MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish
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Oh my goodness Glennie. Guess I'd better start rambling on here more often.
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Helping get to 30,000 posts!
Post, post, post, post, post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,post, post, post,
OK was going for 30,000 copies of the word "post" but that's getting crazy so ;'ll stop at 30.
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Native - LOL!! Thanks.
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We will make that easily, won't we?? If it comes down to that, we could stay up late the night before...
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loooks like we will hit a thousand posts easily enough.
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It warms my heart that someone else pointed out a goal to be reached. According to my math (which is NOT one of my best skills) after this post we only need 424 posts to reach 30,000 by birthday of the thread on Aug 21. We can do that, yes we can!!!!
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Good job, NM! LOL!!Ramble on, MinusTwo!
Yes, we can do it!
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of course we can reach that goal!!!! We all are striving for the same outcome!!!! Life and more Life!
So I had my ultrasound and fun TVU today. I was so glad when she let me pee before the second act!! I didn't realize how interactive it was going to be. I might be able to count it in for my exercise today. Hold this side down, stick your stomach out, take a deep breath and hold it!
But the peeve for the day was how she said doc will have results in a couple of days, Good Luck, as I was walking out the door. Why do I need luck? Why couldn't she have said you're good to go!!! Right as rain!!! Normal as normal can be?
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NM, you would have to post just 400 one word posts to get to our goal.
I have one of my med bottles that always tells me not to eat grapefruit or drink the juice (which seems to be overkill) Haven't had one in years. But I grew up in FL and we had citrus trees in the yard. They were organic (way back then) weren't pretty to look at but awful good to eat!!!
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Oh yes Mac, we had orange trees in our back yard in Northern California way back when. I agree, they weren't really pretty & hard to peel, but the sweetest juice I have ever tasted. Not to mention the wonderful smell when all the blossoms were in bloom.
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Back to the orange trees - they were there & already producing when my parents bought the house in 1949. They were still there & producing when my last parent died in 2007 and we sold the house. Hope the dingbat that bought the house didn't bulldoze them to make a tennis court.
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I grew up in Miami and we had citrus trees and an avocado tree, which produced so much fruit we were constantly giving it away! I'd love to have that problem now.Mac: sorry that the U/s was "so much fun". They suck. Hope you get good results FAST!
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mac, Sorry there is a wait involved. I never had to wait for the TVU results. What was your other US for...maybe that is what needs more reviewing? With the TVUs I got, I was in the little johnnie-gown and had to leave the exam room to go down the hallway. The TVU was about 5 min. and I would not even call it interactive. I felt some pressure, no big deal. Then, return to the exam room, wait 5 min. and the doc would be back in to report on the TVU.
I don't believe I have any more of those in my future because I am off hormonal drugs. It was not until I was on the Tamox. that I ever had a TVU, so when they said I had a small fibroid or two in there, I can't say what caused their formation. They certainly don't bother me with any symptoms.
Let's talk about THAT ==== in the course of getting all the BC scans (and with me the CRC ones on top of it all) other nagging things have turned up. Now, I know I have those fibroids, also a thyroid nodule, also a lung nodule, also a 1 cm (enlarged, yet benign) hilar lymph node, also my GD fatty liver. Well, some of that stuff might have spawned as a result of my radiations/chemo, but I kind of wish I was just oblivious of those things. Since I am not bothered by any of it, it would be better to just be oblivious of it all. Just so I would not have to remember it all for the record and have vague worry that it means something, ya know?
NM, Those studies are interesting. I cannot tell one thing...do they negate the idea of overweight body fat generating estrogen & being bad for ER+ women in particular. I mean, should ER+ women still try to shed the excess poundage, or is it not making a difference overall?
The way I am reading it, eating fat is not necessarily bad; but is being fat still a greater risk factor? I don't know if that is really addressed in the scope of that article. While eating fat does not have to go hand in hand with being overweight, high-fat foods do generally have a high calorie count. I am not overweight, but I know my intake is somewhat fat-heavy although I try to make it the better kind of fats...nuts, avocados, chocolate (oops! how did chocolate get in there?)
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When you post about posting, just remember this: Reaching the 30,000 is an awesome goal, but only if we have good content. It is a 100% certainty that if the posting of weather were encouraged, we'd have hit 30,000 year and a half ago. I thought we had more people here who had implants, but Deb2012 really did not get much of a response to the post at the top of the last page. Anyone?
So, Deb2012, what's going on? Have you been to a doc yet?
