Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Hello! I'm 71 so guess I qualify to be on this thread! I'm just starting this entire process of screening, diagnosis and possible treatment. I go to my PCP on Wednesday to see what to do after two mammograms, and an US were inconclusive. Hopefully it's nothing but the Radiologist did say he saw definite changes in my left breast from last year.
In the meantime, I've been feeling better than ever with lots of energy. I was feeling tired all the time from not sleeping, so I went to a private physician last spring and had all kinds of blood and saliva tests. I was put on some thyroid meds, Vitamin D-3, an Estrogen patch (bioidentical), and a small amount of progestrone and DHEA. Before I was taking a very small dose of Premarin which I no longer take. I feel like I'm 30 again, so hope I don't have to give up these new meds.
It is really great to have a forum like this, and I appreciate all of the wonderful comments and welcomes that I have received. I will update after my appointment. I wish all of you the very best outcome!
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Hi Kaara, this is our first time to welcome you here to our Forum " Older People with Breast Cancer " but we certainly are pleased to hear from you.....just wish it did not have to be due to cancer. We are a bit of a small group here but thoroughly enjoy one another's company.
I too hope that you may be able to stick to what meds you are on. There is a saying.....something about older age not being for sissies.....so whatever you can do for yourself ( via prescribed medications ) to feel good I am for it for sure. I also hope that despite changes in your mammograms and US I am hoping it turns out to be just normal changes for YOUR body. We are all alike more or less, but oh so different in how our bodies behave about things.
Wishing you the very best outcome possible.
Brrrrr, it was cold here too this morning Mommarch. In the 40's. So hard to believe two days ago we had triple digit temps and now looking for sweaters and light jackets. I like it cooler, but it was a steep jump.
Sure hope they are able to control those fires soon. I would be so nervous if I had fires anywhere near me.
Say hi to everyone and wishing everyone well. See you later.
Hugs, Jackie
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Hi Gals! Yes! It's been in the 50's here also, the last several mornings! It really feels good, but it seems like I'm not ready for the snow yet!
Marcha! Hi kiddo....glad you are alright....I know about Texas....it's all just so awful. I can't imagine being around or in these catastrophes! It just seems like such a strange year for all of this..... stay safe Marcha..... The smoke from forest fires really gets to me...so hopefully you won't have any problems!
Hi Kaara from Florida! I've heard also about the importance of VitD-3....I was taking all kinds of vitamins also, but I quit for about a month now, and honestly I just don't feel or see any difference. Am I dense or something? I always have a lot of energy anyway, but after running around or working around the house and gardens all day, I'm ready for a good nights sleep!
I have all the Vitamins, so I'll start them again, but I guess I thought I would "know" a difference! I've just been soooo busy with the house & new flooring & THAT mess, that I didn't take time to care for myself.
Just let us know what your Doc says after your appointment! Maybe you will have a biopsy....that seems to tell them a lot about what is going on. And don't worry.... Even if it isn't what you want, we are all here to help you through anything. Just take your Doc's advice.... Hopefully any tests will be negative! But all of us here have been through it all....so don't worry.
Jackie, you are so right! I mean about us older gals.....It ain't for sissies, Ha! I just know it's a lot harder to get up and down off of my knees than it USED to be! And then there is always a sore back.... But I find ways to pull myself up, or sit down, instead of leaning over....like when we were doing the flooring!
Talk to you guys later! xoxoxoxoxo
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Thanks so much for the wonderful welcome. I will let you all know tomorrow what's up.
Chevyboy: Vitamin D-3 is one of the most important vitamins you can take for canacer prevention. My test results showed that I was very low, so my Dr. put me on 5,000 mg. which is a high dose and he is going to monitor me closely. I take a lot of supplements and a liquid vitamin as well, so if this is something serious, I'm hoping to be in optimum health to fight it off. The radiologist suggested a breast MRI and after reading up on it, the recommendation is that any breast biopsy be a MRI guided one, which makes sense to me, so I only have to go into that scary tube once!
Thanks for the advice and encouragement.
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Welcom Kaara,
I started the BC journey in March of 2011, have had 4 surgeries, just finished AC chemo and will start Taxol chemo next thursday, once a week for 12 weeks. It is hard, but doable. Hope yours is nothing.
Take Care
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Kaara....I know most of us have a "Needle core guided biopsy" first....and then if someone on your team orders an MRI, that is just to make sure that if you have cancer, it is not anywhere else....So a biopsy is what is needed first. They just deaden the area, use a hollow needle that is guided by the ultra-sound, & take a small amount of tissue from the suspected spot. They also leave a "clip" or two, which are little metal markers, making it easier for the surgeon to find the area during surgery. After the results of the biopsy...(may take a couple days) Then your surgeon will tell you what the plan is.
Just wait and listen to them....don't make any plans for what you might or might not be having....And usually lymph nodes will be removed....the number depends on what they find after the biopsy. My surgeon told me first, that she would remove 3...the Sentinal & 2 others, which would be tested....(they send them away to be frozen & analyzed, & she waited for a call to tell her they were "clear") So she then just continued with the surgery! Wasn't bad at all.... ! Went home that afternoon, & went shopping the next day....HAD to....our oldest Daughter was in from Orlando, and we thought we just had to have fun....which we did!
