Anyone starting Chemo in Feb?
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Hi All
Glad to read the posts and so pleased that Marsha is doing well. Keep up the good work girl.
Have been unable to post as my lovely new computer had a hissyfit and crashed- oh dear not too bad as we didn't loose anything.
Have been very busy on the house and spent the weekend in the garden so the place is looking good.
Have started to pack for our trip so I am another heading off after treatment. We are going to the UK, Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic and Austria. Will be away five weeks. We are going to do Canada and US next year. It is hard to know what to take as the weather could be very changeable.
I will have access to computers is several places so will get online and check up on what people are doing.
Like I lot of you I too worry about reoccurance, especially as I have a friend who had second bout this year ten years after first diagnosed. I do keep telling myself that she hadn't had the mastectomy first time which was what the doctor wanted but one still worries about things. I have a visit to the oncologist tonight so will see what he has to say about things.
Is it BC awareness month in the US this month? There is just so much about it on TV and in the papers at present here that it is hard to ignore. Also a well know entertainer has just been down this road so there are regular reports on her progress so we can't hide.
My nephew is busy sanding the hallway at present so I will have to go and fight my way through the dust in a minute.
My eyelashes are a bit variable and have a few gaps but at least they are there and I am having my hair trimmed on Thursday as it is looking a bit fluffy round the edges.
Will check in daily until we leave on Friday.
Big hugs to all
Alyson
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ALYSON have a great time on your awesome trip! Yes its BC Awareness month here in the USA. Hope you are going to take lots of pics!
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Wow what beautiful women at your home. Have a great time on your trip. Hope you are feeling up to it.
Seems as if this is the time for reflection. I have read some links where women were dealing with recurrence and it is hard. I felt so bad for them, but at the same time, it does put the thought in my mind that it could be me. I have no control over whether it will be me or not. I am just trying to move forward. That being said, I was doing pretty well with this philosophy and then my internist office calls and want me to come in due to some blood work that was done to see if I could take large doses of motrin for my joint pain.
They say that my protein and albumin are low. WebMD says this can be a symptom of liver or kidney problems. Oh joy. Now I am worried. I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but it is hard not to. I have an appt. tomorrow.
Hubby is home, gotta go. Will write more later. Love to all, SK
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Ok everyone you need to stop worrying about the reoccurence. Just have your checkups and scans. I did this faithfully for 18 years and my reoccurence was found on my mammogram. But you can not go through life worrying about it. I think mine reoccurred because of some severe stress I was under. They say stress strikes the weakest part of your body and I now am a believer in that. So don't stress yourselves out.
Twink, about the syringes over the nipples. Picture the part that you hold in your fingers while the syringe is squeezed. That went over the nipple onto the skin. it was cut about 3/4" from there. It looked like I had two headlights poking through my shirt. So I was walking around with a light weight jacket on in 85 degree weather. But it was better than having two headlights.
Everyone please say a prayer for my son. he is in the Air Force and is getting ready to go back over to the desert right after Thanksgiving sometime.
Piper
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The trip from H-E-double L...arghhhh!
Before I boarded on Monday night, the catering vehicle poked a hole in the side of the plane. The captain decided not to fly it (good). My flight couldn't be rerouted through some other city. I stayed at a dumpy airport Ramada (Hillary I was this close to calling you). Had a little meltdown at the airport (more likely related to not having eaten for too long). My bags had already left Philly for my destination, via Cleveland. Up early yesterday to catch a different flight that got me here 12 hours later than planned. My bags didn't arrive until late last night. My admin asst. forgot to book me a car. Fortunately I did have a hotel room.
My neck nd throat are really sore, especially around the glands under my chin. I'm obsessing a little about that. My husband had a cold last week and I'm hoping that's all it is... a little bug.
Hillary, I meant to reply to your estrogen posting. I laid in bed this morning thinking about that. First of all, what a depressing thought to think these joint aches may not pass. Secondly, maybe the ped. onc. didn't know for sure about the Taxotere SEs (I'm going to drill my onc next week). Like you, the chemo knocked me into menopause. Doesn't that mean that I am still producing estrogen? Unless coincidentally I've gone into real menopause during the last 6 months. I recall reading about women going through testing to determine whether they were in menopause or simply chemopause.