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I'm not sure why they did,two different ultrasounds. I wasn't sure what to expect. I told the tech I was real healthy until I got cancer. We shared a chuckle over that. But she did the outside one first, got the ovaries, kidneys, uterus I suppose liver. Then she needed to do the inside. So I got to go pee and change into a johnnie. But after a bit, she said I hadn't peed enough so had to get up and pee again. The bathroom was right off the exam room so it was no big deal. This was in the radiology dept at the hospital not the GYN office so maybe that is the wait. I know they send all scans up to Boston to be read. Whatever.
I know what you mean about wishing we were oblivious. I have friends that never go to the doc, never get mammos or scans of any kind and just keep on trucking. I feel like I am a whiney baby, this hurts, this doesn't feel right. I just want to get over myself!!!!
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minus2, as I said I grew up in FL and so many of the old groves were plowed down and built apon. Disney did a number on central florida. I don't even recognize my hometown anymore.
E, love the new topper. says it all.
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mac: the citrus canker killed the citrus in South FL,,, even if your tree didn't have it at the moment,,, you still had to take it out to keep it from spreading. So now, my Mom has no citrus at all. Booooo.My GYN always did my TVUS,, in the office. I had uterine fibroids before the HX, so she monitored them on an annual basis to make sure they weren't doing anything sneaky. They were suspected to be the cause of my high estrogen blood levels, so post BC, I had HX.
No implants here,, sorry Deb, I'm no help.
Oh, and I have 3 thyroid nodules now! Discovered when I had MRI for neck issue. Now I have to have those monitored. Didn't I have enough doctors before??
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Deborah: Sorry if we seemed to ignore your post. Thanks Eli for pointing this out.
Deborah's post: I have developed a chronic pain from my sternum to armpit over a large area of my chest where my 2012 MX and saline implant foob was installed. I cannot for the life of me recall injuring myself. The soreness feels like it's below the implant and seems more bone specific than any muscle issues.
1. Does a foob change over time that it can mechanically cause pain to sternum & ribs? It doesn't feel like it's become "un-moored".
2. How long should I wait to have this be checked so I don't feel like an idiot with this general pain area? It's like the entire upper quadrant of my chest.
3. If it persists, and I do seek medical evaluation, do I see my GP first? Go back to my PS? I no longer have to see my oncologist (who recently retired from patient practice but still does research)?
Deborah - first - yes I would definitely call your doc. I would NOT wait. It might make a difference about implant movement based on the kind of implant and I don't know much about saline. Unfortunately you're in the same situation I am with MO - mine just retired too. So after the MO, I don't think a GP would be my first choice. I didn't bond with my PS so I would probably go back to my BS, or strangely enough, to my Radiation Oncologist - who I also bonded with. That said, I think my PS really knows what he's doing so I might subject myself to his "superior attitude". But I would make an appointment. Pain is NOT normal.
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Coming out of lurking😀
Deborah pain is not normal please call your BS or PS tomorrow. They need to know. Keep us posted.
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KJSUN - thank you so much for the pain relief suggestions! Sounds like just what I need. I see my MO next week - hopefully she'll help me and not just send me to my PCP. When you think about it, it was all the chemo and tamoxifen that CAUSED the pain in the first place.
Elmira - I hate being aware of all the little nodules inside me, too. I have 7 thyroid nodules, one in my lung and a benign tumor on one of my adrenal glands. Plus that adrenal gland doesn't function anymore. With all this knowledge we'd rather not have, I can't help but worrying (occasionally) that some of these spots are prime targets for a metastatic expansion.
MinusTwo - my ex SIL used to buy citrus plants just to enjoy the sweet smell of the blossoms. They won't survive here in Georgia, but she likes them while they last.
I hired movers on Monday to move some big pieces of furniture to my storeroom for the store, but mainly to move my piano to another room where I can actually play it. I'm so happy to have it accessible again - I've waited a decade to do that! And that makes me want to slap myself silly for waiting so long. Seems we just get in the habit of patiently waiting for something we'd like to do or buy that time just zips by us. I need to teach myself to never do that again. Life is too short to postpone something you enjoy. So ladies, DON'T DO IT! SAVE YOURSELVES! Oh, wait - that's a different crisis... So tired of stomping out fires. Where's the peace that's supposed to come with age?
