MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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You get a four smiley-head rating on that one, reesie! 
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He keeps laughing at me because I agreed to get a "real" tattoo with my DD. And since she told me that it's an experience she really wants to have with me, there's no getting out of it. Once my counts go back up I'm doomed lol...
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Here's a question & comments for my rads-sisters: Look close at your treatment side. Any of you gals getting broken capillaries on that breast? I noticed a few last year. Now, noticed I have gotten more. I am pretty sure I just got injured two weeks ago in the mammo-squisher. Like the "good" breast can withstand all that pressure, but the treatment side is pitifully damaged and cannot take further assault. Not to mention additional views.
My broken capillaries from last year did not go away, so these new ones might be permanent too. I'm supposed to get one more six month mammo before dropping back to yearly, but I am two years out now already and if it's going to damage me every time, I may not do the six month one.
On one hand, yes, I want to be monitored. On the other, some say injury to the breast may actually cause B/C. If my cancer was slow growing, must they really put me in the mammo vise grip that often? Could it doing more harm than good? And when do the questions ever end with the "gift that keeps on giving?"
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I really needed a good chuckle this morning! Thanks ladies! I went and saw my reg dr yesterday since my surgeon is out of town this week. She put me on a mild antidepressant and said that the pain in my chest was most likely because of the port I had put in the week before, along with still healing from the mastectomy. She told me to stop trying to be superwoman and that it's ok to cry ( i know it's ok to cry, but not everytime someone talks to me!) I LIKE being superwoman, darn! I just want to feel human again....if only for a little while! I'm going to go pick up the report from my TVUS today, I hope there aren't any surprises....
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I forgot to say (about TVUS) that I thought since it was less invasive, it would not be very painful. Guess that is not the case, not for everyone anyway. The endometrial biopsy is a little pinchy, then crampy, and I had spotting for a day, but it was really not that bad. I'm o.k. with getting that, then, but every two years not every year.
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koalakid - Crossing fingers that you get the all clear.
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Well crap! I picked up the report from my TVUS...not what I was hoping for but, I will have to wait untill I hear from the gyn to see if he is going to do anything.....My rt ovary is almost twice as big as the left and it has what seems to be a 20mm cyst (that would explain why I cramp like hell!), and then it looks like a fibroid in my uterus. I hope I hear from him today.....deep breath! ONE DAY AT AT TIME If I'm going to be on Tamox for 5 yrs and there is already stuff going on, may as well do a hysterectomy!
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Foxlairfrm....Congrats on the grandbaby! I became an instant grandma when I got remarried a few years ago (now total of 6, all age 5 and under! crazy kids)My girls will hopefully wait a while (13&17yrs)! Ultrasound pics are the greatest, I hope they gave you one!
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koalakid -So sorry you did not get the news you were looking for. If it is any consellation - fibroids are non cancerous and can just be a pain in the rear. I recently had a hysteroscopy D&C for a 1.5 cm fibroid. My GYN just took a sample for testing which was negative but left the bugger in there
Not sure what the cause of the enlarged ovary is all about and perhaps someone will come along with an answer. I do know what you mean about being on Tamox for 5 years - might as well have a hysterectomy done - they can also have my ovaries while they are at it. I am post menopausal and don't need the plumbing anyway.
Spending hugs out to you and please keep up posted.
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Jo...my gyn just called and said that we didn't have to do anything about the cyst or fibroid. Thank goodness! I've had enough surgery for one year (actually I've had enough for the rest of my life!). He said we at least have a good baseline exam for when I start the tamox. I will talk to my surgeon and oncologist and see what they say. You never know, they may have a diff opinion! Thanks so much for the kind words! 0
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I need to go to a gynecologist and I am majorly dreading it. I went through a lot 25 years ago trying to get pregnant and now I just have this phobia about going. I keep reading on here about women's experiences with the TVUS and endometrial biopsies and I just cringe. Those biopsies sound downright barbaric to me. I can't believe they do that to women without giving you some happy medicine. I saw my MO this morning and she told me that I have to go before she can decide on what to recommend for hormonal therapy.
