Calling all TNs
Comments
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When I see my doctor/oncologist, I automaticaly take my bra off and shirt myself before he has a chance to do it himself. I figure that that's what's going to happen anyways so better do it myself. It doesn't bother me anymore because I feel that since BC, I have taken my bra off so many times for so many doctors, RO, rads techs, scan techs,US techs and so on that as soon as I'm in a doctor's office, I just think I have to take it off!
Suze- Hope you are feeling better and that you are back home.
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Don't you guys get instructed to wear the gown and take off your bra, when the nurse takes you to your room? That way you are already prepared for the doc. I would feel very very strange if my Onc. or any other doc unhooked me. Once or twice my Onc. has examined me, without the nurse present and that felt weird. He mentioned that he is no breast expert, but then what is he looking at?
Gillyone - what? he what? unzips your jeans? One other Onc. who is supposedly the biggest expert in Onc. had never seen or felt my lump or even after surgery as he has never examined me physically, as he told me he is the doc who will be treating the cancer in the body. From that conversation I felt that BS should be the one checking you, touching you and doing the B exams, never the Onc.
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Sad, but funny, Babs. On the other end of the spectrum, I have put gownns on and taken them off so much that I actually made it to the outside waiting room before someone told me I still had the darn thing on. For rads I always had to gown up, but leave my pants on. So last week I just grabbed my coat off the rack and headed for the door. Too funny.
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Anandagram- Too funny
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TryingToSaveMom - that's great news!
Babs and Anandagram - so funny! My BC experience has taken away any modesty I might have had before. I feel like half of New York City has already seen my breast....if anyone else wants to see it, they just need to ask
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OK ladies. I highly suggest you make and bring your own "exam gown" and take it with you to appointments. I made one for radiation treatments and brought it every day so I didn't have to wear the horrible hospital ones. It will take you ten minutes, I kid you not.
Take a tshirt and cut it down the back. Take two pieces of ribbon long enough to make a bow and sew one on each side by the neck seam. You can do just a few quick running stitches and it will hold up. Then take two pieces of ribbon and sew them on about halfway down the back, also be sure they are long enough to make your bow. If you want to get a little fancy, get some iron-on hem tape, iron on two long strips close together down the middle of the back then make your cut down the back between the strips. Tshirt material doesn't fray, but it will curl a bit. The iron-on tape provides a little structure.
Wear it under a zip-up hoodie and you're ready for any request to be examined without having to ask for a gown!
Tif - does he have a nurse present when he's doing that exam? I was trying to remember how it went for me; I think my DH was usually with me.
Gillyone - your experience would give me the creeps! I'm glad I now have a female MO!!!
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Please bear with me if you see me post this on other threads. It normally would not be a big deal for me, but I know all of you will understand that it is now! I just emailed my local school district's personnel director to advise her that I plan to return to subbing next Fall. She wrote back that they will be very pleased to have me back.
NEXT FALL - wow, this is the first time in months I have thought ahead about anything except treatments! Who knows what can happen by next Fall? I know this - but it does feel good to have some kind of plan for the future.
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Great idea, LuVRving- Thanks.
Yes, the unzipping of the pants would really do me in!
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My onc always examines my breast without the nurse present. He did ask me last time if he could call the female NP in so she could see what an awesome incision site I had for my lumpectomy. I said, 'Sure, whatever"....
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Another funny thing that happened to me was that, you know when you are in active treatment you have to "flash" your hospital card everytime you go to the hospital (and we all know it's often!). Well I used show it sooo many times last year that one time, last spring, I was at McDonalds and when it was time to pay, instead of handing the cashier my debit card, I handed her my blue hospital card and I was there waiting for her to take it but she was just looking at me weird. It took me a while before I realized why. My sister was with me and she laughed so hard............
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Oh Babs, that's a good one!
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Michelle- the nurse is not present, but he is quick and I don't get that pervert feeling from him. I had a gyno back in my 20s that I went to once and he creeped me out and I felt really weird with him so I never went back. Now if he asks me to unzip my pants, then I will be weirded out!!
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Gosh... I must be a "simpleton". I just wear a cami and cotton sweater... or anything else that goes up and down easy. My onc does a BE and then I just pull my sweater back down. KISS!
Heidi (having pizza and eating home-made choc chip cookies after a nice day of teaching)
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I remember my first exam with my first onc. He did have me put on a short paper gown and after the top half exam he had me unzip to feel the lymph nodes there but my husband was there and it wasn't weird at all. Had he unzipped me, it would have been strange.
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Okay, I'm feeling very privileged in our government-sponsored health system - I ALWAYS am given a cotton gown to change into, for any exam.
Anandagram: yes, it does feel good to move on and make plans - congrats!
tryingtosavemom: So glad to hear your mother's scans were okay. I remember I was convinced I was going to die within the year when I went through all that scan anxiety. The truth is that most women who have early-stage breast cancer are treated and survive... no reason your mother won't be one of them and live to a much riper old age.
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Just stopping in and waving HI LADIES. Very busy at work lately not on much. Funny life keeps right on moving no matter what. Sending warm vibes to everyone.
