Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?
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Hot again after storms last night (at least I didn’t have to deal with schlepping around muddy hoses & sprinklers).
Anne, my kid sister & I are a bit over 2 yrs. apart. I was seriously underweight (still small-framed) until a couple of years into puberty—so much so that my mom used to float iron tonic & liquid vites on my orange juice or Pepsi (probably why I don’t like either beverage); and she would send me to the soda fountain/luncheonette across the street for a malted—and then call the owner to not let me leave until I’d finished both the malted and the big cookie that came with it. I was a very slow eater, and rarely “cleaned my plate” (though except for bananas, I wasn’t finicky). But when puberty hit, I discovered I really liked food, and for two blissful years I could eat whatever and how much I wanted and burned it all off, despite not being athletic. Then at 12, I stopped growing and the brakes slammed on my metabolism. My sister, OTOH, has struggled with obesity since childhood—now, our metabolisms have caught up with each other. Her hair was always dark brown, almost black, and curly (still is, as long as she gets her roots touched up; mine was dishwater blonde and stick-straight till puberty, when it gradually darkened and got wavier but still fine-textured). She is light-olive skinned and has nearly coal-black eyes, which was our mom’s coloring; I am very pale, with olive/honey brown-hazel eyes (our dad’s coloring, except he had blue eyes). She tans, I burn. We both sing, but I’m a mezzo (used to sing first soprano in choirs because I could hit those high As & Bs although I sounded better a few notes lower) and she’s a fabulous lyric soprano, who sings second (and sometimes solos) with the Alexandria (VA) Singers. She married a guy with fair skin, dark brown hair, medium- and very dark brown eyes—and my niece has her dad's exact coloring. Bob had light brown/dishwater blond hair (now it’s gray and straight, but still abundant) and has very light hazel eyes—almost golden with flecks of blue. He is even paler than I am but refuses to wear either sunglasses or sunscreen. (Physician, heal thyself). Gordy is an amalgam of us—he has my mom’s wavy-curly dark brown hair, Bob’s & my pale skin (but tends to freckle more and burn less than either of us), and his eyes are a medium hazel.
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Sandy- I ate well as a child, but couldn't seem to put on any weight. My sister was and still is the worst eater I have ever seen, yet she was a very healthy normal weight as a child. The only veggies she would eat were LeSeure canned peas and baked beans, occasionally boiled carrots. Since even a small can of peas or beans was too much for one child, I always got the other half, plus whatever veggie everyone else was having. I was also the one who would eat liver with my mother and drink buttermilk with my Dad. My Dad started making a Casserole on the weekends that I later learned was basically ziti with kidney beans. We all loved it except for my sister. My Dad modified it so she would eat it, which meant baked beans instead of kidney beans and American cheese instead of mozzarella. Somehow, it didn't taste the same. By the time I got married, I was so tired of baked beans and peas that I didn't eat them for about 5 years.
Every meal was a battle to get her to eat. She always won, and one thing I never understood is that my parents would still give her desserts. I vowed never to fight with my kids about food, but they would not get dessert if they didn't finish their dinner. When we were foster parents, and had 8 kids, I had a month's worth of dinners written down. Each child could have one meal they could refuse and they could substitute PB&J or cereal that night. Other than that one meal, they had to eat what I cooked, since they only had to eat each meal once a month. It actually worked quite well.
I talked to my brother today and he asked if he could come back sooner than planned. His son and daughter, who live in the same town had an issue when he was down here, and while they have solved it on the surface, they are each at him every day, hoping he will choose a side. He, of course, won't do that. So it looks like he will be back around the 4th of Jul. I am thrilled. I miss him. He is going to try to get a job at one of the cruise lines.
I am heading to bed because the TV in the family room will not work.
Anne
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That casserole sounds gross in either incarnation! My mom was a helluva cook and had a black belt in grocery-shopping. Although we had white-collar aspirations (my dad had a Masters degree) and they had white-collar civil service jobs, our income was definitely blue-collar (but not as high as that of our neighbors who were Teamsters or owned small shops). Nevertheless, we had meat, fish or poultry every night for dinner (and red meat—either steak, carved out from cheaper cuts and marinated, or lamb shoulder or arm chops)—three or four nights a week. Franks & beans were strictly cookout food, and living in a third-floor walkup in a 16-unit apt. house with no real backyard (except a tiny concrete slab across which we accessed the basement from the lobby) there was no room for cooking out—cookouts were relegated to once a week at day camp. My mom felt that it was silly to cook hot dogs because we could get great grilled hot dogs with sauerkraut at the kosher deli down the street (with a knish as a side dish) very inexpensively, and none of us could stand those tomato-based Heinz vegetarian beans that most Jewish homes served when they served beans at all (the Orthodox used them as the base for a “cholent," a slow-cooked stew that was put on the back burner before sundown Friday and eaten Saturday); but even those of my parents' generation who rebelled against keeping kosher and served bacon with Sunday's scrambled eggs wouldn't have dreamt of serving pork-based baked beans. (Of course, I now have a soft spot for Boston-style baked beans, or Texas BBQ beans with brisket “burnt ends," but I draw the line at Heinz vegetarian, which to me taste like poverty).
