Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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I am a type 2 on insulin. I have never seen any tests or results addressing this issue when faced with BC. I also wonder about the effects of radiation and then hormone therapy such as Tamoxifen.
Never seem to get the answers.
Good luck to you.
I have had 32 rads and now due to start temoxifen. I am 75 years old.
Anne
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Julia:
I am dancing with you.
Good News.
Anne
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is there such a thing as TOO much radiation? Now I have a bad cough. I am on # 31 but why is everyone given 35? No matter what the BC. I researched this and YES, it appears to be the accepted treatment HERE in the USA, BUT in Canada, many Doctors give only 25RADS with 5 Boosts = a total of 30RADS.
We are NOT all the same and each of us has other factors. Now because I have complained of a pain in my chest and now have a terrible cough I have to wonder if my lungs, or have been overly radiated or?
I will NEVER know. All Doctors bury their mistakes. If I ask about these pains the oncologist says I do not know and will not speculate! GREAT answer. I call it pass the buck!
Anne
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Anne: I had 33 radiation treatments, 28 regular & 5 boosters. So it must vary from clinic to clinic. I developed a slight cough & my rads oncologist said, "No, it isn't the radiation. You must be catching a bug!" But it never developed into a cold, and was gone when I finished rads. I also didn't burn until I finished the boosters, and then I had burns on my upper chest above where I got the rads. And the burns even blistered! Strange, huh?? I hope your cough gets better soon.
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Bev and Anne, I had a dry cough from tx 2 all the way through. I am now 2 weeks out from rads and the cough is gone. My radoc said "no way is that caused by radiation". Right.
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SiCalLisa: Your flower pictures are just incredibly beautiful. I love them!! Tell me what kind of camera you have. It takes wonderful pix, that's for sure. Thanks for sharing.
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Hi there Bev, I have a Canon power shot SX20IS
It does not have changeable lenses...been there
done that with my 35mm...this is very easy to use
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Anne,
I had 16 rads. I was told regardless of the #, the total dosage is the same - just delivered in a more compressed/loose way. I had no boosts.
I was also told there might be a chance of part of my lung being radiated causing a cough. Fortunately for me that didn't happen BUT I WAS TOLD IT COULD HAVE. In time, the cough is supposed to dissipate. Hang in there
Pauline - welcome. Tough times you are going through but family can be a wonderful support....
Cheers,
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Dearest Pauline, welcome! I am so glad you wrote and welcome to this group of incredibly wonderful momen. This is the club noone wants to join but there is so much support here. You have so many tough issues to deal with along with BC and we are here for you. LUVRV-too funny, let you husband do his thing-he just doesn't know what else to do. I am so glad that things went easily and you are amazingly pain free. Good on ya'!! But do take meds if you need them. Lots of love to all of my gals-just a short post right now. ((BIG HUGS)) SV
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A BIG Hello to old and new friends! Julia, GD, SV, Chevy, bcamnb, Lisa, RITA!, Pam, Jackie- all the MIGHTY POD members= that was cool to see the definition again. Do I see anoither fair-haired AUSSIE? How wonderful! Isabella- there is nothing YOU can't get through!, NOTHING!
I haven't been on the boards as a girl friend came all the way from Las Vegas NV to southern MO to spend some time with me. How cool is that? DH is in LV visiting his DM so it was just us girls, She arrived on Tuesday and left this morning ans Wednesday we stayed in our PJ's the entire day and just kibitzed until we dropped. I we ate salads with home grown tomatoes-sooooooooooo good, worth every bit of humidity! I am canning banana peppers tonight.
Lisa the pics are awesome........I have not learned how to post pictures but have some great ones of the Berners- they are so smart! The drop in is a challenge- I have been keeping her outside and will try a spray bottle of water for training purposes. The thing is she is disruptive (and not polite) but I feel as a member of the Universe that I can not just drop her off as I am sure someone else has & the shelters are full and have been for weeks- I am in a cosmic dilemma---my friend got 6 blood test on her arms from Daisy jumping on her.
Anyone on paxil please PM me.
I am so happy for the good results and thr promising news for Julia, GDukes, they took 3 nodes on my left and 4 on my right- no real pain involved with either side but I have the lymphedema problem on the rt---even that is just an adjustment as I say to folks "It ain't CA" and I just keep on keeping on. You have more strength than even you know, as our past has proven. I am not one that can say "don't worry" as I was a worry wart for 5 weeks and I am sure some of my support group just wanted to tell me to shut-up or something worse.It was just my turn to be the pain of my world.
