Bottle o Tamoxifen
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Whippetmom and Leggy,
I too have hip problems, had the right one replaced in october, found I had cancer in May. I have started walking again and fnd I am feeling better. Started with 15 minuted now can do 30-45 plus am working in garden more. I take glucosimine, fish oil, tumeric and naprosyn. I started the tamox 3 weeks ago and have had some hot flashes but had them prior too.Having trouble sleeping but not sure what is causing it, I am on #15 of my 33 rad treatments. I find that by forcing myself to get up and out even if I only walk around the garden helps with fatigue.
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Renee, my Onc told me to try tincture of rhubarb, but said I'd have to probably search the internet for it. So far, I've had a little trouble finding it and I'm not sure that what I've found is actually it, so don't want to spend a lot of money if it's not the right thing. I've learned by being on here that many women are using the antidepressant, Effexor for hot flashes.
I'm currently on a tamox break, so far it's been a month and they have decreased somewhat.
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Leggy, if I am your consultant you are in a lot of trouble...
Well actually, that reminds me of two jokes I feel are apropos...This one from a doctor friend when I told him about these sorts of waits for reports and phone calls from docs etc... A man is very sick and calls his doctor for an appointment. The office assistant who answers the phone rattles off that the next appointment is 2 months away. The sick man says he may be dead by then. The office assistant replies, "Well, you can always cancel."
OK... the next one is one of my Dad's jokes. There's two bulls fenced in next to a cow. The one bull says he's going to get that cow. The other bull says "How are you going to get around that barbed wire fence?" The horny bull says, "Watch this!". He backs up a bit, takes a running leap and jumps over the fence. But... he doesn't quite clear it. He's left the family jewels on the fence.
The bull who stayed behind calls out to his neutered friend, "So, what are you going to do now?"
The heretofore horny bull replies, "I'll become a consultant".
And ... for my BRCA tests, you know, the one you have to to a counseling session just to take the test... and I got to know the medical office assistant whatever girl, her kids, her life my life my fears how and when exactly do I want to be contacted, yes please tell me as soon as possible, results should be in by Friday. Friday passes. I spend a weekend like you are. Monday passes. Tuesday I call about something entirely different in another part of the office and accidentally am transferred to this same girl. After chatting a bit more about her family somehow my BRCA test results come up. Oh, they're in? What do you mean they're in, how long have they been in? Oh, since Friday. FRIDAY? WHY DIDN'T YOU CALL ME? Oh, right, I see I have a note to call you as soon as they come in. I don't know how I missed that. Well, do you want to know your results? YES. Do you want to come in or do you want them -TELL ME THE RESULTS!!!!- Do you- TELL ME THE RESULTS. Oh, well they're negative.
All that for, "they're negative".
OK having said that... if you want my opinion... which is worth what it cost... they do an xray in 15 minutes or less, its all about getting a doctor to look at it, interpret it and write the report. You knew that. Of course it's too damn long. It's summer. The doc is on vacation or the person who inputs the reports didn't feel like entering it. Its completely arbitrary. I say, call them on Monday and be a pain in the ass. Do the proactive thing. Do whatever it takes to get on the list to be faxed copies of your reports. Wish I could say something more helpful. They are screwing Mary too waiting for results. !@!!Y!&U!($%$#@!!
carolyn, don't push too hard while you are on RADS... its some serious fatigue. For all the gals having bone issues, would Zometa be helpful to both your bone issues and recurrence reduction? I am going on it after I start Tamoxifen. But I know nothing about bone issues.