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"Hope arouses, as nothing else can arouse, a passion for the possible."
– William Sloan Coffin, Jr.0 -
I think we ate fairly well at our house. Family of four living on $70.00 a month. So ( my dad wouldn't touch a gun ) my Mom had a shotgun and would go out and shoot squirrels and wild rabbits. That way --- there was always meat of some kind. She boiled chicken -- bones and all, and when it was done and falling off the bone she had noodles she had made herself earlier and dried somewhat to put in the pot with the water/stock used to boil the chicken. Because the noodles were done with flour --- the ( as I called it ) gravy type liquid was just thick enough. Kids from the neighborhood often wanted to come have some of this. I don't make it often, but when I do I have a can of peas on hand as something about the two eaten together is perfection to me.
My mom also had a recipe ( can only give bare details by memory but do have it around here somewhere ) where she boiled macaroni, then added a thick cheese sauce to it, and left it on the back of the stove all day. At suppertime she would heat a skillet ( very hot ) with oil, make patties about the size of your palm of the macaroni, which was then dipped in egg and then in flour and fast fried it. The recipe she use called the dish Mock Pork Chops and since I was a pork chop lover I have to say -- it was hard to tell the difference. It made a lot so we usually had beets or something else on the side --- and there were never, ever any leftovers of this on the table afterwards. My mom was an excellent cook and made salmon patties that were better than any others I've tasted -- including my own.
I maintained my size which was super thin because I was very active. I didn't just walk places -- I often ran just for the joy of it. I also rode a bike -- and seldom rode it slow. I guess I liked the sensation of being able to use energy to make something go fast/work well, so even though I was NOT a hyper person, I someone felt one should use what they had more-so.
My sister being a chubby toddler who never grew out of the chubbiness ( it increased each passing yr. ) seldom rode our bike, and I don't know that I ever saw her run. She missed a lot of the pleasures I enjoyed due to her size. I'm not sure it was all size -- but may have also been some impatience and not being willing to put in the work to hone some activities. Had she done so she might have lost some wt. or at least quit gaining so much.
I look back on my childhood ( a couple of not so good parts ) as having a lot of high points to be thankful for and think/hope/pray that it helped a lot in forming who I am now.
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Sandy - Prior to living in US, my Brit husband only knew of the Heinz ones. He was in awe of the wonderful varieties of baked beans we have/make. Since "beans on toast" is an old British standby of his, he is very happy with the choices we have. I would not touch those Heinz beans, ever!
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Never knew what it was like to eat canned beans, Heinz or otherwise......my mother and grandmother always made their own homemade baked beans with molasses, pork/or bacon, some mustard, ketchup and in the oven to bake till it all came together....still make them the same way and so do my daughters......even if they open up a can of Heinz (which is rare) they add all the same ingredients to make them their own......nothing ever came out of a can...it was always fresh.......my mother would make Fried Tomatoes that were to die for....with a milk gravy...being over the bridge from NJ, gave us the best tomatoes in the country.....Good old "Jersey's as we called them"..........it was common to have a tomato sandwich for lunch......fresh bread, tomato, and a tad of mayo......we sure ate good.......no wonder I was only 99lbs.....no processed foods....or anythng loaded iwth salt.......I made my own pies, spaghetti sauce (gravy from scratch), .....and meatballs to die for...made with beef, pork and veal....never an all beef meatball....that was a no no......
- My daughters are fantastic cooks....and still do big dinners on Sunday like I did....back then it was a full meal on the table every night, including Saturday....and funny thing is I see people eat pizza for dinner.......back then you didn't do pizza for dinner.....that was a snack and didn't happen often.....fast food was just McDonald's, but never ate it......LOL......life has changed........in so many ways..back then ....no internet...xbox...video games...Ipads....Iphones.....just playing outside....calling not texting...and respect for each other, our country, and our flag.......I shutter to think that anyone will call "these times" the "good old days" years from now.........
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We lived in an Irish, Roman Catholic neighborhood. So much so, that we were aware of the2 non-Irish families in our buildings- one was Polish (I am still close to one of those daughters and try to see her every time I go to NY), and the other family was Jewish. They had one daughter who was several years older my crowd. The Jewish family stayed pretty much by themselves, but I never saw or heard anyone be anything but friendly and respectful towards them. I know he used to take pictures of us, especially when we were dressed up, like Easter morning. The only other family that stood out was ours. My dad was catholic (ex-communicated for marrying an Episcopalian). All the other kids went to the Catholic school down the street except for the Polish family that was also the only family where the parents were divorced. They got no negative reaction to that because the husband was a nasty drunk.
