MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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Juneau,
One of the s/e of Effexor is excessive sweating .. I don't think that it is helping me but that being said .... I was taking it at night and switched to morning and my flashes are more at night now and the sleeplessness is greater ... I am going back to night tine and see what happens.0 -
humm... I'm not just sweating though.... its a full on hot flash. I'm so confused.... I just want to be frickin' normal again! not 44 with 15-20 more years of hot flashes to look forward to. aargh... another gift from breast cancer. thanks Joanne
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Definitely not much to look forward to is there ?
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Joanne, welcome, and I wanted to say that the hot flashes have a good chance of settling down. 6 months ago they were driving me nuts, and this past week I realized they were fewer and less intense. So, hang in there.
Eli, that is terrible with the dictator. I would most sincerely hate that, so I feel for you. I am thinking it is probably so bad that putting some cheetos in the pouch is not going to fix it? Thing is though, if you are going to become a recluse, I think you should go all the way and become a crazy cat lady or something
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Van, I disagree. I have lots to look forward to and I am enjoying my life, hot flashes and all.
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Just got caught up on this thread.
Eli ((hugs)) we are all here to help you through this latest battle.I really trully hate this #### disease.
Did not realize that chemo drugs could be taken home I don't think they do that here in Canada(i could be wrong)
Try to get as much rest as you can.
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Joanne53, Welcome! You have come to "Home of the Hot Flash." It's just ongoing here. You can bet there is at least one sistah out there flashing at this very moment.. Allow me to be the first to wish you a Happy One Year Cancerversary. (Even tho' it is later this week, I might forget, so better to get it out early.)
Momine, It might have to be "bird-lady" or "fish-lady" because cats = ah-choo!
firework1068, I don't know if "eccentric" is a label one ever puts on oneself, it's usually others that make that call. To the eccentric, the behavior and thinking would all seem very normal, wouldn't it? Just like "crazy," but without the disassociation and/or endangerment.
juneaubugg, Pay attention to what sets off the worst flashes (like maybe a big meal, etc.) and try to avoid that. You might need a bedroom fan, even in Winter. Some do find that after a few months, the flashes settle down into something more manageable. Hope it is that way for you.
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So, last night I had to sleep with my "evil papoose" up on the headboard. I woke up every hour on the hour, skipping only 4:00 & 6:00. I'm a side sleeper, so several times I was rolling onto my needle side which was not pleasant, and that was in addition to the hourly intervals of waking up. THAT, I think is going to prove the most challenging in the long run.
Already I am a little more used to toting my humming, two pound baby around, and no matter how tired my little bundle of chemo joy makes me, I think I will honestly be able to wake up every morning for the next six weeks and feel IT'S A GOOD DAY TO KILL SOME CANCER.
My rads tech knows that I will be greeting him with that phrase for every treatment. As in...
Tim: Hello <elimar>, how are you today?
Me: Could be better, Tim, but looks like it's another GOOD DAY TO KILL SOME CANCER, so let's get crackin'.
And in the unlikely even that I forget to say that, he has been instructed to REMIND me. Call it my mantra if you will.
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Eli: Everyday is a good day to kill some cancer! I hope your pocket dictator does his job. I hope you're able to get some sleep tonight. I find when I have a bad night or two due to hot flashes, that the exhaustion helps me sleep through the next night. I hope you have that too.
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Re: Numbness - I still have numbness where I had extensive gall bladder surgery 31 years ago (involved wound drains, T-tube for bile to drain and large surgical incision).
Van - still enjoy every day, despite all the "issues", I agree with M
Elimar - I volunteer at a cancer center infusion room, we have a fair number of people come in with their little packs of joy, one suggestion I've heard about sleeping is to sleep in a recliner - don't know if it will work for you, but several have said it's more comfortable and easier to deal with the "evil papoose".
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Van, there is LOTS to look forward to. Treatment is just a short blink in comparison to the rest of your life. Sure, there are possible side effects, etc. but just by aging we are prone to "side effects". Even 3 years ago I wasn't ever feeling hopeless; I was just waiting to get that season done & over with. And here I am 3 years later, still onery as ever! And glad & happy to be alive.
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Juneabugg, for what it's worth I weaned off Effexor with no problems whatsoever. I think I just abrubptly quit taking it! This was some years ago before it had such a reputation for being hard to discontinue.
I am taking it again (37.5 mg) for hot flashes and it seems to be helping, although I'm not sure if passage of time or end of hot summer weather was the real factor. Prior to that I spent months sweating several times an hour! Now it's just an occasional warm flush, no more dripping sweat.
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Juneabugg, I started getting terrible.flashes after I started the Tamoxifen. Miserable .....but the slowly lessened and I just realized in reading these last posts that I haven't had one in maybe 2 months!!! Hallelujah! .....so don't despair!
LOL! From the evil dictator to the evil papoose!......oh Eli! I wish we lived closer so I could just soak you up!!! You make me smile every day!0 -
Question: I just got my pathology report from the DIEP (proph left mx and reconstruction of both)
The report indicated 2 benign nodes from the right mammary excision......where I didn't think I had any mammary left after my mx in April!