Well ladies- got to go, love you all and have a great night!
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Good Morning, I heard of a study that showed pomegranate juice, raspberries and strawberries act as aromatase inhibitors which lowers estrogen levels...not hard to take.
Anne, thanks for the dance. Sorry to hear you're having such a difficult time with the rads, are you finished with them now? It will be such a relief, I'm sure when that's over. I hope the cough is nothing at all and that you're feeling well very soon.
Melissa, thanks for your good wishes. Sounds like a great time with your friend from LV, so sorry she was hurt by Miss Daisy. Do you think some professional attention would help little dickens? She may be dealing with horrors in her past that she needs to resolve. I'm sure your kindness is helping more than anything.
A beautiful new rose to add to my collection, thanks Lisa.
Hope all's well Jackie, miss you.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!
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Good morning friends. I have been hovering in the background as of late. So many things to do and so little time. Here is a couple of good animal quotes and I am thinking of MissKitty and Daisy.
Why should man expect his prayer for mercy to be heard by What is above him when he shows no mercy to what is under him? ~Pierre Troubetzkoy
Think occasionally of the suffering of which you spare yourself the sight. ~Albert SchweitzerAs most of you know I am pretty much into animals and while I cannot do a lot.....there are many things I can do such as feed the feral cats and help others with their animals as well as taking in those I can --- Dh always says --- God looks down and the minute he sees we have a vacancy he sends one more little critter to share life with us. If we did not "get favored" with any more --- we could still be in our mid 80's. You are doing a wonderful thing Melissa. I have a problem child as well. I know it is established that the humans at our house are the Alphas'but little Mickey just is bound and determined to 'sneak' in a little bad behavior anyway. We shall see. I think when we have some better weather and can get the dogs trained to the electronic fence --- we will do better. Dogs have energy that needs expelled --- they are easier to train when some of that bottled up energy is drained off first. So --- my dogs need a lot more outdoor play time.
Always know --- even when I am silent for a bit I am reading and keeping up with all of you and caring about you wanting the very best or as close as you can get to it. Hope you all have a most gorgeous day --- not too hot and humid hopefully. Healing hugs to all.
Jackie
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Would you ladies mind if I joined your thread, I'm 58 will be 59 in December. Is that too young for you? Just checking. chrissyb
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Sorry everyone, but I just needed to come here and vent for a minute. Femara is kicking my butt and I feel like I'm 90 years old instead of 63. This morning my left hip and both feet are so painful that I can barely get up the stairs to my bedroom. Every step hurts like crazy and it isn't much better sitting down. Luckily, my 9 year old grandson is with me most days this summer because he keeps me moving and gets the aches and pains off my mind a bit. Arimidex gave me terrible SEs too -- that's why the onc took me off and put me on Femara a couple of months ago. There is no way I can deal with nearly 4 more years of this pain -- my onco is sending me to a rheumatologist to see if I have rheumatoid arthritis or something else that is causing the pain. Think good thoughts -- please.....
I'll catch up on posts and be thinking good thoughts for all of you this weekend.
Bonnie
I haven't gone back to read very many posts, but saw that someone lost their boob. How did that happen? Sorry to the person who lost it, but you have me a good chuckle this morning!!
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Welcome Chrissy! I am 58 also!!
Jackie, I love critters, too but I have a DH who keeps me from going overboard. Julia, I read about the pomogranite study and also one on white button mushrooms. I added those to my diet, of course. Anything to inhibit the estrogen.
D-Day with the onc approaches. 8/4. I really want to have a baseline ER/PR test so I can satisfy myself that Arimidex is really working. I doubt he'll do it (I'll ask) so I bought and did a saliva test. Waiting for results. I guess I'll try it for 6 months or so and if I can't deal with it, so be it.
Lisa, once again the roses are exquisite. Roses are so difficult to grow in FL (bugs, soot, mold, etc).
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Oh Bonnie! I am waiting for the results on my cyp2d6 test, to see if I am metabolizing Tamoxifen! I have been taking that one for 6 months, with very few side effects! But if the test shows I am a poor metabolizer for the T pill, the Oncologist wants me to go on Femara. I have had nightmares ever since I HEARD of that option! I have read the Femara threads, & know about all of those terrible side effects. I hate to just say "no" I won't try it....but if I am not getting any benefit from the Tamoxifen, I might have to.....I'm so sorry for you, but going off the Femara should help you! Ask your Oncologist about Tamoxifen! Those side effects are pretty common.... both with Femara AND Arimidex!
