Class of 2009 - Sisters in the same time frame
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Marie, I'm seeing an Osteopath for my right shoulder, arm and my neck. He's also manipulating the area around my mastectomy because it's still tight (of course). I've also been having massages and reflexology that seems to help.
Jen, I'm thinking of you - you're in my prayers. Good luck at the BS on Thursday.
I've been having a lot of joint pain lately too. I'm on Femara and began it last November but the pain has been getting worse the last few weeks.
My first post chemo hair cut is on Friday. My DD's and my DIL were laughing at me when I got out of the pool yesterday, they said it looked very funny - short on the sides and long in the back. It's curly when it's dry so not too bad but when it's wet it's bad - need some shape.
Have a good evening everyone.
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When I saw my onc today, he didn't look at the films I brought in. He told me that he was comfortable with me just getting the MRI in September, but since my other doc. wanted me to see the BS, then by all means, keep that appointment. But he was pretty confident that there was nothing to worry about at this point. I then spoke to the nurse navigator where I have my mammos done, and she explained things to me in a little more detail. Apparently there is a staging scale for mammos and it goes like this: Stage 1- no findings (pretty rare), Stage 2- Benign findings ( more common), Stage 3 - possible finding that needs close follow-up, Stage 4 - definite finding, needs biopsy, and Stage 5- confident finding is cancer.
So... all that being said, she told me my mammo this last time was a stage 3, and any time my GYN gets a patient with a stage 3, she sends them to the BS for 2nd opinion on findings. I asked her what my mammo was last year at my DX and she said is was a stage 4C (stage 4 has sub-stages A, B, C, D) I found this all very interesting and it helped me understand the thinking behind all of this. So, I am pretty confident they are just being cautious and I will not need a biopsy. But I will sure feel better when I hear my BS tell me that out loud from the mouth of a professional.
Sheri- You are lucky to have an onc that is so thorough (sp?) and forthright with you. I wish mine was like that. I am growing not to like him more and more, but I don't want to switch because of the hassle it would be. I wish someone would have warned me about the possibility of getting these results, but, alas, it is what it is right?
Hugs to you all
Jen
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Jen, PHEW, that sounds like good news to me...it is so hard not to jump to the worst conclusions...
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Yep I agree -- sounds like good news and doctors who are looking out for you.
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jen, I am glad you are feeling better about your situation. I will keep you in my prayers.
Thanks to everyone for sharing about your pain. I guess we may never know what is causing all our joints to hurt. I already have arthritis in my knees and have had it for years, so I should be use to it. I would think it would be the Arimidex, rather than the Gabapenton, but who knows. I will not go off of the Gabapenton, because it is the only thing that calms my neuropathy. The neuropahty is so painful and it is generally more at night than in the day. Don't know the reason for that, but it is true. I am like everyone else, so far the pain is not worth stopping the meds to make it go away. I certainly can live with this, at least for right now.
michele, I love girl weekends, they are so much fun. I haven't even thought about last of estrogen. There are just so many things that we go through to get where we are, so there are many things that can cause us to have pain.
marie, your hair is beautiful, I just haven't made the commitment to let mine grow out again. It is just too easy to take care of now.
Thanks pam, I hope my SEs all settle down and don't get any worse. I guess that is all I can hope for at this point.
Hugs to all you beautiful and strong women.
Juannelle
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jen, I am glad you are feeling better about your situation. I will keep you in my prayers.
Thanks to everyone for sharing about your pain. I guess we may never know what is causing all our joints to hurt. I already have arthritis in my knees and have had it for years, so I should be use to it. I would think it would be the Arimidex, rather than the Gabapenton, but who knows. I will not go off of the Gabapenton, because it is the only thing that calms my neuropathy. The neuropahty is so painful and it is generally more at night than in the day. Don't know the reason for that, but it is true. I am like everyone else, so far the pain is not worth stopping the meds to make it go away. I certainly can live with this, at least for right now.
michele, I love girl weekends, they are so much fun. I haven't even thought about last of estrogen. There are just so many things that we go through to get where we are, so there are many things that can cause us to have pain.
marie, your hair is beautiful, I just haven't made the commitment to let mine grow out again. It is just too easy to take care of now.
Thanks pam, I hope my SEs all settle down and don't get any worse. I guess that is all I can hope for at this point.
Hugs to all you beautiful and strong women.
Juannelle
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Jen ~ I hope you are a bit more at ease. I would still follow up with the BS and make sure there is nothing funky brewing. BUT, yes I agree with everyone else. We are treated with extreme caution now and they really cover themselves and look at everything more closely. Hugs to you and I will say a prayer you are in the CLEAR !
Juanelle ~ nice to hear from you. I am with you on he joint pain. I am starting month 4 of tamoxifen, my knees and lower back when I first get up are awful. I have to move slowly. After a hot shower and moving around a bit it goes away. If I sit for long times in the car and such I am stiff when I get up. I was told what Michele was... lack of estrogen lubing us up causing pain. I can only imagine it is from some of that awful CHEMO - TAXOL and that bitch shot of Neulasta that hurt like a mother ~ too........... there must be some residual effects on our bodies.
