Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
Comments
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Thanks Pam I am ok. Slept for about 3 hrs. Still have a headache, but am not nauseous. (should I say yet?) I hope my other chemo sisters are ok. I am rinsing the mouth with biotine a lot !!!!
Hugs to all...
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It's so true, Pam, things do seem worse in the dead of night. This morning I'm still feeling like I'm in a nightmare - but I'm going to find my way through it somehow!
Nas14 Thanks for your support. I'm still waiting on a surgical date for the dissection. I am also going to consult with med and rad oncologists to see if that really is my best course of action. I'm sorta wondering why would I waste time on more surgery and recovery, and risk the complications and side effects of that, rather than move directly into an aggressive chemo regimen which will be my only systemic weapon?
Pam - Thanks for your kind empathy - You seem to always hit the nail on the head.
Unclez - So glad to find a fellow Trip Neg here and thanks for the positive words. I've enjoyed your posts but until now didn't look closely at your signature line. 1/9 nodes: did you have (partial) axillary node dissection - and how did that go? How was your recovery? Have you/are you undergoing chemo now, and if so, what regimen are you on? Feel free to PM me.
JustmeAlicia - keeping you in my thoughts today and hope your day post-chemo goes well.
Juannelle - So glad you're feeling well. Hope you have a great day back at work. Good vibes your way!
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Luah- I am sorry to hear of your news, but as you have seen there are a bunch of supportive women on here that have a lot of love to throw your way! You are in my thoughts and prayers as you fight your big fight!
Juanelle-Have a great day at work and be careful not to over do it! I am sure tons of people have been telling you that already
I went to a yoga and meditation class at a local cancer resource center last night. It was amazing! I encourage any of you who are able to check your area for something similar. It felt good to move and stretch and to quiet my very loud mind!
Yesterday while at my rad onc appointment I pointed out a pain in my arm that has reoccured since I had surgery. He measured my arms and it seems that my left arm is slightly bigger than my right arm, so he referred me to the local lymphodema clinic to get checked out. Just at the tail end of my rads and now this rears its ugly head, oh well. He showed me some massages to do to my arm to help with the circulation of the fluid, to control the swelling.
Hugs and good vibes to you all!
Jen
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Good AM Jen,
Could you describe the pain in your arm? I am having some arm discomfort and attribute it to a shoulder problem coming back but wonder about it. I cannot sleep without lying on that arm and know it interferes with circulation. Sometimes in the AM my left hand fingers are ice cold. Did you notice the difference in size? Congrats on reaching the end of Rads! hooray!!!!
pam
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Hi Pam
It feels achy in the top part of my arm and hurts at the elbow joint when I extend it. I did not notice the swelling on my own, my rad onc measured and found the difference in size. It is similar to pain I had in the same area after surgery. I didn't know to attribute it to lymphedema.
I would get your arm checked out and just make sure that is not what it is.
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Hi Everyone,
I was recently dx with IDC on 10/22/09 and had a Lumpectomy and lymphnode dissection on 10/29/09. I haven't gotten the results of my pathology report yet, but I am waiting on a call from the surgeons office anytime. I do know that out of the two lymphnodes they dissected none were positive for cancer. Yeah!!! I am currently off work for 2 weeks recuperating and return to see the surgeon on 11/12/09 and at that time he will tell me the treatment plan. This is my second go round with cancer. I was dx with Hodgkins Disease when I was 16 and underwent 8 months of chemo. I have been cancer free for 27 yrs and was quite shocked when the surgeon called after my biopsy and gave me the news. I had not felt a lump or anything... the small mass had shown up on my mammogram. And so began my ordeal with breast cancer. I struggled like so many of you back and forth between deciding if I should have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy, but I felt like my surgeon was pushing me toward having the lumpectomy because he felt like my mass was so small. After I had an MRI done 2 days before surgery, it confirmed that it was small (the surgeon actually said he had probably gotten most of it with the biopsy) and that helped make the decision to go with the surgeon's recommendation a little easier. I pray every day that it was the right decision to make and that I shouldn't have had a bilateral mx. But I am so glad that I found this site and all the ladies have been so supportive and wonderful to talk with. God Bless each and every one of you.