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/726592?page=42#idx_1242
And Chrissy! I don't think it matters how old you are here, Ha! I am one of the "elders"..
and we have a lot of fun here, when we aren't comforting each other or just venting! So just hang out with us & you'll see what I mean! Bye gals! xoxoxoxoHere is a pic of my "Fairy Garden" & the hanging shells I made!
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Good morning ladies,
Bonnie, have you already checked Vit D levels? My onc and PCP both recommend D for aches & pains. I've only recently started D and my lower back is already saying "thanks!"
Am taking a couple extra days break from rads - 27 done, 19 regular, 8 boosts. The 6 regular left to go will get split into two, 3-day weeks with 4-day weekends. My poor nipple has about had it. Wire-guided lumpectomy surgery was through the nipple (no scar), but was still swollen & sensitive when rads started, and so it's had a double-whammy. I know when I get to the other side, it'll be fine, but I was pretty discouraged when I woke up this morning and my skin was peeling in chunks.
Barbara, can you explain measuring ER/PR & the saliva test? I don't know anything about either, and will be starting A next month as well. I can use all the education I can get. My philosophy is about the same as yours, I'm going to give A my best shot, but if the SE's become not worth it, so be it.
Best thoughts to everyone for an enjoyable weekend! All this critter-talk has led me to work more with my pup lately - he thanks you all, and appreciates the extra time he's been getting. For many years, when I'd say to DH "Guess What?", he'd cock an eyebrow and ask "Is it alive?"
Kathryn
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Hi Bev:
Interesting. Are you now taking Tamoxifen?
I asked the Doctor about passing on the last two Rads and mentioned the differences in some other countries and he said that when that is done the strength is increased on each Rad, but when on 35 rads it remains the same for 30 then the boost for 5. He also reminded me that I had 2 pos. nodes. Shook his head and said I do not think we want to stop before the 35.
I guess he was trying to tell me something?
Anne
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So sorry you are in pain Bonnie:
Why did they not try Tamoxifen? That one is older and maybe would be different as the others are all the same type of drug but Tamoxifen is different.
Maybe you should ask?
I hope all is feeling better.
Anne
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What exactly do the two oncologists do?
The one Doctor is the one who set up the Radiation, he checks me weekly and says and does nothing. If I ask anything he answers he does not know. In other words NOTHING is from the rads and anything else he does not know.
The other Doctor is a consultant and hematology? She prescribes the pills That's it! She has NEVER examined me and has little to say I saw her once and she ordered a blood test and then the next appointment was 6 months later, when I questioned the too high white cells she answered, I don't have another prior test to compare. Then gave me a paper to take a blood test before my next visit in 6 months. She asked why I had not started the Tamoxifen and I answered that the other oncologist said NOT to start until I finished the Rads. I still have three to go....
So what is that all about? I thought these Doctors were in contact with one another, BUT NO, the one has no idea what the other is doing.
My faith in the Doctors is really gone!
If I survive it will be in spite of them!
Anne
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Ladies, you are making me want a new puppy so much. I, too, am a critter person and my DH keeps me from going over the edge. Now we have 2 year old Bengal kittens and 1 elderly cat that sleeps most of the time. I've been wanting a puppy for years and DH thinks he'll be a "bad" dog parent because he doesn't understand dogs. Maybe I'll just surprise him!
As far as Vitamin D goes, I've been on 2500 IUs since starting Arimidex and then switching to Femara. My D levels are checked every time and they are fine. I have 2 ruptured discs in my lower back and bone spurs in my neck that may be causing some of this pain -- I'll find out from the rheumatologist in a couple of weeks.
Chevyboy -- I love your fairy garden! Femara seems to have different SEs for everybody, so give it a try if that is what your onco suggests. Arimidex didn't bother me much at all for nearly a year and then the SEs really kicked in. Femara is basically the same drug, but it works better/has less SEs for some people. If I can't tolerate the Femara, the next choice is Tamoxifen, but I'd prefer to stay on Femara because I'm stage 3 and it gives me better odds to avoid a recurrence.