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Yes Cancer, the gift that keeps on giving! There are times I want to bury me head in the sand and klive in complete denial!!!!!!! I know that is not possible, just a thought. My biggest fear growing up was that i would get ovarian cancer( well at least by taking the precaution, I will miss that one). Still hearing those words"you have breast cancer" shook my whole world!! I feel I just want evrything to be over, no more doctors, no more tests and no more daily meds. before cancer, I was never sick, even though I have asthma, it was a very minor thing, I never worried about every ache and pain. Now it seems like I am always "sick" or just plain yucky feeling, not sure if it is my body healing, tamoxifen, or just plain depression from all the things I have been faced with. Yes I am feeling lousy tonight. My uncle (my dad's oldest brother) passed away either lstnight or early this morning. He has been suffering from Hepatitis C from a blood transfusion from early 80's. He had been on dyalisis for a few years and then started to suffer dementia from the illness. He was in ICU for 2 weeks. Well at least he is no longer suffering. He will be missed.
Well enough wallowing in self pity, tomorrow is a new day. the kids and I will be cleaning the house, and folding laundry. Then I have to take my son back to have his tb bump looked at.
Have a good night.
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See Rachel, you made it mo better! You always come through, laughter is a healer. Thanks Carollyn for the info. I've been meaning to get some glue., now I'll give it a try with the turmeric. Walking used to help my hip pain, or so I thought, but I walk my dog every day, and my job is gardening. I think it's the years of bending over pulling weeds, planting, and pruning that's catching up with me. Besides all that, I'm getting older, by the day.
Oh Rachel, I asked my Onc. about Zometa awhile ago, and he said it was to soon, not widely approved yet or something like that, and it had pro's and con's...but from what I've read it couldn't hurt. I'll call my doctor on Monday.
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thanks ladies--good to know what your experiences have been. Good point on checking out the cysts that they aren't ovarian cancer (ok now I'VE gone from calm to freakout!). Am happy to hear that for pre-meno women, tamox helps shrink fibroids as they discovered I had a few of those too. Asymptomatic though as they never troubled me so hopefully those will go away now!! Have a great weekend all!0
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I started Tamoxifen this morning too -- saw my oncologist yesterday and he gave me the prescription. Quite honestly, I only just finished chemo (last Thurs 7/23/09) -- and since my oncologist said it could take up to 6 months for the chemo SEs to go away, I won't know for that long if, if I still feel like crap, am moody and have hot flashes, if I'll be able to blame it on the Tamoxifen or not -- because this is all still happening from the chemo. Plus there's a possibility I may end up doing rads too (I'll know after my scans in August and my next onco appt in Sept).
I'm actually glad now that I was never really an "exercise person," because it was so emotionally devastating to lose my once formidable mental capacity, the crushing physical fatigue on top of the chemo brain would have just finished me. I mean never mind workouts -- just getting up from the chair or couch and walking to another room in my apt turned into a major ordeal resulting in total exhaustion. Had I been a lover of playing sports or working out before, and then couldn't do that too, I'd have wanted to kill myself. Even so, it did bum me out a month or month and a half into my chemo that I was no longer ABLE to walk the few blocks to the "little store" to buy milk or use my bank's ATM any more without constant stops to rest my aching legs...so I ended up having to drive, it was so bad. Before chemo I had been doing that much anyway -- on nice days when I had to go to the bank or "little store" I preferred to walk instead of drive, and sometimes I'd go for walks or paddle boat rides in the big county park next door to my apt building as well). But the fact that I was never big on exercising anyway/my favorite things to do are sedentary probably made me able to tolerate being stuck lying on the couch watching DVDs or reading in bed most of the day because of fatigue "better." (I still do hate it though!)
Supplements...mmmmm, well, before I had cancer, the answer was usually no (beyond grade school when Mom made us kids take a vitamin pill every day before going to school). As an adult on my own (from the time I was 18) I'd taken multivitamins daily (for several months at a time) but intermittently. That is, I'd take them but when I'd notice that they never made me feel stronger or better in any way than not taking them, I'd stop. (Then again, maybe I didn't need to take vitamins? My diet of choice was always pretty decent: I love veggies and fruit, and I'm a salad fiend; I ENJOYED eating a balanced diet with little "junk") A few years would go by and for the heck of it I'd try taking a multivitamin again for a few months...no difference, stop again, a couple more years, another try. I stopped for the last time maybe five years ago.
