Bottle o Tamoxifen
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Hi all,
Doing one of those infamous "Susie drive-bys"! Busy, tired and not sleeping YAAAWWWN.
Harley - Congrats on three years! I can't wait to be there myself.
Gina - Hang in there. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Hugs,
Nancy0 -
Nancy
Hope you can get a good night's sleep tonight!!
Don't worry, you'll get there... I remember when I was first posting here, and lots of women were posting their 4th, 5th, or even 6th cancerversaries! I thought I'd NEVER make it to this point. But time marches on!
Harley
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YEAH Harley; THANKS Sparrow - good info; BOO to headaches and cysts and joint pain;
how y'a doing Gina - in my prayers....
Have a great day everyone!
C
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Hi all
I am so tired after my crazy week and to top it all off I have a nice fat cold sore right in the middle of my lip. I haven't had one in a looooonnnnng time boo hoo! LOL! Anyone else get 'em?
HARLEY ~ Congrats on the 3yrs!!!!
SUSIE & SPARROW ~ So good to see you on board... seems we've all been busy!
NANCY ~ Hope you get some good sleep.
GINA ~ Thinking of you and praying! How are you doing?
Hugs to all,
Kelly
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What do you ladies take for bad Arthritic flare ups.My daily meloxicam is no longer working.My back is so bad I have been swallowing ES Robaxacette just so I can sleep.I have been like this for over a week but do not want to see a doctor until I absolutly have to.Anyone try Aleve?
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An Irish Prayer: May God give you... For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, For every care, a promise, And a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share, For every sigh, a sweet song, And an answer for each prayer.An Irish Prayer: May God give you... For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, For every care, a promise, And a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, A faithful friend to share, For every sigh, a sweet song, And an answer for each prayers.
Thanks to each of you for all the postive post! I appreciate all of you! xoxox
Just a quick up -date. Saw surgeon Monday, he pull drain, but if any fluid build up, he will have to Aspirate , so I hope the swelling stay down ,still having lots of Incision pain . Tues I saw Oncologist & they did lots of Lab work, to try to find why I have No Energy & I am so weak ( they say it because it only been 1 week post-op ), My labs were mostly ok except still low on iron & calicum, Treat anemic with Women Vits & still on Antibotic for Infection. I havn't been able to walk well since Sun, Rt leg Pain to back of calf.,My oncologist sent me to Hospital for Doppler/ultra sound rt lower leg to rule out Blood clot. It was Negative -Yea, But I still limping & we think it is the Tamoxifen I 've been taking since Feb 12,, so My Doctors taken me off for 1 month to see if the symptons may go away, weakness & fatique & muscle pain -( all side effect from tamoxifen-ugh) This way I can concentrate on geetting over the surgery & Infection & try to get back to being me again. I havn't felt human in a long time.It really hard to get up & move with out hurting & & still hard to look at the ugly Incision.I just want feel like Gina again!
!Thniking of all you each day! & Praying you all are healthy & resting & feeling stronger every day!
Have a great St Patrick's days my "T" friend! ((( hugs))) Gina
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Happy St. Patrick's Day to all ~
Gina: So good to see your post. Hoping and praying that each day brings you closer to feeling like "Gina" again.
Kelly: Sorry about your cold sore = (
Sparrow: Thanks for the info on hormone therapy
Caroline: Let's add insomnia to your "BOO List"!
Still not sleeping! ARRRGGH! So frustrating. I fall asleep, but wake up at 1:30 - 2:00 am. Eyes pop open and that's it!
Enjoy the day friends!
Nancy xoxo
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Just time for a Susie Drive-by today.
Gina, happy St. Pat's day to you too! Hang in there, baby! We're all thinking of you.
I'm so sorry you're having to deal with all this. I wish I could make it all better. 
Nancy, every time I see your screen name I think of that song 'Norwegian Wood' and it gets stuck in my head.
I had the same eyes popping open insomnia last night and I agree it deserves a big BOO! I think in my case it was because I had a 6 month follow-up appointment with my surgeon today. He asked me how I like Tamox and how I liked radiation... no comment! 0 -
Hi All,
Sparrow - isn't "like" a funny word - LIKE tamoxifen LIKE radiation - COME ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes, BOOOOOOO to insomnia - how could I forget that one - awake at least one time (usually more) per night. Oh for the 6-8 hour-in-a-row sleeps. I think I must be in sync with my son and dil with the new babe or my daughter and her partner with their two lab puppies
Gina - hang in there - we are ALLLLLLLLLLLL pulling for you. YEAH to the end of the drain - small mercies need to be celebrated!!!
