MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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OK SAB, Reesie & Juliet62 win the prize today for making me snort liquid from my nose!!
I love this thread!
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I had my Rad simulation yesterday and will finally start the 34 treatments on October 3. Can't wait to get moving on those! Question for those who have been through it: Everything I read and heard from some professionals was to expect fatigue starting about week 3 and continuing for a while. Yesterday the Rad Therapist told me I shouldn't experience any fatigue at all as long as I stay active and eat well. Can you wonderful women weigh in on this? I get very busy at work starting in early November so need to know what to expect so I can plan accordingly. Thanks so much and know I'm cheering for all of you!
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nancygv55 - I don't know who that rad tech is trying to fool. I work a full time and I felt the rad fatigue at about 2 1/2 weeks. I did work all through rads and the fatigue stuck with me for a couple of months after I finished. My rads were done late in the day - I asked for that time - and then I would go straight home. A lot of nights I was in bed by 7:00 and slept for 12 hours sometimes.
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I just found this and thought it may be a good place to ask . . . Have any of you had a hysterectomy after chemo and rads? My tumor was estrogen based . . . If you have had one, how was the surgery, recovery time, etc? I'm pretty uptight just thiNking about it! Also, just wondering about what SE's I can expect from Tamox?
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Nancygv55, we are starting rads the same day!! I had a simulation on Monday and am having another one Monday, the third. Then another one Tuesday followed by the first session of rads. So I guess I am really not starting rads until the fourth. There is an October rads thread started. You should sign in on it. I think there are about 5 others signed up there. It's so comforting to have others going through (or who went through) the same thing. Good luck to all of us!
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shayes37, welcome! Another woman new to this thread (sandibj) just wrote up above that she has had a hysterectomy, so maybe she (or another) will be able to tell you more about it. About the Tamox...two words...hot flashes. Not everyone gets them. Just the 90% of us lucky ones I guess. You may also get moody; notice a change in sleep pattern; get mouth, eye and/or vaginal dryness; you may lose your mojo; and some seem to get thinner or finer hair.0
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nancy I worked part time during rads because I had quiet a commute to get there and back. Fatique hit me at about 3 weeks. I am very active with work and exercise and I do believe that it helped but I still needed my nap when I got home so that I could then get up and cook supper and do my normal evening things. Sounds like the tech has never had rads!!!!
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sanidbj: wow, how frustrating. I'm so sorry you are having to go through this yet again, I am hoping and praying your new surgeon will work with you on your mx.
Barb: How devastatingly sad to loose so many to this wretch of a disease. I'm so sorry for your loss and hopeful that you will be the one to break this cycle.
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My BS and I always thought it was the maternal side of my family that was the source of my breast cancer - (mom twice, one of her sister's twice, a first cousin, who never told anyone she had it and I didn't find out until after she had passed away.)
Then, several years after my diagnosis it started showing up on my father's side, BUT only in the daughters of brothers. My father had 3 brothers who had daughters. Of the 4 brothers, 3 have had daughters with BC - all of us were premenopausal at the time of diagnosis. One of my cousin's and I are only daughters - she's had BC twice. Another cousin was diagnosed about 7 years ago. Last year her sister had a biopsy that was negative (thank God). There's only one brother's family that hasn't been diagnosed and there's 3 daughters in that family. We're keeping our fingers crossed. I have real concerns for the next generation. The cousin who had a negative biopsy has 4 daughters The cousin who had BC twice has a daughter in her 40's who is being followed very closely by our shared BS.
Kay - My mother survived BC twice, only to die of Alzheimers. I'm so sorry you're dealing with this with your mother. It's a horrendous disease and one I fear even more than BC.
Nancy - your rad tech doesn't know what the hell she is talking about. There is fatigue. I think mine hit pretty quick, but I had just finished 4 rounds of chemo, so I was already tired. Check out the National Cancer Institute info on fatigue from radiaton http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/radiation-therapy-and-you/page8#SE3 It's pretty straight forward and offers explanations about and suggestions for managing fatigue as well as other side effects of radiation.