Wishing everyone a good day !
Hugs girls !!
Alicia
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I checked with my doctor today and she says it's fine to go to the chiropractor. She also said it was fine to use my TENS/EMS machine on my shoulders/neck (it's an old "pre-BC" pain that has flared up).
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Hi everyone! I am in the Class of 2009 as well. I have been reading the forums for awhile and am finally at a place mentally where I can join in!
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Hi Cydz,
So glad to have you join us! It's not hot in Phoenix, right? You must have had a busy year.... recon and all. BRCA + too. Has that added to your surgeries? Anyway, glad life is settling down for you and you have joined us.
pam
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Thanks Pam! Yes, it's a bit warm here, in the low 100's. I just relocated from Minneapolis via Chicago so it is my first summer here. '09 kicked my butt! I also had surgery for melanoma AND my mom passed away in Dec. Who would think one could handle so much hurled at them at once!? But you do handle it and I just kept thinking one foot in front of the other, and you move forward! Trying to keep my positive attitude alive and kicking! The BRCA 1 did add to my surgeries. I was tested by my new onc after we moved and decided to do the other side mx with recon. I was on the bubble about doing the right side mx, and the test shoved me off of my bubble into some action. No regrets! AND happy to not be lopsided anymore, too. Thanks for the warm welcome! I am getting settled here and actually have connected with the AZ girls I found thru BCO. Glad to be here with you guys!
Cindy
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CYDZ, Welcoming you with big hugs. This is a great group of ladies. I don't think I would have survived through this past year without my "Peeps".
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Hi Cydz - nice to meet you. You''ll get a lot of support from the wonderful ladies on this thread. I know I sure have. Glad to hear you're in the mindset to join in now. I see you're also triple negative...you might also want to check out the "Calling all TNS" thread.
Sherri
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Hi Cydz, glad you feel comfortable to join us. This is a great support group. Ask any questions you might have.
I guess that not having any estrogen is probably the culprit regarding all my pain. It seems we are all having about the same problems and pain. Wish we didn't have to be here, but life is life.
Are we ever free of worry after a year like we have all had? Cydz, sorry to hear about all the things that have been thrown at you in the last year, sounds like you have been a busy girl.
Well, I am officially through with the peaches, picked the last of them tonight. I am sure that if I went out there again, I would find a peach or two, but I am not going to look any more.
Have a good evening ladies, enjoy AGT I know I will.
Juannelle
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Hello Ladies That I Love -
It sounds like we're all over the place; cancerversaries, eyelashes dropping, joints popping - and on the list goes. It's good to read about grandkids and cottages and early morning cups of coffee.
Jen - I'm thinking about you, friend. It is a relief to learn a little more about the process, but I'm saving my special celebration dance for after your "all clear" post. I'm limbering up for it now, and doing some stretches. I'll dig up some glitter eyeshadow and some wrist cuffs with shiny fringe on them.
CYDZ, welcome. We will try to make this thread a soft place for you to land. Sending love and hugs - good days are coming.
To all of you - Oooooh, how good it is to be here with you. I hope you are making the most of your summer. Mine has certainly been a kinder, gentler July than last year. Has anyone heard from M360?
My DS FINALLY got her last two drains out today. She had them for a MONTH!!! But she really looks good. Her surgeons did a great reconstruction job. It is nice to know she has done her best to avoid cancer.
Love you all. Will try to sit still and write more later. Meanwhile, get out there and enjoy life. And by all means write if you find mischief along the way.
XO, Mary
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Mary, good to hear your sister is doing so well. Can't believe it has been a month. You are right we havn't heard from M360. I worry when we don't hear from a Sista in a while.
Ok, so now I have a new issue...My lady bits are itching like crazy...I don't have a yeast infection. It is mostly along the hair line around my vagina. Does anyone else get this. I have been on Tamoxifen for almost four months now. Could this be the cause..any input? Needless to say my DH is getting frustrated.
Well ladies have a great day.
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Welcome Cydz ~ sorry you had to join us here but glad to have you. This is a great bunch of girls that I couldn't of made it through this journey without. Regarding BRCA ~ I go on Monday for my blood draw.
Michele ~ sometimes my "lady area" is itchy too. Somewhere I read tamoxifen can cause an imbalance down there and make it irritated. You could have a bacteria infection on the outside. Sometimes wet bathing suits etc can cause that. Maybe head to the gyno ~ Hope your itching goes away !
Juanelle ~ finally the last of your overflowing peaches. ENJOY them ~ yum.
Hugs,
Alicia
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Hi Cydz and welcome to the group.