Then, this year I get diagnosed with breast cancer, and so this year, I'm taking supplements: calcium, L-Glutamine and Vitamin D. The calcium was first:
The day the oncologist tells me I need to have chemotherapy, my chemo nurse also tells me I need to start taking calcium supplements (she told me to choose any brand that would give me 1000 mg/day of calcium and 800 IU/day of Vitamin D) because the chemo is going to be horrific on my bones -- so okay, on my very next supermarket trip I bought the big bottle of Caltrate I saw as soon as I got to the health and beauty section, and started taking them the next morning. Two a day gives me the dosage I was told I should have. Yikes! I'd thought I'd known the meaning of the term "horse pills" from when I used to be on Depakote as an anti-migraine, but no, these calcium supplements are REALLY horse pills! Some days I almost choke taking them. But, okay, I stay on them anyway -- but decide I'm going to stop after finishing chemo when the current bottle I'm taking from is done -- whichever comes first. Well, yesterday was my first appointment with my oncologist since I finished my chemo last week, and when I told him I only want to just finish my current bottle of calcium supplements and then stop, he said he wants me to keep taking them! :-(
Sigh....so I'll stay on them. GRRRR. But I also ended up taking extra Vitamin D (above and beyond what's in the calcium supplements) and L-Glutamine too.
The L-Glutamine was suggested by someone here at bc.org who told me a couple weeks before I started my chemo that it had helped her with drymouth/mouth sore issues during chemo. Since the idea of mouth sores totally horrified me, I did some reading and decided it was a good suggestion. So since the morning after my first chemo, I've been taking a 500 mg capsule of L-Glutamine each morning (plus gave up my beloved Crest minty fresh gel with Scope in it to switch to brushing my teeth with Biotene toothpaste and using Biotene mouthwash) -- and I didn't get any mouth sores. But, since chemo is now over, I'll be done with these (and going back to my regular toothpaste) once the Sewer Mouth goes away -- my mouth doesn't feel dry and I have no sores, but it tastes like a sewer anyway -- starting from five MINUTES after I brush my teeth and use the mouthwash!
The Vitamin
I got that idea from my Pack Rat (who suffers from seasonal affective disorder). He'd found some articles on the web about Vitamin D. He'd originally been reading "health stuff" for his own curiosity and benefit, and while reading about Vitamin D and deciding to take it himself, mentioned the articles had also discussed Vitamin D's benefits concerning cancer -- so he called me up and we had a very long conversation, which I followed up by reading scientific literature concerning studies done relating to cancer patients and cancer prevention. Since I saw enough evidence to decide it would be good for me, I picked up a few bottles of Windmill 1000 IU Vitamin D-3 tablets, and started taking 4000 IU each morning. Oh, and I am NOT a sun person! I'm very fair and burn horribly so I learned when my parents used to take us to the beach when we were kids -- sunburns as bad as I used to get 'em freakin' HURT, so I've been actively avoiding the sun since my teens! When I'd go for my errand walks or to the park, if was sunny out I'd be mostly covered up (long pants or long skirt, usually long sleeves too, though yeah, sometimes it's just too hot for long sleeves so I'd wear a T-shirt or short sleeved blouse, but only when it's too hot. In the park if I sit down, it's always in the shade. ALL my Vitamin D from now on is going to HAVE TO come from my diet and supplements.But the Vitamin D supplements are nice LITTLE pills, they're EASY to take, so I don't mind them. The L-Glutamine capsules are kinda big, but they're smooth and don't get "stuck" sometimes like the calcium supplements do, and, I'll be finished with them probably in only 2-3 more weeks (estimate based on my prior Sewer Mouth reactions to chemo). I just hate the calcium supplements, though, and those are the ones my oncologist wants me to keep taking. Even the new ones are horse pills. At the time I went to my pharmacy looking for 1000 IU Vitamin D supplements (my supermarket didn't have that), I was getting low on my original bottle of Caltrates, and still being on chemo, knew I'd have to buy more. I ended up buying a different brand on the calcium supplements, though, so when I finished up the Caltrates, the new ones I started and am still taking now are Windmill Cal-Day 1000's. They have the same amount of calcium and Vitamin D as the Caltrates did, but they also have 100% daily value of 12 other essential vitamins and iron. I figured that couldn't hurt, anyway, especially since chemo messed big time with my "normal" appetite and diet, so I wouldn't be surprised if my chemo diet, which I'm actually still eating since my appetite isn't back yet and I still have the Sewer Mouth, isn't nearly as nutritious as what I normally eat). By the time I start getting low on them, it'll be time to replenish the supply of Vitamin D too (right now I still have two unopened bottles of Vitamin D beyond the bottle I'm presently taking from.
