August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!
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Lizzy- I have netflix and am more than willing to give you my user name and password- but you'd have to watch it by the 27th or so i am cancelling my membership because ONCE AGAIN they raised the price of my contract but this time without sending me out an email... so once this month is over i am cancelling it- but it in a watch now so you can watch it online- THAT GOES FOR ANYONE HERE- PM ME IF YOU WANT MY PASSWORD AND USERNAME
Wherria "Along these lines, I'd like to ask y'all to describe what kind of regular tests or screenings your oncs are ordering. For instance, how often are you supposed to get bone density tests? Does your onc test for tumor markers? How often do you see your onc? What kinds of labs do you get, and how frequently? Etc. I would really appreciate hearing about these things from you, because I'm not comfortable with how my onc is treating the post-chemo testing/screening. Thank you."
In reply to that above- of course my situation is different, but its a good comparison to the far end of the extreme of testing- As far as i know i dont get a bone density test but i do get bone scans which are a lot like C/t scans but they inject you with a dye and you dont need to drink the nasty drink, i also get regular c/t scans once every 4 months or so, i get echos done about the same time. I get regular blood work done once a month, i dont know what they look for but its a CBC and Chem20. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MY DR DOES NOT TEST FOR TUMOR MARKERS, i saw my dr a week after my herceptin and zometa which were 3 weeks apart and 4 weeks apart, now that i am done with herceptin i only see him once every 4 weeks. I have had other scans done when symptoms were presenting themselves, but not anything else regularly. HOPE THIS HELPS
Lizzy- I hardly drink bottled water because of that, ther have been studies to show that A- most bottled water comes from a tap somewhere, and b- the bottling process tend to introduce more bactiria and such than the tap- i just drink filtered tap water, but if i am out and about i may buy a bottle of h2o if need be- THANKS FOR MENTIONING ME! Funny cuz the nurse at the cardiologist said i looked about 16! I love hearing "you look so young" yeah iu need my ego stroked every once in a while too!
Threasa sorry you feel alone- we are evidence that we eventually start feeling like our old selves after treatment.
Check out the thread sweeny posted and you are bound to connect with others going through this along with you!0 -
Good evening, warriors!
Flu shots: is anyone considering one this year?
SOOO EXCITING! I was just watching Nightline and there is a new field in cancer studies called "Cardioncology" which studies the ramifications of your heart going forward after having lung and breast cancer. Apparently those of us that had left side bc are more prone to heart problems if we had a chemo, like adriamyacin, which is all but guaranteed to cause heart problems. They said anyone who has had bc and left side in particular, should see a cardio oncologist once per year to have a heart stress test and some other test to measure if the heart is showing signs of problems. This is sooo exciting! Finally, someone that is trying to HELP US stay alive after chemo! We have all talked about concerns for our heart after chemo and who watches over us and how do we know when to get more scans and tests etc... and out of the mouth of Diane Sawyer fell this wonderful piece of information!
The cardio oncologist they interviewed said get off the carbs, onto the protein but I don't know what the hell they expect us to do when our animal food sources are poisoned. I think I want the NASA pill soon! I could never raise my own animals for food either....I would have a huge farm and be starving! There is hardly anything that is comparable to animal protein, however, so I will just pipe down and realize I am not meant to be here forever so eat an animal and save your heart!! It is scary!
The reason they ran this story, btw, is because of Senator Kennedy's niece that died of heart attack while working out this past week. Apparently she had lung cancer and the chemo she was treated with, some 10 years ago, was known to damage the heart.
TereseA: take all the advice and join the thread for your group so you have people you can identify with. I wish you the best and we are all fine examples of life beyond chemo! Come back anytime.
Texas: sure, send me your net flix ID. I got rid of the cable company for the same reason. Getting these bills that just keep going up....awful.
About scans after, no one has any planned, docs don't speak of them and basically, after chemo, it is sort of like hope-for-the-best or, if you feel sick, we will scan you. It is pathetic after all these years this is all they have got? They rely on that old dog, radiation, for like 50 years now. We all know the definition of insanity so I don't know why they keep doing the same things expecting different results? It is a shame that our post-chemo life is basically hope you don't get sick. It is a real travesty. I don't want to be aggravated with a bunch of unnecessary tests and scans either but it would be nice if you received a MAP at the end of chemo listing even bloodwork etc... that should be done at certain intervals but there is nothing. The entire experience is the antithesis of preemptive. They treat, they can't cure and no one plays clean up after chemo but alas we have our CARDIO ONCOLOGISTS now!!! I will go to MSK if I have to, once a year, if Yale does not have this practice yet.