Bonnie
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Just dropping in quick to say hello ladies. Lordy, it has hit 100 degrees here with about 100%humidity (and no it isn't raining). Oh my Daisy-more like CUJO. Lord MK your friend had to have 6 blood tests-i love animals but that is so not OK. I think Daisy might be beyond repair-sorry and bless all of you who can work with disruptive doggies-i have no patience-funny bec I can work with and love to work with horses with behavior problems. Blessings for all of you waiting for test results nad Anne, bless your heart, i do not know WHY docs do what they do when it somes to treating cancer. persoanlly I would get the cough really checked out. I have a number of friends who got chronic lung trouble from RADS. Just plz get checked. And CB OMG, your garden is beyond magical-you are so lucky!! I would just love to sit there and meditate for about a year!!! Love you all, SV
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LostCreek, I have never been one to blindly accept what people (doctors especially) say as the truth. My onc made the mistake of telling me that A works for all post menopausal women. Any time I hear always, I discount whatever was just said. I want to know what my hormone levels are now (before A) and what they are after taking A for a couple months. If I am supposed to poison myself for 5 years, I want to know it's working.
Picture this: me and several much younger friends are going out dancing tonight. I haven't been out dancing with the girls in 20 years. Should be interesting. I'll try to get some pix and post a good one.
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hey ladies, a day, weird...feeling sad. had follow up with PS yesterday, and had to hear again how badly my body reacts to surgery.. it was only 45 min surgery, and my bp and breathing went crazy. so, it was the last time i see him, period. no recon., nada..i cried most afternoon yesterday. 2day im more determined that when i get back to dressing the way i usually do, when this surgery heals a bit; i am happy with how i look for the most part..enough of me.. that you so much for the pix LISAtheyre always beautiful , and always appreciated. nice to catch up on your computer woes. Lord, knows, im in the same boat. have to find a geek soon to fix this one. light and love, 3jaysmom
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For 3jaysmom with love
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Welcome Chrissy. I'm so sorry you have to be here, but pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. The ladies here are great.
Bonnie....I am so sorry you are struggling so much, but your attitude is still good. I think one of the girls on Rita'a thread was using magnesium with her D-3 and Calcium. I will ask her what the "recipe" is and post it here. I actually think it is about time that maybe I try it as well. Most days I ignore everything --- I just don't have time to deal with it --- but some of it hangs on and some days it tends to pull me down a bit before I get my " I'm ignoring you" hat all the way on.
Lost Creek --- loved your dh's question. Reminds me of my dad saying no more, no more, no more, and I brought home a tiny little puppy. He ignored it for a day and a half until my sister and I left for school that Monday morning --- he played with Moochie all day and them put him back in his little shoebox bed right before we got home.
Anne/Barbara --- it is strange to run into these Dr's that don't seem to have much of a bedside manner for questions. Hard to believe how they can come off so casual. I had a friend who stuck it out with her non-bedside manner Dr. because even though the lady did not communicate very well -- her institutions/gut feeling got high marks right off the charts. Kay would have appreciated a few more answers along the way but this Dr. saved her life twice --- that said more than enough to Kay to be all right with unanswered queries.
Thinking good with and for all of you. Hang in there.
Hugs, Jackie
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" pomegranate juice, raspberries and strawberries act as aromatase inhibitors" seems to me you DO NOT want to inhibit a drug you are taking? Are these not something you want to AVOID taking if you are on an AI?
Welcome Chrissy- a great group here. Hang in there 3jaysmom - several of my friends wear prosthesis ( I had a lumpectomy so I am a 2/3 3/3 boob lady) - and look at it from the point-of-view of one less surgery; one less thing to get infected; one less addition to worry about....Not like a new boob, I know but....
Hope y'all have a good w/end
C
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Caroline,
Here's how I understand it. Aromatase is essential for the body to make estrogen after menopause. So anything that "inhibits" aromatase is a good thing. Arimidex and Femara are aromatase inhibitors. The "natural girls" thread is always talkiing about natural ways to inhibit aromatase, like pomegranate juice, raspberries etc. They don't work against the AIs but, rather, supplement them. I am not sure how much they help and I personally don't think they alone are enough.. but I do think there is some evidence they are helpful. Who knows for sure?
pam
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hey sistas...here is the latest...before i go for #3 surgery for axilllary nodes to be removed as per dr#2 i THINK i should go see a node oncologist..i went from brain freeze to brain storm.does anyone know if any exist? i never saw an onc.period.all everyone wants to do is cut.Dr #2 said i should do surgery,rads and chemo. i told her what if i dont do anything and just watch it..she said THERE IS NO SUCH THING...I know that is a bold face lie.i think im done with her too.After reading and reading on the sentinal node and the axillary node removal im not too sure i want them out.
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