Best Of
Re: Xgeva concerns about whitening my teeth
@boneonboneinnola I'm really sorry to hear about your diagnosis and all you have been through. I don't know about whitening, but I have a very good dentist who instantly understood what a cancer diagnosis means, including the consequences of taking a bone strengthener like Xgeva or Zometa. She had all my teeth specially xrayed so that any future change could be noted. So I guess my advice is to make sure you have a really good dentist who can give you the low-down.
Re: Xgeva concerns about whitening my teeth
Sorry to hear about the bone mets. I was on semiannual Prolia shots for osteopenia for 3 years; 2 years later developed osteoporosis so am now on semiannual Prolia 10 years-to-life. Before beginning Prolia I had thorough dental exam and cleaning every 6 months; I now see my dentist every 3 months. I was warned about ONJ should I get extractions, implants or very deep root planing. So far, so good. I also underwent Invisalign orthodontia at 68 and still wear a retainer—which keeps my teeth stable and less likely to loosen & fall out.
Whitening—even professionally under UV light—is superficial and limited to the enamel. Ask your dentist, but I doubt it would pose any ONJ risk—even though Xgeva is monthly. (Same drug, different name, different indication). FWIW, when I thought I would be getting bisphosphonate infusions (Zometa/Reclast) because my GERD precludes the oral versions (Fosamax, Boniva, etc.), the dental pre-clearance was not required. I couldn't tolerate the Zometa, so that's why I switched.
chisandy
Re: Contemplative practices - Affirmations, white light visualizations, healing meditations
Hello everyone. I'm back. I've been on a major healing journey the past month. I've learned a lot. I still encounter my anxiety but hoping for it to get less and less on this journey. I've been thinking about all of you on this thread and wish you all so much peace.
hippmark
Re: Ibrance (Palbociclib)
@sf-cakes i love your bio! I say that all the time. Thank you. That’s so awesome to hear. Many to many more years
sully01
Re: Oncotype vs mammaprint
Grade 1, clean nodes, OncotypeDX 11? Low-risk. No chemo. Not only wouldn't it reduce your risk, it wouldn't even work on such slow-dividing cells. I take it you're pre-menopausal since you're on ovarian suppression to enable you to take an AI. Even so, you wouldn't even be intermediate risk with an Oncotype score below 16 (nowadays, for postmenopausal women, 20). Stick with the 5 years of the endocrine therapy combo and then reassess with your MO.
I wouldn't trust ChatGPT as far as I could throw it (virtually, of course). Dr. Google is similarly untrustworthy. Go with your oncologists' advice, get a second opinion if you want one (but you likely don't need one).
Heal well, and it'll be safe for you to "keep buying green bananas." (You've got a great prognosis).
chisandy
Re: Are you currently (or have you been) in a Clinical Trial?
@cure-ious Thank you for that. I suspect LM may be in my future, this is very informative and encouraging.
illimae
Re: How are people with liver mets doing?
@dulcea - Your very welcome for the good wishes. The NP I saw did not want to "go there" at all re my questions about the biopsy pathology results. She said I would have to wait until I see the oncologist, who is out for most of the month. I'm seeing another NP next week, and she actually "substitutes" for the doctors when they are not available (the other one is basically a palliative care person), plus she has a personality that is a little more conducive to maybe getting some answers to some questions. I click a little better with the one I'm seeing next week, so we'll see. The oncologist has told me that whatever is in my liver is very slow growing at this point and that there's no urgency, so I guess I can wait.
Re: Nervous about switch from Letrozole to Exemestane
sorry to hear you ended up in ER. I haven’t had sciatic pain. But get excruciating joint paint. Yesterday it was my right big toe and knee. Ugh.
Today my ribs are very mad but that could be from all the hack, hack, hacking I’m still having. Currently icing my ribs. They are responding nicely to nature’s pain reliever.
The countdown is on to get off Letrozole 9 days to go.
Re: Birads 5 with calcification
I’m so relieved to be starting treatment tomorrow, but I haven’t been feeling my best physically these past three days. I’ve had a lingering headache since Sunday, and nothing I take seems to help. I’m pretty sure it’s from all the running around I did last week. All three of my kids started school this week, so I spent everyday last week on the go from sunup to sundown, school shopping, both girls had hair appointments, I had a drs appointments on both Tuesday and Wednesday, plus catering a huge spread for my sister’s gender reveal on Saturday. Imagine the stress. Im glad to be back out the house but I definitely overdid it. lol! I can always tell when my blood pressure is up, and right now it feels like it’s through the roof! Fingers crossed it’s back down by tomorrow.
One more question! sorry for flooding y’all today! I read somewhere that it’s not recommended to share a bathroom during chemo. I have a six-year-old who, despite having her own bathroom (shared with her two siblings), prefers to use mine most of the time. With treatment starting tomorrow, should I keep her from using my bathroom?
Re: Stage IV MBC Fitness
I've been struggling with walking since being taken off my NSAID and last week other leg also developed intense pains in the calf. Supposedly, according to an Xray, "nothing" is wrong. I feel good b/c today I managed to walk the 4 blocks to the gym without a cane and did my weight routine. Both legs actually feel better! My upper body was starting to ache from missing the weights. The pool is closed this week but I can get back to water aerobics next week. I also see my new PC next week. I'll discuss the NSAID situation with her and hopefully will get put back on with monitoring. If not, I will take the smallest doses possible on my own.