Thanks for the description Piper. I think I've got it now. Something for me to look forward to in the new year. Let me know how 'things' turn out. I'll be thinking positive thoughts for your son.
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Hi, all.
Just dropping by. We ended up not having internet once we got to Tuscany, so I am just going to post here until I can do something more concrete this weekend.
I related to the reoccurrence posts. When the °hot spot° showed up a few weeks ago, that was good for about 12 hours of research. I think triple negs have a lot more to worry about. And the sooner a reoccurrence, the worse the prognosis. So I am, I think, justifiably worried. But my therepist says that the trick is not to allow the highs and the lows to be so great- to stay around a middle point. We talked a long time in the metastatic group I go to about how to do that. Not there yet, but I want to try since I have all these 60 and 90 day followups.
That said, this trip is exceeding my expectations on every front. Will tell you all soon! Love and stay well.
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LEAH and TWINK thank you for checking in! OMG TWINK what a bad start to your trip. Hopefully everything goes much smoother from here on out.
PIPER prayers for your son...I'm gettinge excited as our son is coming home Friday after he graduates boot camp!
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Hi everybody -
Doing a bit of a drive by again. I've let myself get behind in posting.
Piper, you took the words right out of my mouth. I will only add that nothing in our cases has changed, right? For most of us, the only thing that's different is that for us triple negs, now we're out of tx, so while we read about our sisters starting something new, I think we tend to feel a little abandoned, or wonder if we've done enough. I'd imagine too with the non stop breast cancer awareness commericals this month (yes Alyson, it's BC awareness here now too), it tends to bring it to the forefront. But for the moment, I'm done with the worry! Also Piper, Jan, I'm keeping your sons in my thoughts and prayers. Please thank them for me for their service.
Twink, I'm so sorry to hear about your trip. Assuming the city you flew out of I can guess which airline it was. And no, if I havent told you already, I'm not telling you which one I work for.
LEAH!!! So good to hear from you and that you are enjoying yourself! I cant wait to hear all about it and see the pictures!
Well, gotta run. Got just a few things I need to do before bedtime and hope to veg a bit as well.
((Hugs))
Carynn
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Hi girls...just a quick post so I can get to bed. Had a rough week. ended up with a pretty bad uti....abdominal pain and back pain and the other usual symptoms. Had a urine culture...no results yet. And blood cultures to make sure the fever wasn't from being "septic". The antibiotic can react to the coumadin, which I am on to keep the port open, so now I have to go in Monday for a protime test. Of course, as usual, the port wouldn't work on one side today for the blood culture so I got poked twice in the port and once in the arm.
I am feeling better, but am debating whether to go to work tomorrow or not. Can't help feeling that I am overdoing it. And now I am paying for it.
Anyway, enough about me....Leah, so glad you are having a great time. Have some "vino" for all of us!
Twink, hope your luggage has found you by now and you are feeling better.
I don't think any of us can help but think about recurrences....I was beginning to think I had bladder cancer as bad as I felt. And the pink ribbons are everywhere. Every little ache and pain is meaningful. But Piper, you are right...we just need to keep on going and living our lives. Congrats on your headlights by the way.
Hope you enjoy your big trip, Alyson.
Well....got to get to bed,
Love you all and keeping the servicemen in my prayers.
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((Terry)) I think you need some gentle hugs!
I winced when I saw the bottle of Adrimiacin (sp) and then the syringe with the red stuff on CBS national news last night. (I remember watching 4 or 6 of those go in me). I was unable to understand all what they were saying because the closed caption wimped out during that portion but I caught her saying something about there are all kinds of new things for breast cancer that it pays to get a second opinion because the doctors can't keep up with all the new info coming out. Sounds like our own researching and reading in this forum was the best thing we could do to keep up with the new info and be armed with questions for our doctors.
This morning as I walked past the mirror I noticed I still have shadows/tanned areas from the radiation. I looked closer and saw the other areas I hadn't seen before. There's a circle around my SNB scar and a really big area under my left arm like they had zapped all my lymph nodes there since my lumpectomy is on the left side close to the arm pit. When I had radiation I was getting 4 different areas hit. Odd how now I can finally see where the other two were actually aimed. I finished rads the first week in May.