Finally warmth and sunshine here - sending it over the mountains and across the border (and sea) to you all
xo
C
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Hail Hail The Big T Gang Is Here....Hi to All,
Glucosamine with Chrondrotin is a good try for arthritic symptoms. Even before my b/c I was bothered by horrid knee pain and this worked for me. The only thing is that you have to take it for like 3 months before it kicks in. And it does not work for everyone. I'm lucky it did for me.
I enjoyed that article on Tamoxifen. There was a lot of good info in there.
I'm finally getting to enjoy some at least spring "like" weather here and see some SUN.
Bonnie
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Gina: Thanks so much for the Irish Blessings post! It is great to hear from you too! I hope you get that drain out and have no more fluid build up and get stronger every single day! You deserve it! You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Sleep with tamoxifen is like having a baby again as far as I'm concerned. It wakes me up every few hours and I have to get up. I'm either kicking off covers, putting them back on, or going to the kitchen for a cold drink and an ice pack because I'm so hot and don't want to wake my spouse. I think I'm too old for a baby though. Maybe one day I'll sleep through the night again. I don't know when or how I'll react when I do, but I'll be happy!
May everyone have a great night sleep!
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Hello all of my beautiful friends ... Sparrow you made me laugh so hard ... my last name is Wood ... but I'm far from Norweigan. LOL
One of our BC sisters posted the following on the boards and I just happened upon it. I thought it was so powerful and wanted all of you to see it. Not very technically savy, so I just cut and pasted the whole thing. I think it's worth a read. It was taken from the NY Post.
Love you all...
With cancer, words are inadequate
By Dana JenningsWe're all familiar with sentences like this one: Mr. Smith died yesterday after a long battle with cancer. We think we know what it means, but we read it and hear it so often that it carries little weight, bears no meaning. It's one of the clichés of cancer.
It is easy shorthand. But it says more about the writer or speaker than it does about the deceased. We like to say that people "fight" cancer because we wrestle fearfully with the notion of ever having the disease. We have turned cancer into one of our modern devils.
But after staggering through prostate cancer and its treatment - surgery, radiation and hormone therapy - the words "fight" and "battle" make me cringe and bristle.
I sometimes think of cancer as a long and difficult journey, a quest out of Tolkien, or a dark waltz - but never a battle. How can it be a battle when we patients are the actual battleground? We are caught in the middle, between our doctors and their potential tools of healing and the cell-devouring horde.
We become a wasteland, at once infested by the black dust of cancer and damaged by the "friendly fire" of treatment. And ordinary language falls far short of explaining that keen sense of oblivion.
As a patient, it's hard to articulate how being seriously ill feels. In a profound way, we are boiled down to our essential animal selves. We crave survival. We long for pain to end, for ice chips on parched lips, for the brush of a soft hand.
It pays to have a positive outlook, I think, but that in no way translates to "fighting" cancer. Cancer simply is. You can deny its presence in your body, cower at the thought or boldly state that you're going to whup it. But the cancer does not care. You're here, the cancer has arrived, and the disease is going to feed until your doctors destroy it or, at least, discourage it.
Then there's the matter of bravery. We call cancer patients "brave," perhaps, because the very word cancer makes most of us tremble in fear. But there is nothing brave about showing up for surgery or radiation sessions. Is a tree brave for still standing after its leaves shrivel and fall? Bravery entails choice, and most patients have very little choice but to undergo treatment.
Which brings me to "victim." I didn't feel like a victim when I learned that I had cancer. Sure, I felt unlucky and sad and angry, but not like a victim. And I have no patience for the modern cult of victimology.
Victim implies an assailant, and there is no malice or intent with cancer. Some cells in my body mutinied, and I became a host organism - all of it completely organic and natural.
And what are we once treatment ends? Are we survivors? I don't feel much like a survivor in the traditional (or even reality TV) sense. I didn't crawl from a burning building or come home whole from a tour of duty in Afghanistan.
I'm just trying to lead a positive postcancer life, grateful that my surging Stage 3 cancer has been turned aside, pleased that I can realistically think about the future. I'm trying to complete the metamorphosis from brittle husk to being just me again.
The phrase "salvage radiation" is not used much anymore, but when one doctor said it in reference to my treatment, it made me feel less human and more like a "case." It meant I needed radiation after surgery, because the cancer was more aggressive than expected - I needed to be "salvaged."
I felt as if I had been plopped into some screwy sequel to "Raise the Titanic!" - time to raise the U.S.S. Jennings, lads. Or maybe I was going to get picked up by a scrap-metal truck and then get zapped at Frank's Junkyard, laid out in the back seat of a 1960 Ford Fairlane.
