MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Okay, I finally got the results of my first scans since DX. In a nutshell, instead of innumerable, multiple and widespread the words were markedly decreased and resolved. YAY.
The pulmonary metastisis and right pleural effusion have resolved, the innumerable masses in the right breast, surrounding chest wall and axilla have either resolved or markedly decreased in size, the remaining dominant mass within the breast has decreased in size, no new hepatic lesions and the existing have decreased from 24mm and 14mm to 11mm and 5mm and the osseus lytic lesions are now sclerotic indicating healing.
The left pleural effusion has a slight increase in volume from November scan - BUT I actually think it's a decrease from the scan I had while in the hospital (done with a different service).
The bone scan showed increased metastatic activity however, that apppears to be due to the HEALING of the lesions (will get a better idea in a couple of months when scanned again).
Doing the Happy Dance now!
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reesie, it's definitely...
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Reesie, you go girl!
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how wonderful is that, congrats!!!
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Reesie - congrats on your good results. I cann't use positive on some of my wording now as that can be bad news.
My dad is still in the hospital but hope to be out tomorrow. Talked to him a bit today and he is not as optimistic as he was before this last stay. It seems his port was causing the infections he was having so they removed it yesterday and will be giving him blood through an IV. He is now having to get around with a walker to keep him steady. I feel like he is starting to give up.
See my BS tomorrow for a 6mo follow up. It will be post 1 year/1 month since surgery so I am wondering if my visits will be annually now. Eventhough she is my BS she is also speciallized in breast health so I know I am getting the best care from continually seeing her.
DS off for summer now, starting Dr Ed next week. Pray for us.
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ressie -
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mjbmiller - Sending up positive thoughts and prayers for your dad. Hope he gets to feel better real soon.
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mjbmiller, your dad's spirits may improve once he is at home for awhile. Hope all goes well for you tomorrow at BS visit.
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Have my annual gyn appt in the morning. I am on Tamoxifen (5 months) and a history of fibroid tumors - tumors started 15 years ago - no problems so far. Should I ask my gyn for a baseline transvaginal US? Any input/advise would be greatly appreciated.
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I did get my long awaited bloodwork reports in the mail today. Everything was good. Two liver enzymes were low, but that doesn't seem to indicate any particular trouble (high would indicate liver damage.)
The big news was the Vitamin D. After a year of faithful supplementation (and I don't mean mega-doses either) I was able to raise my level from 39 to 61. Yay! The range is 25-80ng/mL, and I wanted to get closer to the upper range, so I am doing pretty good on that. Maybe my body will show it's appreciation by working a little harder at destroying any bad cells that might crop up in the future.
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jo, it doesn't hurt to have a baseline done. Are you menopausal? If not, the uterine lining will be fluctuating (normally,) so may not be as telling than if you are menopausal. I would think the TVUS would be good at detecting if fibroids were present.
My GYN wants to do yearly endometrial biopsies, but I am going to ask if he can alternate between that and TVUS. I think the TVUS is good for imaging the ovaries as well.
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Reesie - Congrats on the wonderful news!!!
Elimar - glad to hear your labs are good.
mjb - I am sorry to hear about your dad. (((Hugs))) for you and your dad.
I've been hoovering1/10 of a point away from needing a blood transfusion. For the last several weeks I have been unable to do much of anything but sleep. When I was able to get up and do something I was so out of breath and worn out I neded sleep again. Today when my blood work was run for chemo it had dropped 3 points and 4 points on the RBC and hemoglobin. I was bottomed out. I got chemo, but I also got 2 pints of blood, may need more but I can already tell the difference. I can bend over to pick up something and not be out of breath........
Hoping all is well for everyone.
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Eli - Good news on the labs. I have been menapausal for 4 years now and have good reports each year on that end. I may explore the possiblility of a hysterectomy - I am 56 and really don't need the "plumbing" anymore. If it means reducing risk of any cancers, I am all for it. Decisions, Decisions, what is a girl supposed to do?
Jenn - Sorry you are having a hard time with the chemo - hope you feel better real soon (((Jenn)))
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jenn3, did they try giving you the shots to build RBC's first? I forgot what that is called. Well, you really needed that pick-me-up 2 pint transfusion...so glad you are starting to feel better. Wonder if you got the 2 for 1, BOGO deal on that?
(Clearly my lame humor remains unchanged, despite recent Vit. D level improvement.)
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Congrats on the good scan results Reesie! Great news indeed.
mjbmiller, sorry to hear about your dad. Maybe he will feel better once he is out of the hospital. That takes a toll on everyone, but especially older people. Sending good thoughts your way.
Good for you on the Vitamin D Elimar! Mine is a paltry 12, they are going to give me megadoses to bring it up, but not until after chemo. Maybe it has come up a little with the summer now, the 12 was in February.
Have a great night everyone!
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Yeah, I read that vitamin supplements were a no-no during chemo...at least some of them.
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Reesie congrats!!!!!!