No lymph nodes were found or addressed in the left prophylactic mx.
Does this sound weird to anyone else or is this normal, that my BC side would have additional nodes taken when they opened for the DIEP.
Hmmm...???0 -
As annoying as the hot flashes and night sweats are, if they are the worst I've got to deal with, I'll rejoice. I'm tired because I don't sleep well, but even that has an upside. I don't lay away trying to fall asleep anymore. I fall into bed and drop of. I wake often, but not for long usually. I have some LE and have changed my mode of dress to accommodate my sleeve and foundation garments, but I was never a fashion plate so that's OK too.
Tried one of my pre lx bras on this morning. Fits great. Wow. So after having a 5 cm wad of tissue removed and losing 38 lbs I'm finally back to being the size I was before surgery... and the mo doesn't think there's much truncal swelling? But again, I can live with it...
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LindaKR, Maybe Santa will bring me a recliner for Xmas. Comfy as they are, I do not have one.
Welcome _Ann_, Low dose Effexor did help with my flashes, as did the cooler, drier air of the Winter mos. Have to say that Effexor withdrawl gave me the "brian shivvers" for about a month, so the withdrawl stories are not all myth.
vans, This may sound corny but if I was down there right now, I'd be getting excited to be heading into the summer months. I could look at a blue sky with a white cloud, or a leaf on a tree and feel like it was a pretty good day. When I think of the times in my life when I felt the least happy and the most hopeless, it was the times I lost sight of the small beauties that are around me every day. Try to direct your mind to the goodness of everyday things and you can't go wrong. If that doesn't work, might I suggest putting on some music and just rocking out? (I find The Rolling Stones' Exile On Mainstreet particularly therapeutic, but it can be anything really.)
If anyone thinks I am joking about that last part, then you did not fully investigate my third micro-tattoo posted a couple pages ago.
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E-your most recent post says it's your 5,000! Can we have a party?
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My 5,000 post? Holy Cow!!! Now commemorated forever with The Rolling Stones lips and tongue logo. Aww-yeeeah!
I was already celebrating with some Cheetos IRL, Eph! Guess what, even with a slight chemo taste in my mouth, they still taste YUMMY!!!
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well as you know I'm picture posting impaired so I am virtual hoisting a glass of Mirror Pond Ale, scarfing down some Cheetos, & cutting up some elk jalapeno sausage to nibble on! Happy 5000th! And here's to many more....
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WOW we all look pretty damn hot today!!
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now it says it was 5004 !?!?!?!?!?! Have I too much fun already?
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Gee, I don't know, Eph. We might have to see if you can walk a straight line.
Did you say elk jalapeno sausage? Oh my! It could be my chemo, but I think I got a tummy flip on that. Scared of the gamier flavors.
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It's FABULOUS!
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Elk is great, venison not so much, at least for me, unless it's made in to jerky
, maybe it's an Oregon thing!Elimar - so who do I have to contact to make sure you get that recliner for Christmas? I couldn't have made it through my treatments without the handy, dandy recliner!!!!!
PS - I think that the # changes on all of our posts each time we post - I'll test it out and let you know for sure!
Modified Radical MX w/axillary dissection; 6xTCH, Hercpetin for a year, Rads, trying 3rd AI Aromasin. No Reconstruction. Lymphedema.
Dx 3/19/2010, IDC, 4cm, Stage IIIa, Grade 2, 5/18 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2+Surgery 04/02/2010 Mastectomy (Left); Lymph Node Removal: Axillary Lymph Node Dissection (Left)Chemotherapy 05/15/2010 carboplatin, TaxotereTargeted Therapy 05/15/2010 HerceptinHormonal Therapy 09/15/2010 AromasinRadiation Therapy 09/25/2010 External0 -
My last post said 524, so testing, 1,2,3, testing - if that's right they should both say 525 - have a great evening!
and yup - that's how it works!
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That's bizarre. Don't quote me on that but I don't think it used to do it that way.
So for those of you not on FB with me (which is probably most of you) today a person posted a picture & recipe for HOT COCOA COOKIES. The recipe is in Rachael Ray's "Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine". Look it up; the pictures are to die for!!! Perfect for E's 5000+post party.
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omg eph!
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Colonoscopy done. No problems. On the 10 year plan now. DH gets his in January. Felt like I could eat the whole kitchen but didn't. Propofol is the best.
Eph - Bookmarked those cookies.
Elimar - I would love a recliner, no room though. But if I ever have major surgery will definitely at least rent one. Have you thought of that? Also watch how legs are elevated. Handles are hard to manage esp. if you have any hand weakness which most of us have even on our best days. Hoping for better sleep for you tonight.
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Elimar, thanks for the welcome and happy 5000th post! I'm a fan of Exile on Main Street as well.
Didn't realize I was posting in a new thread. Anyway, I favorited this when I saw it and have been lurking ever since. So "Hi" all, I'm 49, no kids, was discussing early retirement with the mate when BC came along. Now I'm not thinking much beyond finishing treatment.
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