And I'm still troubled by this sentence, which I've heard many times: "Well, at least it's a good cancer." It's usually applied to cancers that are considered highly treatable, like those of the prostate and thyroid.
Most people mean well, but the idea of a good cancer makes no sense. At best, the words break meaninglessly over the patient. There are no good cancers, just as there are no good wars, no good earthquakes.
Words can just be inadequate. And as we stumble and trip toward trying to say the right and true thing, we often reach for the nearest rotted-out cliché for support. Better to say nothing, and offer the gift of your presence, than to utter bankrupt bromides.
Silences make us squirm. But when I was sickest, most numbed by my treatment, it was more than healing to bask in a friend's compassionate silence, to receive and give a hug, to be sustained by a genuine smile.
Strangely enough, although cancer threatened my life it also exalted it, brought with it a bright and terrible clarity.
So, no, cancer isn't a battle, a fight. It's simply life - life raised to a higher power.
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Hi All,
Just a quick Susie drive by...
NANCY ~ Thank you for that post... wow! Wow! BC certainly does bring clarity to life, I tell people it's like your mortality jumps up and slaps you in the face!
GINA~ As Caroline says we are pulling for you and I am so happy that it was not a blood clot causing that pain... but boohoo to the T! Will keep praying for you girl! (((((gentle hugs))))
BONNIE ~ Yay!!!
BCINCOLORADO ~ You speak the truth! and had me chuckling over the baby analogy! Here's to sleeping through the night!
Take care my friends!
Hugs,
Kelly
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I would love to be able to sleep through the night again. The doctor gave me a prescription for Lunestra but even with that I wake a lot. Pains in my back seem to be a little less right now. My foot hurts today but that is because I went and got a tattoo on Tuesday on the top of my foot. I have been saying since I got my tattoos for radiation that I was going to get one I wanted since I had three I didn't want. I like the looks of it but not the tenderness.
I love the writing about cancer. How true.
Gina - I don't post often but am definitely pulling for you.
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Hey tamoxibeauties! How is everyone?
This is my famous Susie drive by! lol I can't seem to find the time to post to everyone and to even read all of the post, so, I apologize again.
Been busy with my company and getting back to work. So, I haven't had a lot of free time. I do appreciate all of the posts with so much info. I read them and appreciate them so much!
The weather here is beautiful! Sunny and in the 60's. I have crocus's blooming and my tulips and daffodils are popping up. I can't wait. I have so many flower gardens out here and love working in them. Hubby pulled a lot of the old stubbles from the flowers out for me tonight, so, my gardens look so much better. He is a keeper!!!
I feel sorry for those of you that are having so many se's. I only have the headaches, which are manageable.
Did anyone get drunk on the green beer? I didn't, but, drank enough. lol
Wishing you all a peaceful and great day tomorrow!!!
♥ Susie
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WOW!!!! Nancy thanks so much for that post. I don't know where you found this but the person who wrote it did such a wonderful job. I was almost moved to tears and had to read it my husband outloud (making him mute the basketball game to do so!). He was impressed too.
Peg: I know my onco had said he could prescribe Effexor if I can't take it and need more sleep at night. I guess it is supposed to help with the hot flashes so you can sleep better. I'm just reluctant to take another pill if I don't have too.
Gina: Hang in there! You know everyone is pulling for you!
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PEG119 ~ Glad your back seems to be better. What tat did you get?
SUSIE ~ Hey girl, good to see ya!! I so wanted to go drink green beer, but I started a new job yesterday so was too pooped to go out! LOL
Have a good night all
Hugs,
Kelly
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bincolorado - I took Effexor for about two months. Didn't seem to help with the sleep or the hot flashes but some say it has helped them. I started taking vit E for the flashes but I am sure I'm not taking enough since I can't remember what people said to take.
kcl65 - I got 3 coral colored hibiscus on the top of my foot. Probably a foolish thing to do but felt it was my way of saying "up Yours" to the radiation tats. It feels better today and I have on sandals that aren't rubbing against it.
I am loving this warmer weather we are having. It is nice to go out with just a sweatshirt and no coat. We even went golfing on St.Pats day which I think is the earliest we have ever been able to golf. In answer to Susie's question about the green beer. I limited myself to two bottles of Guinness and figured that was much more in keeping with the spirit than green beer.
Hope everyone has a good weekend.
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What a beautiful, glorius morning in Dartmouth, Massachusetts! DH brought me some bright sunny daffodils
Bonnie ... I'm wearing shades too!Gina ... love and gentle hugs coming your way!
