MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Thanks for all the advice girls! It only took me 11 total days to get a stool sample. I guess things go back to normal, every couple days. I do like the prunes for constipation, I happen to be out, but they are one of my favorite fruits. I hope this is the last time I have to do this!
staynsane - thanks for the advice on the Smooth Moves tea, I will have some on hand for the next time. I think it was the threat of the tea that finally made it happen!
I have chemo today so I had better go get dressed or they are seeing me naked! Poor them. Again thank you for all the help!
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I see the party continued into Sunday. Just remember, everyday can't be Christmas otherwise it wouldn't feel special and "too much cake = tummyache."
Now the thread is back on track for another year (or six) and KJSUN, it's good that you are back on track too. I like prunes just as a fruit, so that was always a remedy I opted for. The other thing that always helped was a magnesium tab in the night and things got right the next day. However, I have no experience on what it would do after a 8-10 day slowdown. I'd say get the magnesium started after a couple days. (My Franken-colon doesn't have that problem anymore. I'm actually reaching for slabs o' cheese now.)
I'm up early and having my tea with the Middies, just like the old days. I go in to see my MO the first week of Sept., and you know what? My mind is not going to the blood draw (although I will love a low CEA, that's my marker for CRC.) I was thinking about how much I will weigh in at. Now, that is pretty much back to old normal, don't you think?
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Worrying about your weight,, yeah,,, back to the old normal, me thinks!0 -
Well this sucks. Out of the 4 samples I took, only 1 was usable. They didn't label how they were to be stored, so I have to do them again. Maybe there is too much turnover with the staff and they are overworked? Another favorite nurse is gone.
I have now done 3 out of 6 treatments and I feel like crap, hot flashes are back! Too many health conditions make it too complicated. Another specialist appointment today. My husband wants me to reschedule but I just want answers. I think my husband is feeding me ice cream sweets to try and make me feel better, but they all seem to taste too sweet, oh and I think I have become lactose intolerant. I would rather have savory or spicy. Does anyone have that with the chemo drugs I am on? I want steak, chicken, potatoes ... I was doing so well for a while. Veggies, salads, etc. but now I don't feel like I am eating as well. I am not gaining weight, but I don't feel as good. I will have to make a list or something.
Good news though, my brother-in-law gave us his old HD flat screen TV, so now I am all hooked up for football season! GO HAWKS!!!
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KJSUN - I didn't eat much ice cream, but I did find sherbet refreshing to my mouth. I had TC with added Herceptin & Perjeta since I'm HER2+. I'm glad that anything tastes good to you. By #3 everything tasted horrible & I wasn't eating much except watermelon, popsicles & Carnation Instant Breakfast. Eat what tastes good. Steak, chicken, potatoes sound ideal. And hydration is most important now. You can worry about balance later.
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I had a different platinum based drug than you KJSUN, and no Taxotere, and like M-Two, I liked the watermelon because it tasted like watermelon. Also, Hot Pretzels (the icky ones that are frozen and you microwave them for half a minute) with mustard, because the mustard tasted like mustard. Everything else looked disgusting and most of it tasted disgusting as well. I tried to drink that Ensure to get the vitamins and protein to repair my body, but it tasted like GAK!
It's nice if you can get a good nutritional balance while on chemo because it causes a "wasting" of your muscles, but I agree that you just have to eat whatever you can get/keep down. My mom's MO told her to get a Big Mac. She was horrified; but what he meant was don't worry about it too much.
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MinusTwo, Sorbet sounds good. Maybe I'll try that. No milk there! I know I need to drink more fluid.
elimar, I think the pretzels sound good also. I think I have seen them at the store. I understand what your mom's MO meant about the Big Mac. I actually ate KFC mashed potatoes and gravy, which I would never normally eat, but it was good!
I need to try more things because I have skipped a few meals because nothing sounded good. I also moved some doctor appointments because I feel worse sooner than before. I was told there was a cumulative effect with my chemo and it does feel like it. Three down and three to go! I hope I skip the muscle spasms this time, although my PA says it is bone pain. I think it is time for bed. Tired more lately.
Have a nice night everyone!
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KJSUN, This is old news to the regulars on here, but my husband cooked a lot when I did my chemo. Without fail, I would sit down at the table and say "That looks disgusting," or "That doesn't even look good." I told him not to take any of it personally, that it was the chemo talking. This went on for months. He would always reply, "Just try it anyway." More than half of the time, it was o.k., even tho' it never tasted quite right.
Don't forget, besides the direct hit on your taste buds, the chemo dries out your saliva too (dry mouth, anyone?) and that makes a big difference on how we experience taste also.