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Good evening everybody... looks like we are all busy bodies... Special hugs to those under the weather or healing... Terry, Marsha, Carynn, Twink, Sammie Kay...
Special thoughts for the young men serving right now... Wishing you a great visit with your son, Jan. How is your husband doing with his broken bones? How are you doing on Tamoxifen?
Twink, did you get your luggage? You are in Germany? Or I missed something? So, no lunch for Hillary until you're back... Your daughters look like sweet young ladies, what a nice family...
Saw the onc yesterday for avastin #15. I have been visiting with this very nice guy for 9 months now, hard to believe... Got a whole blood panel ordered (cholesterol, triglycerids and thyroid, to start from somewhere)... the blood counts were fine. They wanted to give me a flu shot, but I declined... I am not exposed to many people in my everyday life, and it feels a bit early for that... What do our nurses think of it?
Marsha, sweetie, how are you doing? I did not have the time to go read on other boards, so I can't keep track of your posts, if any.
I have quite a bit of translation work to do, so I'd better go back to it... We are thinking of going back to Grand Lake tomorrow, just to enjoy the wonderful weather and rest in the midst of nature... Did you go there, Jan?
Thinking of you all and wishing you to find a richly deserved peace of mind... Terry, how do you keep your herbs for the winter? I just froze batches of basil in small containers, hoping for the best... first try.
Hugs all around, have fun the travellers and stay safe... can't wait to read Leah's experience in Tuscany... and Twink's adventures in flying... boy, where are competent people? I bet the catering company will hear about this one!!!
A gentle evening to all,
Catherine
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Hi girls...stayed home today. Still have some back pain. Urinalysis came back with definite infection (which I already knew...had to prove it to the doctor!) Still waiting on blood work. A little lightheaded too.
Catherine....I dry my herbs either in the microwave or the dehydrator. DH makes venison jerky in the dehydrator, but I confiscate it once in a while.
We had beautiful warm weather here until yesterday then it got cold. It is rainy this evening.
Traveled to a volleyball game this evening...about an hour. The girls won, although they really did not play well.
Well....going to bed. Back to work tomorrow and will have to catch up now that I am two days behind.
Hope you are all well,
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Ok, saving the long post for next week... we get home really late Sunday night, and I will have long day at work Monday. But here is the link to some cooking pix that we left with the staff at the Villa.
http://kopec.us/pix/italy07/cooking/ and then you will have to open. I will explain them all later. How dear these people became in 5 days. The Tuscan people are so warm and loving.
And one of me in San Gigmigiano .. http://kopec.us/pix/italy07/other/IMGP0767sm2.jpg
I am having a wonderful time. Not thinking too much about sickness or reoccurrences, though there is always fleeting thoughts about enjoying this because I may not pass this way again. Hard to not think like that at this point. Too new, I think.
Miss you all. Have lurked a few times when the hotel had their 56K modem working. You can get old waiting for that. We have a joke about things in Italy LOOKING fantastic, but not working so well. Oh well, we say, it's ITALIAN! So far, it has been fantastic!
Love to you all. Hope you all feel better soon.
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I'm pulling in a pic of LEAH's you need to see...that smile is priceless!
CATHERINE>DH has a CT scan in a couple of weeks, he just saw his bone doc this past week and all seems to be going well yet. The hot flashes seem to be easing up lately, not dripping wet sweaty! I have notice my right knee that had surgery done on it a few years ago is swelling up and hurtng a lot lately so blame it on the Tamoxifin. My brain seems to have chemo brain moreso lately too. Otherwise doing pretty good!
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Leah; The pictures are lovely. I am so happy to hear that you are enjoying your trip. I want to go to Italy someday. Problem is that DH hates long plane trips.
Catherine; I am thinking of you now...hopefully enjoying a fabulous day by the lake.
Marsha: Check in with us girl!
Twink: I hope your trip home is much less eventful. What a huge PITA.
Terry: Take good care of yourself.
The news night before last said there were new findings released about bc treatment. It said that if you were HER2 neg, taxol was shown to be of NO benefit. Is this brand new info? This is all so confusing to me sometimes. I think Vegas declined taxol because of the risk to benefit factor. I can't recall for sure about this or her exact reasons. Sometimes it seems we are all guinea pigs even with tx that is suppposed to be proven. Who really knows???
