache, but nothing like it was on the generic. I do try to get 30-minutes of exercise a day and I take a multi-vitamin, vitamin d, krill oil, and magnesium. Exercise definitely helps - which is the last thing you want to do when you are feeling so terrible - go figure.
Re: CMF treatment survivors and experiences
Hi Kate - Glad your 1st treatment was ok. CMF was what my oncologist recommended - my oncotype score was 25, my tumor was stage 1A and small - but a grade 3 - so dr recommended CMF due to oncotype score and grade 3. Dr told me it was not a heavy duty chemo but that I should do it. I was shell-shocked - with the input and support of my family and trusting my oncologist I went forward. I don't feel like I've had any long-term side affects from the chemo - other than creaky knees. My knees never made noise before - weird right? Are you doing the Neulasta ? That was as bad as the chemo - but again onc said it was a must. I never felt too sick day of chemo - was always the day after. Hopefully it will be different for you. I am wishing you much luck. BTW I am 57.