MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
Comments
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Jo - doing the happy dance for you! Oh what a relief it is!
I was just reading a post about how hard it is to get this diagnosis, how hard it is to go through treatment, then we finally get a breather and realize what a HUGE thing we've just been through, and then we're stuck with endless doctor's appointments and tests.
I wonder how long before the doctor's appointments end? "Come back in 3 months for a follow-up." Why?? I don't want to come back! Leave me alone! I'm definitely going to ask about 6-month check-ups next time I see my MO. For shizzle!
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Barsco - have seen it used for appetite stimulation but even at that it's not the greatest. A lot of antidepressants cause appetite stimulation and that's what Remeron is. Have not seen it used for nausea. This is from hospice perspective.
What was the last drug you took for nausea that stopped working? Most of the ones I'm most familiar with are the heavy hitters - Phenergan, Zofran. Have you tried something for GERD? Pretty innocuous and easy if it works. Have you been evaluated for delayed emptying? Gastroparesis is the term used in diabetes, neuropathy of the gastric system.
OMG I just found this on Wikipedia. Not the most conventional source of medical info granted. Under the subject gastroparesis.
The antidepressant mirtazapine has proven effective in the treatment of gastroparesis unresponsive to conventional treatment. This is due to its anti-emetic and appetite stimulant properties. Mirtazapine acts on the same serotonin receptor (5-HT3) as the popular anti-emetic ondansetron.[7]
Ondansetron is Zofran.
We all learned something today. Sounds like something to try.
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Jo - Doing the happy dance for you tonight. And I know you're doing the same. Enjoy.
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Thanks for the info luv - I am currently taking "dexilant" which is used to treat acid reflux. I have tried "pantaloc" and one other that I can't remember the name of. I have also had scopes in just about every orifice of my body - nothing found. I will check into the Phenergan and Zofran. Something's gotta work!
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Allie, welcome. May I ask why the double mast with that diagnosis? I hope you enjoy your time in this room, we try to make it interesting!
Barsco, your 'get it' lines definitely have to be our mantra. Eli, I hope you wrote that down to bring out now and then when needed!
Sherry, good to see you. Enjoy your new venture hon.
HnS, I've been discharged from onc totally. Still see surgeon every six mos due to area of breast where rads did a number on me. I love her, so that's fine with me. It was weird to be totally cut off from onc, but once I was done with tamox/aromasin and no other signs worth following, there was no reason. Weird? Absolutely. But did I get used to it eventually? Oh yeahhh
Barsco, I hope you can find a solution for the tummy troubles sooner than later.0 -
Pantoloc is pantoprazole (Protonix) and Dexilant is dexlansoprazole. Both very similar meds I would think. I was using Omeprazole, worked great but my doc wanted me to switch to Zantac, different class of drugs. Doesn't work as well and can't remember why he wanted me to switch. Most of our GERD (acid reflux) meds are OTC. Couple of new ones I ran across infrequently aren't.
Lots of nausea meds - Antivert, Reglan (works to increase peristalsis), Compazine, Atarax. I think most all these cause drowsiness EXCEPT Zofran.
http://www.drugs.com/condition/nausea-vomiting.html (not a very scientific site)
Also found lots of references to Remeron and nausea prevention. But do take it at night. Most antidepressants are sleep inducing which is a good thing as long as you're aware of it.
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heartn soul in Jan I asked my onco if I could move to 6 months since all my TM's have been good I had some chest scans done because of pain over Christmas and they were all clear and I told him I feel better than before BC so he said OK. I think he would have kept me on every 3 months if I had not asked.
Barsco I have taken Zofran and it made me terribly constipated. So if you take that watch out and maybe take miralax along with it.
Marlegal thanks I am looking forward to this new venture. I am loving moving forward in life. Finally feel like cancer is not defining me any longer.
Allie-welcome, where are you from in Texas. I am south of Austin.
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Marlegal,
There's a few reasons for the double mast. Honestly, I work in a hospital and had already decided long ago that if I ever got breast cancer I'd get a BMX.