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Hi all my fellow FCC's,
I wrote a long post earlier today and was proof-reading it and spell ck was running and I guess I accidentally touched some key that completely erased my entire post. So,here goes again. I am using a laptop and I am used to a desktop keyboard that I use at work.
I heard that news too, Melanie. The news about Taxol. So I wasted 12 weeks, lost my hair(oh well FAC would get it if Taxol didn't), had neuropathy and anemia for nothing. I have also read that it is questionable if any of the chemo works on lobular bc, which is the kind I have. But I figured it might help, so I signed up. However, I did skip rads because I was in the gray zone for needing it.
Terry, hope your UTI is under control and that you are feeling better.
I chuckled about the bladder cancer, that's me, I think every ache and pain can be a recurrence. I am sure with time that will get better.
About recurrence, I have decided to be the "Queen of Denial" and not in Egypt either. But seriously, I just believe I am cancer free and going on with my life. BC has stolen a year of my life and from now on I am going to live "one day at a time". None of us knows when we will go. That is something we don't have any control over. I know I am quite a bit older than most of you and you probably think it is easier for me and it well may be. That being said, I just can't drive myself crazy with worry. The onc. at MD Anderson told me not to get scans and markers done for that reason. Many times the scans will show things that are not cancer, but will worry the heck out of you and also the same with the markers. The other thing is that I have two close relatives with recurrence. They both have survived over five years on AI's for my SIL and clinical trials for my niece. One of our pediatrician's wife survived 20 years with mets. I don't know, it is hard. But for me,I just have to think of myself as not having cancer anymore until I do. In the meantime, I am going to live my life to the fullest. I avoid reading about recurrence, but almost every magazine you pick up has an article about it, so I do read some.
Twyla, I loved the pic of you and your daughters. What a beautiful family you have. Hope you are back safe and sound from your trip horrible trip. Hope it turned better as you went along.
Leah, thanks for the pics. Jan, too. Tuscany must be a real dream. You are such a great example of enjoying life to the fullest.
Catherine, my doctor(internal med) told me to get the flu shot. But with you still on Avastine, I would ask the onc. about it. I wanted to get the shingles vaccine, but she wants me to wait and she wants to talk with the onc. first. It is a live virus and more likely to give me problems if I am immunosuppressed. The flu vaccine is not a live virus. Sounds like we are all having the "bellyfat bug". I am considering having liposuction when they do my exchange of expanders for implants. What do you all think about that? Do you think it will just come back as long as I am on Arimidex? I don't want to waste my money, but can's seem to lose any weight.
Congrats on having Toby for a year. Happy Anniversary.
Marsha, hope you continue to feel well. Do take care of yourself and get plenty of rest. You are on my mind. Hope you write soon.
My dear friend with bc had a DIEP and is having all kinds of problems. They reopened her chest and are doing debridement to stimulate the blood flow to the flap. Sounds gruesome and painful. It is open and will have to heal from the inside out. She had chemo and rads. She is about 6 months ahead of us on diagnosis and treatment.
Piper and Jan, my prayers go out for the safety of your sons. I have much gratitude and respect for our servicemen. I tear up every time I am in an airport and see them in their fatigues with their bags on their shoulders. I usually go up to them and thank them for keeping us safe. I know you are both proud of your boys. Tell them I said thank you to them as well.
Caryn, I guess your DH is back now and you are having a lovely reunion. Enjoy the weekend. Watching races? I am an avid NFL junkie. Kind of funny because my DH could care less about sports and I am a junkie. On Super Bowl Sunday, we have role reversal. He fixes me all kinds of snacks and brings me drinks and snacks while I watch. The Cowboys and Texans are doing well so far. That makes watching more fun. Wow, Monday night the Cowboys lived up to their nickname, "the cardiac kids". Gave me a heart attack. LOL
Terry, is it you or Piper who are wearing syringes over your nipples. Anyway my best to all who are having recon. Mine will be Dec.13.
By the way, I love my new job. I so enjoy visiting with the families of the surgical patients. Also, organizing things for the surgeons so they can visit with families in a timely manner and get back to the OR. I spend an equal time in the PACU(recoveryroom) checking on patient's progress, the preop holding and OR area and the Surgical Waiting Room. I really get my exercise. A lot of walking. After next week my fellow "job sharing nurse" will be available. Then I will work 3 days one week and 2 days the next week. Many times I have 3 or 4 days in a row off. Isn't that great? I love it.