My mouth got so dry, I could not stand the slightest spicy hotness in food. Without saliva, I had no mucous protection for even the mildest hot sauce. Whew, it all burned. That was a real challenge for DH because we like a little heat in many dishes. I had to go very bland. Salt was more appealing than usual tho.
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KJSUN - you tripped a memory. Before every chemo I walked across the street & ordered a breakfast burrito w/egg & potatoes & extra salt from the local greasy spoon to take in w/me. After every chemo I walked to the closest Burger King and got a HUGE order of french fries. I'd forgotten about craving salt.
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KJSUN: I haven't done chemo but these women here have wise words. Don't worry about calories or "bad" food like Big Mac's. Eat whatever sounds good.Sorbet or popsicles would be nice and cool on your mouth. Publix has those Italian ices too. But the lemon is rather tart,, just a word of warning. If you have dry mouth, try sucking on hard candies or there is a product called artifiical saliva. Salivart is one name. I think it is OTC, but you may have to ask at the counter for it, as it might not be on the shelf.
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MinusTwo, funny you should say that about the salt, water tastes like it has a tiny bit of salt in it. Strange.
Thanks elimar, most things are still off but I have no problem with saliva, even though I should have dry mouth, because of my autoimmune disease.
glennie19, sounds like I need to focus on protein and getting enough to eat rather than if it is "bad" for me.
I think I need to do some grocery shopping and find some foods that are easier for me to tolerate. Maybe I need to stop and get a burger on my way home!
Thanks ladies!
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KJ, I am usually pretty careful with what I eat, and that was before cancer as well, but during chemo anything goes. I found it helpful to stick to a meal schedule. That way even if I only ate a little, at least I ate regularly. I also loved nasty texmex from TGIF and other crap like that. Eat whatever appeals and find some things you can choke down even when nothing appeals. Green apples worked for me, with a little almond butter
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Momine, You are so right on the meal schedule. I couldn't find anything in the house that I wanted, so I went to Tropical Smoothie! I've found if you ask for 1/2 the sugar it is still good. I was able to drink about 1/2 of it, they are sooo big! I made my husband take me to the grocery today, I didn't last too long, but got some good stuff. Luigi's ices, I like the lemon., organic grapes, grass fed beef and some other basics. I had to make sure what was bought, my husband doesn't understand the change and the weirdness of my taste buds now. Not that they weren't weird before. Lol
I was wondering, the Taxotere causes hair loss but I haven't lost all of mine. I am only half way through my treatment, 3 more to go, Will I lose more of my hair? I know everyone is different but has anyone continued to lose their hair? I don't care either way, I was just wondering. Neuropathy has spread but I know it is not always permanent. I now know that the week of chemo is a bad week. I can't do anything. I am sick for days.
My MO says my liver and gallbladder are slightly enlarged, I had an ultrasound. They don't know why. I have a slight bulge on my right side but it doesn't hurt. I have a referal to see my gastroenterologist in 2 weeks so we shall see. Always something odd going on with me.
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KJSUN, I know you want to be as aggressive as possible. That is understandable. Just make sure to report any and all SEs to your doctors, and don't underplay them. Your neuropathy that "is not always permenent" just might be, and there are women who cannot pick a penny off a table or button their own clothing because of CIPN (chemo-induced peripheral neuropathy.) Sometimes people feel that they stoically have to suffer through all the collateral damage to their bodies and finish every last bit of the chemo, but sometimes it really is too much for the body to take. Listen to your body, tell your doctors. The docs only have numbers on paper to go by, and what you report to them, so how you are feeling really matters.
"We want to kill the cancer, we don't want to kill you," is what a doctor said to me.
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Very well said!
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Thanks for posting that Eli. I too was going to say something about telling the MO. They will often reduce the dose of the Taxotere if you have some neuropathy. I wish I'd chosen that option.
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Thanks elimar, I will make sure to tell the nurses and my MO when I see them next. I will try to make notes on all SEs that I notice, of course I never remember when I am at my appointment unless I have them written down. I am going in for fluid on the Mondays that I don't have chemo because my blood pressure is low, so I can tell them then.
I am taking more control of the food I eat. I ask for what I feel like eating, not just what is healthy for me. I find I am not as hungry as I was a couple months ago. I do have to remind myself to eat more frequently. Good news, I will lose some of this weight!
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Hi, all. Wow, I've been meaning to write but I get distracted by all the beautiful men pics.