Sometimes I watch ABC at 6:30 at night because Diane Sawyer's voice is so mellifluous and soothing! Tonight there was the added bonus of good news for all of us bc girls!
All I know is that bottled water news was spooky! I kind of knew that on some level but why I was not paying more attention to it evades me. It is just plain old sad!The dermatologist thinks I have poison oak/ivy/sumac and prescribed some "stuff!" She said as for my lips and nose, really not sure. She gave me something else for my lips and reminded me that after chemo, allergies to most anything can happen. Now tomorrow, while the contractors are here, I will be washing all of my sheets and clothes I have worn since this started! Good times...!
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Wherria: I had a PET scan last year that didn't pick up my ovarian cancer. When I asked why I was told that neither PET nor CT scans always show small or low grade disease. Makes me wonder why the heck we even get them!
There were several things I wanted to comment about but that was 3 hours ago when I first logged in. I got interrupted by untrained puppies and the need to cook dinner. Now I don't remember what they were! Ya'll have to remember that I'm only a month away from chemo. Anyway, just wanted to tell you all that I got a good report on my scans. All clear (well, at least as far as scans can see it all, ha! just like we all know). I was excited and am ready to move on. My onc wants to do scans again at 3 months and 6 months and to see me every other month. I guess he's being vigilant since I'm a two time winner. I started on Arimidex today. Anybody else taking this and what has been your experience with it?
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Yayyyy Lady - WONDERFUL news!!!!0
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LADY!! That's great news, a very big congrats on clear scans!
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How did you come into contact with poison oak/ivy/sumac??? Sent you the pm!
Whoop whoop lady! Two time winner is an understatment!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I just got a different bike 2 wks ago and I had to make it girlie somehow so ths is what I did
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Lady: that is FANTABULOUS news!!!! Congratulations, woman!
Tex: they think when I was out in the backyard cutting my finger up with the hedge trimmer! They think I did it then. I told her this showed up at least 3-4 days since I was out there and she said it happens.
Thanks, Tex. I am going to *try* to watch it tomorrow but I totally forgot the contractors are here tomorrow right through the beginning of next week
When I told them they could not come on Friday they asked if they could work "outside" the house which means they will be banging and clanging starting at 8AM on Friday also...ugh! NOT HAPPY! I did not want them here at all on Friday as I wanted to sleep in, have breakfast, shower and head to NY but now, of course, I will have to be up with the bangers and clangers! I am hoping it pours Friday morning and they don't come until later! In long, if I don't end up using your ID I am going to order it from Amazon.Are you enjoying your classes? I am really happy for you that you were able to get into the Fall class. I hope you are having a good time of it!
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oh shoot i just checked and i have to cancell it tonight! it will charge me tomorrow!
it started off 16.99 for 3 dvds out at a time, and now its 23.something for the same plan, each month its been getting more and more...
If you can watch it tonight that'd be great!
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Tex: don't worry about it...cancel it now. I can't watch it tonight because I am working on something and besides that, I want to scratch the skin off my arms so I am trying to keep busy! Thanks for the offer, though. All of those services are the same...they suck you in and then jack the prices. I buy so much media off of Amazon used for like $3-$6 dollars, I can't beat it. When something says .01 on Amazon, it is for real. Usually there is a shipping charge of $3 or $4 and that is where the charges come in. So, don't hesitate to buy used off Amazon!0
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Yeah just cancelled- sorry i should have checked the date first, but i am glad that i offered to you or i would have still thought it was the 27th til the money came out my credit card tomorrow LOL!
I do redbox a lot- honestly after tax i was paying almost 30 bucks for my serviece that averages to 1 redbox movie a day, which i no where came near watching in netflix movies- i think i got maybe 12 a month (about 3 a week) so its more cost effective to use the redbox rental, i will miss the watch now though...
