Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Happy New Year to all my bc sisters on this thread. I have appreciated the support and information you've offered so generously during the 2nd half of 2009 after I joined the bc sisterhood. I've enjoyed the fun and laughter and camaraderie. Here's hoping we all can look forward to a healthy 2010.
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Sending my sisters on this thread my wishes for a new year of happiness, health, and peace.
Cyber hugs to all.
Mandy
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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May this year bring good health. Thank you to each of you who have made my life easier and more fun. Love you. Hugs.
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Cheers to you all, thank GOD for each of you and Thank-YOU each and everyone for the support, the love and the encouragement, the education and the kindness. You are all wonderful and I could not have made it without you. Be safe, Happy and Healthy- my best wishes to each for 2010!
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Happy New Year. We saw midnight in before heading off to bed. We are first to celebrate such things - two hours ahead of Sydney. Didn't even go out to see the fireworks this year as we had Bea for the night. It is the first time we have had her overnight and she was great, no fuss at all.
Best Wishes as 2010 starts in the USA and Canada. I am now thinking about dinner.
Alyson
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They showed clips of your fireworks - spectacular. You're thinking dinner and I'm going to bed (just made 2010 here).
Happy New Year to my BC friends around the world.
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Happy New Year to all my new bc friends !!!!!!!!Said a little prayer for each and every one of you and praying 2010 is the year there are many break throughs made in the cure.......HUGS TO ALL..CLAUDIA
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Jackie: That was a beautiful post.
nnn
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Good morning in 2010. The sun is out and bright though it is bitter cold here but the sun makes it ok for me. I can handle anything just about if the warming rays of the sun are a part of it. As I looked out my computer room/office window two fat, fluffy squirrels are having a great time running up and down and around the oak tree there. Teeny, the little dog in my avatar who thinks she is a cat is on one of the cat perches watching them with such patience. She would do a lot more if I would let her out -- but those squirrels are happy the new year is here and are having too much fun to let a little dog disturb them.
We spent time with friends last night -- and watched the Times Square Ball drop -- at 11 p.m. our time -- we were thrilled so we could officially give it up -- the great nibbles etc. With a couple of yawns as we wished each other a Happy Year we got into our coats and drove the couple blocks home. Jumped in the jammies' and turned on our t.v. -- until we got warm and drowsy again, then off to bed.
I add my wishes to those of everyone here that this year be wonderful in every way.
Hugs, Jackie
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Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!
I pray each and everyone of you will have a year full of happiness. I hope each and everyone of you will be cured from this bc diease. I pray Jesus will give you a prosperous life. And I pray we will always be friends.
Bless You Each and Everyone!
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When I drove home at 6 PM here in Vegas people were all ready driving CRAZY- as if they were all LATE to see the ball drop and we had 6 hours to go. NUTS. I was glad to get in the house , give DH his dinner and nap until bedtime as I was exhausted. I had to go see the (witch) doctor- the - the "happy surgery " one as she required that I come in- she was actually pleasant- It was off set by putting a down payment on the moving company to get our stuff to Missouri.
2010- Amen to 2009, I am so glad for the new year! DH has to work today, I am going through my clothes and wash my little dogs, and just be Happy.
Enjoy your day, here is a hug to each of you and Best Wishes to all for a healthy new year!
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TGIF, although only the first day of 2010. May the weekend be restful, relaxing and time with family for those who have nearby. Hugs and Blessings and Happy New Year. When feeling down, write our names on paper and carry with you. Grab the paper for a hug and good thoughts.
Nancy
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Oh my gosh gals! If you haven't written down the recipe that kayok posted for appetizers on page 122, do it now! WOW! Was it a hit! They were delicious! Thank you, thank you, thank you, Carolyn!!!!
Happy New Year to each and every one of you! Let's pray that this is the year our cure is found!
I'm off to hunt a few bargains this afternoon. The football games will be top priority at my house all day long and I can only watch so much football!
Have a great day!
Rita
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A Good day and good year to you all,
Things are a little slow around here today as it was only 8 degrees when I finally crawled out of be this morning. Not that I was up partying last night but I did stay up to see the new year in and listen to the neighbors fireworks. Glad you enjoyed the "Hammie Sammie's " recipe Rita. They are always a hit and not an original. Where would we be without good friends that like to share the good things of life with us. ( And eating is one of those good things to me)
Melissa, did I miss read you or are you moving to Mo., I know you said you are from the Midwest, if so what about DMIL.
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Well kayok- she is "thinking" about it- her last answer was we would go and she would "see how it is without you to help me for 6 months"= BS, she won't make it w/o us 6 months but it would be TOO easy to go when we go.- I told DH it would go down this way when we first started planning. The only thing is she won't know the firemen on a first name basis---LOL
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Hi Gals....and HAPPY NEW YEAR...It's gotta be better, right?