Sandy - So sorry you're dealing with this beast for a 3rd time. I hope your new surgeon can give you what you want If he/she can't, have you thought of not doing reconstruction? There is a thread for people who have chosen to go that route, that is very informative. After my diagnosis nearly 17 years ago, I was hell bent on reconstruction. I had one attempt that failed and never tried again. I just had a PMX and have no plans for reconstruction. I'm just happy to have the peace of mind that having the PMX has given me.
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Hi All! I recently joined the site. Is anyone taking femera, and if so, how are you finding it. I'm gaining weight and have sore joints. Is there a better drug?
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Well, I must be in the minority, but I had no fatigue whatsoever during or after my 33 tx of Rads. That just goes to show that we are all different.
The best of luck to everyone beginning Rads.
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Judi - I took femara for 5 years, several years ago. Very sore joints, especially in my thumbs. I have osteo arthritis and I think the femara really exacerbated it. I was ready to stop it, if we couldn't find a solution to the hand pain. Cortisone shots really helped, but that may have been because part of the problem was the OA. Weight gain wasn't too bad. I gained all of my weight from my 5 years on tamoxifen.0
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Holy Cow, you guys are on fire here! I've been at work so much that I can hardly keep up now. I've been on arimidex for 2 months now and the only SE I've really noticed is thinning of my hair. No extra pains other than what I already had before, no hot flashes, not even a tummy ache. As for the rads, I had the Mammosite HDR which only took 5 days. I still feel tired often but not sure if it's from rads or just so darn much working. The RO told me on Thursday when I saw her that I could still feel effects even up to 2 months after I was done. One more month to go. As for family history, no one but me with BC, lucky me.
The worst part about this journey has been the constant waiting and waiting. I just about drove me to the funny farm! I was very glad for all the support here. So...welcome newbies, come vent, rant, cry, moan, or whatever you need. Everyone here is on your side and knows this journey very well. Have peaceful and restful weekend. Can't wait for the new mystery pic! 0 -
Can someone explain to me what Mammosite HDR (high density radiation?) is? It wasn't around when I was being treated. Also oncotype score - my BS gave me a brief explanation, but I don't really remember what she said. I was still in the hospital, from my PMX, on a morphine pump at the time 0
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I had my 1st colonoscopy in 1998 & said it would be my last. Now I'm wondering if my doc was a sadist or what - I didn't have any meds - nothing to "put me out" - I was wide awake & saying ouch louder & louder until he finally stopped. WTH? I have my 2nd scheduled & hopefully I'll have myself talked into going through with it. Like I can't start my arimidex yet.... Even with lowering my chances of reoccurence from 10% to 5%, I'm still scared more of the side-effects. I could sure use some advice please.
Martha
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martha , everybody i know who has had one in the last 2 years had drugs! julie
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I think, in regard to radiation fatigue, it depends a lot on how "fit" you are going in. If you are the typical sleep-deprived middle-ager, you're going to feel some. Light exercise or walking does help. Make sure you are eating well, especially protein to rebuild the healthy cells. Valjean was the exception to the fatigue...how'd she get so lucky?
mostlymom, Do not let them pull that "no meds" on you again. No need for that! Only with the meds will you get to beam up to the mothership, where the procedure is very painless. They are, after all, specialists who have been probing us for years.
And wlecome to JudiH!
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Welcome to all you new gals around here.
Well since we are listing our history I will add mine. My Gma had lost a breast along with my auntie. They both lived along time afterwards. My younger sissy had it 2 times in her 30's. I have had it 2 times in my 40's. I did have BRCA testing and I am positive for the gene mutation. I thank god my older sissy tested negative for the gene. We dont know to much about the health history on my dads side, but I did find out that my cousin had BC 5 yrs ago as well. Her sister is getting BRCA tested as we speak. I know we dont have the same mom, but we do share genes. My mom still has a hard time with this because she feels that she passed this on to us. I know how she feels because it weighs heavey on me as well. I have children and I just wnt all this to be stopped before they have to Im sorry to tell you that you have cancer. Enough already!