Back to Tamoxifen though: my oncologist told me if I get any spotting while on it, to call him. He didn't say anything about weight, though. I stayed the same weight on chemo -- only had little fluctuations of 2-3 pounds up or down. My regular weight is OK (135 pounds, I'm 5'5) and I can live with that, but given the choice of gaining or losing, I'd much rather LOSE, say, 10 pounds.
~Lena.
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Welcome Lena, sit back and enjoy the ride!!!
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Hi Lena,
Yeah Chemo. hit me real hard too with fatigue, I had to walk Wolfie, since my Mum had a knee replacement, at the same time. I remember the worst day, when I walked him two blocks, and had to rest several times, before I could make it back to my truck. Seriously thought I would have to call the police, for a ride. Three weeks after chemo. I did 5 wks. 5days a week, of rads., finishing treatment in at the end of Sept. and I'm still feeling fatigue. But, I have to work, and I think it has helped me get going, and having my co-workers to socialize with keeps me from feeling to down and out. My friends tell me how bad I used to look, when I returned to work in Oct. last year, and worked parttime through rad. Now they say, I look great and I still think there full of it. I'm trying real hard not to roll my eyes and say "yeah right".
Gotta go get my hair cut!
Yahoo, more chemo. hair on the floor, not me.
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Hi everyone - hello to all the newbies -- too many to respond to!!!
Lydia - hope you are feeling better. I started tam in February andI had the same symptoms as you (although mine took a few more weeks to set in). I was told to take a break, which I did, just for 2 weeks and started taking my tam at a different time of my cycle (when I was feeling good, not just before my periods was due). I also split my pill - 10mg in the morning and 10mg at nite - works just great - no se's now other than dry eyes. I'm not sure if it is due to the break or splitting but it certainly made a HUGE difference this time round. Perhaps it is worth giving it a try.
PS. I was also given a script for Effexor for the depression - have never filled it!!!!!!!!!!!!!Lots of fun stuff to do today - washing, cleaning etc. but I don't mind - it is going to be another glorious day.
big hugs everyone
Helena
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Just checking in to say Hi to everyone. Another cold wet day here. Not quite as bad as yesterday. Lena - if you discover a way to lose that 10 pounds maybe you could let me know - I need to lose about 100 pounds!! Well nite, nite everyone!! Sweet dreams!0
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Rachel_BC
Thanks for the info on your friend who is similar to my friend. The boob with the DCIS & LCIS ( ER+) is gone. I strongly advised her to remove any LCIS on the good breast & start complementary therapies rightaway. We both believe we got bc because we used HRT after menopause. (Filipinos have bc rates closer to Japanese ( 6 out of 100,000) than Americans).
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Hello tamox sisters!
I just took my first pill last night. I know from being on it for a year over a year ago, that it takes awhile for s/e's to kick in. Here's hoping for very few this time! I know it will be easier than the AI's I was on.
Have a great Sunday girls!
xoxo
Lisa
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Hey all,
Thanks for the welcomes. I know, I've only been on Tamoxifen for three days so far, so I can still blame my hot flashes/fatigue/anencephaly on the aftereffects of chemo (I'm only 9 days out now).
