Calling all TNs
Comments
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Hi Everyone
I got my Taxol infusion today and find that it is nowhere as bad as AC. So far, I feel it may be tolerable but the fatigue is quite a lot. Right now I am functioning with all the steriods which they have put in me, but when that gets out of the system, I am sure I will be more fatigued. But I don't feel the nausea as badly as with AC and all the digestive issues, although I am now taking zantag 150 mg. daily. I feel like doing the happy dance, but maybe that is a little too premature. The next 5 days will tell the true story. I have 3 more Taxol treatments to go. I mostly slept through the infusion and later when I woke up, there was only an hour to go. Thanks to all of you who made this possible for me, that is to calm me down and give me so many pointers.
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Lovelyface: So glad that you tolerated the Taxol. That is such good news. 3 more to go and then you are done with chemo!
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Just finished chemo June 16, 2010 and had my first follow up with onc (nurse pract) the first week in November and everything was "fine". Two days ago my armpit was tender so I felt around and felt nothing. Last night I felt a lump in my armpit......I am sick to my stomach with worry. My Dr's office opens at 8am and will be calling for an appt......
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Our worst fear, recurrence! I don't even know what to say except that our hearts go out to you...having to experience the fear and anxiety. Take a deep breath and please keep us posted. Hugs!
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Called Onc office about lump that I found - they cant get me in today and I am waiting for a call from the nurse. I am not going to be able to make it thru the day....Do I call my primary Doctor, Surgeon, or Breast Clinic to try to be seen?
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Hi Kelley~ I'd call all 3 and try to be seen. It isn't worth the stress of waiting.
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Kelley: I can feel the fear you're having right now. I hope you get a hold of one of those docs and are able to put your mind at ease today. I wanted to throw out there that other types of infections can cause swelling in your armpit area. Maybe it's an infection right under the skin.. pore... hair follicle. And the lymph nodes take care of other types of infection in the body too. People without cancer have swellings in the armpit from totally benign conditions. I'll be watching to see when you post next on the outcome and will be thinking of you today.0
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Thank you everyone for the calming/thoughtful words. The nurse from my Onc office called and they are "squeezing" me in today at 12:30 for a mammo and ultra-sound. I asked a few questions and she said that if they find anything to the lump, they will do a needle biopsy and those results will be know within 48 hours...My mind is going crazy! I will keep you posted...
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Kelley - cc4npg is correct, there are many other things it could be. Case in point....I'm sitting here right now with gauze taped under my arm for a cyst/boil in a hair follicle that has gotten infected. I'm on antibiotics. And, it's on my cancer side. Prior to this whole (very painful) ordeal, which started last week, there was a bump in the area that I'd had for a very long time. Take care and please keep us posted.
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Good morning ladies,
Wow , i haven't been here for a few days and there is a lot postings to read. How is everyone? I am doing fine. I saw both BS and PS last Monday. I will start my first fill on Dec 6th. I am excited because the scab from my nipple just start falling and the nipple looks pink and healthy! Dec 1st I am going to have my Oophorectomy( Removal of ovaries) . I just wanted to give you an update.
Lynn18: How are you? To answer your question ... I only took prescribed meds for pain for 2 weeks. Than a switched to 2 aleve a day. And I have not taken any pain meds since last Friday. I feel the tightness in my chest but no pain. I hope you are doing well.
Heidi: I love your pictures/ cartoons. :0)
MBJ: Your pictures look great .
SusanGardens: When is your surgery again?
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Kelly: Glad that they could get you in so fast. I hope that it is something slight and that you will be given a clean bill of health. Each and everyone of us will be here for you no matter what. Take a deep breath, take the day off and may all your tests be clean. Hugs.
MonikaV: Thank you! It's quite something getting the fills. It's like reliving adolescence on fast forward. LOL! Glad you are doing well. The tightness remained for me through until getting the expanders out but the results were so worht it.
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Sugar: So sorry you had to go through all that. I had a pre BC lump that they took out during my MX that was there for 30 years.
Here's hoping everyone has a great rest of the week and good health!
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Kelley: So happy you're going in today!! At least you'll have some answers hopefully quickly... and I'm hoping for a good news post from you soon!
Sugar: Hate that you have that going on but that just goes to show so many things can happen under an arm that aren't cancerous. I hope that goes away soon... OUCH!
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Kelly all will be well. Sending well wishes...
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Just got back from the Doctors....the tech did an ultrasound and said the Doctor would have to take a look at the images. The Doctor ended up coming in and doing some more images herself (that was kinda wierd) and said that she "thinks it is not cancerous and if it was still there in two weeks, to come back and have it biopsied". I told her that I could not wait two weeks and wanted it biopsied today. She ended up doing the biopsy and said that she would have done the same thing if it was her. I should get results back in 24 - 48 hours either way. I feel much better having done something v doing nothing. It still rots to have to wait for the results, but I feel better...When I changed, I used locker #7 for good luck!
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Kelley41: Good for you for insisting on getting the biopsy right away. I'm not sure I would have been as assertive, but it just goes to show that if you speak up, you can get results. A lesson we all have to take to heart. Fingers crossed for you for a B9 outcome!
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Thanks to this website for me being assertive and insisting for a biopsy. I read a few different posts regariding "lump in armpit" where people said that they now look back and wished that they insisted on a biopsy. I would never had done that in the past. Thank you for those posts and to those brave women!