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Dear Luah,
Call me Onty please. Unclez is hubby's nickname :-)
I'm not sure whether I had a partial axillary node dissection or my surgeon
only found 9 nodes. I healed ok from surgery. The healing from port insertion
is going slow. It may be because I may be getting Avastin. Yes I am undergoing
chemo. I am getting DD AC followed by weekly T +/- Avastin.0 -
Thanks Onty! It sounds like a very aggressive chemo regimen - I wish you all the best with it. I'll have to ask my oncologist about Avastin... I have a consult with her on Monday, am also meeting with the rads oncologiston Thursday, so hopefully I'll be able to put the pieces together and decide whether ALND is the way to go or not.
You mentioned the port - and I have seen that a lot on these boards. Is it standard practice in U.S.? I'm not sure that's the case here in Canada (maybe for Herceptin patients). My sister had a pic line in her arm but that was because of bad veins.
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Dear Luah,
Oncologists in USA request ports all the time. It is easier for chemo nurses! My personal opinion is that you don't need a port is you are getting up to 4-6 treatments. You can even get up to 8 treatments using your veins if you have good veins. I don't like PICC lines because of higher risk of infection but some people prefer them over ports.
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Alicia,I hope you are feeling better this evening. Keep rinsing and drink lots of liquids. If you are drinking lots of water, then add something ever so often to add some electrolytes into your system. I bought Gatorade, but it is too salty for me, so I switched to a Zero Powerade. It taste better, has half the salt and no calories.
Jen, how is your arm doing? Certainly hope it isn't lymphedema. That is one thing I am so afraid of. My Onc said not to worry, so maybe I wont worry, but I do take all the precautions.
Renee, welcome to the group. Sorry we had to meet this way, but glad you have found us.
Luah, I am having 4 treatments and I have a port. I think it just makes everything so much easier for the staff.
I went back to work and everyone was so glad to see me. They had gifts for me all over my office, socks, books, pens and hats, hats and many more hats. It was nice to be welcomed back by such nice gestures. They are really great.
Hope all goes well for everyone having treatment this week. I am enjoying my time between treatments.
Juannelle
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Juanelle ~ Glad you had a good welcoming day at work !
Everyone have a good evening.
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Juannelle, one of my favorite threads on bc.org was started by a young woman who calls herself YearoftheHat. When I asked her how she came up with that posting name, she said when she called her dad to tell him she had to take chemo, he said, Well, I guess this will be the year of the hat. Your mentioning all the hats made me think of her.
I have a lot of hats that I wear for sun protection when I play golf during the hot months.
Blessings on all you ladies taking treatment.
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JustmeAlicia - Hope you have a better night tonight. Hang in there...hope your chemo SE's won't be too terrible.
Juannelle - Glad to hear your first day back to work went OK. Sounds like you had quite the welcome back. Hope you're able to get plenty of rest while you're home to recharge.
Renee - Welcome...you're in the right place for plenty of support from many caring sisters. How's your recuperation going from the surgery? I can't imagine the shock of getting the BC DX after going so long after your other cancer. A super huge blow!!! Will keep you in my thoughts as you wait for results & TX plan.
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Juanelle I am drinking 2 quarts of water, and mixing in some lime gatorade. I feel ok. Minimal SE's so far. Today will be day 3 post round 1 of AC. and Neulasta shot yesterday.
Thanks Nas, so far the worst for me is the headache. Ouch and tylenol isn't helping!!!
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JustmeAlicia, I swear that rads set off a whole chain of migraines in me that lasted over about 5 weeks. Can't prove it, but just never had anything like that before in my life. Two and three day migraines maybe, but on and off for five weeks was just not me.0
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Juanelle- It is so nice to hear that your collegues were so supportive and gave you such a warm welcome! My arm is still aching. I went to the lymphedema clinic today and the PT I saw said I have not developed lymphodema yet, but the swelling and aching I have could very well turn into it if it goes untreated. She scheduled me for 6 sessions with her to try to minimize the swelling and work on my arm strength and range of motion.
Hope all of you are doing well with your treatments! Welcome newcomers, hang in there, we are all with you!
Hugs, Jen
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I went for a walk today with my girlfriend. From my house to the bagel shop and back. Probably about a 2 1/2 mile walk. I feel a mouth/throat sore starting from the chemo. But I feel pretty OK. Really tired. Hoping for some good sleep tonight. I have a busy day with the kids. Still running.