Well, I miss so many. Like Lucky Mel, Vegas, Tink,Phyl,Pat and many many more. The names escape me. If I missed greeting any of our regulars, please forgive me. You are all in my heart, the brain just fails me at times.
Love and Hugs to all, Sammie Kay
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Hey girls!
I am still out here, trying to catch up on the posts and see how you are all doing. Since I am "well" again, work and the "real world" has been keeping me so busy I don't have too much time for myself anymore. But just happened to read the article on the taxol yesterday, and here is the link to it:
http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/311726.html
Melanie, the research I had done previously had also said the same thing (confirmed by my onc when I approached her on it) which is why I did not take the taxol or taxotere, though I did do the adriamycin and cytoxin. More recent research shows that adriamycin may not be that effective either. Come on Cytoxin! Hopefully at least that was effective!
Have done the American Cancer Society Walk so far this month and the Swing for Survivors golf. Very emotional, especially when other Survivors come up and just give you a big hug out of nowhere. I have never had so many intense conversations with complete strangers and yet felt so connected.
Exciting news of the day is - next Tuesday going to hairdresser's for first time in a YEAR! Going to get it colored and see if she can figure out some way to turn this mop into actual hair that can be styled. Still kinky and curly and fuzzy and totally unmanageable! I swear it is growing straight up! And it is not as thick as it used to be which I suspect is the Femara. So I am still in the wigs. At least it is getting cooler. But we are going on our cruise on November 2nd and I will be heartbroken if I can't ditch the faux hair by then. But I can't see going out with this Eddie Munster hair either. (My son tells me I am trending to Marge Simpson.)
Marsha, out drinking beer the same night as surgery? You are my hero! And Leah, sounds like your trip is heaven - I would LOVE to go back to Italy. My husband absolutely adores the licorice there that you buy in the little Tabacs. It is called Tabu and you can't order it here from the states (Lord knows, I tried). Tink, hope you are feeling better - your daughters are gorgeous!
To everyone else, a quick hello and if anyone is ever coming to Vegas, email me at move2lasvegas at aol.com. I would love to get together! I have been meeting some of the FORCE women who have come lately and it has been amazing to finally see in person all the brave beautiful souls I have encountered on this journey.
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VEGAS>nice to see you here posting again!
Here's the pics from graduation that Josh (DH coworkers Marine son) took for us and a few from the welcome home at the airport here.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/slideshow?a=67b0de21b3544428a4cd&sid=0MaMnDNw2Yu4A&auto=1&idx=0
I was so surprised when my son came up and gave me a hug before he ran off with his friends for the night. I was the first to get a hug from him as I loudly said "Good Evening, SIR!" The one picture I was unable to get because he was surrounded by so many people as we walked to luggage was him holding his niece's hand. Picture this big tough marine with a little girl holding his hand...you can see her in some pics looking up at him.
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Good Morning!
Terry – I’m so sorry to hear that you have been under the weather. Are you feeling better now?
Alyson – When are you leaving on your trip? It sounds marvelous!
Jan – I’m kind of surprised that you still have the “tan lines.” I peeled and now you cant even tell that I had tx.
Catherine – What’s on your agenda today? Taking the van out?
Leah – I absolutely loved the pictures. Thanks so much for thinking of us on your adventure. It really sounds like the trip of a lifetime!
Melanie! We’ve missed you! The news story that you mentioned has been a hot topic on all of the discussion boards. I think I’ve got it easy tho. Since I did chemo first, I was able to see my tumor shrink every day. Perhaps one drug was more effective than another, but the combined cocktail worked for me! All set for the race tonite? I’m in 2nd place in our fantasy league!
SammieKay – Your post to me made me laugh out loud! I am the sports junkie in this house. DH will watch if he HAS too, but he doesn’t like it much. He does like HS sports cuz he likes how the players are all trying to prove themselves to move on to a good college team or pro. My best friend and I used to get together every Monday night for Monday Night Football. We’d drink beer and scream at the tv, while our husbands played cards and brought us snacks! My DBacks aren’t off to a good start to go back to the show, but it’s been fun to watch! As for football, I’m a Raiders fan. We’re re-building.