Maybe you can help me with this problem.....I am going to the Oncologist Monday, & I have a lot of questions to ask.... But I really need your input on this....Since we are on this "older" thread, I am wondering how many of you have taken Tamoxifen, or still on it? Have any of you that are taking it had breast cancer come back again? Do you take an aspirin a day, to help with the "blood-clot" possibility? Did you take the "test" to see if your body would metabolize the drug? I would probably not hesitate in starting Tamoxifen if I were maybe 10 years younger... And I have read the other threads for & against the drug, but I just want to feel comfortable with what I decide!
I had the Lumpectomy almost a month ago...3 clear nodes removed, the tumor was taken out with "clear" margins, I finished the 5 day Mammo-Site Radiation, & I feel great...It's just that I don't know what to do about Tamoxifen.....Thanks again gals...Jeannette
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Boy, Jeannette, You have asked all the questions I have, Isn't it great we have ones that we can gain from others experiences? I am doing just 5 day of rads next week and then to the Onc, the next week. She had all ready mentioned some drug ( my head was still spinning at the time from the dx) that would cause achy joints and that is all I remember, Been doing some research but it would be best to hear from others. Planning on leaving the midwest for sunny Fl. for the month of Feb. so not sure if I want to even start anything till I get back.
Thanks to all that can tell us what to expect. Love to all of you.
Carolyn
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Gosh...Jeanette & Carolyn. I don't know much about Tamoxifen since I am not on it. I do take Arimidex and that does make you achy. I did not bat an eye at taking it ( though I was concerned about se's ) since it is a big part of what is considered I think standard tx. That being said, there are some factors which might influence that somewhat and that would mainly be what was in your path report. Simplest way I know to put it -- the more you had going on in your original diagnosis/path report, the more likely it is to have one of the 5 yr. drugs recommended. This is simply what seems to work best since there is so little way right now to tell how to differentiate as to how to tell who might have a recurrence and who won't.
I wanted to do all that was possible to do -- but for all I know ( since no one knows ) I could have been as well off not doing anything past lumpectomy --- but the odds were not in my favor, so my choice at that point was to do all I could period. Some day we are going to know these things and people who would not benefit say from the 5 yr. pills won't take them. We will have very tailored tx then.
I think I waited a while -- a month or two -- before I started my Arimidex so hopefully Carolyn you and your Dr. could be fine with that.
Hope I haven't caused more questions as this is only my experience and choice and the way I saw things. Others I'm sure saw them differently. I wanted to do ALL and then never face anything of this kind again.
Hope you are all going to have a great week-end. We are at 5 above and it is only made slightly better as we have sun but oh is it cold outside.
I'll see ya'll later.
Hugs, Jackie
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Good morning,
I won't complain about our 55F temp, sunny and windy. You all would laugh to see how we bundle up. Wishing you all good weather, no sleet or slush, no scraping ice nor shoveling snow!
About drugs after surgery-chemo-radiation: The way it seems to me all of us post menopausal women who would benefit from a reduction in estrogen are advised to go with an Aromatase Inhibitor. Tamoxifen is used for pre-menopausal women and women who have tried an AI and can't tolerate the side effects of an AI. Tamoxifen is much less expensive as it is available as a generic but it does have more serious possible side effects. AIs are quite expensive if you don't have insurance to help and there are more quality of life complaints... but fewer threats like blood clots or uterine problems.
So... it would surprise me if your doctor, Jeanette, wanted to start you with tamoxifen. But everyone is different so wait to see what they suggest. Best wishes for an easy time.
pam
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I'm on Femara which is for post menopausal women (that's me). There are side effects but it's hard to tell what side effects are from it and what are from Herceptin. Both cause joint and muscle aches, fatigue and such like. Mostly, I am able to carry on quite nicely with regular life. The Femara is expensive - something over $500 for a three month supply here (with 80% covered by my extended health care). If the alternative is to get breast cancer again, I'll pay it and take it.
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Pam, that is such a better answer than I gave that I am going to thank you. You'll never guess after I wrote about out temps what happened --- I noticed being a bit chilly as I was typing....so I went to check the thermostat. It said 66 degrees --- being made worse as the fan was still running sucking cold air from the outside in.......Yikes and double yikes. Guess it is full of carbon. We have a commercial unit that is outside and due to rain getting in one part -- it eventually quits working and the points have to be cleaned of rust -- hope that is all it is as it just takes a short while and it will be back operating.
See you all later.
Hugs, Jackie
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I have been doing a lot of research latley and finding myself tending not to do tomoxifen after rads.
Jeannette; You can go in to cancermath.net and get a precentage of reaccurence for your type and age and they say it is accurate within 2%. Not liking the possibility for uterine cancer and cysts blood clots and the list goes on and on and I am more for quality of life than I am for quanity of life I needed this info. at 65 my life span is considered at 19.9 years. The calculator said with out therapy I have a 9.1% risk of death due to breast cancer and it will shorten my life expectancy by 1.3 years. That still puts me in my 80's. With tomoxifen my risk goes to 8.9% and it will lengthen my life by.6 years or 222 days. I am tending toward no tomox, I sure don't want to take a chance of other cancers and surgeries. I don't have to make this decision until march as monday is just starting rads for me. To each his own. I know if i was younger and my dx was was different and my percentages were up around the 20% mark I would feel differently and probably consent to anything they threw at me. Honestly "still on the fence w/ one foot on the no tomox side" Any comments appreciated.