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Elimar--When I read the studies the mention of obesity/being overweight was always mentioned but as re-statement of current thinking that this is a risk factor for all cancers, heart disease and other illnesses, not as a point actually studied. There are studies that point out a correlation between being overweight and having these conditions, but none can show causality.It's like the infamous study that shows that the larger a child's shoe size the more words he or she can read.The reality is that both shoe size and number of words read increase as the child's age increase, as the child's body grows and education progresses as the child ages.So far medical science cannot tell if being fat causes cancer or if something else is present inboth obesity and cancer.When looking at the differences in obesity and various cancers and other chronic diseases across cultures, the connection doesn't hold up.IMO there is most likely some complex interrelations between diet, lifestyle, genetics, culture, environment and who knows what else in the US that is behind the higher per capita rate of cancer, obesity, heart disease, etc when compared to Asia, Africa, and other cultures.
Glennie--it's amazing how many people have things like thyroid nodules and fibroids and never know about it, never have a single problem from it who then find themselves in the middle of the "monitoring" whirlwind. Lots of those things will never give a person a problem, but once found out we have to live with the time bomb effect of scan after scan waiting for "it" to turn pyscho killer!
MinusTwo--thanks for reposting Deborah's post.
Deborah--I've had the mast, but not the implant, so I can only share a little info. There is a condition called Post Mastectomy Syndrome, or Post Mastectomy Pain Syndrome.It's thought the nerves are damaged during surgery and that sets up ongoing pain signaling.I have heard of implants moving and actually causing damage to ribs from movement or if they move out of place. I can only imagine the same damage can be done to the sternum, as well. I would not wait to have it checked out as pain is a signal that something is wrong.It is not likely to be overuse pain, like I feel after spending a day in the garden, not in that location, so waiting probably will only prolong how long you are hurting.Finding out just what is causing the pain is important. If it's something totally unrelated to bc and surgery, there is a great amount of relief in getting that info. We cannot possibly be able to tell ourselves just exactly what is going on in our changed bodies without expert input, at least for a while.AS to which doc to notify, which doc do you feel most comfortable with and is most responsive to your concerns? I'd start with that one. If another doc is indicated, the first doc will tell you and can make a referral and help you get in faster with the second doc.
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NM, I guess the point is that we don't really have conclusive evidence on eating or not eating a certain thing (the food itself, not something canned in the toxic BPA cans, etc.) as far as our cancer risks go. I hope Deb2012 checks back to see your post. It does sound like what she could be experiencing.
HnS (and other ladies that know they have lung nodules): Would your lung nodule(s) be on your treatment side by any chance??? Mine is. All I know is that when I had x-rays and CTs prior to my rads, there was no mention of "nodule" this or that. However, by the time they were mega-scanning me for the CRC, the lung nodule was mentioned, so I do think it showed up after rads. So it particularly concerns me because if it had been there all along maybe it would not alarm me as much. With it showing up after (and possibly a result of) rads, I can't help thinking it is just itching to mutate further.
Hello, lurkie-lou SchoolCounselor! Hope you are doing well on your AI. The hand lymphadema sounds awful.
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ok, I need some distraction tonight, please! Anyone have any funny stories or beefcake photos? I got a call tonight while I was out with the dog from the doc office. Want me to call tomorrow to discuss path report. My brain is running away with me! Plus my lower insides are still cramping and feeling crummy. I know that I still know nothing, but ..................
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Elimar--In my (not so) humble opinion, there is a lot more we do NOT know about cancer than what we do know. I, personally, find the diet and weight stuff to be a lot like blaming the victim. And I think we don't know anywhere near enough about stuff like BPA and other chemicals. But that's just my opinion.
Macatacmv--first, praying for good news about the path report. Hopefully the office just can't leave path reports on answering machines.
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NM, Well, some of the known BC risk factors are things like age...and we can't get younger, can we? Or being a woman...and by the time you might be old enough to change that, it's probably already too late. Or having a child by age 30...like a woman's biological clock isn't ticking loud enough already, now you can up the BC risk if you don't pop one out by 30. Up against those kinds of risk factors, the spurious ones about diet seem minor, at best. (I have my own theory, just search key word 'balance sheet" in this thread to save me from elaborating again, and that still remains to be figured out)
The day could arrive when we have more than just dietary links to BC, and then we can all avoid anything causative, but will we? I think so often of smoking and lung cancer. With everything known about that risk, why are people still taking up the habit? I don't know what to feel about that...when a smoker gets lung cancer. Part of me is thinking, "well, what did you think would happen if you smoked two packs a day?" I think it can be about personal responsibility. I just don't think, in the case of BC, it is as solid of a case.
