Best Of

Susieq64 - I’m so sorry to hear about your niece’s friend. BC is an ugly and unfair disease. I volunteer at the food pantry with a woman whose daughter-in-law is 40 yo and was diagnosed with TNBC when she was pregnant with her now four year old son. Unfortunately it progressed to stage IV earlier this year and has moved into her lungs. Keeping your niece’s friend in my thoughts.

Cindy - I feel you on rising prices. Although the only thing that hasn’t risen in price for me is my monthly car wash pass at $15/month which seems like a bargain. Speaking of which I should drive over there as my car needs a good wash.

Betrayal - do you have a trip coming up?

Intolight - (((HUGS)))

Lots going on with most of you and I am following along and thinking of you. We took a 5 day trip to Vail, CO last week as a quick getaway. A little hiking, a little biking, the Betty Ford Gardens and a fabulous Sunday Farmer’s Market. I booked a pretty good hotel/car rental deal through Costco Travel. At least as good of a deal as today’s prices allow.

Yesterday, we drove to southern Wisconsin to have dinner with my brother and niece and her husband. We’ll be back there later this week for a get together with our college friends.

Thinking of all of you, especially our new members and waving hello.

Ahcancer, there are many, many antidepressants out there. Your psychiatrist can research which ones you might do better on. I have been on venlafaxine for many years, I have been told, for life. I have had a lot of stress in my life. In addition, for the arthritic pain as well as for the depression, you might consider The Anti-inflammatory Diet, the Mediterranean Diet, the Atkins diet, and I am sure there are a few more, all prescribe a diet heavy in vegetables and protein and moderate in fruits. Whole grains in moderation, and a minimal use of non-processed sweets (like honey, date syrup, molasses, and maple syrup). It is a radical departure from the diet most Americans eat, and difficult to get used to. At the age of 76, and 165 pounds, I thought I had passed the age where it was possible to lose weight, but I have lost twenty pounds.

And I would kindly suggest that you make plans for your son now. I have an autistic son who is in long-term treatment— also substance abuse and bipolar.

Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere. It's not about a piece of the existing pie; there are too many of us for that. It's about baking a new pie.
Gloria Steinem

Hi all,

I just received some upsetting news regarding a good friend of my niece who is only 39. I have known her since she was 12 years old. She had breast cancer around 2020. She had both breasts removed and followed it with chemo and radiation. Now I have been informed that it has come back in her spine and pelvic bones stage 4. She has 2 daughters one still in high school and the other in college. I am really depressed and questioning the big guy WHY!!!!!!

This is really hard for me to deal with this weekend.

ahcancer - You do have a full plate. Please talk to your RO and your therapist about your options for medications and medical interactions. There are other types of AI's - they all seem to have different SE's. And different SE's for different people. I didn't realize how angry I was with the world until I switched.

I also think the older we get, the more quality of life becomes an issue. I stopped my AI's after 3 years - my orthopedic surgeon finally admitted that they might be slowing down my recovery from knee surgery. There are charts showing the probability that cancer will be the thing that kills us based on diagnosis and age. I think it was called "Prediction." Betrayal, do you know?

I took the Claritin generic for the year I was getting Hercepton. It's quite reasonably priced.

We are holding you and SizieQ close.

I have been thinking through QOL over quantity myself. My tumor markers are rising and my SEs are getting tougher on this chemo. There are additional issues I need to discuss with my MO when I next see her on the 24th. After 10 years I am getting tired and I'm afraid my family is starting to show signs of fatigue also. My family and I have been discussing this and they all lovingly support my decision whatever it is. My main concern is my family.

Welcome ahcancer to the club no one wants to join. As far as your concern about the anastrozole, please discuss your side effects with your medical oncologist and how you feel about taking this drug. It isn't the best treatment for you, if you cannot tolerate the SE's.

There are two other AI's that can be prescribed for you and you need to discuss this before quitting. I did not tolerate this well either and had to switch two more times before I found one that had the least SE's. I took AI's for 7 years at the suggestion of my MO, but only because of the type of mixed BC I had. I took the last one for about 4 years. I finished AI treatment in 2023.

Please reach out for relief. If he doesn't listen to you, then find another MO who will listen. Please come back and tell us what you decide. We are here to help you and to listen as needed.