Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
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rofl- we all need a boob massage... or a massage... Patty B part deux you always make me laugh. OK the city not the state... still... and I remember I am also just getting over the cold/flu bug, that could have made me hot and bothered. Still, i hope its a HF! Hey Patty- everyone is supposed to get yearly eye exams!
GO COWPOKES!!!!!
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I think I got my threads mixed up. A lady over in the "Got my First Expander Fill Yesterday" thread was talking about PT she was having. I asked her for more info about it and yes, the therapist is actually massaging her boob!! So the talk about boobs (above) led to the boob massage reference....
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Thanx everyone for your lovely comments - really lazy day - party started at 3pm and last person left at midnight - yawn, so lurking on BCO, which I haven't done for AGES!!! Too much champagne, too much great food and some awesome pressies. How happy was I.
Meg - how cool - b9 ovaries. Excellent news. And yes I would have been more worried about those results too. ((hugs))
Rach - so sad to hear there won't be any Yogi and booboo piccies
I have little power surges every now and then, no trigger for them but I kind of like them because I feel tamoxifen is doing its little stuff in there. Mary - don't look at it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
All the newbies - side fx do exist but you won't know if they will exist for you until you start taking it. Its so scary taking a pill everyday and I actually stopped taking tamoxifen early on because I had such a bad time with depression/anxiety - I was sooooooooo scared not taking it that I went back on it. Doing great now - still have my sweety pie happy face and tamoxibitch days but that just keeps everyone on their toes!!!!! I blamed tamoxifen for the depression but in hindsight it was post traumatic stress (which I so totally didn't believe in before SFBC). You wouldn't believe some of the stupid things I posted on this thread, well maybe you would, he he, but the little group of regulars here patiently and humorously hugged me through. It really is great getting to know a bunch of women on the other side of the world. Some great chick friend said to me that "even though we're half way round the world from each other, sounds like we're kinda in the same place after all".
I feel like I'm letting everyone down in a way not coming here anymore and posting so much like I used to but PLEASE don't think I don't care about you all. The love I have felt here was real and the laughs were only things us SFBC gals would get. I think it is just a natural progression to move on. If anyone wants to be a facebook friend just PM me as my addiction has moved on to there
I've had the big comfy seat at the back of the train for 8 months now and some space next to me for my denial crate so I will leave that for someone else who loves this place as much as me - sorry about the crumbs!! Over and out for now.
big hugs
Helena
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Helena I am considering putting the kid in his bear suit for music class today... we'll see...
meg- on the extra hour... I am hoping to convince the kid to let me take it to sleep!!!
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OT- Anyone watching Top Chef? I keep thinking about the Voltaggio brother talking about how his mom used to have dinner on the table at 530pm each night until she moved in with their father and they started getting TV dinners.
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No, but I'm addicted to Cake Boss !
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I like Top Chef, Kevin and Jenn are my favorites this time, Brian is a little full of himself at times. It is neat to watch this time as I have been to Vegas and my son tells me about some of the places they shoot at that he has been to like the Wynn Resort and Springs Presereve. Next trip out I want to visit the Springs Preserve.
Feeling a little yucky today, hot, cold, snezzing, odd pains in my pelvic area hope a day of rest wil make me well enough to go to work tomorrow. All have a great day.
Rachael, I saw the chick pea recipe, not an item I am used to cooking with but might try it once the seasonal produce is used up. Right now we have a lot and a found a bonanza of squash recipes I am trying out, one is reducung apple cider baking the squash and topping it with the apple cider reduction, a bit of butter, salt and pepper. Really good you can use any squash, I like it best with acorn or delicata. Brined a chicken and have it in the oven so easy dinner today and hope to get energy to make a apple crisp.
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Pictures from my trip
Route 66 View 
Santa Fe Mountain View
Albuquerque Balloon Festival Shapes 0 -
Well, I think I will start taking Tamox this week. Does anyone have any advice to offer me? I know that I have read where some take half in the morning and half at night. Do any of you do that? Or, just take the whole thing at once? And, no grapefruit with it ever, right? Anything else? I am scared, but, as some of you wrote back to me, you were too, but, you finally did it. So, I just need to put on my "big girl pants" and do it. I hope and pray that this will help me in my fight with bc. Thanks everyone!
Susie
p.s. Your pictures are beautiful Carollynn79!
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I take mine after dinner around 6 pm unless i am not home then I take it a bit later.
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Ok, thanks Carollynn. I will start by taking it after dinner too then. Does food help with it? Or, makes no difference? And, did you have the hot flashes or anything happening at first? Sorry for all of the questions, I just have noone else to ask. Thanks again!