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Ladies,
I'm curious on the Vitamin D levels. I asked about taking D supplements and was told no because of the clinical trial I was on. I could take a multivitamin, however. I finished chemo last Friday and have a consult w/RO next week. How did you know you needed to increase vitamin D levels? Was that part of regular blood work or something extra? I will be emailing the nurse navigator later this week, but wondering how that worked for some of you.
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Thanks everyone.
Sorry to hear about your dad mjb. Hope his outlook improves as he starts to feel better.
Jenn glad you finally got the transfusion and are feeling better. I was going to suggest you ask for one anyway if you stayed close to the limit and still felt tired. My onc does them below 8 automatically but between 8 and 10 it depends on how my body is responding. Of course I've never felt the effects at all.0 -
Reece congrats on your report
Elimar good news on your Vit D.
mjbmiller so sorry to hear about your Dad. will pray that he gets to feeling stronger.
Went to see the BS today as she is wanting me to have a MX. Long story but I will probably do it. Will see the PS next week and then decide for sure. However I have been having problems with my hip hurting really badly. The pain mangement doctor put me on Celebrex which is working but my BS sent me for an x-ray today. She gave me the talk about being a bc patient when your bones hurt you need to rule out mets. So I went straight to the hospital and had it done. Will find out the result tomorrow. The pain Dr. felt like it is arthritis. My BS said she really doubts that it is mets but does not want to take chances. Told DH I never would have thought I would say I hope I have arthritis. haha
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I hear ya on that, Sherryc. When I had kind of a stabbing back pain and told the doc, right away it was off to get the bone scan. I couldn't just ignore it like I might have done in the past. Although I think my pain was rads related, that sure beats them finding mets. Report back with your result, we are waiting along with you.
Husker, The Vit. D test is not a part of the CBC or Chem Panel (metabolic profile) that the docs do for our regular monitoring. I asked my MedOnc to order it, since he is handling most of my bloodwork, and I have to give up a separate vial for that test. Any doc can order it for you, but try to double up with when you are getting a needle stick for something else. The test you want to ask for is called the 25 Hydroxy D test. Range is 25-80ng/mL, and many B/C women want to get into the upper range. Since mine started in the lower end of normal range, I waited a whole year to get a recheck. I have noticed some women are getting rechecks more frequently, especially if they start off very low.
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Speaking of "Huskers"...I wonder if OG56 has made the move yet? Let's see how long before she gets her computer up and running.
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{{{REESIE}}} Happy dancing! (((ELIMAR))) Dancing for you too.
mjbmiller - sending prayers for your dad up for you.
Eli, I was 19 last May then after 3 months of 5000 iu/day it went up to 60. I backed it down to 2500/day and in 30 more days it was 90 where I want to stay so now I take 2500 2/week. Will be tested again in a couple months.
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BarbA, Could be some of the natural Florida helped you out since your time period was over the summer. (Or were you hibernating in the A/C, like I know I would be down there?) Either way, you had a nice, quick response to raising your levels. I am always amazed when some of the women on the mega-doses only bring theirs up by a few points. Possibly they have some other issues that does not allow it to raise it. That said, I think the key is to supplement "lower and slower," that the body can only take it in so fast anyway.0
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I dunno Eli, I was so busy w/Tx that I had no tan until maybe February of 2011 when I got back out in the sun. It seems to be working for me so I am very fortunate.
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Jenn {{hugs}} glad the transfusion is making you feel better
sherry {{hugs}}, pray that all goes well
I have been experiencing pains in my lower back, I have not been overly concerned since I had back xray done a couple of month prior to dx and I had a deteriorated disk in my lower back. Amazing thing is that I had no back pain again until just recently. It is like a dull ache and occational spasm. I will ask the BS about when I see her today to get her take on it. I do not see my MO until next month but may get an appointment to see GP later this month for cholesterol and thyroid check. Should I ask the GP or the MO to do the Vt D work, just who ever comes first? I am interested to see where I am at.
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mjb, If your GP is doing bloodwork, have them take an extra vial for the Vit. D test. Might as well find out sooner than later. It doesn't really matter who orders the test, and both places will likely send it out for the testing anyway. Mine got sent to Mayo. Also, don't freak out if you mention back pain and they jump right to bone scan...they are programmed that way. A lot of us here got scanned over some random pains, but now we have to take all of them seriously.0
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Just got back from my gyn appt and the news is not good. My uterine lining is very thick and I have a 1.5 cm fibroid that needs to be biopsied. When it rains it pours. Will have it done this Saturday. Just when I thought I could get my life back together - here is another setback.
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Saturday? On a weekend?? Poor Jo!!!! Hugs to you sweetie, you can get through this....
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Sorry, jo! You have not been on the Tamox. for that long, does he believe the thickening has been caused by Tamox.? I know you said you had a pre-existing problem with fibroids. That is a bummer, but I am glad you do not have to wait for very long to have the biopsy done. I do like when there is not too much time between "find out" and "take care of it."0