LeggyJ, unless you're actually feeling like a human being again in terms of energy/stamina/brainpower, I'm so sorry you have to work. I've seen many women in various areas of the forum who worked through chemo and/or rads and I have no freakin' idea how they managed it. Even my chemo nurse had told me about a woman she knew (a research scientist) who had worked through chemo. But it got so bad for me I couldn't even walk to the store to buy milk anymore. The chemo brain is so bad I can't think straight or focus on anything for more than 5-10 mins at a time, and my ability to do my last job was highly dependent on my once formidable capacity for focus and meticulous attention to detail. But, if you are actually physically/mentally okay to work now, that's wonderful. :-)
Dunno what to say about the dog walking though. While I used to enjoy going for walks on NICE days (70-85F, no rain) -- and maybe I will again when I get my energy back -- I don't even want to go outside on cold/rainy/snowy days if I can help it. And that's why I never would and never will get a dog or volunteer to dog sit for anybody! Dogs NEED to go for their walks no matter what the weather is like.
Ainm -- LOL! I'm willing to live with my weight being 10 pounds over what I consider aesthetically pleasing because I'm too freakin' lazy to be bothered watching what I eat and counting calories and worrying about "yeah if I eat this, I'll get x vitamins/minerals which is good, but I'll also get x excess of carbs or fat (or whatever "bad stuff" when one is trying to lose weight) and trying to counterbalance amounts and combinations I can still enjoy but still lose weight. I've never been on a diet, I just eat what I like in whatever quantities I'm hungry for, and am "only" 10 pounds over a "good" body is because I'm "lucky" -- most of what I normally LIKE to eat happens to be mostly healthy and balanced/not too fattening in moderation, and only minimally includes junk food (salty snacks like chips or pretzels, sweets). Also, the 10 extra pounds I'm putting up with are exclusively in my midsection (waist and belly), so as long as I stay the hell away from bathing suits, tight or "slinky" outfits, I look OK even with the 10 extra pounds hiding beneath. So, sorry, I'm not likely to figure out how to lose 10 pounds! And THAT'S why I hope I don't gain any weight from the Tamoxifen -- it won't be so easy for me to HIDE much more than what I'm already hiding with clothes!
~Lena.
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Lisa, how bad were the Al's? After my ooph, I will be considered post meno, and med onc suggested switching to AL's as did the surgeon, he even said he liked them better.
Have a great Monday
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AllieM22---was your ultrasound part of your routine check? How will I know that I have ovarian cysts?
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I started my Tamox today -- I was supposed to start 2 weeks ago (a week after my exchange surgery) but just couldn't seem to get started. But all of your posts have helped me realize that it should be okay, and I should just start.
So thank you,
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Florbo--They found them as part of a regular check-up (at the obgyn) when they feel your ovaries however I felt a change on the one side so I specifically asked the dr to check carefully--also knowing that tamox stimulates the ovaries. The feeling was like when you can "feel" your ovaries during the ovulation part of the cycle--at least I used to. Not hurting but feeling aware of them or that they were larger. So having felt something on one of my ovaries, they sent me for an ultrasound to make sure it was a cysts rather than a sold and to see what was going on down there...
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I've been on Tamox since the end of May. The only SE I really have are those dang hot flashes. But I noticed that they get worse in the evening. Sleeping is a nightmare. I wake up every 2-3 hours and I have to pee every time. I don't know what to do. I miss sleeping all night. I do work nights so when I sleep in the day I don't have anymore luck. Anyone have any suggestions?