My mom was English and her Americanism went back almost to the Mayflower. My dad was born in Ireland and came to the US when he was 9. Through the eyes of a child, all that meant was that Nana and PopPop had accents and Grandma didn't. As a teen, I realized my Grandma had more money than we did. The only way I knew that was that sometimes when we (my sister & I) wanted something big for Christmas, it arrived at Grandma's house. The extra money (and I have no idea how much more) was never really obvious.
My mother being English was a great cook, as was my Dad. But they were very plain cooks. Salt, pepper and maybe a little paprika was the only spices used. Meals always had potatoes, meat and veggie. Roasts were saved for Sundays, but pork chops, lamb chops, hamburgers, etc were weekly meals. We couldn't afford to go out to eat except on very special occasions, like graduations, which I now realize my grandmother paid for. But at that time, in our area, restaurants were limited- there was one "American" restaurant and 2 Chinese. We ate spaghetti often, but the sauce came from a little package, much like today's dry salad dressing or taco seasoning. We didn't know a thing about Italian food, Spanish or Mexican food or any other ethnic food.
So when Dad came home with this ziti type Casserole, we all loved it. We never had casseroles. And the taste was so different- kind of like pizza. Not sure why or where the kidney beans came from, but it was a wonderful change. My mom and dad's differences in cooking came from the types of meat bought. My dad's mom bought a lot of whatever meat was cheapest, and they ate from that meat every night until it was gone. My mom's theory was that along with cheap cuts of meat, there was a lot of waste- fat and gristle. She said you may pay more for the better cuts, but every ounce of it was eaten. That was a lesson I had to teach my husband, because his family, again bought meat by price alone.
The difference between my husband and me when cooking is that I knew nothing of spices, or even green peppers and such. His family was from Barbados and spices were the main ingredient in every dish. We always laughed because we would have Sun dinner with my family- we ate our big meal mid-day, then go to his parent for supper, have the same meat, but not the same taste at all. As I was married, and started cooking, my mother became paranoid that I was going to stick garlic into what I cooked when they visited, especially after we moved to FL. I used to say to her "What would be the point of me sneaking garlic in to you?" But she was so afraid she would cook for my dad and her mid-day, rather than take the chance. Because my sister and I were due to have our babies a week apart, it was decided that my mom would stay home with my sister and dad would come stay with me. One day I made a meatloaf- he was kind of skeptiex,but took a bite and said, with great surprise "That tastjust like your Mom's" I said where do you think I got my recipes from. I have to admit, I love garlic and use it frequently
Anne
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We had beef, pork or chicken, never lamb. My Dad would only eat peas, corn and green beans. In the summer he would eat a few home grown tomatoes. I went to college and was enchanted with new tastes. Yellow squash, yum. At night we usually had some kind of potatoes. Rice was for breakfast with cold milk and sugar, yuk. My husband is an adventurous eater and will try anything twice, just in case the first time it wasn't cooked right. I love all veggies except beets and turnips. Last night we split a home grown artichoke from our garden. DH and I don't eat red meat, but do eat fish and chicken. We ate some taco meat beef at DS's but agreed that they would have been better with only the beans. He likes to get Trader Joe's frozen appetizers and have them at breakfast. So we might have spanopita with yoghurt for breakfast. There are a couple of frozen dinners we like. More expensive but made with good ingredients.
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My grandma used to make “lukshen kugel," both savory (with onions & “pot cheese," sort of like dry curd cottage cheese) and sweet (with pot cheese, raisins, cinnamon, sugar and occasionally candied fruit. But I loved her “noodles & cheese:" broad egg noodles cooked, pan-fried in butter & salt, and tossed with farmer cheese. Sort of vegetarian Jewish soul food. She also used to make a stuffed breast of veal, making the stuffing out of carrots, onions and (her secret ingredient) crumbled & lightly softened Uneeda Biscuits. (Others used saltines). I would watch her sew the whole thing closed before putting it in the oven.
Mom made incredible lasagna and both eggplant & veal parmigiana. I remember her mixing grated “Parmano" cheese with seasoned bread crumbs and coating & then frying both the eggplant and the veal cutlets (which she'd first pound thin) in Wesson oil (we couldn't afford olive). She would doctor-up canned or jarred tomato sauce, and slice mozzarella to put on top. I recall commercials for “Spatini" spaghetti sauce mix, with an elderly (presumably) Italian guy explaining, “Just add water & tomato paste. God gives you these—you can't sperl 'em." (Real old-school Archie Bunker accent which nobody I knew used—they'd pronounce “er" in the middle of a word as “oy," but not vice versa). Was amazed to open the latest Vermont Country Store catalog and find Spatini sauce mix offered therein. I wonder, when I see all this old '50s-'60s era stuff—Tangee lipstick, LemonUp shampoo, Walnettos, Spatini, etc.—where they found it, and whether it was still being made or left over from decades ago and stale as all get-out.