It makes me want to forget about doing the hormonal therapy though I know I shouldn't.
Sorry to dump here...I just need to vent to somebody...
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Barb....venting is good! I know I do my share! I absolutely HATE going to the gyn, even when I was pregnant......hormone therapy isn't going to be any fun, but the way I look at it is....I have 6 grandbabies by marriage and my girls are only 13 and 17, I really want to be around for them....I will do whatever it takes to be here for them. Several people have asked why I'm going to do chemo since my nodes were clear and the tumor was small, but I'm 45 and because of my age, it was suggested to me. I am dredding it big time! Hang in there.....
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Barb - I have to say that both my TVUS and biospy were a piece of cake. The TVUS was done in myGYN's office and for the biopsy, he did it at the hosp and had me completely knocked out. He told me in advance I did not want to be awake for it. The procedure was outpatient surgery and once I got home I had no pain, no bleeding. Rested on Sunday and was back to work on Monday. I would do the biopsy again if I had to with no hesitation. Let me throw in here that I sure hope I don't have to do anything like that again but I am on Tamox for the nex 4 1/2 years.
koalakid - Congrats on the good news! So glad you don't have to do any further testing or procedures right now. We are put through so much and there is a time when enouugh is enough.
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koalakid39, who needs the additional GYN drama on top of B/C? Can't we get a break already?
Barb58, I always told myself that if I really hated hormone therapy or the side effects, I could quit. So at least do give it a try, you might tolerate it very well.
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koalakid39 I totally understand. I had just finished chemo, then I started the Tamoxifen. I did what I was suppose to as far as tests and bam 2 biopses since the middle of June. I have had enough for now. Good luck with the tamoxifen.
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I don't mind trying the taxomifen though I'm not crazy about the idea. I just have a major phobia about gynecologists! The ones I've been to in the past have all been jerks and I always have a difficult time "relaxing" when they're examining me and they keep telling me to relax.
I'm glad to hear Jo that you were able to have your biopsy while you were knocked out. I could definitely handle that.
Thanks for the encouragement ladies!
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Not taking any hormone meds sounds like heaven! I really can't remember what it feels like to be normal. (ok...I'm not normal,I know). Life without hot flashes! Wow, wouldn't that be nice. Not to mention feeling like a woman.
. If ya know what I mean. I never got back to "normal" after chemo and tamoxifen. Now Femara. Fun fun!
Foxy
Whining a little today. DH better find work, I'm not used to him being home.0 -
reesie - my son showed me that cartoon last night, too. It's called XKCD - the cartoonist is actually a physicist, and he quit his day job to do this. Last fall, his fiancee was diagnosed with Stage 3 BC, and after a few months of sporadic cartoons he wrote a really nice post to explain to his fans what was going on. It was the best description of the life of a BC patient that I had ever read - written by a man, no less! - that I forwarded it to some of my dense friends....they still don't get it, not like this guy does.
Elimar - I just do not agree with smashing up a breast that had a tumor removed. It just doesn't seem like a good idea, so I was able to talk myself into having a breast MRI instead, but since that would have been out-of-pocket I sighed and said, okay to the mammo this past April. I totally regretted it! They're acting like they're confused about the "architectural" changes (duh, it had a tumor removed from the last time), so I have to have one more this fall to confirm everything is the same and next year, I'm just going to pay OOP. I didn't get the broken capillaries, but it did excaberate my breast edema - it's just slight - and that's my excuse from now on. It just seems counter-intuitive to smash our BC breasts.
I chose a female GYN about 10 years ago, hoping for a "kinder, gentler" gynecologist. She's very thorough, and I just found out she was voted one of Atlanta's top gynecologists, out of about 15 in the whole, huge ATL area. They rate them every year in Atlanta Magazine. My radiation oncologist and endocrynologist (for an adenoma they found on my adrenal gland) were on the list, too. Usually my MO is on it, but she didn't make it this time. That's okay, I still trust her - LOL.