Laurie
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Helena QOTD!!! Gorgeous new pic !!!!
lrs reyes- My step mom is Filipino
We're teaching my son Tagalog (I can NOT say ANYTHING in Tagalog!) Ivorymom is Japanese and had an interesting point to make about the BC rate in Japan, something about the weirdness of Japanese custom and not reporting. We were discussing the soy controversy- so its even more interesting to me to note what you say about the Filipino statistics, in that the Philippine diet as far as I know does not include much in the way of soy. I wish my friend would ask me advice about her LCIS, even though she is a doctor, she seems to have latched on to the part about it not really being cancer, so the most she is considering (last we spoke) was Tamoxifen. What I read is that although yes, LCIS itself is not cancer, but it has a 40% rate of recurrence as real breast cancer, and this in a woman who has had cysts and questionable areas removed from her tiny boobs since she was 17 (now in her 40s). She is getting more opinions, so I hope she will get the news she needs to hear to make an informed decision. She's a surgeon, just goes to show you, even the doctors don't know wtf is going on with breast cancer. She is also African American, so she doesn't fit in any of the statistics we mentioned.my3- Good Luck my3! Good for you girl!!!
Lena- I just have to thank you for making longer posts than I do.
And such nice writing Mary- I have to tell you you are on my mind constantly. All the best for your surgery tomorrow. I haven't read far enough to tell if you got your !@!@&! bone scan results yet. I now have sitters every day this week so if you need me, just call, email, text, send up a flare, whatever.
aoaandrews- Good for you!!!
Allie- that's an incredible story. What a wonderful thing, a self-aware patient who asks for care and a doctor who is sensitive and checks out what the patients asks. At this point, I had begun to believe this was not possible. You give me hope
Laurie- I used to work nights- I was going to say something but now I am confused... you miss sleeping at nights but you work at night?
All- I really came here to ask and vent about BC-related but not Tamox related stuff. Meanwhile, as the canary in the coal mine (for the newbies, I wont start Tamox until late September, ONC said it was OK) I can report that at 49, and premenopausal by cancer standards and perimenopausal by non-cancer standards, I have had two regular periods (that is if you count the one starting today) that is, more regular than they became pre-BC, and less regular than they were pre-perimenopause, when I was so regular I could tell you what TIME of day they'd come each month. I have plenty of pre-period rage, so it's not Tamoxirage, my legs cramp up just about every time I sit down (I do an hour of walking or elliptical each day almost) I also did not do chemo and did do RADS, and finally the RADS effects are pretty much gone, I can even sleep on my stomach. That is, when I can get a full night's sleep without waking up. What I mean to say is that even without Tamoxifen, I am having plenty of what we call "SEs" - except no hot flashes and no night sweats. This is in the hopes that it makes you feel better about some of these SEs, (and please remind me when I am on Tamox?) that they would be there even without the Tamox, and for everyone who started after chemo and/or RADS, I think a lot of SEs must be attributed to the chemo or RADS.
OK... so here's my issues-
I have shared on other threads my frustration with my non-cancer friends, many of us do. The "you know who your friends really are" stuff we all learn with this... OK so I just found out that a friend had a stroke.
This was a pal I made through parties, we hit it off when I came to her town 1000 miles away to party before a big rock concert, she and her fiance were the hosts. I spent time with both of them and they both made it clear they were a couple.
Then I found out from the guy that he was cheating on her- a lot. I visited them again in the course of doing something else in their town, on that visit I got sick and she was kind to me. This is just sick, not cancer, but I really felt bad and was away from home.
But then I spent more time with them that night, although I ended up calling a cab to get out of their house when they were too partied out. They were in a toxic relationship that blew up about a month later, long after I left their town. I had a huge crush on her bf, but since he was a cheating cad, I sided with her mostly, and they both put me in the middle. Long distance calls day and night from both of them pleading their cases.
They have history for 17 years. But she was really off her rocker by this point and got involved in self-destructive behavior. Like, I invited her to come stay with me but she wanted ot bring her just-out-of-rehab-for-PCP-addicted friend, and I had a full plate already working on having a baby.
I did all possible to stay in touch with her- she let me go. He wanted to date me, but as much as I had a crush on him, clearly I couldn't mess in this mess. When they both finally faffed off, I was relieved. When my son was born, by that time she didn't even so much as say Congratulations. My email to her address bounced. He stayed in touch. So I wrote her off.
Now he's gotten in touch to tell all their mutual friends she just had a stroke- and although she's still hanging in there, she's lost some ability. He suggests I call her to make her feel better.