Last night was our last BC support group meeting till our facilitator comes back from maternity leave (she's due to drop foal around July 4) in Sept. Two women our age who'd skipped the last two meetings were back. One is cynical as all get-out, has had multiple myeloma for decades, is in conventional treatment but mistrusts it and calls it “AMA medicine" (as if all doctors & hospitals belong to the American Medical Assn. and know the secret handshake and fight song). The other was diagnosed two (or was it three—she keeps getting dates mixed up) years ago with a 5cm triple-positive IDC. Because the tumor was huge & HER2+ and she was due to get Herceptin, she did neoadjuvant chemo first—and after three cycles, gave up all conventional medicine for just vitamins & herbs. (She is relentlessly vegan too). She wouldn't go to any integrative practitioners because they “give patented drugs," found one completely-alternative guy in NYC but saw him just once, self-dosing from thereon in. She is convinced that a noted alternative cancer doctor, a Dr. Gonalez who died recently, was murdered. (I was tempted to ask her whether like I did she watched the moon landing in 1969, but figured she probably thinks it was faked). She said her mom had ulcers for years and took “patented drugs" for it until they found out that peptic ulcers can be caused mostly by H. pylori bacteria. She is convinced that Big Pharma knew about it for decades but sat on the info till the patent on Tagamet expired. We patiently explained that when patents expire, what happens is not that “natural” cures & causes are announced but that various companies start making generic versions. (She and the “AMA medicine” lady say that drugs are prescribed only because Big Pharma wines, dines and bribes doctors; the nurse-facilitator & I told them that no generic drug reps visit doctors’ offices and give them stuff).
Here’s the kicker: Ms. Natural didn’t have a mastectomy. She didn’t even have a lumpectomy—she refused surgery, period. She won’t wear a bra (though her breasts are large & obviously pendulous)—does she believe “bras cause cancer?” (I wouldn’t be surprised). She brags about how she is fascinated by how her tumor feels and acts—grows, shrinks, hardens, softens—and uses it as a “barometer” as to how her supplements and immune system are working. She pops Vitamin C like M&Ms (20-30mg a day) and says it “energizes” her “like cocaine.” (It gives me heartburn and very expensive pee). She claims that the immune system is what cures breast cancer, and that radiation, meds and even surgery screws it up. All of us, even the other allopath-skeptic patient, was aghast that she didn’t want the tumor out of her body pronto. I think she’s our age (late 60s?) but who knows—she might be much younger. She asked us at the end of the meeting whether this group is right for her because we’re so “hostile to alternative treatment” and dissing it is all we do at the meetings. Oy.
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My ex-singing partner's husband ate only “deads & breads," saying he never met a green vegetable he could ever stand. Just meat & starch, period.
Gordy, our son, demonstrated his foodie leanings early on. When he was 18 months old, we were out at LensCrafters so late that the only restaurant open was Don's Fishmarket across the street. While we waited for our salads & entrees, we were really concerned that he'd fall asleep in his booster seat without getting any protein into him; so we ordered mussels, shelled them for him, and sang him “Molly Malone" (“cockles and mussels, alive, alive-o") in two-part harmony to keep him awake and eating. He loved the mussels (and being sung to) so much that the next time we went out for dinner, he insisted we order them (he called them “Live-O") and sing to him. One day we found ourselves in a Sheepshead Bay Italian restaurant without mussels on the menu. So in desperation, we ordered oysters and cherrystones on the half shell, and he hoovered them up in no time flat. (Please, no lectures about raw seafood). When he was four, we found ourselves at Arnaud's in NOLA's French Quarter. When the waiter brought the oyster appetizer (Rockefeller, Iberville, & Arnaud), Gordy flagged him down. “Waiter, there's something wrong with these oysters—they're warm and they have stuff on them." Well, even though raw oysters weren't on the menu, he got them. (And now they're on the menu).
By age two he developed a taste for ikura, or salmon roe, in sushi bars. A local liquor superstore was having a free caviar tasting (a WI company, Carolyn Collins, offered some varieties such as salmon, steelhead, whitefish and paddlefish). Gordy turned to me and said, “Want caviar." So I wheeled him and the cart to the tasting table. The paddlefish (which is black & resembles sturgeon roe) was gone—all that was left was salmon roe and red and golden whitefish roe. He looked at the table and declared, “Dis not caviar. Caviar bwack. Want ikura." So he at least ate the salmon roe. (I had no idea where he learned that real caviar is black).
When Bob was interviewing a prospective cardiology partner to do angioplasties for the practice, the candidate brought his two daughters, 10 & 12 to dinner with him. We brought Gordy, then 11. We chose an Italian restaurant, Tuscany, because the girls could probably find some pasta or pizza they'd like. They ordered spaghetti & meatballs. Gordy ordered the grilled octopus appetizer. The girls looked at him in horror. (Bob hired the guy, who stayed five years before divorcing & moving back to L.A.). The girls were quite relieved to find a make-your-own-burgers-and-tacos bar at Gordy's Bar Mitzvah reception. Gordy insisted on eating off the grownups' menu.