Vegas! I’ve really missed you! Love the new picture! You look great! I was kind of surprised that you said that you’re still in the wigs. I gave mine up August 11th. It was 115 degrees. My hair was probably too short to be very attractive, but I just played up the make up. It’s now Jamie Lee Curtis short, and not bad. I’d never get it cut this way, but I actually get a lot of compliments on it. One thing you might want to try is a product called Rewind. It lets me sculpt this half curly, half straight hair into something like a style!
Jan – Hi again!
Well, I will be scarce this weekend. DH has some friends in town that he hasn’t seen in 30 years. We are taking them out for a late lunch / early dinner today. Tomorrow is the Race for the Cure. We have to be at the meeting place at 6:00 so I can take pictures of the group, the bus, etc. Then there is the “after party” when the bus takes us back to the restaurant. I took a vacation day on Monday to sleep in, and I’ll start working on the weekend’s pictures and video then.
So, if I don’t see you all this weekend, I hope it’s a great one!
(((Hugs)))
Carynn0 -
I'm sorry my DH pointed out the link was incorrect. Here's the grad pics
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0MaMnDNw2Yu4A&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5
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Melanie: I will go with you. I don't like long plane trips either, but once you get here....! the trip home tomorrow will be 16 hours door to door (incluidng 3 hour layover in Munich) but where else could I have had this experience?
Also, please let me know about the taxol information. I think that was next in the arsenal for me but not if it isn't going to work. I think the latest info I read was the "platinums" were the drugs of choice for metastatic triple negs...
Love.
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Leah, just wanted to tell you about a gal on my other forum who is triple negative. She had (note the HAD!) metastatic BC. They found a 3.3cm lump in a lymph node and 8 nodules in her lungs. She went to the Cancer Centers of America and started treatments (she said they threw everything but the kitchen sink at her) including the platinums. A few months later her 3.3cm lump is at 1.6 and the nodules in her lungs are GONE!! If you want, when you get back home and are rested up from that 16 hour trip, I can put you in touch with her.
Have a super trip back and welcome home,my dear.
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Hi Carynn, I have missed you all too. Just life gets in the way, you know? And my manager is leaving to go into teaching and I am trying to train a new one. I would have loved to have ditched the wigs at anything over 100, but truly, I cannot do anything with it. But after Tuesday hopefully my hairdresser can make it behave and I can be Jamie Lee too!
Oh and the new pic is actually my DH and I before chemo but after surgery at the beginning of January. I figure that if hair grows at 1/2 inch per month I can be back to "normal" by next August just in time for my son's wedding.
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Vegas, nice to have you back. Lovely pic of you and DH. I think we might have the same hair. My problem is cowlicks, several of them on my head. Plus, of course, I am quite a bit behind all of you guys. I finished FAC July 24, so just getting my scalp covered with some black with a little silver hair. I was brown before with highlights added by the hairdresser. I plan to go without wig as soon as I have an inch or so more. I especially want to go to work at the hospital during bc awareness month without a wig. We will see.
Caryn, sound like we have similar "football" habits. One of my high school friends played for the Oakland Raiders back in the 60's. He's retired now and I just saw him at the reunion. He is the sweetest man. Well, now that my classmates are all 67 or 68 and everyone is sweet. Just glad to be above ground. LOL
Jan, what beautiful pics. Your son is drop dead gorgeous. I know you are so proud of him.
Leah, have a safe trip home. My SIL has had lung tumors for ten years. She had mastectomy about 20 yrs ago. Oddly enough, she never received chemo or radiation. Since her recurrance, she has been on Tamoxifen for 5 years and Arimidex for 4 years. She takes care of my disabled brother and before her 90 something mother died she took care of both of them. She says she feels good. She is quite active in her church. I know everyone is different, but I am just trying to encourage you with this story. Your are dearly loved by all of your FCC's . You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Marsha? How goes it? Hope you are doing fine and out partying away. Let us know.
Hope everyone is having a great weekend. My Houston Texans have just been slammed by the Jacksonville Jaguars. boohoo.
Dallas Cowboys will start here in a few minutes. I will be watching.
