Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
Comments
-
carollynn, I travel about the same as you to go to work each day and then on to the doctor. I live 50 miles from work, the drs office is 50 miles from work and the drs office is 50 miles from home, when I go to the doctor from work I am traveling 150 miles a day. That is what I did through rads. It is amazing how the expenses add up for all the doctor's co-pays and the gas.
Renee, I will start Arimidex in the next week or two, I add to send it off through the mail so it takes a little longer. I am not looking forward to it, but if that is what I need to do, I will do it.
pam, I don't know about carollynn, but I drive all that distance for the money. I live in a very small town and there are a few jobs that you could make money, but nothing like I make. Part of it is that I have been there 23 years and have managed to work very hard and have been lucky enough to have bosses that helped me move up. There was just lots of opportunity where I work. Even though there have been times when the cost of gas drove the expenses up, it is still worth it to drive all that way.
alicia, hoping you have a very restful and enjoyable weekend. You will need it I am sure.
Hugs to everyone,
Juannelle
0 -
Pam I live in a small community where jobs are scarce, I was working at this plant when I married and moved 25 miles further north, my husband farms so no move possible. I love the people I work with, I am told I have unique skill sets and with us being manufacturing and being creative at staying open I stay. They are also wonderful to me during all of this and have refused to let me quit!! I am the production manager and have learned to manage from home when I have to. I do not make a lot of money now but did a few years ago as we have had to take deep pay cuts to stay open but if things pick up the possiblity will be there if I choose to take it. Small town living is great but if you want good paying jobs or medical care you have to travel. The up side is I go home to the Enchanted Kingdom at the end of everyday!!
0 -
Hi Renee,
I too noticed the creaky knees, not really painful, but uncomfortable. I noticed it just a few weeks after starting Tamox. I started taking it the Monday before Thanksgiving, and the knee issue hasn't gotten any worse that I can tell. Going up and down stairs is challenging though. As far as bone issues with it, it actually helps with bone mass from what I have been told. You shouldn't suffer from osteoprosis after taking Tamox. The only other SE that I have noticed is that I sometimes, not often, have a hot flash. It just feels like someone has turned up the heat in the room and I can't cool down. I don't sweat with them or anything, I just get warm for a bit, then it goes away. When it goes away I then get a little chilled, weird!
Alicia- I like you was dreading taking the medication, but it isn't that bad. Sometimes I get freaked out because I am not having that many SE's from it, and does that mean it is not working? But, we can't think like that.
Hope you ladies are having a great day!
Hugs
Jen
0 -
Jen,
Have you had the (blood?) test to be sure you metabolize Tamozifen well? I wish there was something similar for Arimidex. It would be reassuring to know for sure.
pam
0 -
Jen, thank you soooo very much for clarifying that I am not certifiable with my scrunchy, creaking knees!!! LOL!!! Are you taking Glucosamine Chondritin? As many of my friends who have arthritis have told that this really helps with the creaking and the pain. I don't have any pain, YET! Hope I don't either. I actually asked this same question over on the Tamox thread and the only reply I had was from echo who sometimes post here. She said she's never heard of this but everyone has different side effects.
Pam, I haven't had the blood test either to see if I metabolize Tamox. My onc apparently doesn't believe in ALL of those tests. He didn't even want to do an Oncotype on me. Frankly he didn't even mention it and hasn't said anything about the Tamox test either. He's really a great doctor, but I have so many other things going on I forget to ask him about things like that when I go.
Renee
0 -
HI LADIES
Been reading the last few pages and catching up with everyone
M360
Boy you have been through a lot, sorry ,all i can say is hang in there DONT give up and come on here more often and talk about your feelings and have a good vent we are always here and we do understand how your feeling ,all the best .