He goes to Jazz & Heritage Fest in NOLA every year—flies crummy airlines and stays in a near-fleabag motel out in Mid-City so he can spend his money on the fest tickets, Cajun-Creole food stands, concerts at Tipitina's, jazz clubs on Frenchmen St., and whatever restaurants he can score on OpenTable. He was the one who told me about GW Fins, Cochon, and Jacques Imo's (which, alas, doesn't take reservations).
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Sandy - I think many of Vermont Country Store items are now made by different companies with the original formulas. Tangee lipstick is one that I buy that the Vermont Country Store acquired the right to in the late 1970s. Lanz of Salsberg was acquired by Eileen West. I've ordered a lot of food stuffs from Vermont over the years. They are NOT stale and usually taste just like i remembered. Clove & Blackjack gum are available every couple of years when the Cadbury Adams company make very small runs. Walnettos are made by Walnetto Inc. in Valencia, CA. You can get Spatini from Amazon also. It became a subsidiary of Unilever & then it's subsidiary - Lipton. It's now part of Lawrys.
Rest assured, the food from Vermont Country Store is current & good, if pricey.
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My daughter has an auto immune disease.....and her endocrinologist told her to take Vitamin C......so there must be something to it.....
I worked Big Pharma for 20 years in Marketing Research.....I knew Tagamet when it first came on the market.....at that time it was only given to GI Docs, and no one else.......then the Internal Medicine guys got it whcih was not too bad......when the GP's got it things got worse.....it was only to be prescribed for a total of 6 weeks no more......if no relief was gotten by then it was to be stopped.....GI guys abided by that rule.....the Internal Med guys and the GP's were dispensing it for more then the recommended time, and soon were giving it for every stomach ache that waked through the door........reason...it was felt that if it had to do with an ulcer after 6 weeks you would get relief........if not ;givng it for long periods of time it could mask a much more serious problem........then it finally went off patent......it was a drug that was abused because people with a lot less experience then a GI guy decided to give it out for anything stomach associated.....
It happens today with many other drugs too.....not to mention the fact that most Drs never even read the package insert to find if any drugs are contriaindicated even thought they have your list in front of their noses......but it wouldn't matter anyway cause they dispense samples and 1/2 the time have no clue about the drug..just a quick once over by the Rep while eating his free lunch...........
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Drug prices are high.....a lot have no clue why.....Big Pharma and Bio Pharm are the ones who research and develop the drugs....it can take years and millions to bring 1 drug into the pipeline and eventually to the FDA for approval....many have no clue how many drugs are not approved by the FDA....one because the are inefficent, and 2 because they operate so slow.....so that same drug that took you years and millions to get to the FDA is struck down, and they have to start over....and the drug could be fine, but just one thing could cause the. FDA to reject it...so that is one reason the drug is expensive.....then someone says.....well why are generics so cheap when they hit the market...........its because the time, effort, money, and research was spent by the Big Pharma to develop the drug...while the generic comany only has to copy exactly the formula....but they can use their own fillers and dyes and have it on the market in 1/4 of the time......also if you have never heard of the Patient Assistance programs....they exist in every Big Pharma company....anyone who cannot afford their meds can apply for assistance, and get a drug for free....there is a criteria you have to meet, and for many it is a God send.......and then all the drugs that are sent to 3rd world countrie are all free too....Generic companies do not do that......also people say "in Canada they are cheaper" or in Mexico....well you can't always be sure what your getting,
My problem is the Dr.'s who pay no attention to the package insert, and dsipense drugs like candy.....thus the huge opioid problem in this country.....and none of them believe you when you have SE:s....they say "no, that's not being caused by the drug", and they have no clue what the SE;s are........plus anyone can get a SE that is not listed on the insert....for that there is a special department that handles that....when a Dr. gets a complaint about a drug instead of him saying "no I don't think the drug is causing that".....he is suppose to report it to the Pharma company to let them know a patient had a problem with the drug, not listed on the insert.......but then again....when you don't read the insert.......how would you know.......0 -
Ducky, Just reading your comments on drugs, Generics and Opioids.One of the things about the problem we have with Opioids is that the medical profession pushes you to accept a prescription and encourages you to take them .. Both DH and myself found this to be true after we had procedures and responded that we would utilize over the counters for any pain we had. They are too readily available. We have turned ours in to the police dept when they had a collection day, but many persons neglect to do this!
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Exactly.....I had a root canal....when doen the receptionist said to me...here is your script......I said for what.....she said Percocet....I said I don't need that....her comment was ....you might when the novicaine wears off, and you want to stay ahead of the pain........I thought.....well maybe she is right that was a lot of work......I took it to the drug store, and went back 1/2 hour later............paid for it which was literally peanuts.....because it was a generic........when I got home I opened the bottle........there was 16 pills in that bottle.......with instruction one every 4 hours for pain...........they went very high up in a cabinet (I live alone)........and got thrown out a year later when I found them while rearranging the cabinets.