Suze you are awesome (can you feel my tears)!!!
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Just got back from my follow up visit. All was good. Bloodwork was perfect they said. I asked about my tumor markers, they are at 7.9 and the normal range is 0-38, they said that was good. Shouldn't they be at 0 though?
asked about metformin and dr was reluctant to put me on it, says there's too much of a chance I could go into coma. He did tell me to have my family doctor test my Hgb A1C and go from there. Sort of forget now, so I will have to google that one. He seemed somewhat impressed when I asked about Zometa, scheduled a bone scan for me on Monday, provided I fit into the criteria he'll give me the Zometa. Other than that he said I could be taking a calcium supplement in addition to my reg Multi-vitamin. I think that covers some of what we've discussed. His assistant did say cinnamon helps lower/regulate your blood sugar.
Onc left room and his female assistant did physical, I just lifted my shirt and moved my bra down. I told her about it being our latest topic and she said that they don't usually do gowns because they have found it makes alot of people uncomfortable but would do whatever makes me happy.
Sorry, had to share my doc appt, very happy to be NED right now. Think maybe this is the first time I'm starting to accept it.
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Mccrimmon - great news! Yay for NED!!!
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That's great Mccrimmon!
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Luah, my onc. uses paper gowns that are open in the front. My primary care doc, however, has cloth gowns because she always hated the paper gowns, too. They're more like ponchos - just a rectangular length of soft cloth with a hole for your head, and with ribbon piping on all edges. It covers you completely front and back, and is wide enough for the sides to overlap as you sit there, but she can easily slip her hands through the open sides for an exam that doesn't leave you exposed. I've complimented her on it and she said she's been surprised how many patients notice and like it better than the paper gowns.
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McCrimmon - that is great news. I noticed that you used the term "NED". My Onc. told me that since my BC had never metasized, that term cannot be used. It is only used when someone's cancer had previously metasized and now is in remission - then they use the term "no evidence of disease". I didn't notice any mets in your ID.
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Suze - are you home yet? How are you doing? Hoping you are comfortable in your own home/bed today.
Has anyone heard from MBJ? Girl, where are you, what are you up to? I have been missing your wisdom on the boards lately.
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McCrimmon yeah for good news!
About the gowns, my BS, My RO always use gowns, except when I did radiation, then I was given a small towel to cover up with. My MO never uses a gown and just has me raise my shirt and bra. I have never had any of them have me unzip my pants and check anything.
Funny how all our stories are different.
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Lovelyface, thank you for explaining NED, I didn't know what to put. I feel funny using cancer-free like I might jinx myself or something. LOL
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Heather- so glad to hear everything went well. My onc also was concerned about the coma thing and the drop in glucose while sleeping although I've seen reports (thank you Michelle) that state otherwise. He won't presribe it for me though.
Suze- any news? Hope you are feeling better
Bak- how is your infection?
Yes, where is MBJ? Hope she is just enjoying getting settled in her new home and state!
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Heather - excellent news! Those tumor markers are great, by the way. I don't think anyone tests at "0"...mine were still in the low 30's as of late October.
I have to LOL at MOs who talk about metformin putting someone in a coma. It doesn't cause glucose lows, like many other diabetic drugs. That's why they can use it safely in the clinical trials regardless of the person's weight or glucose levels. How could they give it to almost any woman if it actually did cause all those problems???
Your primary physician will be more familiar with the drug. It's one of the oldest, cheapest and safest diabetic drug on the market.
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Well..sounds like most of us experience the same thing...as far as exams...I just think it would be more professional to gown us...ah well..whatever...
I got felt up 3 times in one day in November...the Onc, BS and the PA...
My BS was so proud of his work he had to show the PA....so I was like laying there like an exhibition...lol
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mccrimmon- everyone has tumor cells circulating in their body. It's how one's body handle them that determines if/when cancer occurs. So no, the tests should not be zero.
People who actually develop cancer do so because their body has lost the ability to expel the cancer cells due to genetic mutation or anomaly i.e. a defective p53 marker, etc.
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Hi fellow Tns. Another setback. I had my port put in last Wednesday and by Monday still wasn't feeling right and breathing problems. Went for an xray. Found a partially collapsed lung from a nick from port placement and was hospitalized. I had a VERY painful tube put in my lung yesterday. I just got out of the hospital. Boy, this disease throws all kinds of things at ya. I don't know what is happening day to day it seems. I'm very tired. Hope to catch up with posts when I'm stronger.
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I'm so relieved to have had a good check up with my onc today. Like Luah, I get the cloth gown. It feels very clincal way and I prefer it that way. I asked about Metformin and he said I don't qualify for any clinical trials but that it's worth discussing with my GP and having her monitor my blood sugar levels. My bloodwork for that is always fine. He once again reminded me that ER negative tumours are "front loaded"...meaning if they are going to come back, they will generally do so sooner than in our ER postive counterparts.
Lovelyface - re: NED....when I have had my mammograms, the radiology report has stated "no further evidence of disease" so I'd say that means NED. Hope all goes well with your upcoming checks on your neck.
I hope everyone is having a good evening. I think I'll sleep better tonight.
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