So, this is my dilemma... Am I as crappy a friend as those who were crappy to me with BC because I feel that getting in touch with her is the wrong thing to do? My reasons are that she has this self-destructive behavior, I don't know if the stroke was related to perhaps drug use or something, if this is part of her drama, and even if it is not, she had written me off as a friend years ago (about 2 years, as my son is now nearly 18 months). It's OK that she wasn't there for me with the BC, I didn't even try to tell her about it.
If I did call her it would be to make her feel better, but I truly can not go back to where I was then, trying to help her out as she was dragging me down then, and now I have a baby and breast cancer- and it's not like we were close for the last two years and I only knew her for a couple months. If I do call her and she wants more than I can give, I'd have to shut her off, and that would be awful and counter-productive.
I think if I didn't have BC, I probably would call her, figuring I was strong enough and had enough time to share. I honestly do not think I am strong enough to add this to my load at this time, and it is not like we were close before her stroke or my BC. I haven't even had time to participate in the boards here recently.
That was another revelation... its been a couple days since I signed on, which is a first for me. I rely upon you, I feel connected to you, I would pick up the phone in a heartbeat to call any one of you if you needed a call or anything. I am a bit torn. Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. I hope she's OK.
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Rachel_BC....I don't work every night. 3 nights one week and 4 te next week. So the nights I have off I don't sleep like I use to and I really miss it.
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Rachel,
Right now, with your breast cancer AND a small child to take care of, is YOUR time. IMO you really need to put you and yours first. It's too bad this old friend of yours had a stroke (I had one myself 15 years ago), but your own plate is full, and on top of that, she wasn't ever really there for you, and, you don't need the drama.
Oh, and looking out for you and yours doesn't make you a crappy friend, either.
Just my two simoleons, of course.
~Lena.
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Hey everyone - just wanted to say that it isn't that I don't care about all your questions and side FX but I just read your posts and feel for you .. can't really post a reply or even help as my SEs are just pretty non existent and as Rachel said pretty much existed before BC - pre menstrual tension and all that fun stuff. I wish I had some clever and helpful advice for all of you.
Aoandrew - welcome aboard - glad the thread has helped - my exchange surgery was 6 weeks ago - how are you going?
Mary - thinking of you (((hugs)))
Rachel .... boy I have to be honest and was going to PM you last nite to see if you were OK... so glad to see you are back my gorgeous friend! As for the friend with the stroke ... well my opinion, for what it is worth, I would send a card if you know her address. No confrontation, no expectation, makes YOU feel better (and a better person than her). Sometimes you can put all the differences aside - a card is an easy option and you don't have to make any promises or commitments, just show you are thinking of her. Like you said we have all had the "friend" disappear issue to deal with - one lady who dropped me straight away I see out and about and although she hurt me terribly I say hello, smile, make some naff comment (nice hairdo etc. etc.) it makes me feel better to move on - she means nothing to me now so I can afford to smile and say hello. Her loss. (mind you I still think she is a big time b#*&ch ...LOL). Wanna be my facebook friend?????????? To expensive to phone and you guys sleep during my awake time
Hey YOTH if you are out there - hope you are doing OK. ((hugs))
have a fantastic day all my fellow tamoxi friends
big hugs
Helena
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Rachel,
If you feel like getting in touch with your friend, it's OK, but it's also, OK to WALK THE OTHER WAY! We don't need toxic friends, in our life, we're getting to old for all the bullshit that goes along with it. Been there done that.
Missed you, the last couple of days. We need our Rachel fix!
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Man I love you guys. And wow the newbies are totally up to speed already. Maybe Tamoxifen makes you wise, and funny. I want to be all of your FB friends, I'd post my name here but for the trolls, so please PM me with your FB and I will PM you back with mine and one way or another we'll FB ourselves together
Lena- your perspective as a stroke survivor helps me tons.