Hugs to all my girls !
Alicia
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Carol, I guess that would be right, "the year of the hats". I like that. Maybe that is what I will call this experience, instead of the year from He$$.
Nancy, when I went to bed last night, I slept like the dead. I was tired, but it was a good tired. I made it through today and I am not as tired tonight as last. I think I have made it.
Alicia, I am glad to hear that you are doing well. Maybe your ses will be minimal and it will make all other txs bearable. Glad you got out for the walk, I know that always makes me feel better and sleep better.
Jen, I am glad to hear that you caught it early enough that you haven't developed lymphedema. Like I said that is one of my biggest fears, our dxs are lots alike, but you had more nodes removed.
Juannelle
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It's a beautiful day here in Texas. I am looking forward to doing some shopping to get ready for the holidays. SE's are still bothersome, but I am hopeful they will eventually go away. There is good news, too, about my hair. If you squint and try real hard, you can just barely tell that hair is starting to grow. There is a dark outline all around my head where the hairline is - kind of like a five o'clock shadow. More like a two o'clock shadow - frog fur is probably thicker. But something's growing, so HOORAY! Hoping to look a little better by the time my family arrives for Thanksgiving.
Take care, all. XO, Mary
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It is a beautiful day here in the suburbs of Chicago as well! Nice, mild and sunny! I have 3 more radiation treatments to go, let the countdown begin! Saw my onc today and got my RX for Tamox. A little nervous about the SE's that come with it. Can anyone on here that is taking it or has taken it how fast the SE's came about and what the major ones were?
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Ok here I am joining the class of 2009 I was dianogsed 10-07-2009 and will have a masectomy on 11-18-2009. I think the reality is setting in now and I am scared. I appreciated all of you sharing, even tho its not a club we want to be in well guess what we are and I am glad that you understand what I am going thru...
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MAGOB - I'm so glad to hear that your hair is growing back in even if it is a 5 o'clock shadow that's a start and praying and hoping that your side effects get better and even go away!
Jburke1 - yeah to only having 3 more radiation treatments to go and boo to having to start Tamoxifen, but whatever it takes to keep you healthy. I pray that the side effects will be minimal to none!
syncrsequim - I'm sorry that you had to join us here in the class of 2009. I myself am a newbie and was dx on 10/22/09. I had the partial mast/lumpectomy on 10/29/09 and the sentinel lymphnode biopsy. I will be praying for you as you start on your journey.
Today I am feeling a little better than yesterday, not quite as sore, but still swollen in the underarm area from the node biopsy and to my surprise to the back side of right arm as well and I have noticed some numbness in that area and on the back part of my arm coming out of my underarm. I think that several ladies on the board mentioned that they had this present after the node biopsy for several weeks to months. It is a really big pain in the tush, but doable. Take care everyone.
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Thanks Renee,
Its amazing at how fast it starts to happen after the diagnosis. Gee you look so young! My prayers to everyone on this journey that we are taking
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Hi Ladies, I joined class 2009 in July..Had B/L Mastectomy 8/17/09 and am being "filled" for probably my last time on Monday ( expanders) Found this site today because I needed to reach out to others about Tamoxifen..(was not invented by someone with a normal sense of humor ) and fortunate to find a nice support group . I work in the medical feild ( P.A.) and this was not my first time being a patient, but was as a cancer patient. Because I chose Mastectomy , I did not need chemo or radiation. just finishing my first month on tamoxifen and its been a bit rough, that and going back to a busy practice full time after 5 weeks post-op and having a 6 and a 8 yr old daughters. I am 48 and I don't know anyone my age on tamoxifen... so no one around me to relate to
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Susan, did you have the oncotype dx test? I'm post-menopausal so I take Arimidex. It has some problematic SEs, too. What are your SEs on tamoxifen? Some of the ladies who can't take the aromatase inhibitors like Arimidex switch to tamoxifen, so I thought it might not be as bad to take. You have a lot to contend with. A career and child-raising. Have you checked out the Tamoxifen thread? Almost all those ladies would be pre-menopausal. Good luck to you and welcome to our group of supportive bc survivors.
