MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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Comments

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    chiluvr1228 - So sorry to hear about your DH.  One of the big reasons I did not want to quit smoking was the weight gain.  I used a combination of 2 natural programs that guaranteed no weight gain - well they were so wrong.  I have put on 10 pounds and  can't get it off.  Now that may not sound like a lot of weight but it means I can not fit into some of the new winter clothes I bought last year.  Can't afford to buy new ones.  I recently bought an electronic cigarette - mine has no nicotine - DHs does although he is not using it.  Anyway, I like mine because it solved that hand to mouth fix we need when we are under stress.  I would highly recommend you get one of these  You can choose whether or not toover have the nicotine or you can get a bottle of each.  There is not harmful smoke - just water vapor - and you eliminate the over 4,000 harmful chemicals from the tar and carbon monoxide, etc.  You can PM me if you want more information or just want to talk about this.  It is working very well for me.
    .  I
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    chililvr, crap, I hate to be the bearer of bad news but be VERY VERY CAREFUL about checking what drugs you are taking daily!!! Grapefruit juice can be very, very dangerous to take with a LOT of the meds we tend to take as we get older, but no one warns us!! I kid you not, please google and check. I CANNOT let grapefruit juice pass my lips and I LOVE it too!

    Jo, chew gum. Spit it out and get a new one in your mouth when you want a fresh taste. Cinnamon is great for that!

  • justmejanis
    justmejanis Member Posts: 1,474

    I know how hard it is to quit smoking.  I quit two years ago using Chantix.  I know it can be bad, but nothing else worked and I used it only for a month.  I just wanted to get past those nicotine cravings.  We never smoked in our house so it made it a little easier I think.  Still it was rough no doubt and i did gain weight.  Still, every doctor will tell you the weight you can deal with down the road.  It is much better than smoking.  I watched my mom die of lung cancer and it still took me ten years after she died to quit.  It is a terrible habit to break.  I commend all of you who have made that decision! 

    LOL on the Cheetos!  I love so many "bad" things.  In fact I made a peach crisp today as I had a lot of fresh peaches.  The house smells fantastic, but I know better.  Didn't stop me!  :)

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545

    Okay Janis - How do I lose the weight now that I have a handle on not smoking?  Would love any suggestions.

  • YaYa5
    YaYa5 Member Posts: 532
    paula, congratulations on the 8 years!  and thank you everyone else for the comments about my sobriety.  to quit smoking, i'm chewing nicorette.  it helps the hand to mouth habit by having to tear off a piece from the strip and then tearing the gum out of its little container.  i don't have many cravings anymore after almost 4 months, but when i do, i read for the nicorette.  it has worked great for me...
  • stjude10
    stjude10 Member Posts: 230

    I just had a post op w/my ps. My umx was last wed. Well, nicotine sucks for recovery of your skin. I have a black area that may not be viable. If not looking better in couple wks, will have to go back in, reduce fluid in te and remove that skin. Has anyone had that problem?

  • Denise2730
    Denise2730 Member Posts: 320

    Thanks Barbe! Just googled grapefruit & drug interactions. None of the prescriptions I take are on there but I do take Lexapro (depression), Lorazepam (anxiety, etc.) and a BP medicine. The funny thing about my BP is for the last 5 years or so it has been rather high. I was on 2 different meds for it (b4 my grapefruit addiction). During my recent post op in the hospital when I had my BMX my BP was so low they wouldn't give me any BP meds and now, 5 weeks later it is still pretty normal. Maybe my 36D boobs were causing a kink in my BP system??  LOL.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    stjude10, no firsthand experience with recon., but others should have a few replies for you.  I sure hope you don't have to lose skin.

    Barbe, With the grapefruit juice, I always wondered if you just were not supposed to use it to wash down meds., like take them together, or if you are not supposed to drink it at all the entire day if you are on one of the drugs on the interaction list?

  • sheila888
    sheila888 Member Posts: 9,611
    I take ZOCOR (Simvastatin) and grapefruit juice is a no noWink
  • I was told not to drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit at all since I've been on my BP medication. It affects the absorption of some meds so that your medicine is absorped into your bloodstream too quickly and can cause you have too much too quickly.

  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781

    I went to a lecture at the cancer care clinic tonight and grapefruit was a definitive NONO for ER+ cancers...no ifs and or buts according to this speaker. It essentially messes with our estrogen levels and can 'confuse' cancer cells into attacking the good ones...also not good for heart disease.So elimar, it is just not a good idea. Was also told melatonin is in the same category as soya and flax...ie. err on the side of caution and don't use it as there are studies out saying it causes breast cancer

  • tinkertude
    tinkertude Member Posts: 1,998

    Sandee.. you mean Melatonin is not good? I have been taking it..