But your surgeon will advise you on what to expect. Let us know, okay? This link explains the needle-core biopsy....And your team will explain everything they are doing...You can even watch what they are seeing on the monitor!
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/guide/breast-biopsy
Mommarch....You have had a tough time through all of this....but you are on your way gal! We can always hope the worst part is behind you, right? xoxoxoxoooxoxoxo
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I'm sorry Kaara....! I just read your bio, and where you've posted, and I just repeated everything you already knew....
Sorry about that....I just assumed you were "new" here, and needed some sort of reassurance..... Man, I didn't plan on ANYthing, until I talked to my team.... And I just listened to them, and did what was best for ME..... You FIRST have to find out if you even have BC....And then when I found out, I didn't want to waste anytime getting that taken care of. There are sooooo many of us women that have come through BC and have put it all behind us!
And chemo is not the worst thing in the world. It HAS saved many women's lives...! On the other older women thread you have posted on, there are a FEW that are going through this still! And Jackie on this one, & the Illinois thread, have also done chemo, and are leading normal happy lives.
So until you find out what is even going on with you....just relax, and think positive. Those of us who didn't have to have chemo...only radiation.....will always be here to listen....And who knows? Maybe you don't even have cancer....I hope not..... But I wouldn't waste much more time wondering if you have it.....or not. Take good care.....
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When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.
Greg Anderson
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A warm wonderful hi to everyone. I am not sure I like some of our cooler nights and I have to make sure I have something on when I go out to feed the doggies outside. Yikes !!! Such quick weather changes.
There is going to be good sun today I think which will be nice. I love it when it when the sun just warms nicely and you don't have to try and avoid it because it is so hot and uncomfortable.
Fall is really in the air for now.....though I'm feeling it is a wee bit early this yr. I think the Walnut tree out front didn't produce near as many or they are hanging on far longer. Anyway, hope you all have a great day.Hugs, Jackie
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Thanks ChevyBoy; Going to the doctor this morning, PCP, who will give me some guidelines.
When I am facing a challenge, it helps me to think a little bit ahead and plan for the worst, knowing that it probably won't be that bad, but if it is, I'll be somewhat prepared to hear the news. I know it sounds stupid to some, but it's worked for me through many challenging issues in my life. I actually read about it in one of Dale Carnegie's books years ago.
Finding this forum has been both a comfort and an education for me, and I so appreciate all of the encouragement from others, since I don't want to discuss any of this in detail with my family members and scare them for possibly no reason at all.
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Kaara,
I know exacly what you are saying, I also prepare for the worst, I am a realist. All the time I was being tested my family kept telling me the lump was not going to be cancer. Somehow I new deep down in my soul that it was. When I had my PET scan I was prepared for the worst possible news that I had cancer elsewhere, well that was not the case my PET was clear.
Take Care
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I'm back from my Dr. appointment. My PCP here in N Carolina is wonderful, so calming. She gave me copies of my reports and suggested that I take them to the breast center in Florida where we live most of the time, as I would want to have any further testing done there. She suggested I make the appointment now so that I don't have to wait when we return, but that a month or two is now going to make that much difference. So, that said, I'm going to set about making the appointment, and then put this out of my mind until we return from our trip to Canada/New England.
Thanks again for the kind words of encouragement and I wish everyone all the best.
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Kaara....Hope you have a wonderful trip and enjoy yourself. Seems things are still somewhat inconclusive and that could be could. If it is that hard to make something definite show itself, anything there must be quite minuscule. I think minuscule in this case would always be a good thing.
Easier I think to have a rousing good time and make good memories. Glad you are able to take everything at a less steep gradient too.
Hope you all had a great day.
Hugs, Jackie
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This certainly puts life in perspective doesn't it. Before all this came up, I could get upset over such petty stuff, now I just want to live in peace and harmony with everyone and enjoy every moment of life. Thanks so much for your friendship.
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Hi ladies,
Saw some talk on this thread about Vitamin D, thought you might be interested on Dr. Marisa Weiss's latest blog post on the topic: Think Pink, Live Green: The Importance of Vitamin D.
Enjoy!
--The Mods
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Mods
Getting ready to read this but wanted to thank you right now for sharing.
Jackie
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Life isn't about finding yourself.
Life is about creating yourself.
- George Bernard Shaw0 -
Very interesting article. I have a god friend who is a Nutritionist ( very well read and knowledgable on many health issues ) and several times a week she sits outside in the very ealy morning sun to get her natural Vit D. She is very fair and this prevents her from getting "overdone" in the sun. She is careful to watch the time too.