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Cydz- Welcome to the group! This group of ladies are a wonderful support system and one that I know you will benefit from! I am so sorry to hear all that you have been thru in the past few months, and I am glad you found us.~
Michele- I have had my lady bits irritated for some time now also. I spoke to my GYN about it when I saw her last week. She gave me some Lotrisone (?) cream and I have been using it twice a day since I saw her and I feel loads better down there. I got a really nasty yeast infection after surgery and when I was on all those antibiotics. I just thought it was a residual affect from that, I didn't know Tamox could irritate that area so much. Talk to your GYN, there has to be something they can give you for it that will ease your suffering
Mary- You are one wonderful lady! I love reading your posts, you have a wonderful heart and I am blessed to have crossed paths with you on this thread! Good to hear your sister is doing well and that those drains are finally out! That alone has to make her feel a million times better.
Juannelle- Good to hear from you, I would love to be able to grow my own peaches! There is so much you can do with them. Pies, jams, preserves!! YUMMY!
Love and hugs to all the rest of you ladies!!
Jen
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Thanks, all! I appreciate your warm welcome!
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Hi all,
I just got back from my visit with my BS, he said the mammo and US looked fine. No need for any biopsy at this time. I am going to get my MRI done within the next few weeks, if there is anything lurking they will see it with that. I am feeling TONS better! Thank you all for your love and support! I guess I just need to get used to them taking extra precautions with me and consider my history. I am not used to all of this medical attention. I am a relatively healthy woman and hardly ever get sick. So, to have doctors doting on me like this is a little weird for me. I should be getting used to it a year into all this cancer crap I guess. So, next on my medical agenda is my follow up with my rad once next week, then I see my GYN again in about a week and a half for a follow up also.
Oh, I almost forgot, my allergy doctor put me on inhalers because he said my asthma was acting up. Love it!! No big deal, just one more thing
Hugs~
Jen
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You know, we are all uplifted by one of us jumping another hurdle! So glad all is well, Jen. NO BAD NEWS HERE!!! Big smiles.
pam
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So glad to hear the good news Jen!
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Jen ~ that is great news! I know all of your other dr appointments will be a breeze. You have had enough stress with this last one. HUGS !!!!!
Mary ~ glad to hear your sister is doing well.
Wishing everyone a good day !
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Jen, woohoo...good news. sending happy joyful hugs.
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Jen - what a relief....glad to hear!!
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Doing the happy dance for you Jen. It is nice to know that the doctors are staying of top of everything and making sure you are taken care of.
michele, you know I have been itching down there and guess I didn't give it much thought, but I will go to GYN in two weeks and I will ask him about it. Does it ever stop?
Pam, you are so right about the peaches. I am going to make homemade ice cream this week end and a peach cobbler. I am having a surprise birthday party for my cousin. Does sound YUMMY doesn't it?
My grandson is coming over to play with me tomorrow. We have been doing special projects each time he comes over. So tomorrow we will make sugar crystals and some clay things. We might make an explosion with mentos and diet pepsi. We love to make things explode.
Juannelle
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Jen glad to hear the news! Woo HOO!! Praying that MRI is B9!!!
Juanelle glad your peaches are done
just wishing you could have sent me some of them... heehee!!!Mary glad to hear everything has gone well with your sister, I can hardly believe that it's already been a month or little better. Wow!! Time has really flown by this summer hasn't it?!
Cydz, Welcome to our wonderful family! We are so glad and honored that you chose to join us. All of these ladies are absolutely wonderful.
Michelle, Jen, Juanelle... as for the itching it is most likely (though I am no GYN doc) related to the lack of estrogen in your "bits" you may need to ask the doc if using some cream like Jen or maybe a vaginal estrogen cream once a month would help. The Vaginal estrogen cream is only absorbed systemicaly and doesn't enter into your blood stream and many of theGYN's and Med Onc's will let their BC pt's use it in moderation. Just a thought... I know that I do. I haven't had any itching and I take Tamoxifen as well.
As for the painful joints, my knees occassionally give me problems, but the worst thing is they sound like the creaking doors in a haunted house! I am sure it is from lack of estrogen related to the Tamox use. I never had it before the medication. Guess I will have to learn to live with it.
The other major problem I've had is (sorry if too much information) constipation. I haven't found anything to help solve this problem. I mean nothing helps, not prune juice, vegetables, laxatives, NOTHING! The research I've done says it's a side effect of the Tamoxifen... it says that the med dumps all the estrogen into you "gut" slowing down your peristalsis. So if anyone has a soluiton please help.
Renee
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Renee, have you tried a stool softener? During chemo I took them for about two days before starting a laxative....kaboom that did the trick. Nothing is worse than being backed up. OUCH.
Good morning to you all. It looks like a beautiful weekend here. And it is a long weekend. YAHOO.
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Renee, you might try some Fiber One Cereal. I know I have to be careful and I can't eat it every morning, because it really does the trick. Also, as Michele suggested try the softener also. Just makes it easier and can't hurt anything.
Hope everyone is having a great day. Oh, thank God for four day work weeks. I don't think I could go back to five days, even if I didn't have to get up at 4:30 am.
Juannelle
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