Helena- what a brilliant and classy idea, I will send a card. Too damn funny. And what a class act you are, "nice-ing" that woman. What a riot! I need to do more of that, and its difficult- but its soooo good. Helena, was it Jules in OZ who was having bad Tamox SEs? I am thinking that the gals on KAK's thread really nailed it, when you don't hear from someone here, it's because they are doing really WELL, not suffering. I was doing really well these last couple days, so I can vouch for that. I hope that's the deal with YOTH. And Mary.
Leggy- you consistently crack me the hell up.
It's a guilty pleasure but I think I have more fun with youse guys than my non-cancer friends.
Laurie, I missed how old you are if you mentioned it, I see your DX was FRIKIN NEW YEAR'S EVE (boy, does that suck) and I am guessing you have done 6 months of chemo. When did you start having trouble sleeping? Can you tell? I used to work overnights in a couple jobs, at one point I was programming computers (easier to work with the "users" offline) and later I was a DJ overnight in a radio station. My sleep habits were always an issue, I would stay up late and then sleep all day, i couldn't wake up for anything. I slept through 9/11, having gone to bed at 3am and the first plane hitting around 8am. I have never been able to sleep past 8am since 9/11. The best sleep i got since then was actually during RADS- not that I'd ever want to do that again. And as I am 49 and have bad eating habits (I pork out late at night especially when I am stressed, so that's how I gain weight) and now I wake up at odd hours just to pee. I guess what I am asking and saying with all this about me is aside from the kinds of things I mentioned as sleep issues, even without the chemo, this whole damn cancer shit is enough to disturb your sleep all on it's own. Add to that the other stuff you have been through, plus the irregular sleep schedule/work schedule, it may not be the Tamoxifen. It might be, but sleep disturbance is not a usual SE of Tamoxifen, and I am hoping that it would help you more if it wasn't because of Tamoxifen. Like, you are not sentenced to 5 years of crappy sleep because of Tamoxifen. Does that make any sense? On the other hand, not sleeping sucketh mightily, so in any case, I want to help you find the solution.
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Leggy- what's the news on the xray?
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Woke up last night 3.30 am felt as if someone had just thrown a dish of warm water over me - hot flash I guess. I had just gotten over the chemo induced ones and now tamox has decided to wake me up!! Wide awake for hours and then fell asleep when I should have been thinking of getting up!!! Muscle and joint pains are getting to me even with the painkillers so I feel that the Tamox is having it's way there too - and my feet hurt to just stand on them!! I have been trying to get some exercise in daily for the last week and now I don't know what is aggravating the muscles's etc the most!!
Rachel_BC: Best of luck with the friend issue - I guess it's hard to know what to do but just make sure you don't stress about this.
Lisa: Considering you have previous experience of Tamox - when do you think the se's do start??
Lena: I like healthy foods too - my problem- I like lots of'em!! LOL
AllieM22- calm to freakout in xx seconds - I did that las week when my onc told me I had high blood calcium and I googled it!!!
Aoandrews43: I was diagnosed in Jan too. Welcome and good luck!!
Now I will go and exercise - honestly- I will - well after I e-mail my DH!!
Take Care All
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I like Helena's card idea. It's a nice gesture without the big commitment, or the invitation to drama.
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I really like Helena's suggestion also!! Rachel, I loved your facebook photos! Let's all be friends!!
Best of luck Rachel with your decision. Just do what feels right to you.
I have trouble falling asleep these days too, and of course wake up and have to pee a lot! I find when I come back to bed and when I'm trying to fall asleep, it triggers a hot flash...for me its a warm flush all over, I don't sweat unless its really a hot night. Covers on...covers off
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Rachel_BC...I slept like normal during my chemo. My lack of sleep started with the start of my Tamox. I get really bad hot flashes that wake me up all the time. I sleep with a fan and also the ceiling fan on. Even the air conditioner is on but I still flash and get night sweats as well. Get them during the day as well. I just can't win. Darn it...lol. I see my oncologist on Aug. 20 and I'm going to ask what I can do about the lack of sleep. I hope there is something.
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