Jackie
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All the articles I've read, as well as listening to Dr. Oz and reading Dr. Mercola, say vitamin D-3 is one of the most important supplements for preventing and slowing down cancer growth. When I went to my physician last year for my bioidentical hormones, he tested me for vitamin D deficiency and I was very low. I am currently taking 5,000 units which is a higher dose than recommended for normal use. I will have more testing when I go back to Fl this year to see if my levels are up. This is odd, because I'm always out in the sun, so don't know what is causing the deficiency.
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Yes, thanks gals! I've known about Vit D3 also! The link was really interesting! I was also taking Sea-Kelp...for the Iodine, but I noticed my ankles were really swelling....So for now, I have dropped that one.... Since I don't take Tamoxifen, I figure I really needed to step up my supplements, & Hormone/care vitamins!
I also take Grape-seed Extract, a Multivitamin, Glucosamine, Fish oil with Omega 3, Calcium, Sea Kelp, Co-Q10, Grapefruit Pectin, DimPlus, & Turmeric. So if anyone asks, that is the clanking around they hear....
I'm having a blood test with the physical, so hopefully I will learn something from that..... Take Care....0 -
Hello everyone Have not been on the board for a while. My computer acts up and I have been having a rough time. My onc. is not satisified that I dont have mets. Have to havge a ct scan and bone scan. I went off arimadex for a month and dont really know if evgerything I was feeling was from arthritis or the little white pill. IK have been back on it for 2 days now and am gertting hot flashes again. Had 2 injections in my knee, have to have one more. Had a big meltdown but today I am bertter. I thought I would haver to have aPet scan but he said you can see more with a ct. I thought I wasd through but apparently not. Hugs
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Hi Dar -- I am happy to see you here but sure wish you were not having to re-visit all those tests and other things. I would be melting down too I'm sure. This can be such a difficult road at times and though I hate to say it......most of us are at an age where we generally have a few other things ( for me high blood pressure, stroke, bad thyroid, etc ) before we even get the big C diagnosis. To not be able to find a good plateau as yet with the cancer has got to be very demoralizing.
I will be thinking of you and just praying that it smooths and evens out and that you are able to get to a place where you can feel you are in charge and know what to expect and what you need to do.
Hugs dear sister,
Jackie
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"I can be changed by what happens to me, but I refuse to be
reduced by it."
-- Maya Angelou0 -
JACKIE you are always there when someone needs you. Got to pull myself up again. My nephrologist put me on lasix and I gained a pound. Figure that one out. I had to have some M&Ms. Hugs and love to all
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I say when life hands you lemons......eat chocolate.........and then make lemonade.
Hugs,
Jackie
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Happiness resides not in possessions, and not in gold, happiness dwells in the soul.
Democritus0 -
Good Saturday morning to everyone. Rained all day yesterday here, but so far today is just gloomy. I hope we don't get more rain, but then we could use it. So dry and crispy here...
Dar, and everyone....hope you are doing ok. I'm waiting to get an appt. made to see a dentist and get a couple of not so great teeth out. I used to have deep fears of dental work ( from having a tooth pulled without any anesthetic but so far....I'm not feeling the dread. Hoping that I've possibly worked past that fear. That would be nice.
Nursing Minnie -- our little Min-Pin who was just spayed. Last one at our household who needs altering. We are definitely trying for no more. If I can stay away from the Shelter long enough.....it should happen.
Hope you are all going to have a good day.....I'll be checking back in later. See you then.
Hugs, Jackie
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I fixed an interesting dish for dinner last night. I cut up about 6 oz. of bacon in bite size pieces and fried them up, drained them and set aside. Took off most of the grease and sauted a clove of garlic chopped. Added about 3/4 cup of chicken stock to degaze pan, added ragu cheesy alfredo sauce and little more parm for flavor plus red pepper flake and salt and pepper. Cooked a pound of fettecini
noodles, added bacon and tossed, served with salad and garlic bread, yum yum.
Try it
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Hello everyone! Marcha, I printed off the recipe! It really sounds delicious! So thank you for that. I always like to try new simple recipes...I have a jar of Alfredo sauce in the cupboard...and no problem to fry those bacon bits....
My Daughter had that Rotator Cuff Surgery...(Arthroscopic) & boy that is a painful one for the first few days.... I stayed the first night with her, & we went today to take a few more groceries, plus more ice for the "ice machine"....She has to wear that bulky sling for 4 weeks..... but this afternoon she sounds a little better... She lives alone, so it's even harder without someone there to help do the little things.... but that's what we are for....
! I'm just glad we live close enough to help her out!Still finishing up our new flooring, & putting up the quarter-rounds, & a little paint touchups! I bought the BEST floor mats for under the roller wheels of our chairs! They were 3 times cheaper than the ones at Office Depot! So that ought to help.... But this really is easy to clean!
Hey Dar! Hope you are a little better today! And Jackie, hope you are not working yourself to the bone...Ha! You have more going on, than any gal I know!
Hope you all have an easy, smooth day.....xoxoxoxo AND Sunday!
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In remembrance of today: September 11.
When I despair, I remember that all through history
the way of truth and love has always won.
There have been tyrants and murderers and
for a time they seem invincible,
but in the end, they always fall ... think of it, always.
- Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi0