Susie0 -
I take mine right before bedtime - I avoid living through the hot flashes during the day that way.
Edited because I'm forgetful these days....great photos Carollyn! Looks like you had a wonderful time!
Terri
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Thanks Terri! I will try taking it after dinner first and see how that might work, and, then switch to right before bed. Thanks for helping me. I love your pic! You are so pretty!
Susie0 -
I have been taking mine around 9pm because I read somewhere (here?) that sometimes you can have the SE's during your sleep and not even know it. This is my 4th week on it. And so far just some hot flashes, which I wuold have to classify as pretty mild, because while I don't enjoy them AT ALL, I don't actually sweat - just feel very hot. Some women have sweat that pours off them. I'm glad I don't have that.
I have chosen to take DIM with it (so far I am taking 100mg in the morning and another 100mg at dinner). So that may be helping keep the SE's away. My naturo-doc says it can. My onco doc says not to take it. But I am sticking with the naturo-doc on this one.
I have to say that the Tamox thing was terrifying to me - in some ways even MORE than any other part of treatment. I think I wrote here before that I made my husband come with me to the cancer psychologist for a few sessions to strategize on how to handle the bitchiness that I was sure would happen. The doc and psych (and my husband) kept saying "let's just see how you do on it" but I felt I needed to be prepared. But so far, no mood changes at all taht I can tell. Actually I'm feeling very wonderful but I think that is from relief and b/c I am so glad rads are done and I can get back to real life.
I also have to say (as a newcomer to this site) that the recent controversy and conflict here may actually BE because tamox is such a challenging part of our treatment. We don't have much choice on the other stuff (surgery, chemo, rads) but this can be handled different ways which gives us more power but also more stress. Also by the time we get here we are TIRED from all the stuff we've been through so far and patience may wear thin. And add to that the challenges of communicating only through posting, you have a recipe for misunderstandings and hurt.
But I have received SO MUCH HELP and sustenance from these boards since my dx, I know we want to offer the same to all others. Sort of like the Statue of Liberty - 'give us your tired, poor huddled masses, yearning to breathe free" - I know that's the condition I was in when I first came to bc.org.
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Helena, GREAT pics!! I just felt the love thru those pics!! What an awsome time. I am getting excited for the NoCal gals hookup! The weather has been simply gorgeous lately, I sure hope it holds out one more week!!!
Rach, that did sound like a HF. I find myself still saying that..."is this a HF I'm having?" cause they don't seem so strong, especially now that the weather isn't hot anymore. hmmm....
Carollynn, great pics! We did a lot of Route 66 on a road trip 2 years ago, we had so much fun driving all over the place!!
Meg, terrific news on the B9!!!!
Susie, you have ILC like me, sneaky bastard that is...take the Tamox!! I take mine with dinner but if I'm out and about, I take it when I get home.
PattyB, sorry about the pokes, sounds like they lost...
We finally had lots of cute kiddies trick or treating last night. Last year 2 kids only! Lots of changing households with the market tanking. Our neighborhood is 4 years old now, so there was a sea of bank owned homes, ours being one too! So lots of new young families! I LOVE IT!!
Ok, its 11 and I'm starving...time change, I will be eating at my desk all day tomorrow I bet! We gave out M&M's and I notice my hubby took a handful with him today! sneaky!!
Happy Sunday girls!
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Little Red- I missed your post -oops! Thank you Yeah I am thinking more and more maybe this is my HF! Girl, if these are my HF, there's going to be a freakin party here. Today I took the kid to music class and the weather is cool and dry and I was more tired and took the elevators instead of the stairs with the kid on my back... I was feelin it as I got aggravated by the people around me (two trains) and in class I was really feelin it. Took a half Xanax again. Maybe that's why I am soooo tired now.