Of all the places on these boards, I feel most connected to all of you. I value your opinions and love the fact that we can share our difficult times as well as all of the milestones and happy events that make us smile and help with this journey we are on.
I was wondering if anyone out there is feeling similar to me ... I am at a crossroads so to speak. Just celebrated my one year cancerversary on 3/6. I had DIEP recon on the left breast and I am now thinking about undergoing Stage 2 of this process. I'm scared. The thing that is most concerning is that I have had a couple bouts of LE - mild to moderate. It cleared with PT and I feel great right now. It may be vain... but with summer coming and "T-shirt" weather, my right breast is so much lower than the new "perky" one. I so want to feel like "me" again. But I'm conflicted about more surgery. People have told me " you look fine " and "after all you've been through, don't put yourself through more". But it's me. Not them. SO ... anyone have a similar story or experience?
Love to all my tamoxifriends! Hope wherever you are the sun is shining!
Nancy
Susie ... No green beer for me ... however, Cape Codders where the drink 'o the day for me... LOL!
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Hi Tamoxifriends
!I haven't posted here in a while but I have been reading! Let's see if I can remember everything I had typed in my post that just disappeared
Sparrow: Thanks for posting the link to that transcript--it was very informative and an easy read!
Gina: I loved the Irish poem! Hope you are healing well and feeling better!
nwood450: That Ny Times article was great--thanks for posting it.
Peg119: My onc told me to take 800-1000iu of vitamin E. I've been taking 400iu in the am and again in the evening. I haven't had horrible hot flashes but I figured it certainly couldn't hurt to take it and it just might help
I am so happy that spring is here--my favorite time of year. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Hugs to all,
TCK
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Hannahbear and Peg: Thanks for the Vitamin E tip! My husband has to take it anyway since the transplant center told him it would help him with his medical issues so we already have some at home. I might try adding that instead of another prescription first. Also Peg thanks for your experience with Effexor. I just hate taking prescription meds and resisted my pain meds to the point I got scolded for not taking them enough because I was keeping my arm too close trying to protect everything too much and they were worried I'd get frozen shoulder from it. Vitamins are different though. I really appreciate the tip!
Nwood: it is NOT sunny in Colorado today. The last day of winter decided to tell us it was the last day of winter and we have snow coming down. Yesterday was beautiful and we were in the 60's! Now the ground is all white and we'll have a big layer of ice under all the snow that is coming down all day today and expected through mid-day tomorrow. I hope you enjoy your sun! It seems all these fronts seem to move eastward. You may end up with rain though instead of snow by the time it hits you. Also, you have NO reason to feel guilty about wanting to complete your reconstruction to be "yourself" again. Have you been through a lot already? Yes. But you chose reconstruction for a reason. I do not blame you one bit for wanting to finish.
Since I did only one side, I have struggled with what to do with the right "saggy" one I have as me after my exchange surgery. I just decided I went through reconstruction to try to look as much like "me" as I could and the only way to do that would to do the lift on the other side too.
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Hi Big T Women !!!! Tamoxifen being the "T" word. LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL
SusieQ - we have some crocus popping up too but no daffodils or tulips yet. Just to see anything green pop up turns me on.
Kelly - your smilies were funny. About time it's shade weather....I waited and waited and waited and finally it's here.
Gina - hugs.
Harley- whazzup? Happy 3 Year Cancerversary.....I haven't had one yet.
) Oh well. All in good time as you said it will come.Hope all the crew are doing fairly well. Susie mentioned her headaches are back and my dry eyes are being nasty nasty nasty right now.
The one that hits me strange is the foot cramps. I think that is the weirdest thing. But man they hurt.
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Nancy, thanks for the article, that was great! I'm not norwegian either, haha. I'm tempted to put 'not norwegian' on my census form just to keep them on their toes.
I would say you have to be happy with your reconstruction. It's your body and your life. If it'll make you feel more like "you", then go for it.
Susie, I've never had green beer, I'll have to put that on my list. As Homer Simpson said- "Ah, beer. The cause of and solution to all of life's problems."
Gina- how are you doing?
Have a great weekend everybody! It's hiking in the nature preserve with the dogs for DH & me.
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Good Morning Team!!!
It is going to be 80 degrees today... Yay BONNIE I will be wearing my
today! I also plan on going to the lake for a walk! I bought those Shape-Ups and I love them!! My DD thinks they are weird and laughs at me everytime I put them on.HARLEY ~ I forgot to say congrats on the 3 yr cancerversary!! I'm trying to remember, do you do it from DX or surgery? If it's dx I'll have my 1 yr in May or if it's surgery it will be 1 yr in June.