My grandson got hooked on Oxy becaue of a surgical procedure on is shoulder the result of a football injury in college.....he was away....and long after he didn't need the pain killer the doctor kept refulling it for him........eventually he got hooked......it has been a horrible and constant battle for my son (his Dad)....this brilliant, handsome, star athlete was reduced to a drug addict.......in and out of rehab, causing havoc at home,...the story i sso sad.....but he is ok now....it cost my son a fortune, to get him better, and he would spend it again if he had to, but all this because of a Dr. who decided to just fill a script when it wasn't needed..........
It is a disease, and God Bless Donald Trump for going after the entire bunch of scumbags who prey on the youth of this world......but even worse, the Dr.;s who dispense this shit like it is aspirin.........I know Trump is trying to have the government pass a bill to allow only minimal ;pills be given at anytime.....but I'm sure the idiots of this country will say its impinging on their constitutional rights..
WELL TELL THAT TO THE FAMILY OF A DRUG ADDICT........People who willfully dispense narcotics/or anything that is addictive should not have any rights.......including Dr.s because they can.....
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Wow! So much great information out there you gals ! Thanks! I'm saving these last few posts, to go over them later....! I've always thought the same..... Okay, if I really NEED something, if the pain is just too much, like with my broken hip/femur, then THAT'S when I'll take one of those cheap pills I got.... I was too afraid..... I KNEW they gave me them in the hospital, (Oxycodone with Tylenol), but I just didn't want to try it at home.... So I took 2 Aleve, at night, for only a few days....
I STILL won't take anything unless I have to.... Still have the Oxycodone. I've known, and heard of too many people who get on that stuff, and it ruins their lives.
After taking Tamoxifen, and what it did for me, I am not one to take any prescribed pills, unless it's for some infection that I can't get rid of.... I READ the "possible side effects" on the Tamoxifen, but who ever thinks that YOU would have one of them? Something that could change your life!
Thanks Ducky! You too Sandy & Joyce.... I love information that helps us!
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I take as little medicine as possible.....I went off of Letrozole for that very reason...4 years was enough for me.........I had SE's that Iwas told were not possible......my Onc was not real happy when I said "I'm done", but I didn't care......I had mixed feelings.......I know what much of it can do......I was in a position to get the reports from the responsible Doctors who actually got in touch with us, and asked about a SE that a patient was having that wasn't on the insert....we recorded each and every thing they told us.......and after you get enough of the same complaints you realize.....there is a problem.......another SE has been found.........and by who.........The patient........so make those phone calls when you have something that your doctor insists isn't a SE of the Med......report it to the manufacturere.....even brand drugs that worked for yoou and you had no SE, but couldn't afford it.......or your insurance didn't cover it, or they made you take a generic.........remember this....
ONLY THE FORMULATION HAS TO BE EXACT.....NOT THE DYE OR THE FILLER IN A GENERIC DRUG...........so you could be having a problem.......not with the "Drug formulation", but a filler or dye.........especially if the Brand name caused you no problem..........and this can also apply to a Brand name that causes a problem..............they you go on the Generic, and find out a SE you had no longer exists.........you have to really take notice .....your body will tell you .....it always does...
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Don't be afraid to ask questions........Doctors are people too....just like you and I only with a Medical Degree......and don't be brushed off.....when he decides your time is "up and you got your 15 minutes"....you tell him/her.......I'm not done asking questions that need answers......when they get up in the morning they put their underwear on the same as we do.......one leg at a time........you have to be your own advocate.....and not just another name in his "file drawer"...........you have the right to know "it all".........ask the questions.....and if he can't/won't answer......find a Dr. who will.......
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Because gratification of a desire leads to the temporary stilling of the mind and the experience of the peaceful, joyful Self, it's no wonder that we get hooked on thinking that happiness comes from the satisfaction of desires. This is the meaning of the old adage, "Joy is not in things, it is in us."
Joan Borysenko0 -
Yup Ducky, I never let the MD intimidate me! I have one I tell, You hate to see me coming, I always have so many questions!":) I always go along with my Dh, as many a man, if I don't and ask him what did the Dr. say, response"nothing!" The one time I had a meeting and didn't go, I had him do to the dermatologist cuz I didn't like the look of a spot on his face, Me, " What did he say, did he biopsey it?" Him, "NO!", well it turned out to be a Melanoma, when I sent himm back and he saw another Dr.! As I tell a friend who will reply, You r Dr will take care of you! I say ," He doesn't walk on water, I question "!
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I think many people are here today because they try so hard to only use what they must -- which means being cautious about anything prescribed. I normally fill scripts, but will only consider using them if I'm totally beside myself with distress. The upshot has been after a couple of years throwing away pill containers that never had the cap removed. I've never forgotten medical corpsman training. The teacher specifically said at the time --- for every problem one tires to cure with a pill, expect to create at least one if not more problems.