Amy- mood swings were my biggest fear on Tamox. Weight gain running a close second. Both I had experience with during IVF. One hormone pill called Clomid really made me lose my mind, I only took it for 5 days but it wrecked me for months. At the time, I had already had one SFBC scare, and I had a friend DX'd, and I said then and I say now, I would rather have SFBC (not metasticized) than lose my mind like that again. Because I need my mind to fight SFBC, without my mind an ice cream cone could kill me. The weight gain was almost instant with the hormone shots I was taking, and it didn't come off easily like they said it would. So I get you when you talk about the fear of mood swings. I was very much reassured by all the women on Effexor. I too wanted to stick with natural substances, that's my way my whole life, I could bore ya to tears with it... but on the other hand, if the frikin thing works and no one anywhere has reported any problems of any sort on it, why not go for it? Happily, Tamox is not like Clomid, everyone reports that when they stop Tamox, if they had a side effect (like mood swings) it goes away very quickly when they stopped Tamox. My unasked for .02 regarding going against your ONC and taking supplements- this scares me. No one knows how Tamox works, just that it does. It was not designed to fight breast cancer, it was supposed to help bones. When we did RADS they told us to stop taking anti-oxidants. Something about not wanting to be rebuilding cells when we were trying so hard to destroy them. The gals here have found a lot of OTC drugs and Rx drugs that are known to chemically reduce Tamox effectiveness. So many gals also getting tested to make sure they are metabolizing Tamox and if the are only metabolizing a little, they up their dosage. Why then risk doing anything that could reduce the effectiveness of Tamox? It just scares the heck out of me that you'd go against your ONC in favor of your natural advisor when it comes to a cancer you already have. Natch, you gotta do what makes you comfy, and I'd support any decision you make- but I am scared.
Carollyn- LOVE the balloons!!!!! That's so cool
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carollyn- Kevin is my fave, and what Bryan or Michael said about their mom I think revealed a lot of why they are the way they are. They are something though. Jen... she's losing her grip these days. The chick with cancer is getting very annoying and hard to support.
kari- I am hopin these are the HFs, thank you!
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Thanks AmylsStrong! I appreciate all of your information on tamox. I will start it this week, probably tomorrow, or, maybe tonight. May I ask what DIM is? And, I loved what you wrote about tamox and everything else. You are very insightful! Thanks again!
Susie0 -
Thanks for all the responses on the Ambien. I am going to call my Onc to set an appointment. I have been taking some over the counter stuff and I do not want this tamox and all of its SE to be in vain!
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Hi Kfinnigan! Thanks for your response to me. May I ask what is ILC? You said I was like you in that way and I am not familiar with that. So your hubby took some M & M's huh? OMG, I and my hubby love them. We actually "kind of hid" them from the trick or treaters so that we could eat them. lol Oh welllllllllllll
Susie0 -
Hello to all. Just getting finished helping my son type his book report! He typed a paragragh and then I typed one. His handwriting is absolutely awful. Eventually he will get laptop to type all of his notes for class. His one teacher is going to email homework assignment so he can type them and email them back to her.
Helena good to "see" you!! I am just chilling today!!!!!
Rachel have fun at music class.
I hid the Halloween candy, yes out of sight out of mind!!!!
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I will take the tamox Ivorymom. I was scared, but, you have all been so supportive and kind that I know it is the right thing to do. And, I pray that you will help me IF I have any side effects. Times like this, I wish I still had my MOM. Not that my Aunt wasn't and isn't great, but, somehow it just isn't the same. Thank you so much for replying!
Hubby is outside getting putting pots and stuff away just incase winter comes early. I can't believe that we haven't had much of a Fall. I just love Fall. But, the trees are still pretty at least. I have been cleaning on the house. ugh lol But, someone has to do it, but, why ME? lol
Susie0 -
Rach, you reminded me I have to get to my daughter's this week as she's been taping Top Chef for me!! I only the Bravo channel free in Sept. so she gets it all the time. I love me some Top Chef! heehee
Susie, ILC is your diagnosis-Invasive Lobular Carcinoma, those 3 little lovely words I will NEVER forgot them telling me over the phone that I had.
Rach, did you dress the kid up for music class?? Girl you crack me up, you better get some rest today!! I was going to take myself out to a nice lunch at The Fountains, an upscale shopping center, but I ended up online and stuffing a pb&j sandwich down my throat. Ok, I need to get outta here and enjoy the sunshine for a bit!!
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Susie, I have ILC also and your diagnosis and mine are almost identical. Take the Tamox, try it out for one month at least and then you can decide if you want to go off it or not. It's putting one more thing on your side to fight this disease. Take the pill tonight, pull up your big girl panties and take it..... you've got to start somewhere and Nov 1 is a good time to start.
Terri
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AmyIs Strong - Probably a dumb question but, "What is DIM".
As for the bitchiness, it's already a part of my life (I know, many of you are shocked to hear that ! ~smile~) so my best friend is teasing me that maybe the extra Tamox bitchiness will push me full circle and make me terribly sweet. You knows ?