Keeping in mind that most (all?) things do have causation. We can say BC is "random" but that could translate into it has clear causation that we just have not figured out yet. I will need to hear more evidence to think that I caused my own cancer, but it might turn out that I did?????
p.s. LOL! Those beefcakes.
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NM, those "beefcakes" are great! Lifted my spirit this morning.
I hate to think I did something to "cause" my cancer. Besides the fact that I was born into the family I had. In my immediate family all the women have had BC. But I tested negative on the BRAC gene. My DD thinks everyone should get a complete body scan every few years because we just don't know what is growing in there. I can see why she is worried.
The gene testing is so much in the news these days. But I am not sure if having all your body parts removed is the best way to go. I am more into the wait and see method. Of course being high risk, makes me more aware and more proactive in getting tested.
So just heard from the GYN office. My path was inconclusive, but my endrometrial stripe is larger than normal. So now they want to do a camera scan. I can't remember the word. But of course the doc is away for 2 weeks. So I have a pre-op appt for June 9th.
So after saying that about body parts, I'm ready to just get this ol" uterus yanked out. lol
I asked what to do about the uncomfortableness of feeling like I am about to get my period at any minute. She suggested a hot water bottle. Seriously?!
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Maca, if you are menopausal, why are you not on an AI? The AIs are not as hard on your uterus.
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momine, I tried armidex first. It was too hard on my bones. I could barely move. Now I have osteoporosis in my spine and am suppose to start taking fosamax any day now. I just am having a hard time figuring out the risks versus the benefits of these meds. I'm going to try to get in touch with my MO tomorrow.
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El--All things do (probably) have a cause.We can't avoid every cause.I think the cause of any cancer is ultimately complex and multi-factorial, depending on interactions among many, many things that include genetics, diet, weight, environment, etc.I remember your "balance sheet" discussion, will go back and read them again, they make a lot of sense.I don't know what to think about smokers who get lung cancer, I also see patients with lung cancer who never smoked and did not have second hand exposure, and people who smoke heavily for decades and don't get lung cancer, COPD or heart disease.There just has to be more to the story!
Mac-- Could I have avoided bc by losing weight decades ago?Maybe,but it's not so certain that I'm going to beat myself up for not yet winning the battle with weight that I've had all my life.
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Oh thank you. I'm on another site and I feel like an ole grandma and I'm ONLY 59! But I was diagnosed on March18th with Triple Negative BC and after reading up on it, the women it normally hits are either under 40, black, Hispanic or Jewish. I am white and christian, I feel SO special to have been chosen, not!
Been through menopause and it was a breeze, NOW I'm getting hot flashes and mood swings with Chemo and my hubby is waiting for my head to spin around and start spitting pea soup at him (I know you older ladies get that).
Just when we've finally got done with hubby's 3 back surgeries in 3 years, my gall bladder surgery and a house move after 22 in same house, getting ready to have a nice boring year of working part time, gardening and kayaking and BAM, I fall and find a huge lump and not only that it's aggressive, grade 3, stage 2/3 (won't know till surgery),ductal Triple Negative.
Thank God for a sense of humor that comes with age, first thought "Boobs are overrated", second thought after shock, I can have them suck out all the fat below and put it on top, yeah that's what I'll do. Don't think I could have handled this younger.
The good thing is with age comes many friends, so I feel like I've been carried on wings of love & prayers.
Good luck to my fellow "Middle Agers"!
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welcome odds, I am sure you will fit right in here. The key is the sense of humor. (much more than a number) Yep, just when we thot we could lay back and rest on our laurels.......
I have lost a bunch of weight in the last few years. I did a supervised weight loss "program", but I really think it has more to do with timing than anything else. Just like a lot of things in life. I didn't have kids to cook for every day like before or a hubby so could really control the food that came into the house. I am now so much more able to concentrate on me rather than everyone around me. I have started to lose again but am not really trying this time. Just not hungry.
I think I have mentioned on this site that I am a participant in a "Sister Study" Of why one sister gets BC and the other doesn't. They had me collect the dust around my house (above the door frames) I had to fill out a very detailed questionnaire about how close I live to a major road or airport. Of course they took blood, pee and weight measurements, too. Of course then I messed that up by getting cancer, so they made me do it again. Once a year I get some info about it, but no real conclusions that I have read.
turns out the phrase is really about NOT resting on your laurels! Who knew?
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