  • zumbagirl
    zumbagirl Member Posts: 250

    elimar,

    You crack me up with the cheeto picture :O) They are tastey. I have a current addiction to sea foam candy. It is whipped honey dipped in chocolate. I have craved mexican food, the cheesier the better since chemo started back on June 7th.

  • Foxlairfrm
    Foxlairfrm Member Posts: 126

    All my docs have pretty much said no grapefruit and stay away from a lot of soy. Definitely do not take any herbs to relieve hot flashes and menopausal symptoms. They simulate human estrogen too closely and although at the time, no studies were done, they felt like with er+ BC it could make it grow.

    Foxy

  • Paula66
    Paula66 Member Posts: 1,572

    Foxy my Onc told me the same about the herbs and hot flashes.  This was something she stressed not taking.  If I had any questions to call her. My sister was triple negative so she doesnt get why I cant take certain supplements to ease the hotflashes.  Oh how I long for the days I didnt have to worry about what I ate or took. 

  • cmbear
    cmbear Member Posts: 674

    I was told the same thing about grapefruit juice, it interacts with MANY medications. Maybe GFJ should have a warning label. . . 

  • Meece
    Meece Member Posts: 10,618

    Triple negs aren't suposed to take anything resembling hormones, or so I've been told.  But then I have read that there is such a difference between plant hormone and human hormone that it shouldn't mattter.  I will err on the side of not taking any chances.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    Meece, I wonder why that would be? I can't take any hormone foodstuff as I am ER+. If you're ER- I would think it wouldn't make a difference! Chemo doesn't work for me, but it would work for you. Hormonals would work for me, but not for you. I thought that was the line in the sand, but maybe I'm wrong.

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545

    Thank goodness I don't like grapefruit so don't have to be concerned about that.  As for the Melatonin , I had not heard it is a no-no.  My MO did tell me to not overdo it on the soy.  I can have the soy that is in most foods - stay away from products like soy milk, etc and supplements with soy.

  • prayrv
    prayrv Member Posts: 362

    My understanding about grapefruit and grapefruit juice is in regards to medication is that GF uses the same pathways to be absorbed by the body as some medications do.  This is especially important for ER+ ladies when they are taking tamoxifen.  So that is why those ladies who are ER+ are advised to not eat GF or drink GF juice.

    Trish

  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 2,007

    Hopefully OJ is okay I drink it everyday just not with my meds.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    OJ has an awful lot of carbs Mum!!! Have you checked the side of the box???

  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 2,007

    Oh lord thats true but I can only drink so much of that boring water.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    Get Perrier. Not a cheap alternative. Get the good stuff. It comes as lemon or lime, too, but I hate the taste.

  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    When you travel I'm sure it's fresh squeezed orange juice from the places you seem to go. You'd be okay there. But from the grocery store, OJ and all the other juices are basically sugar and water.

  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 2,007
    I love it it is always in my fridge.But lately I have been craving the OJ so I guess I will try and eat an orange instead.Innocent
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 7,605

    You know, you COULD make your own fresh squeezed.....hey, I'm just sayin'.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    This is just a fine can o' worms we have opened here...

    So, not only can grapefruit juice interact with some medicines, but some of you have been told to avoid it as there is some harm with ER+ B/C?  (Have to look into that further.)

    I know I have read conflicting info. on the melatonin...something about women with B/C having low levels of melatonin (kind of like the Vit D thing); also something about women who took Tamox. and had little response being given melatonin to boost the effectiveness.  I do know that if you take Ambien, melatonin is a no-no.

    Haven't seen anything definitive about the soy products.  I think the jury is still out.  I have to apply the common sense reasoning on this one.  Asian women consume far more soy, yet get less B/C than Western women.  When they do get B/C, they do not eliminate soy from their diets and are not recurring at greater rates than in the West.  Personally, while I wouldn't switch over to an all-tofu diet, I have not been avoiding smaller amounts of soy.  Here's what BC.org has to say:

    http://www.breastcancer.org/tips/nutrition/reduce_risk/foods/soy.jsp

    (The BC.org links never seem to work, so cut and paste.)

    All I can say is, before adopting any new lifestyle, make sure to really investigate these claims yourself.  Check many sources, especially abstracts for actual research studies and articles in medical journals.

  • mumito
    mumito Member Posts: 2,007

    Will put a citrus juicer on myshopping list.Smile

    Spent last week teaching my 84 year old father how to use his new ipad.I have created a monster.I now get average 5 emails a day from him.Quite amusing.

  • elimar
    elimar Member Posts: 5,885

    Also wanted to post this:  While some threads on BC.org are stricter about providing evidence to claims made in a post, this thread is OPEN to random things you may have heard or read.  Share anything you want to, but I advaise all who read anything here not to take it as 100% fact but use it as a springboard to look into it further.   I apply that to all, perhaps especially to myself.