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Oh and by the way, I have not been probbed yet, since I havent hit that milestone in life. Thanks for the heads up all, lol!
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We've had a lot of new sisters this week, so keep the information coming.
But we still have time for Weekend Mystery Pic. I won't be able to offer clues, or post the answer til late Sun. or even Mon., so stare at it, ruminate on it, and take your best guess(es.) Here it is:
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Yes, I know!
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Shayes37...welcome to the forum. I hope you get lots of support and help here. I had a total hysterectomy 15 years ago. Large incision. A couple years prior to that I had both of my achilles tendons operated on, a little over a year apart. I can tell you that hysterectomy was NOTHING compared to the achilles tendon repairs. I had mimimal discomfort and was up and about in a day. My mom, who was a nurse, flew to Wyoming to "take care of me" and I drove her nuts! We were shopping at the mall two days after my surgery. For me, it was easy and I had very little discomfort at all. I had lots of energy afterwards. Poor Mom...she tried! Of course mine was long before cancer but I hope it won't be real hard on you. Good luck!
As far as rads, I have not had a lot of fatigue. Usually late afternoon I will get tired but if I stay real busy I seem to do well. Today I am baking more cakes for cake balls...want to take a batch to the Cancer Center next week, and a batch to the kids across the street for their birthday. Plus we are steam cleaning today as it is supposed to be 93 so we can dry everything out well. Busy day. I had treamtent # 23 yesterday. I have a rash on my breast and my nipple is pretty tender and red but am doing okay so far. Almost done!
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Eli its a pomegrate!
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MP - bubble on top of a baked chocolate cake?
My hysterectomy brought me to my knees. I did not know how to use the morphine pump so never really got painfree. Sent home too early because I wanted to go home. I had a HUGE uterus with fibroids so had issues when it was taken out which organ was going to take it's place!!! I had to use a cane to walk for a couple of weeks as any motion jarred me too much.
When I had my bilat masts I didn't even use Tylenol! No pain pump. It was a breeze!
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I think it's a promegranite too.
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Take a day off and wow!! I've missed so much. . . welcome to all the newbies!!!!! This is not a place you want to be, but you will find comfort here and a few laughs along the way. What questions can I answer off the top of my head?? Rads fatigue--hmmm--its all relative. For me it was the end of 6mons of chemo, and a DBMX and then 33 rads. Of course I was fatigued. My recliner has a permanent indent of my butt on it.My sister was Dx with TN IDC 3 1/2 years ago and does not carry the Brac gene. My docs said not enough family history for me to be even tested. My dad had prostate cancer and his mom died of mutiple myeloma. Cancer is out there but we are more likely to die of heart disease in out 80-90's than cancer. I'm taking Tamox so not much help on that front. Martha--really no drugs??!?!? I would say thanks but no thanks. I heard they used to do that----I think docs got some perverse pleasure in it---but its fairly standard now to be knocked out. I think its faster for them and they can create quite the ass-embly line with passed out people with their butts in the air. . .
Sandy, special hugs to you for dealing with on the third go around. Proud of you for firing that BS. Take charge!! Mine wasn't crazy that I wanted to take off my right(no cancer) but I did not want to see him back again in a few years.---no matter how cute he is!!
Super gentle hugs to all of you who have had so much family heartache. Can't think of anything profound to say-- but sometimes life sucks when it seems you get the crappiest hand dealt to you and your family.
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Dang Paula!! now I can't think of anything but a pomegranate!!
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Ooh, I think Barbe is closest - I think it's the top of a brownie!
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BTW it's football Saturday--time to get the party started!!! Feel free to throw what ever you want on the grill. The cooler is under the tree.
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Pomegranate.
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Thanks everyone for the fatigue feedback. I hope to be as fortunate as Valjean but will try to keep active and eat protein-great suggestions. Have a terrific weekend, everyone!
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