ENSCR (MICHELLE)
Hope all is well with the liver, i had a bit of a scare as well but it turned out to be cysts only they will keep an eye on it though hopefully same report for you
Well my filing of all my paper work is in 2 big bags 1/2 the stuff i could chuck out ,i love doing the chuck out thing i hate with a passion clutter and keeping stuff of no use
RENEE
Hey if all fails use WD40 Thats great for squeaky things works well on everything lol lol , no ive the gluc stuff is great ive been doing hairdressing for 20 plus years now and if i dont take it my fingers and wrists get very sore arthritis feeling ,all you can do is try it and see if its good for you
MICHELLE
Hows rads going for you any redness yet im in for 25 and 5 boosts yummy
Well im signing of for now HEY WELCOME the new commers this is a great thread wonderful ladies here and they can be very cheeky ,funny ,and just plain lover-able
SEE YAH ALL LATER MWA MWA MWA
JOJO
0 -
JoJo you are such a barrel of laughs... I love it!! WD 40 really wish that would work cause it seems like I just keep having to add more pills!!! Yuck
For all you ladies going throug rads or about to start it will be over soon. And as much as I complained about mine... time does make it not so front and center in your mind even just a couple of monts. Hugs to you all!!!
Renee
0 -
Need dosage for WD 40. My family has gotten so they stand around and listen to me when I try and do push ups. My shoulders and elbows pop like popcorn.
0 -
I hate that I'm back to chemo again...after the nice break for surgery, I wasn't prepared for feeling as icky as I'm feeling
0 -
Wow SherriV,
You have been through so much in such a short time! I read some of your old posts to get caught up. But you have accomplished so much! Moving backwards in stage is tremendous. Chemo again is a bummer but it has worked so well for you. Hang in there and I hope it will fly by.
pam
0 -
Hi everyone, Just saying hi-see some names I recognize.
1st mammo since dx scheduled for tomorrow-a bit apprehensive, I must say!
Joni
0 -
Good luck Joni.
0 -
Hi Joni,
Good luck on your mammo tomorrow. When I had my first after treatment the radiologist sat down with me and discussed results (good) before I left. I thought that was great... not having to wait for a phone call. Hope your facility does that too. Good luck.
Did you do rads? My radiated breast kind of reacted to the mammogram... a little swollen like during rads. Don't know if that is typical.
pam
0 -
Joni, good luck tomorrow. I had my first mammo in February. I was still in rads and was surprised that they did a mammo on the bad side while being treated. However, it went well, didn't hurt, and all was well. Just tell them to be gentle.
Sherri_V, hea Texas Sister, we have to stick together. Sorry you have to start chemo over again. Glad that your stage has been down graded, that is a very good thing. I'll be there in cyber space for you as you start this journey over.
Princess JoJo, how's it going? I have been missing your posts somehow, but I do love to read yours. Hope all is going well and your DD is doing fine now.
Pam, how is the weather in Florida? We have had several beautiful days and every thing is beginning to bloom. I do love the spring in Texas. Been trying to get out and get some vit D.
Good evening to all the lovely ladies on this thread, hope everyone had a great weekend.
Juannelle
0 -
Juannelle, isn't spring great? We had a cookout yesterday, sat out on the patio for hours. It was so refreshing, a nice break before the start of rads tomorrow.
Joni, good luck with the mammo. I had my first since dx a few weeks ago, and thankfully it was clear. I'm hoping for good results for you!
Sherri, hope you're feeling better soon. Chemo sucks.
I asked my doc about the blood test for Tamox, he says he doesn't do it because the percentage of people who have issues with it is so low that it isn't worth it. I'm ok with that, one less blood test. Plus, I STILL haven't made my Tamox vs. ooph decision yet.
Well, my friends, it's the middle of the night and I think my DH finally stopped snoring, so I will try and make it back to bed. Have a great Monday!
Peace,
Shelby
0 -
Sherri ~ sorry you are back in chemoland, I hope you feel better. We will be here to pull you over te wall when you are DONE!
To all you lovely ladies - Have a good day !
Tomorrow is my exchange woo HOO!
0 -
Sherri_V Sending you good juju for smooth sailing through your Chemo.