That has made me concerned DEEPLY about not so much ( though it always matters ) my issue at the moment which might resolve w/o any of the pain that the pill is described to erase, but what I could awaken as a side effect of having used the medication. For me, for every GOOD effect of a medication, I think of the bad effects that are encased within that tiny little pill. That is what I wish to avoid.
Just as an aside --- nowadays we are treated to medication commercials on t.v. and listening to them is enough to scare the pants off of you. I'm sure years ago there were people who had side effects --- but we were followed closely by our Dr.'s who I think KNEW their patients a lot better -- so generally issues were kept well in control. Now you are a face in the crowd and while there may be some concern I think it is not nearly as personal as once it was.
I also have noticed the last few years the medication names. They sound so innocent, somewhat meek, and at first come on in such a way as to sound as though YOU are so fortunate this has been discovered for you. Then I hear the list of se's and nearly have to be revived for having fainted. I think to myself you would have to be totally desperate. The companies help to keep themselves off the hook somewhat for listing ALL that might happen but it blows my mind that people are using these medications. I feel fortunate that the VA who prescribes all my meds tend to use older tried and true ones. I don't hear the fancy sort of soothing names but older and reliable ones.
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Mornin All
Sandy, when I mentioned that we ate a lot of spaghetti, I was going to say we used spatininfor for the sauce, but didn't think anyone would know what I was talking about.
Your son developed an unusual palate for a child. Good for him. My husband introduced me to ethnic food, most of which I enjoyed. I just can't handle hot spices, not even black pepper, which I don't even know if that's really considered a spice.
My brother broadened his palate over the last 10 years- in his 50's. He began dating a lady about 4 years after his wife passed. Nancy has, to the rest of the family, a very exotic appetite. She has introduced him to oysters, clams, and other delicacies, that none of us will go close to. My husband loved oysters, and the night they were on the menu on the cruise, I always ordered them as well, and gave mine to him.
The funniest change in eating habits would have to be my oldest son. The first night we met his soon-to-be mother-in-law, we went to a Japanese restaurant. Marie (his MIL) wanted sushi, but couldn't remember what the ones she liked were called. She turned to my son and said, "Rob, what are the ones I like?" Guess he couldn't remember either, so he just pointed at the pictures, and explained what each one was, without looking at the menu description. Wow! When did he start eating sushi? That's the only one I can think of right now, but it has happened many times.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised. My eating has changed totally since I was a child. When my DH and I. Were dating, we went to his brother's house for dinner quite a bit. I was talking to his wife while she was cooking and realized she was using a cookbook. My thoughts were "her meals are always great, but she uses a COOKBOOK?? I had never seen my mother use one. I asked her about it, and she asked how many dinners I could make and I think my answer was 3. She said that's why she used a cookbook- she couldn't remember every ingredient in every recipe. At my shower, she gave my a Good Houskeeping cookbook, which I still use today.
Wishing you all a good weekend
Anne
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Busy morning- while I was typing the above post, a bunch of you sNuck in between Sandy and I.
Just wanted to share my experience with Percocet. I have never been a pill popper, although now I take so many prescribed pills and supplements, I can't count them all.
I was first prescribed Percocet after my DMX. I can't remember the first few days, but when I was aware of the world again, I was in considerable pain. I knew, probably thanks to Dr Phil, how easy it is to become addicted to opiates. I don't remember if I was prescribed 4 pills a day, or a pill very four-six hours. I never took more than 1 1/2 pills in a 24 hr timeframe. I cut them in half, then in quarters. And I didn't take them 4x a day, or every 4-6 hrs. I only took them when my pain level got so bad, I couldn't concentrate on anything else. I probably stopped taking them by the 10th day after surgery.
Never touched them again until this d*** sciatica. I have been dealing with this since March. I have done the chiropractor, exercises, my GP and it is still extremely painful. Most days, I can do one physical activity- and by physical I mean clean up the kitchen or go to a grocery store. It's more of a constant ache than sharp pain, although I can and do still get the sharp pains. I try Advil first, then, if necessary take 1/4 pill. I really wish I didn't take them, but they have been a real help to me. I think maybe because I knew how addictive they are, I started off using the smallest amount I could and only took them as a last resort.
This is not to say any of you are wrong in what you all said about the dangers of drugs and generic. I agree with everything said. I just wanted to say that sometimes, opiates do serve a purpose, when used conservatively and with proper guidelines.
WEll, I have to do something other than chat with you, as much as I enjoy doing this, so I better start moving
Anne
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Not gonna ask, ducky, why you think 45 is “going after the scumbags" responsible for the opioid crisis when he's done nothing, his SIL (appointed in part to fight it) has done nothing, and the healthcare bill he favors cuts funding for addiction treatment—his A.G. wants to let the Fed. gov't bust people for marijuana possession even if they have a valid state-issued med-mar. permit. But this is the wrong thread for that.