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Tex: and you know it would have come out of your cc at 12:01AM!!! Speaking of Redbox, meant to tell you that Zumba is at Rebox now. If you wanted to get the disc so you could bypass the levels on Wii, you could. I did Wii Zumba with my friend and it was ok but I like the live disc I have much better. Just wanted to let you, and everyone know, that Zumba has come to Redbox!0
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Lizzy- Whippersnapper! Ha!
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Good morning Chemosabes!! I hope everyone is waking uphappy and ready to go!
Texas: Thank you very much for the info about both the bottled water industry (I had no idea, and am a little bit more pissed at corporate America/the rest of the world than I already was), and about your follow-up care. I'd still appreciate it if others could chime in too, with specificity if possible. Thanks.
Yes, we all seem to be fired up about how little attention our docs give us once chemo is over, and I'm right on board. Have y'all noticed that everything you read about cancer says that after chemo your doctor will do regular labs and bone scans (that's actually what I meant, Tex), physical exams, AND other tests to make sure other organs have not been damaged. For instance, I've been reading a lot lately about mets to the liver, as you know, and everywhere it says that if you have been treated for a primary cancer in another part of your body, your doctor will want to follow- up with regular liver panels to screen for metastesis. Well, how many of us have gotten that? I couldn't even get one when my chemistry showed elevated liver enzymes, AND I was/am symptomatic. Crazy. And one of the reasons I have asked you all about what your oncs are doing with you now is that about three months ago, I mentioned to my onc that it had been about a year and a half since I'd had a bone scan, and should we be doing another. He shrugged and said, "Naw, I only do those every other year."
Also Tex and Lizzy, what is Redbox?
Lady: As you know, I was away from the group for quite awhile, and missed a lot. I am so sorry to hear that you have had to face ovarian cancer too! I am so sorry! But very glad to hear about your clean scan! You asked about Arimidex. I was on it for about six months, and I have to say, it was not pleasant. There were some minor things that didn't concern me much, but three things REALLY did. 1 - terrible joint and muscle pain. Mostly joint pain, and mostly in my hips, back and knees. The knees were the worst. 2 - weakness, even more than the weakness I had during chemo. 3 - lots of weight gain. I'm sorry to have to report this stuff, and you know as well as I do, that we all react differently, but I figured you would want to hear the truth. And just to re-enforce the point, I have read in many places that someone can have a terrible reaction to one AI, and do splendidly on another; and someone can have a terrible reaction to one, while someone else does splendidly. I had to stop the Arimidex, because the pain got too great for me to handle, and I couldn't stop the weight gain. Of course, my onc said the weight gain was not at all related to the AI, but I will never believe him on that. I have known way too many women, both on these boards, and in my non-cyber life who had the same reaction, to the same extent. Anyway, now I am on Aromasin, and so far doing better than I did on Arimidex. I haven't been on it very long, so the jury's still out. So far, I have had a little joint pain, but nothing compared to the last, some brain fog/confusion (there's a funny story there too). My bipolar disorder has not been very stable lately, and I have had to go back to electroconvulsive therapy (which works miracles somtimes and is not spooky or barbaric like most people think it is). I'm telling you this because Aromasin is a steroidal-based drug (one of the other two are too, but I don't remember which), and steroidal drugs have the potential to dramatically affect mood in people with mental illness. They can have a similar effect in healthy people, but not to the same extreme, so that's another thing I and my docs are waiting and watching for. Hope that wasn't too much information, and best of luck on the Arimidex. Let's just assume it will be the right drug for you, and maybe it will be!
Lizzy: Thank you so much for telling us about the Diane Sawyer report! I had never heard of this specialty and will definitely look into it. I have had QT prolongation in the past, which is why my onc didn't use Adriamiasin on me, so I've been a little concerned about my heart, especially since it has been an uphill and largely unsuccessful battle to regain and cardiovascular/aerobic strength. Thank you! Also wanted to mention that if you are a Mac woman, you could try iTunes. They let you my movies, TV shows, etc., but they also let you rent them, usually for $3.99. Just a thought. Also, you said you still don't have any answers about the dryness of your skin. One possibility, as I'm sure you know, is medication or even supplements. And I'm just going to mention one, that may be really off the wall. Sjogren's Syndrome. It's an autoimmune disease that attacks the exocrine glands that secrete fluids, such as salivary glands, tear glands, resulting in dry mouth and dry eyes and several other things. Some people get a dry cough because of the limited saliva; sensitivity to light, air or smoke, dry, itchy skin, dry, cracking lips. And also some other things that you wouldn't really think of for a disease that is basically about dryness, like nausea, joint pain, morning stiffness, yeast infections, bladder infections, cold sores and stomach pain. There's more, but I don't remember. Oh, but one of the big symptoms is increased thirst and drinking large amounts of water. Oh, and teeth problems, most especially more frequent cavities, but not limited to that.