Flo
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Good Morning gals! Thank you so much for your comments...I am going tomorrow to talk to the Oncologist...I am still undecided! This is driving me nuts...Since I AM 72, I think you are right Pam.....I have heard the Tamoxifen is for the "girls" ...pre-menopause, & the Arimidex is for the "grown-up girls."........ One of my friends has been taking Arimidex, but she gets it free. She said it is because she is some sort of "crisis" patient? (So many health issues, & is on disability anyway.)
The other issue is my past history with hormone problems..."Not enough" Hormones they said, after I quit taking the "Pill" for 20 plus years. Hives, rashes, welts, etc....went on for 3 years! Finally went back on the "Pill" and it all went away..So it figures that I need the few hormones I have rattleing around in there, & shouldn't "stop" or "block" them from doing what ever they did! I wonder if the Oncologist will make any sense of this! I don't WANT any more skin problems...I just want his opinion...
And Flo, you are right...our age makes a big difference! Right now I know I couldn't afford Arimidex, and the few "side effects" or possible skin problems, with taking either one, just keeps me awake at night!
Leslie... I haven't heard a lot about Femara...and you are right, it IS expensive, but it's better than thinking about getting cancer again! I'm also going to ask about a lower dose of Tamoxifen, or maybe just trying it for a week...or two!
So I'll tread ahead, & talk to ONE MORE Doctor, & see if that will make up my mind...I have a list of vitamins & supplement some gals take, instead of these drugs...and I'm drinking lots of green tea...I know I'm not "alone"....& I'm about to fall over the fence...I just hope it's the right way.
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Here's my last word on Arimidex:
Supposedly it will go generic this summer. Remains to be seen. But if it does the price will go down. Also the company has a program where you can apply for free pills based on income. And, if you have the Medicare drug plan it is covered in the usual manner of all drugs.
Good luck with your decision.
pam
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good luck Jeanette= I am useless in the conversation as I did not need chemo or radiation after my BMX. There ladies will give you all they have on the topic and I wish you the best.
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Hi Gals! Thanks for your posts! Did you know that if you google something, like Tamoxifen, or ANYthing, that you can fine our posts on the internet? I typed in one of the threads..."Help me to make my husband understand.." And all of our personal posts about our husbands were there for everyone ro read. I don't mind at all for us women, who are here to help each other, to read our posts, even though some are very personal....but I just thought when we posted, that they all stayed here...like in Vegas...
But it doesn't work that way. I was really surprised, so I deleted one of my posts, talking about an awful time in my marriage, & wishing DH were more caring... And it really IS an issue when we are going through such a hard time, to only hope that we have a caring partner....but not for just anyone to find, & read...You don't even have to "sign in" to read the posts! 0 -
Hi everyone. It has been so cold today -- just like yesterday. Jeanette, glad you got some answers. I had seen a couple of posts on the Internet as well. I usually don't post anything much that would "bother" me if anyone saw it. We always think we have a certain amt. of privacy, but I doubt it is as much as we think. Many people are watched and don't know it -- as in those places where cameras end up giving you moving violation tickets -- well those cameras are on all the time. Video cameras can be anywhere, and I think if it was really wanted that bad, your phone conversations would not be private anymore either.
In my imagination, things I have purchased, loans, papers from purchasing homes -- anything and everything is floating around out there -- all supposedly private. So, I don't worry too much about the Internet anymore. If anyone wants it bad enough they will get it anyway. Of course, it would be nicer to think they didn't just have to type in a cancer word or something -- but realistically, we have all been an open book for a long time.
I guess I have a fatalistic attitude and have had for a long time. Been married 35 years and my Dh's brother was high up in the government --- Dh said there was a "file" on everyone in the family...and now since you have married me, there is one on you. If we all really knew -- so I quit thinking about it a long time ago.
Hope you have all had a fantastic Sunday -- mine was lots of work but it kept me out of trouble. Another ho-hum day for my "files".
Hugs, Jackie
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I hope I can join in. I am 52, will be 53 in two months. This forum is great. I know the people I'm talking to remembers things that I have in my lifetime and also have lived through what I will be living through. I was diagnosed 4/08 at 51. IDC grade 1, stage 1, radiation and two lumpectomies. Onco score of 15. Was a smoker for 31 years and quit cold turkey 8/30/08 (the day I started my tamoxifen). So now that that is out of the way. I live on the east coast and it is so cold. 50 mph wind. Temperature is 11.
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Like Melissa, I did not need anything after my bimx so I cannot contribute.
It is so cold here too. It says the temperature is 27 degrees and it "feels like 27) says the weather forecast - it also says we have 45-50 mile an hour winds - how can that be? Idiots!
Jackie - I beieve the same thing - Big brother is watching everyone. If they are watching me they must be bored out of their minds by now!!!!!!!!!!!!
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