Bob was prescribed Norco for his busted ankle. He won't even fill the 'scrip—Aleve works better.
The major reason drugs are so expensive Stateside is not just R&D and not just that the FDA makes Big Pharma jump through hoops here that they needn't abroad. It's marketing, marketing, marketing. Years ago, you never saw prescription-drug ads anywhere but medical journals, nor prescription-drug commercials anywhere but doctors-only cable channels. Those ubiquitous brand-name Rx-drug commercials cost 3x as much as a regular 20-sec. spot: it takes a full minute for all the disclaimers & warnings. And drug ads in magazines are 3 pages long for the same reason. At least the drug companies can't spend $ taking doctors on vacations for “continuing ed" meetings that push their particular drugs, nor dinners for the same purpose (I've been to many and Bob even lectured on Viagra & Plavix for awhile till he started feeling like he had to shower off after each presentation and quit before the FDA began the—justified, IMHO—crackdown). The few dinners that still do get held are now “no-spouses-allowed.” They don't even give out pens, notepads, briefcases and other tchotchkes any more—for the first time I'm getting more swag from continuing legal ed courses than he did for CME. But he & his office do get crummy sandwiches & cold pizza. Yum.
I've gotten name-brand drugs cheap and OTC in some EU countries. Now, why are generics getting so much more expensive, despite no ads or drug reps? Because they can. (Remember Martin Shkreli, Epi-Pens, MS and Hep-C generics prices skyrocketing as equity capital firms buy some generic mfrs. and others merge and drop out of the market for certain meds like letrozole)? Demand is driving price. If Medicare could negotiate prices, we'd see larger formularies and lower prices.
BTW, the rosuvastatin (generic Crestor) seems to be working well, without raising my blood sugar. My lipid numbers—except an HDL of 85—are way down in the smack-dab-normal range. But I am getting more anemic (despite normal RBC, WBC, B12, D, and iron levels) and my upper back is hurting me—probably not related to the statin but (ominously) perhaps to each other. We'll see what the mammo, chest X-ray, or possible upper GI endoscopy (or full-gut “camera pill") say.
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One reason drugs are so expensive is that congress, at the advice of lobbyists, passed a law preventing bargaining for a better price. Other countries bargain and the drug companies expect them to. I think they should ban ads to consumers in any media. Doctors and pharmacists should get the advertising, not patients. We had a great cartoon up in the office that was an ad for (I think) prozac. The side effects were the same as the reasons it would be prescribed.
I have a few Vicodin to use when nothing else works. Usually one per 6 months. I think ibuprofen is raising my blood pressure and my PCP doesn't want me taking naproxen. Tylenol doesn't do anything to the pain. She says it works for some people but not all. A neurologist offered me an epidural cortisone shot which I'm very queasy about. I have intermittent back pain probably caused by deterioration in my spine (I'm 76). If it was constant, I'd do the shot in a minute, but I can get several days with no pain.
A drug rep asked the psychiatrist at our agency why he prescribed more of one drug than another. He was absolutely livid and never spoke to a drug rep again. Evidently they can get the info from the pharmacies. With severe mental illness, the distress and side effects have to be weighed carefully. Most of the ones that work can have pretty awful long term consequences. But if the alternative is untreated psychosis, some risk seems worthwhile.
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Have you been diagnosed with spinal stenosis? My mom was about to get surgery for it (a very effective procedure) when on the eve of her surgery she developed massive ankle swelling and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure caused by COPD. She was never again a candidate for surgery as she was deemed a poor risk.
If it’s not stenosis, but rather degenerative disk disease, aka spinal arthritis (welcome to the club), core-strengthening exercises (when not actively having a back spasm) can help, as can an OTC “TENS” unit (like the little Aleve or Omron battery-op ones from the drugstore pain-relief aisle). Heat or ice (whichever feels better) works too.
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Hi ladies and gents. Just chiming in for the first time. I'm still in treatment but wanted to feel encouraged that there is life after. Good to read about all the trials and tribulations of living life. I'm hoping to get at least twenty more yeasto come but am learning that each day is precious.
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Welcome Pink. Glad you found us. There is indeed life after treatment. Here we sometimes actually do discuss dx. and txs. I think the majority of us here ( except perhaps for a five yr. pill ) are done with active treatments. We have become a cheering team here for each other and appreciate that we have a place to come rant, a place to visit with those who have gained understanding for having been a bit older before getting this dx. We share upsets, remodels, and lots of other bits of information. We generally do not have much for political or religious type conversation as they are fairly personal and seem to be the two things that will cause harsh words and really hurt feelings -- so best we keep to the world full of other things that are interesting, fun, worthwhile.
Definitely each day is precious and rewarding for the gift it is. I hope you will come back often and spend lots of time with us.
Edited: Needed to put the ending on the word understand.
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Welcome Pink........
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