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Hi everyone, Just joined today because I thought it might help me to talk to other women dealing with breast cancer. I was diagnosed last Sept with stage 2 breast cancer, had surgery to remove my tumor which went well and my margins and nodes were clean. I was a candidate for the MammoSite 5-Day Targeted Radiation which went well and then 4 months of chemo. Just had my 6 month checkup and my TM were 35.9. I am married and have 2 grown kids (32 and 30) and 1 granddaughter who is 10 mos old. I live 3 states and 8 hours away from my family so it's hard to cope sometimes. I am currently taking Aromasin for the past 2 months after starting with Femara. I could not take Femara any more. I felt like I was trapped in the body of a 90 year old arthritic woman. The Aromasin is more tolerable as far as joint pain goes but I have gained weight and I am hungry all the time - help! I work in a bakery thrift store so I am around bad food all the time. I was told that if you are taking Aromasin you cannot lose weight. Has anyone else had this problem?
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naralaca - Welcome to the club no one wants to be a member of. You have found a great group of very caring and supportive gals. Sounds like you are finished with treatment and doing well with the exception of with weight issues with Aromasin. Sorry I can not help you there. I am also post menopausal but have to take Tamoxifen. I started with Arimidex and then Femara and both of those were not good for me. I also was a candidate for the Mammosite Rads but I was not a success case, I ended up doing the whole breast rads for 6 weeks.
I am sure someone will come along and help you with your question. Come often and vent, cry, ask questions or come for a good laugh. This is a good place to be.
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naralaca, I don't know if it's true with Aromasin, but with Femara, I definitely am growing an even bigger spare tire than I had before. The reason I've been given is that the AI is killing your estrogen. Your body is in panic mode about that whole deal so it "grows" more fat with which to suck out the estrogen the body thinks it needs (or maybe it does need so I don't grow a beard on top of everything else.) I walk twice a day over a mile; I hate to think what I would look like without that little bit of excercise.
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Eph, you bring up a topic near (well, 5" below) and not so dear to my heart...middle-aged belly fat. I am thin, but I am still fighting the belly fat my body is making to compensate for its lost estrogen. I even lost a few pounds but it is still stubbornly clinging to my waistline area. Another "new normal" I'll have to accept, courtesy of that dreaded duo, menopause & Tamoxifen. Boo-Hoo!
Welcome, naralaca! Mmmm, a bakery. What a temptation, you poor thing.
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Welcome naralaca. There's a great group here to answer questions or just listen to you vent if you want. We can have fun and be serious too.
HnS my son was telling me that. Apparently he's been reading this guys stuff for a while before the bc stuff and actually felt a connection with the guy because his fiancé was dx aroun the time I was. He told me I should read the bc "highway" one.0 -
That's so cute - both of our sons are sharing this with us. The highway one wasn't funny, but informative. I really appreciate the way this guy is telling it like it is. None of the pink stuff from him! He's explaining to his mostly young readers how a BC patient has to live - always wondering what percentile you're going to fall in to, and that there's no way even the doctors know your prognosis. You should read the letter he posted to his fans about his absences - I love how he said he has basically had to become a "cancer expert" the last few months. Boy, don't we all know the feeling! This is the one I sent to my friends that just...don't...get...it!
Welcome, naralaca! Working in a bakery - oh, doubly hard to resist! I'm on Tamoxifen, so can't help you with your question about Aromasin but I do know everyone reacts differently to the various hormonals and I'm sure there are women on these boards that have lost weight on Aromasin. Definitely browse the boards - you will find a lot of valuable information about everything related to our BC and the treatments we've done.
Even though I'm happy to take the Tamoxifen, I can't help but feeling like taking these hormonal treatments is like adding insult to injury. After all the surgery, chemo and rads, now we have this stuff to deal with for a LONG time. It's not easy being us!