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Hi - I started radiation on November 8th. So far I have had 8 treatments and I am suppose to do between 25 and 28. No SEs yet. I am very grateful. My RO recommended clear Aloe Vera twice a day, Dove soap, only luke warm water while showering, no bra with an underwire and to take off the bra as soon as I get home at night. They have been great, I am the first patient in the AM (7:30) so I get in and out right away. Then I have to drive an hour to work, work for the day and drive back home. But I only get home about a 1/2 hour longer than normal. Luckily I was never scared of radiation treaments - I was very scared of chemo. In comparison to chemo, this (so far) is much easier. Take care everyone
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Kelley: Glad you got some action going! Good for you!0
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Swanny:
Continued good outcome with the rads side effects. I never burned until the last week - it was like a bad sunburn, but no blisters, etc. My SNB scar hurt the most throughout that week, but it was all tolerable and it really does clear up pretty fast after the last rads treatment.
Linda
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Kelley: Good that you pushed to get the biopsy done. You won't have the horrid weeks of waiting. As has been said, there are other things that can cause swelling/lumps in that area, but it's best to be sure. Thinking of you.
Swanny: As you go along with rads, include exposure to air while you are at home. Best of luck for an easy time of it. It will be over soon.
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Kelly - so sorry you are having to go through a scare, fingers and toes are crossed for good results.
Teka - glad to hear that you're finished radiation and that the pain is getting better. I sailed through radiation and 3 days after finishing I was in so much pain and covered with icky blisters and such. I feel your pain and am glad it's almost over.
Swanny - ((hugs)) and wishing you continued wellness during radiation. remember to use the lotion and/or aloe they suggest everyday and after radiation.
Sugar - Ugh!!! What a terrible place for a cyst or boil.
Monika - glad to hear you're doing well and whoo hoo!!! on getting started on recon
LJ - glad to hear that you are doing well and the drain is out (can't imagine how much that hurt).
I hope that everyone is having a good week and will talk to y'all later.
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Kelly, I totally understand how you feel, as I am always feeling tinges and sharp somethings in my armpit even when I am going through Chemo. And when I touch, it hurts at times. At least you are calling your doctors. I get numb with fear and hope it will go away. I feel so lost when I feel something, I just don't know what to do. I wish you all the best, my dear. I hope it is just nothing, just coming from stress or something.
I just want to ask everyone whether their Medical oncologists are continouously checking their Vitamin D levels. I have to remind mine to check. My Vit. D level is low at 25. When I was diagnosed, it was 22. And it seems like they don't care. I wish I could change my medical onc. but I am in the middle of care. All other health people in the group talk highly of him, but I don't find that he givs me any specifics about my case. I am frustrated with almost everything, not understanding where I stand.
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Hi, I haven't been on here in a long time... I've never had my doctor check vit. D levels. I didn't know I should be concerned. What is that all about?
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I had my vitamin D checked during chemo - and I was surprised it was at 79 - well into the optimal level. However, it is common for women to be deficient in vitamin D, and there does appear to be a linkage to BC. During winter months here, we don't have the opportunity to get it naturally from sunlight. At my 1-yr follow-up with BS last week, she recommended 2000 units of D3 a day. And I know many women on these boards who are taking more.
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Hey everyone! Kelley..I betcha it is a boil or some kind of cyst. I had a boil way before BC and I put this black salve on it that my mom in law got from Amish Country...it was under the skin but that salve brought it out and it burst..it really was gross! My kids were young then and I showed them and we all got grossed out..funny stuff..my DH had one on his..well..another time..
About D3..that is about the ONE thing my Onc agrees with me as far as supplements...I take 5000 IU's per day. TKCmom..if you ask they would probably do the test..just a simple blood draw...I'm at 59 at last check..hoping to be like Luah the next time they check it in January. I heard on the news one evening about this doctor saying that 70% of his BC patients are low in D3..that's a lot! Toxicity level is at 100 so I think we can all take it without any concerns.
Swanny..glad you are doing well with rads...you probably won't have any issues..rads were like a vacation to me compared to chemo...yes..every day..but in and out and on with your life..that was sweet.
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About the vitamen D, mine is 23 and my dr. recommended 10,000 IU's a day. She said hers is low too, and we live in a very sunny climate; I spend a lot of time in the sun. I have a friend here whose level was only 16. It seems I don't hear of very many people who have normal levels. I haven't spent much time researching the connection between low levels and BC, but my dr. recommended testing for it.
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Lynn..when I first was test I was at 41 but I had already begun taking lots of D3..I may have been much lower at diagnosis but wasn't tested then.
All in all D3 is inexpensive and easy to take...it's a no brainer...at least until another study comes along.
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Kelley - glad to hear you got some action right way and I'm hoping that all will be b9!
Swanny - I found rads really made me tired but I didn't have any blistering or anything. I guess I was lucky in that regard. Glad to hear it's better for you than chemo.
Titan - wow, earlier this week I could have used some of the black salve stuff you got in Amish County for your boil. I've been using warm compresses with Epsom salt and it has helped and so has the antibiotics I'm taking for 10 days.
I had my dress all picked out for the gala I'm going to this Sunday out of town at a business conference. Well, best laid plans...the dress has no sleeves and the big piece of gauze taped on my armpit is a "glamor don't" in my book (lol) so I've resorted to Plan B, which is either a new dress or some kind of little jacket. Spend time at the mall tonight and came up with nothing.
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Titan: I am not sure what normal D3 levels are, but when my dr. said she was testing her own levels, that convinced me that it is a good idea.
Kelley41: That's great that you were assertive and didn't have to wait for the biopsy. You can get your results back before Thanksgiving and won't have to worry over the holidays.
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