My breast prognostic profile showed a very high Ki67 and P53. The most worrisome is the Ki67 which shows high proliferation - fast growing. That scared me, and I know I would just consistently worry about it showing up in the other one - even though everyone told me IDC doesn't recur on the other side.
I was not very large chested anyway (president of the I.B.T.C. in junior high)
, so a lumpectomy would've taken just about all of it. Also, I didn't want to possibly have to go back if the margins didn't show clear and wanted to avoid radiation and the extra mammo's and stuff that comes with left over breast tissue.At the time I was considering reconstruction and knew that it would be nearly impossible to get them matching if I only did one. I ended up deciding against immediate reconstruction when I found out all involved, possibility of complications and how it would restrict me physically. I'm a big outdoorsy person and love my kayaking, etc. I may end up going for it later once the shock of all the cancer stuff wears off.
I am 51, postmenopausal, have three grown children. I never really liked my boobs that much anyway so it wasn't a very hard decision for me. I was teased a lot growing up about being flat-chested anyway. It was more important to me to remove as much chance of having to deal with BC anymore than to conserve what little bit was there.
Boy, this ended up being a really long answer!
Thanks for asking and thanks for the welcome. It's very kind of you to stick around on here and help people out after you've finished your treatment.
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heartnsoul76, It seems like the first couple of years, I saw someone every three mos., either BS, MO, mammo, or GYN (who did CBE.) After the first year, I took BS out of the equation. After two years, I decided I felt o.k. with just going yearly to mammo. That did not find my cancer in the first place and my Grade 2 was slow growing anyway so I just did not feel I had to be mammo-radiated that often. BUT (showing my big BUT again!) you are only two years out now and had Grade 3, a faster growing cancer than I had. I do not know if I would feel safe enough letting potential Grade 3 recurrence go undetected for a year at a time, or even six mos. at a time. I think that Grade does need to be watched more closely. JMO.
Hey, Sherryc, good to see you and even nicer to hear that you are moving forward with life and events not dictated by cancer. Thanks for your sharing of the story of your FIL to encourage me. I will have to do the same. Yup-yup, gonna do that!
AllieM, Being small breasted also, I figured if it ever came to mastectomy for me (it hasn't so far) I might just pass on the recon because it's not that big of a difference, but I have to tell you that on here you will read of women of all breast sizes that never bothered with recon, for whatever reasons. It just comes down to what you feel comfortable with and whatever decision you make will automatically be right. You idea to wait and not rush into anything is a good idea. Lots of women do just that, to heal and rebound from the B/C surgery, or for time factors, whatever. (I don't know about you, but the boys that teased me in Jr. High were asking me out in H.S. No way did I date a single one of those idiots; may they all be sporting giant man-boobs today. It would serve them right!)
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Haha Eli - man boobs - that'll teach em! All those "cool dudes" who passed us over just don't know what they are missing!
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I've shared enough bad news lately, well, I wouldn't want you all to think my life is devoid of joy and happiness, and a great source of that is my two (former demon-spawn) boys turning into outstanding young men. Earlier this week (after about three long months of suspense) my older son got acceptance into a funded doctoral program for Philosophy. I said funded, people. Not quite Ivy League, but within spittin' distance. Our family is over the moon for him!
Maybe the tables have turned here and the rest of the year will be nothing but good news. Oh, if only!
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Eli-
Just when I was going to comment on the beautiful cherry (?) blossoms, up goes the hand. I'll bet many of us here have related to that picture! Almost like drowning but still praying for someone/something to provide rescue. Very impactful!
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That's my interpretation too. Also, "talk to the hand"...but in a GOOD way.
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Allie we all have to do what is best for us. I was also very small (AA)had two lumpectomies on one side and one on the other and then decided to move forward with BMX with immediate reconstruction. I am very active and even though it has slowed me down during my reconstruction I am now back at my activies. I had the best PS in San Antonio, Dr. Ledoux with PRMA they are one of the best groups in the country if you are ever interested in a consult with them. Where are you located in Texas? I am an hour from Austin and San Antonio.
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Eli, that is fabulous news, congrats to him!