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I feel better already! Just hearing from other women who are going through BC makes me feel like I'm not alone. I had a bad day at work today and I'm getting ready to go to bed. Tomorrow is another day. I will definitely check the boards to see if anyone else has similar problems with Aromasin. I am just starting my regimen of medication for the next 4 years and 6 months (and counting). I am sure that I will run in to other obstacles in this time and it helps to know that there are other women that I can vent to. Thanks to all for the warm welcome.
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Hi ladies, I have been off the thread for awhile taking care of family. My husband was just here and stayed for a week. It was nice having him here and it was nice when he left
I have to have a TVUS yearly because I have a functional ovarian cyst that won't go away. It has been there for years. I have had several biopsies also, I didn't really feel anything much until they had to do a labial biopsy because now I have a type of autoimmune disease that has attacked my who-who. I went to the OB and asked him to check it out and he wanted to know why I looked at it and I told him that I figured that if it felt wierd it might look wierd and that its mine so I will look at it if I want to! He laughed and said "most women won't" I feel like all my "womanly parts" are under attack! My girlfriend is with her DH while he is undergoingcancer treatment and they are staying at a Hope Lodge and today the centerfold for this months Play Girl was there donating money to the American Cancer Society, this struck me as being quite funny for some reason. We should check him out LOL0 -
Hi Everyone. Another Newbie here. Diagnosed on June 2 (my 53rd birthday!) and so grateful to find all of you. I had surgery on July 12th, and will be meeting with my oncologist this week to discuss "after care." Are there any questions you WISHED you had asked but forgot?
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naralaca ~ I have been on Aromasin since Feb 09 & I have had weight gain. I'm not happy about it at all. I've always had a flat stomach & now I have a small spare tire & it sucks!!
I've probably gained about 10# (a couple more most recently) in total. And, yes, I do find it very hard to lose. I was exercising every day & it didn't seem to help much; I'd lose a pound here - a pound there - & then it would come right back. I know Aromasin has a steriodal compound - when I read that lovely bit of information on the package insert before I began using it, I knew I was in trouble. 
I need to get back to walking again - fast walking - but it's hard to get motivated when I know it really doesn't do much good. Yes, I know it is good for me in general, but I want to see the weight loss & that doesn't happen. Ugh!
As for SE's, I do well. Minor stiffness if I sit too long, hand numbness in the morning, hot flashes - all that I can live with.
I'm just not happy with this fat ass & thighs of mine!!!! There, I said that outloud in cyber-space!!
I hope you do well & Welcome!
ETA: Welcome SAB. Sorry you have to be here, but happy you have found us. In answer to your Q of what I might have wished I'd asked but didn't - at this moment, I can't think of anything. At the initial & second meeting with onc, I was so numb, I could hardly think at all. And then all the doctors got an ear-full!
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Hi SAB welcome! Im sorry we have to meet this way. Not only do we have to meet sharing BC we also have the same birthday. I know I was in shock also at the start. I looked at so much info that I got an over load. Thats when I started writing stuff down so I wouldnt forget to ask. The girls here are a big help so if you need to know anything, someone here will be more then happy to help you. Good Luck.
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Welcome Naralaca and SAB!! You came to a great spot for support, sorry me had to meet under these circumstances. I'm on tamoxifen so I can't help you on the AI question.SAB, what kind of surgery did you have, what kind of other treatment are you having?
I had bloodwork done last week to check on my thryroid levels, which has finally found a happy spot to stay at. For now. The weird thing is (to me) is that their has always been something wrong with some component of my blood, each month something different. I know the BCTX will mess up your system, but it just seems to be yo-yoing like crazy. Makes me internet search whatever that issue is, get all freaked out--and then stop and realize that it'll probably be fine next month. Stop worrying!!! When does the worry of reoccurence ever lessen? Better question is will I ever stop being such a worry wart!!??? : )
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