PEG119 ~ The hybicus flowers sound really pretty. Btw, I had heard that Guinness has one of the lower calorie counts, looking it up... not true!! LOL but it's all good. I like a wheat beer like Blue Moon.
NANCY ~ Congrats on the 1 yr anniversary!!! Man I don't envy you having to make another decision. I will be praying for you.
TCK ~ It so good to "see" you again! Don't you just hate it when your posts just disappeare before you can hit submit? Grrrr LOL!!
JEANETTE & BCINCOLORADO ~ Keep warm and safe today!
Have a wonderful day my friends!
Hugs,
Kelly
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Bonnie,
Thanks! You WILL be celebrating 3 years, and then 5, and before you know it, even 25 years!!
Kelly,
Thanks for the Happy cancerversary wishes! I don't know what the starting point is for these things. My onc counts from when I FINISHED CHEMO. But, I count from when I had my biopsy, because that is when my surgeon took IT out... and I had my biopsy on 3/15/07... yep, the Ides of March! Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary, even though it isn't til May...
Hugs
Harley
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Hey nwood, I had a bilateral three years ago. My surgeon told me that I would be wearing bikinis and never having to wear a bra again. To my dismay, one was up here and one was down there, thus my name was given to me by my friend, frankenboob. At the time, I laughed with her. I got home and was by myself and kept thinking about it and i became angry. Not at her, cause she was trying to cheer me up, but with the surgeon. Since then, I have had seven surgeries to try to make them look normal. My daughter was very critical about my choices to have the "elective" surgeries, thinking that I was consumed with self-pity and vanity. One day she was over and asked me why I did not wear a certain top that she liked. I told her that I couldn't cause of my boobs. She said "oh just try it on." I did, stood in front of the mirror and began to cry. She saw for the first time what I was talking about. She saw, but could never understand. Only those who have been through this and stand in front of the mirror every morning, could possibly understand. I support any woman who wants to do whatever it takes to regain some semblance of normal.
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nwood, I had a bilateral three years ago. My surgeon told me that I would be wearing bikinis and never having to wear a bra again. To my dismay, one was up here and one was down there, thus my name was given to me by my friend, frankenboob. At the time, I laughed with her. I got home and was by myself and kept thinking about it and i became angry. Not at her, cause she was trying to cheer me up, but with the surgeon. Since then, I have had seven surgeries to try to make them look normal. My daughter was very critical about my choices to have the "elective" surgeries, thinking that I was consumed with self-pity and vanity. One day she was over and asked me why I did not wear a certain top that she liked. I told her that I couldn't cause of my boobs. She said "oh just try it on." I did, stood in front of the mirror and began to cry. She saw for the first time what I was talking about. She saw, but could never understand. Only those who have been through this and stand in front of the mirror every morning, could possibly understand. I support any woman who wants to do whatever it takes to regain some semblance of normal.
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I had a bilateral three years ago. My surgeon told me that I would be wearing bikinis and never having to wear a bra again. To my dismay, one was up here and one was down there, thus my name was given to me by my friend, frankenboob. At the time, I laughed with her. I got home and was by myself and kept thinking about it and i became angry. Not at her, cause she was trying to cheer me up, but with the surgeon. Since then, I have had seven surgeries to try to make them look normal. My daughter was very critical about my choices to have the "elective" surgeries, thinking that I was consumed with self-pity and vanity. One day she was over and asked me why I did not wear a certain top that she liked. I told her that I couldn't cause of my boobs. She said "oh just try it on." I did, stood in front of the mirror and began to cry. She saw for the first time what I was talking about. She saw, but could never understand. Only those who have been through this and stand in front of the mirror every morning, could possibly understand. I support any woman who wants to do whatever it takes to regain some semblance of normal.
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Hi everyone,
I haven't posted here before but I've read for the last few days and wanted to say "hi" from another tamoxifen-taker (since Dec '09) to you all. I have a few symptoms I'd love to compare but will get to those another post. In the meantime I'll just say "ditto" to the glucosamine-chondroitin that CatbirdC mentioned - I've used it for hand creakiness (that I got before tamox) and got better too after a few months. I continue to take it now. Thanks also to Sparrow for the interesting article link - really useful info there.
Have a good weekend everyone.
CS
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Thanks, friends, for your advice. I will think about this over the weekend and maybe make a phone call to the PS on Monday.
cs7777 - welcome aboard!
Enjoy the weekend.
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