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Elizk,
Hi, I'm having my 4th and final TC tx next Friday. I started losing my hair after the 2nd treatment. It was a waterfall of hair because I have (had) a lot of it. If you read the posts on the chemo thread most eveyone says that they lose all of their hair. I still have hair everyone; just not as much (even on my head--I call it "peach fuzz"). I never did go and get my head shaved. I like my "peach fuzz" and when I wear hats it sticks out and I feel pretty normal. The TC treatments haven't been that bad for me. I hope you find it the same. The worst is the constipation you definately want to start taking stuff BEFORE you go in for your first treatment. I didn't and it was horrible!!
Thoughts and prayers with all of you,
Kathy
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syncrsequim - I wouldn't say that I am young, but I'm 45 yrs. young and a grandma of 5! LOL!! My husband have mine, yours and ours. Our kids range from ages 27 being his, mine 22, and ours is 20 (just this week). But thanks so much for the complement. We have a lot of Indian bloodline in our family and i think that may be why we don't show our age. But the stress of having cancer twice is going to make me an old woman! Something has to give. (gotta have a little humor in all the adversity in life)
SusanDC - Welcome to the board!!! I'm sorry you had to join us but so glad that you found us. I noticed you are a PA, I am a nurse. I'm the Director of Nursing at an Assisted Living Community. I think being in the medical field makes it a little harder sometimes for us. I haven't started any hormones yet or other treatment. I just had my lumpectomy/partial mastectomy with sentinel lymphnode biopsy. Will see the doc next wk for further txt plans. I hope you do well on your Tamox.
Elizk - I'm glad you are almost through with your TC txts!!! Congrats on still having peach fuzz! I remember when I was 16 and took chemo and they told me I would probably lose my hair. I was so determined and I told them no I wouldn't! Believe it or not it got a little thin in a spot or two, but it did not fall out! I'm really worried this time. The surgeon definitely said I would take radiation, but I'm wondering if I will have to do the chemo again. I know it will depend on what they find in my pathology report from my lumpectomy, but I am praying that I don't have to do it again, but if I have to, to be well I definitely will!!! I don't want to have to go through this again as I'm sure none of you do.
Many blessings to all of you.
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Hi Ladies
Carolehalston-yes oncotype was 5% chance of recurrence but 2 oncologists ( know both personally) said to definitely do Tamoxifen. Will definitely check out Tamox board after girls go to bed tonight.
Renee- yes being in the field does make it harder on us as only we can understand.. I land up consoling my own patients about MY CANCER...yikes!!! I am here for you as you go through it.
The most intersting thing happened today at work ... a patient came in for a physical but really didn't want a physical " I just want referrals" well the girls talked her into the physical but she would not get undressed and she goes to the GYN so what are we really going to do and so on and so on ... she is 46 years old and she has never had a mammo because SHE THINKS THEY ARE OVER RATED... she states she has breast fed her 3 children and has no family history so she is not going for one and she has discussed all this with her midwife.. BOY DID I BLOW HER SOCKS OFF...yeah so breast feedind my 2 girls and no family history didn't go too far here babe, she says I scared the crap out of her... so I guess it was a good day!!
Sometimes its tough being me Renee we will definitely be talking about that tamoxifen
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Susan,
You are so right. So many of us had no risk factors for BC. Maybe it is in the water? But no looking back.. just have to deal with the present and hope for the future.
It seems to me paradoxically Tamoxifen is better tolerated but has more potentially serious SEs, while Arimidex is more of a quality of life problem but less risk to life. Isn't there anything without side effects, I wonder. I used to stay away away from medicine and doctors but everything is different now.
Wishing everyone a relaxed weekend with no thoughts of treatments!
pam
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SusanDC sounds like you had a good day! I really hope you did scare the socks off her. She needs to vigillant as do so many other women out there. I think they fail to realize the importance of their own health issues. This is their life we are talking about... it effects not only them but their families as well. Women and men have got to take a stand against this ugly disease that is rearing it's head against us. That means ladies have got to get those yearly mammo's. Don't think for one minute I won't be on both of my girls now that I've been diagnosed to get started early. I've also been on my sister. She is 40 and has never had a baseline mammo done and she is an R.N. she definitely knows better, she even works at the hospital where they are done and to go a step further my mom works in Mammography!! But she still comes up with excuses. As for the Tamoxifen... we will definitely have to discuss it. Have a great weekend!
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