Love and hugs to all. Sammie Kay
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This study on Taxol is so discouraging! I had such a bad reaction to the first one (including severe liver issues and excruciating bone pain) they changed the last DD3x to 9 weekly. She was going to give me liquid morphine for the pain, it was so bad. What a nightmare! And now I'm not even sure it mattered. They now want to put me on Tamoxifen for ER-/PR+ tumor and I don't think this is worth it either. Anyone else ER-/PR+?
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Kimberly, I am ER/PR positive and Her2neg. I am taking Arimidex because I am post-menopausal. I took Taxol for 12 weeks, grrrrr! Lost my hair the second week, had neuropathy, anemia and lots of joint pain. Sure is discouraging to find out it probably did no good. Also, I took 4 doses of FAC and from what I have read, they are not sure it does any good for lobular bc, which is they kind I have. It is very discouraging to find that actually it sounds like a "crap shoot". I thought they had their act together for treating bc. All the money that is raised and all the research that goes on. And still even at MD Anderson different docs prescribe differently. I have having terrible joint pain from the Arimidex, but I am afraid to not take it. They say it reduces the chance of recurrence by 50 %. Who knows if that is true? I did refuse radiation because it was doubtful if I really needed it. They removed both breasts and they found no cancer cells in that tissue and no positive lymph nodes. Good luck, seems as if we all need a lot of that, luck that is. Sammie Kay
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Sammie Kay, The aromatase inhibitors really are effective for ER/PR+ Her2- tumors from all the studies. I am on Femara and have joint pain as well, but it is tolerable. If you are really hurting from the Arimidex, ask your doctor to try Femara on you instead! They are both just as effective according to all reports and Femara seems to be a bit gentler on the side effects.
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Thanks Vegas for the information. I will talk to my onc. about trying
Femara. I really appreciate all the information you glean from your reading. I am a very slow reader with poor retention. I think I will talk to the ophthalmologist about that condition they diagnose in children(can't remember the name), but they cover the page with different colored clear plastic and it improves the condition. I would love to read and retain what I read. My mom and my daughter are voracious readers and just plow through book after book. Oh how I wish I could do that.
This board has really been quiet lately. Hope everyone is well and busy enjoying life.
Hugs and good wishes to all. Sammie Kay
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Hi, dearest ladies... yes, very busy here (not just by translations to do... walks, biking, gardening, cooking...). I read the posts everyday, though. Vegas, you look terrific (your DH, too). Sammie Kay, wishing you less pain soon. Did you get soaked again in your part of texas?
Leah, how is jet lag? Can't wait to read your blog...
Twink, how is your trip going? Was it for business?
Marsha, where are you, girl? How is the healing going? I am worried about you (where do you post?)
Melanie, Vegas, so nice to have some news from you.
I've got to get going...
Love and hugs to all... wishing you a gentle day,
Catherine
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Good afternoon all,
Just back from my lunch with Twilah .. it's her last chemo!! Even though she had just flown in that morning from another business trip, she looked radiant and glamorous as ever ...
OK, where to start. First, thank you secret pal! I never thanked you for the eyeglass holders (a definite need with post-chemo brain). And, now these gorgeous earrings, which I wore today to show to Twilah. Thank you, thank you!
Catherine -- I, too, have become a lurker -- reading everyday, but not necessarily posting. The transition back to work has meant less time in general. And, I'm determined to spend more time enjoying life!
Kimberly -- I'm triple neg and don't know a whole lot about tamoxifen and AIs. But, there are so many different ones that I'm sure you can find one that won't give horrible side effects. Also, I think that the side effects stop when you stop taking it ... not like taxol, the chemo that keeps on giving!
My joint pain continues, although I had some relief after a Reiki session. It's not really massage, in fact I can't quite describe what it is. I just know that my hips hurt less after it. Still have the creaky knees!
Carynn -- I'm with Jan -- tan lines. Actually, just a big tan circle right where the boosts were. Still peeling around the nipple area - yuck!
Jan -- Your son is so handsome, you must be so proud of him to have made it!
Leah -- I loved that photo of you in the kitchen ... what were you cooking up that day?
Terry -- Hope that your infection has cleared up by now ...
SammieKay -- How is wigless at the hospital?
Vegas, Melanie -- Good to see you two up and kicking ...
Alyson -- Bon voyage!
Where are the other girls -- Marsha, Phyl?
Hugs to all,
Hillary0