Joni-You will do fine. My first post mammo. went well and it wasn't as painful as I anticipated. The ladies there also looked at the images and told me it looked good. Then I received a letter a few days later confirming what they said.
0 -
Hello Class of 2009!
I have a question about fertility/periods: I have been chemo-paused (I had 4 rounds of Taxotere/Cytoxan) since October 2009. My last chemo was Nov. 27th 2009.
How long before your periods came back? Or are you like me, are you still chemo-paused ??
0 -
Marion, yes, still in chemo-pause-land...yahoo
0 -
Hello Ladies
Sherri- I am so sorry you are starting chemo again. Much luck to you and take care.
Joni- My first mammo was not as bad as I thought is was going to be either. My rad onc actually wanted me to come in in case I had any pain or swelling after the mammo, but I did not have any.
Renee and Pam- My Onc has not ordered any blood work on me at all, none. I would like to know if I am metabolizing the Tamox properly though. That is a question to ask him at my next visit.
Renee- I have visited the Tamox thread a couple of times too, and posted some questions early on before I started it, and didn't get much of a response. This is pretty much the only thread I stick to. I feel comfortable knowing I will get any questions answered here as well as anywhere else on the site.
Juanelle, Pauldingmom, Alicia, Michele, Eziscribe, and Jojo and anyone else I missed, hope you are all having a beautiful day!
Hugs
Jen
0 -
Sherri_V - sorry to hear you're back on chemo. How many sessions before you're done this time? Hang in there!
Sherri
0 -
Joni I had mine last Monday and it was not bad at all, I too received my results while there but saw my Rads Onc to go over the results and any side effects i was still having. Hope your goes well too.
0 -
hey Marion, I too am still chemopaused.....however, since I am 52 I think it was close enough to what was coming (the real deal) and I would be surprised if my periods came back. I finished chemo in Sept. 2009.
0 -
Marion - I haven't had a period since my second TC treatment (January) and I finished last treatment over a month ago. I would say I'm in chemopause. I'm turning 46 next month so I'm thinking it probably won't come back.
Sherri
0 -
I think the break between treatments was not a good thing. I had official chemo #4 last Wednesday and I still feel terrible. I have thrush...everything tastes disgusting. Water is thick, like baby oil.
Thanks for kind words - hopefully the next 2 won't be as bad but I don't have high hopes
0 -
Sherri - aw so sorry you're having such bad SEs... did you try Biotene mouthwash? I didn't get thrush (just some mouth sores) but I did find everything tasted bad (I lost 10 pounds from the not eating I did)... well actually not EVERYTHING tasted bad but things I loved (like steak) did not taste good at all. So do a trial and error re: food.
Re: chemopause -- yeah me too... I had my last period in mid August (I started chemo early August) and my ONC says that at age 49 my ovaries are not likely to rise to the occasion and resume making eggs (they are too old and tired lol)... I'm good with that
I think if you are in your early 40s there is sometimes a chance of resuming after chemopause but otherwise (in most cases) you won't.Lilah
0 -
to Mimi1964
Oncologist told me it was from depletion of Calcium and Vitamin D - Having been taking doses of both of these along with Glucosamine and chondroitin. Was stiffening up so bad that it was hard to get up out of a chair. Hope this helps with the creaking in your knees
0 -
I am also in chemopause, but mine may come back (I'm 36 years old). The onc said it can take up to a year to return if it's going to. I wouldn't mind it not coming back - I'm done with kids!
Had my first rads tx today, and it went well. No crying!
Peace to all,
Shelby
0 -
Shelby, way to go...it is all down hill from here...I was freaked for my first two, then i calmed down...and now I just go with the flow...today I was over ah hour delayed...I did meet two nice ladies while I was there. It is funny how Cancer can make you bond with total strangers...we were talking about my diagnoses and other personal things...A year ago if someone had of asked me such personal questions I would have told them to go to Hell. What a difference a year makes.
0 -
Alicia, Good luck tomorrow...I am sure you will wake up with magnificent breasts...I can't wait to be evened out...at least a year away for me...
0