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Meg, I honestly do not like my oncologist at all. I love my rads oncologist, he is great! The whole staff there was just like one big family to me. I still see them and love it! My oncologist, on the other hand, seems always hurried, like he doesn't have time for me. He doesn't like me or my hubby asking questions either. He just says, Now I am doing what is best for you, you don't need to question me. I probably should change, huh? It would be great to have an oncologist that I feel good about. Since I have been seeing my rads oncologist, he has been ordering some tests for me since I have been having some problems. I have been having back pain that kind of goes around to the front. He ordered a bone scan, which was clean. But, now I have a CAT scan tomorrow for my pelvic and abodomen. So, I hope it is something simple. Wish me luck! But, I will still probably take the tamox tonight. I need to start it and continue my fight with bc. Thanks for being so kind!
Susie
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Terri, I am pulling up my big girl panties and taking the plunge into tamoxifen world tonight! Wish me luck! Thanks for your encouragement!
Susie
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I wish you all the best of luck...everything will be OK. It takes a while for any SE's to start (if any) so tonight will be a quiet one on the SE front for you. BTW, my ONC seems to be like yours, not very patient and doesn't really like to be questioned. He really is the best around so I am staying for that reason although I am exploring other "natural" alternatives on the side. I plan on continuing my Tamox but adding supplements also. Everyone has to do what's right for their situation and only you know what that is for you. Good luck and let us know how your first night on the Tamoxi-train goes !
Terri
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Rachel - here is the situation with my onc. We spoke several times about supplements and complementary medicine. His attitude is that he is a scientist first - that ANYTHING that is not clinically scientifically proven by large official studies is a "no" to him. It's not like he is especially opposed to any in particular - they are ALL no. So knowing his approach (and staying as his patient at least for now), I have to do my own research and get other advice and input to complement my true 'medical' care. If it were up to him, I would take only my meds and maybe a daily multi. And oh yeah, he is good w VitaminD b/c some studies are saying it may help. But I KNOW there are other things out there that can help - CoQ10 has been proven to help w heart function, which I take to help me avoid the possible heart damage from herceptin. During chemo and rads, they said no antioxidants, for the reasons you described - and I didnt' take any antioxidants. I am not rebellious by any means and have complied with everything they have prescribed. But he is very knee-jerk about saying no to anything besides the basics. That is why I am more willing to go around him, than if he gave me a specific thoughtful answer as to avoiding any one thing.
The natural doc I go to is a medical doctor. He is very cautious but much more caught up on the latest readings about studies and alternative options. He insisted I take the Tamoxifen, actually, when I pushed a little to see if DIM and other alternatives would suffice. He said no - that this is a very well studied, well-researched disease and I need to go with the protocol. So I trust him in some ways MORE to see the whole picture, because he is cautious but open. The onco doc is "standard protocol" all the way.
Ladies - DIM is described here: http://www.dimfaq.com/ - I think this site may actually sell it - I didnt' buy it from them and am posting this as informational ONLY. It is a phytonutrient made from substances found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc.) and works somehow to reduce 'bad' estrogen and increase 'good' estrogen. I don't even pretend to understand it but it has been studied, and is currently being studied and seems very promising, and not harmful. So I have decided to take it along w the Tamox.
Terri and Susie - my onc sounds like yours. Maybe they all went to school together! I'm not the type of woman to take well to the 'don't worry your pretty little head about anything' message. I want to know and understand! We have bumped heads several times and I actually may switch if I can find someone more conversant. I trust him with the basics but I don't want to be with someone I have to battle with for the next decade. Am still thinking about it. I will stay with him through the rest of my treatment (Herceptin ends in April) at least. On the other hand, I met a research nurse the last time I was at the cancer center and we got to talking. She is a massage therapist and does Reiki on the side so she is very 'alternative-minded.' I told her my dilemma (wishing he was more open to discuss supplements, etc. - and she said if it were her having cancer, he is the exact doctor she would go to for care, and then she would see the natural doctor (she is his patient for accupuncture, actually) for the complementary stuff. She said the oncs aren't into that stuff yet (if ever) and you have to work around them until they catch up. As I said, i am still thinking about it. He won't even discuss the tamox-metablizing test - although I am going to bring it up to him AGAIN next time I see him. Sigh - I have never changed doctors before for a reason like this and dont' really relish the thought. You feel vulnerable enough as a cancer patient.
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hey, Kari, yes the Pokes got blown away last night by the Longhorns. It was SCARY, the way we managed to beat ourselves! UGH
Susie, good luck! That's for tomorrow (your scans) as well as for starting the Tamoxifen. I hope you breeze through both of them.
Like everyone else, have to ask Amy, what's DIM? is it a compound of the substance found in broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts?
**Amy, we must have posted at same time. Thanks for explaining...
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