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Eli - isn't it nice to see that all of our hard work on our kids wasn't for naught? Sometimes along the way you wonder if you're even getting through to them. I'm so happy for him (and you)! Good job, mom!
You're right about the Grade 3 pesky detail, of course. I like Marlegal's path better, though. I'm going to at least ask if I can get out of the every 3-month rotation. It may be like Sherry said - as long as I act like I'm happy with it, they'll keep doing it. I wouldn't be surprised if my MO said no, but it's worth a try.
After I made that post I started counting approximately how many appointments I've had that were breast cancer related. Including surgery, chemo, biopsies, radiation, follow-up (ugh), scans, etc. it comes to about 80 in 3 years. 80 appointments - that's a lot of waiting! And our friends wonder why we aren't doing all the same stuff we used to do - we're sitting in doctor's offices.
My BS did let me switch to annual mammograms because I'm young (haha, relatively speaking) and he said I have a lot of years ahead of me and they don't want to over-expose us younger women. I still see him every 6 months for a manual exam - which are better on dense breasts anyway. I do feel a tiny, tiny bit uncomfortable with that, but I feel like I need to learn to live with that feeling if I'm going to get off the medical merry-go-round. I don't care what they say about 10 years on Tamoxifen - I'm doing 5 years and calling it good.
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Eli congrats on your son. I know you are one proud mamma.
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Eli...Our Helping Hand, there to hold if needed.....
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Jo, I'm so happy that it turned out to be side effects and nothing more. What a relief!!
Wishing for sunnier days for all of us on the barren island of bc:-)0 -
Eli, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree! So happy for you and him! Xoxo
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Good news Eli - may just be the start of something! Here's to a great weekend for everyone!
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Eli - Sending congrats to your son. Know you are one proud mama!!!
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Welcome Allie, this is a great place to land.
E-the hand is rather creepy but I thought it was a real rock formation somewhere at 1st.
So happy to hear about the demon spawn! What a coup! How's the traveling boy doing?
Sad day tomorrow-taking my Ruby-doo for her final walk in the AM & then to the vet we go. She has tumors everywhere now & it hurts her to walk but she absolutely wants to go, and then limps most the way. I can't take it anymore.
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TGIF everyone!
Sherry - Believe it or not, I used to joke and say at least if I got breast cancer I could finally get some boobs! (Some things you really wish you could take back) I live in between Dallas and Fort Worth.
Eli - Man boobs...ha, I love it! Congrats on your son. I have three and I am still quite amazed sometimes that they actually lived to be grown-ups.
Everyone else - I am so glad I found this site and the amazing people on it. No matter how much people try to understand and help, no one knows exactly what it's like that hasn't been through it. Have a great weekend y'all! Going for my second chemo on Monday.
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Dear Eph3, we've walked that road 3 times with our beloved pets, it's still fresh although the last one was 12 years ago. We talk about adopting another but one of us backs out.
To old I guess to handle the inevitable again. Thinking of you. Xoxoxox0 -
Eph..Sorry about your dog, mine is 14 years old and needs help up the steps, that day will be coming soon for me too.
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Eph - sorry that you will have to be saying goodbye to your Ruby today. Thinking of you.
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Eph - My heart goes out to you today. Be thinking of you and your Ruby.
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Oh Joni, my heart aches for you and your babies (fur and DD)!!! What a loss.....so very, very sad.
OMG elimar!!! You must be BUSTING with pride!!! What a coup for your son both academically and financially!!!
TAB you are doing the right thing by wearing the sleeve AND the gauntlet!! Good for you!
Info is all on the other page, I think Barsco is in the discussion on Pantoloc. I take 40 mg twice a day and STILL suffer from very bad indigestion. I've been scoped too. Does another drug work better? I saw a couple of names.....
I took Remeron for a short time for a "mental" emergency. It's a very serious drug as is Seroquil. Psychiatrists HAVE to be involved with the dosing, so that's why one had to see your Mom elimar.
Jo, congrats on the liver!! You've had enough crap for a while, about time you heard good news!!
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Interesting on the Remeron Barbe - no one has mentioned that a psychiatrist would be involved. Just mentioned that it could be one to try.
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