MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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"Winter is coming!"
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Wow, Lita! Great pic!
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Femara after 1st diagnosis = No side effects
Letrazole (generic femara) after second diagnosis
i'm on it for almost 6 months = No SE
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Yay, Sheila!
L
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Lita- stunning ❤️️
Eph- hate winter 🌬
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I was quoting "Game of Thrones".
Winter is my least favorite also! 
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An old friend of mine just wrote me back and said she didn't have any SEs on Tamoxifen or Arimidex...so I'm keeping my fingers crossed
.Lita
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For those who have had ports do they hurt and do you have to flush them out every day
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DianaRose - I LOVED my port and didn't want to get it removed even after chemo was over. It was a snap going in. Someone had told me to draw a line w/magic marker on my chest outlining my bra strap so the surgeon wouldn't put it right under that. Hooray. It didn't show with my clothes and never gave me a minute of trouble. The port was installed, they left the "dangles" overnight and I started chemo the next day. The protocol at my med center is to flush every 6-8 weeks, so of course no flushing was necessary while I was in chemo every 3 weeks. I wanted to keep it for blood draws due to lymphadema and for all the contrast medium that goes in for CT & PET scans & MRIs. I had my port installed February 2013, finished chemo December 2013 & finished Herceptin in the spring of 2014. I just finally had the port removed July 2016. Be sure you get a 'smart port' or 'power port' so they can use it for everything.
If they are talking about a pic line for you, I believe those do have to be flushed & cleaned every day.
Edited to add - a port is installed with general anesthesia, where I believe a Pic Line can be installed with a local - but not sure.
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For anyone with AI pains, take Loratidine - the active ingredient in Claritin. I get mine in Walmart and just take the daily dose on the box.
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Dianarose...I, too, loved my port. Easy surgery with no pain afterwards. Made the chemo infusions a breeze! After chemo, flushing every 6-8 weeks, just like MinusTwo stated. I am scheduled to have mine removed on Tuesday. It's been exactly one year and it's kind of become a part of me
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Dianarose,hi! I had my port for 9 months no problems. I would gladly have it again should i require iv therapy. I only recall it being flushed at some point during my chemo visits which were every 4 weeks. The only issue i had was it hadn't been completely removed by the srugeon. I noticed a small piece in my neck a week after its removal. It was removed in the surgeon's office with a local anesthetic.No harm, no foul, we all make mistakes!
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need to be at hospital for 9:30. This is a double header pocket party so join me for all the fun lol. If your bringing snacks I am still on a full liquid diet
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Cheers Diana, and Good Luck Today!!!!
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You probably had no liquids since midnight, Dianarose, so I'll put these out for you when you wake up.
While I could appreciate having a port for the 10 rounds of chemo that I did, I cannot say that I liked mine. First off, it was twingy and achy for some weeks after the placement. It was very prominent and, as I lost weight during those chemo weeks, it just protruded more and more over time. I mean mine was raised up about a half inch or more above the surrounding area. I was always conscious of it being there and felt it when I moved. My bra strap did touch it, but luckily only on the very edge. I forget the reason but my MO lab never used it for blood draws so I still got poked in the arm every two weeks. Mine was a Power Port. I had mine for 10 mos. and got it out 2 mos. PFC, which was not a moment too soon for me.
While I say that, I also know that if I went Stage IV and was looking at various chemo infusions in my future, I would probably get another port in because I don't think I would want to have those hours long infusions thru' an arm vein or risk damage to the vein with the repeated insertions. I do think the port is a very good thing if you are already a "hard stick" for the arm veins, or if lymphedema limits access to arm veins.
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Yes, I am a hard stick and the port was a good thing, but like E~~it wasn't my favorite. For one thing, when mine was put in place, some vessels weren't "shut off" so the area filled with so much blood, it looked like I had a 3rd boob. Once that was taken care of and it healed, it wasn't so bad, but I was always aware of it. but I definitely preferred it to having IVs each time I would have chemo-that would have been awful.
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Eph...that fluid/blood build up must have been very uncomfortable. "3rd Boob"...wouldn't that would make a great online user name?
Lita
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Thanks for the 🍹. Things did not go as planned, that's normal! They only did the naphostomy tube because they don't want to put the port in while I have an infection. Now I have four more days of antibiotics then do a culture and see. Pain in the ass. It took them three attempts to put the IV in. That sucked.
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Bummer Diana, when it rains it pours...Hope you get well quickly.
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Just got off phone with oncologist and it's just got more confusing 😖. She said it's ok that they didn't put the port in yet. She had a meeting with several doctors who all reviewed my scans and they are not sure what is really going on. Having a full body scan on Thursday. They want to see if there are any changes either way. I am also being tested for Lyme disease tomorrow. They are still hoping to be able to biopsy something before giving me chemo. I am on a roller coaster and want off! Don't even know what to think. She said even though my tumor marker is 175 how much of that is from inflammation. I am so tired
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Diana...Wow, at this point I would question there decisions. Maybe have the body scan, and let them find something to biopsy before having Chemo again...Lyme disease, that's a hard one to diagnose, read about Kris Kristofferson...Stay strong!
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Loral-my daughter and granddaughter have Lyme disease. She was told she had MS to all kinds of crazy things before they did the right test. It can really mimic abdominal mets. At least it's just a blood test to rule it out. They have been on strong antibiotics since July and are responding well to treatment.
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Diana-So do we wish for Lyme Disease???????????
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Loral- sounds better then cancer some
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I've heard that Lyme can go underground and not be detectable by blood tests, but it's still there wreaking havoc. Very nasty, tricky disease. Good luck.
Lita
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Yes Diana....anything better than Cancer!
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Things have changed once again. Got a call from oncologist Tuesday and she said they had a tumor board meeting and an oncology surgeon was there and said she saw no problem going in my tummy and getting tissue samples needed for a biopsy. They all agreed it should be done to do a chemo sensitivity test to make sure I get a chemo that is going to work. I Agee with that as well. She said there are several spots that looked like someone had just sprinkled sugar. My breast were the same way😢. Today I go for a full body ct scan. I really hate the contrast crap. Friday I go in for the biopsy and she is putting in my port. She is going to change out the naphostomy tube and bag again because the idiot on Monday gave me the wrong one. I have so much dam tubing I can wrap it around me three times. I hate getting put to sleep again 😆. Once they have the results chemo will start. I just want to start so I can get done with it. So much time gets wasted until you find the right doctors.
Got some bad news yesterday. My aunt committed suicide. Was a big surprise as she was healthy and always seemed upbeat. She had been taking care of my uncle for years who has Parkinson's.
On a positive note yesterday was my 12 year cancer-versary and hubby took me to the casino. I actually won and left with 700.00 of their money 😁.
Hope everyone is doing great
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Dianarose, I think everything you wrote above is good news (except for your aunt; condolences, may she r.i.p.) I like the plan of action and finally you are getting something done, a lot of things done actually. Hopefully this is the last time you will have to "go under" but that is three birds under one anesthesia. Too bad they eff-ed up your naph. tube. I know you are so ready to move forward and after Friday, maybe that can become a reality at long last. I know you are ready to EAT SOME REAL FOOD and I am still waiting for that good news to come. I wonder what your first real meal will be? So, look, you walked out of a casino with $700...who says the odds cannot be beaten? Keep doin' it!
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Diana...Maybe your luck has finally changed...Hope all goes well with the testing. Sorry to hear about your Aunt may she now rest in the arms of Angels.
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Diana had your uncle passed? Was that a catalyst for your aunt. May she rest in peace..
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