KJSUN I hope you are eating whatever the hell you want and are having a peaceful night
Glennie - Austin is still weird - a little too hip these days, but weird at its core. I've been reading Pink Ribbon Blues by Gayle Sulik to prepare for October, and just received Louise Penny's newest. How bout you?
I'm having major neuropathy pain waking in my left hand and forearm most night. Usually happy with my MO, but Gapapentin for nerve pain isn't cutting it. I'm getting accupuncture and starting PT for range of motion issues with that side. I want to be done with SE's and get a dog!!! Linda
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hey BookLady,,, I'm reading Sara Paretsky's latest. I need to look for Pink Ribbon Blues,,, how are you liking it? Sorry gabapentin isn't working for you. Are you on a high enough dose? Maybe try Lyrica instead, if your insurance will cover it,,, it is not generic and it is damn expensive. Glad Austin is still weird at the core,,, it's important to maintain a certain level of weirdness.
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Thanks BookLady1, I am definitely choosing more of my own food. I am not eating as much as I was before even with "the good stuff", but at least I can enjoy it! I hope you find something that helps with your pain. I know people that have had great results with accupuncture so you never know. I have been taking Lyrica for years and am very happy with it, I hope your insurance will cover it if you decide to try it.
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Booklady - thank heaven's for Austin. Let us know about the new Louise Penny. She is a gem.
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Hi Ladies, I have an embarrassing question, my BF and I tried to have intercourse this weekend, first time in a while, and it felt like razor blades stabbing me, we even used lubrication, have any of you ladies had this happen? I think that my body has changed so much from Chemo and now radiation. We stopped and I went into the bathroom, I was bleeding a little and it burned when I went to the bathroom but the bleeding stopped. I have my annual gynecologist appointment next month and I start Tamoxifen on the 21st of this month.
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6doggies: This is what I found on AdjuvantOnline about the SE of Tamoxifen. If you scroll down, there is more information. I think you should still discuss with your doctor since you went through chemo (also a contributing factor) but haven't started Tamox until the 21st.
Please also refer to this.
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treelilac, Thank you very much!!
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6doggies, I have never used this, but a friend of mine mentioned using gynecological lidocaine to not feel that pain from rawness. She said that her Gyn. told her that after menopause, we not only lose out lubrication but the tissues actually thin out and get irritated quicker. I do know that a lot of our chemos effect the rapidly dividing cells of the body, like those found in the epithelial linings of our mouth, stomachs, and vaginas. As treelilac pointed out, the Tamox. is probably going to add to the problem. Let us know what your Gyn. has to say.
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I would definitely ask the GYN,, but one friend with BC told me that she uses coconut oil for lube. All natural and smells like a pina colada.
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And unfortunately, this is not a problem I have any experience in since I haven't been in that "position" since 2003!
(I know TMI) Hope you find a solution 6doggies!0 -
Oh crap! I missed the party! But I sure enjoyed looking through the pages at all the delicious food and drinks! And the guys, oh the guys! Who is Jax? They're both my type - in fact they're all my type! Elimar, who was that luscious guy that had some completely unnecessary chocolate on his hand?
I'm so glad I postponed opening my store until after this insanely hot summer! People were not out strolling around here in Atlanta and I would have probably passed out from heatstroke with all the physical labor involved. So now I'm looking at mid-October.
I was planning on October 1st, but on September 30th I have an appointment with the Emory Back Clinic to see what's going on with all this back pain. I'm sure there will be a lot of physical therapy to begin with so I need to schedule the store opening around it. I wish they would give me some pain pills, but I highly doubt they will. I asked my PCP for some and I could sense his sphincter tightening up, haha! I've never asked for pain pills in my life so I said, "Just like 4 or 5 a month. That will help me be productive on the worst days." He just kept saying, "You don't want to go down that road." Yes I do! I do!
Then I told him that I was having a hard time getting my Vitamin D levels up. STILL in the 30's after 5 years of trying! So I asked him what he thought about me going to a tanning salon to up my Vitamin D. Again, sphincter tightening! He said, "You don't want to do that. You can get skin cancer from those." I said, "Yeah, in 20 years! I'll be dead by then." Oh my, all this smart-aleckyness probably went into my chart.
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HnS so good to "see" you!!!
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Hey Eph! I meant to tell you how happy I am you got that job! It sounds so interesting, something different everyday. I used to work in the ER department on weekends, just in medical records, but we saw a LOT of crazy stuff. I always thought I might like to be a 911 operator.
So you're a dispatcher? You get the call from the 911 operators and radio it in to the police? That sounds so exciting! What are your shift hours again? Anything crazy happen so far? NOT in Oregon!!
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