This may be totally out of the ball park, but I couldn't help thinking about it as you've been describing some of the things that have been going on for you lately. It might just be worth asking about, especially if you have any personal or familial history of autoimmune problems. And sorry to say it, but some cancer researchers believe that chemotherapy can disrupt the immune system enough to cause autoimmune problems.
One other thing, Lizzy, I have a lip treatment that I get from a medical supply store/ compound pharmacy. After trying what feels like every lip balm on the regular market, I have fallen in love with this stuff. The place is about 30 minutes from my house, but I will do the drive to get it. It's made by Medline, and it's just called "Remedy". Or maybe the whole name is "Remedy Phytoplex Lip Balm". I don't know what's different about it except that it is petroleum-free. You could check online for it, or call around to medical supply places or compound pharmacies. Or if you can't find it, I will get you some and mail it to you! Offer stands for anybody!
I'm off to the bank now, because yesterday I found just under a thousand dollars in fraudulent charges from someplace called "foreclosurefrees.com." Never been there, never heard of it, never visited any sites whatsoever about forclosures. But now I have to go close our account, open a new one, and re-establish all of my automatic debits and internet bill pays. One thing I learned when I was there yesterday is about online bill paying that I didn't know. They said if you pay, let's say your car loan online, and you signed up for automatic debit with your lender. So once a month they debit your checking account for the amount of your monthly payment. Well, my bankers told me that is a dangerous thing to do. However safe your lender might be, you have put your account information in cyber-world. The lender might enforce all kinds of privacy/security tools, but your info is still out there for anyone to find (if they're smarter than I am). So my bankers said the better wayf to do it, and the only safe way, is to set up your automatic payments through your bank, so that your lender never has your info, nor does anyone in cyberspace. Istead, your bank automatically pays your lender your monthly payment. It is sent from your bank, rather than pulled from the lender. Just thought y'all might want to know.
BTW, my goal for tomorrow, or maybe later today is to write a post that is actually shorter than my dissertation!
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Wherria -Thanks for the banking tip!0
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Good day, wild warriors!
I hope everyone is doing well. I am crying about the rain this weekend and about to scratch the skin off my arms but, aside from that, doing good!
Wherria: my **GP** found the mass in my liver because he is the best GP ever. He actually listens and when I told him I was feeling sick after eating, he decided to run a bunch of blood work and booked me for a sonogram of my abdominal region. In fact, he is the reason I have had any scans or tests since the end of chemo. If I tell him something is going on, he listens and takes action. He is a one-in-a- million.
Redbox is a rental machine that is about the size of a soda machine. It costs $1 to rent and late fees are also $1!! It is a wonderful system! You get the movies for 1 day and they can be rented at any Redbox and returned to any Redbox. They actually have pretty current stuff and there are new releases every Tuesday. They email the new releases also.
As for the banking, I was on vacation, out of the country, about 5 years ago when my annual debit for my gym, which was $650 at that time for "World Gym" came out of my account and they conveniently added a zero. I came home to a mess. Ever since, I don't allow any company to go into my account but rather direct the bank to pay them or I pay them directly myself. I learned my lesson from 2 debiting situations that had gone awry and I avoid it. I am just glad you caught that mess before they got more of your money. That is just awful.
Finally, write as much as you want. There are no word limits here and those of us who type 70WPM+ can quickly bang out a number of paragraphs and not even think twice. Don't limit yourself...what's the difference? It is not like you are posting spam or nonsense! It is just like people who take issue with a lengthy email...just because the hunters-and-peckers can't type quickly enough to adequately express themselves does not mean one must limit themselves! It is like for years and years and years everyone has told me I speak too fast....well, guess what? I PROCESS QUICKLY! Naturally, my retort is you need to think faster! My 8th grade teacher actually took me in the hall and made me cry because he YELLED at me for talking too fast! My father was at the school the next day! Type away, woman!
Adey: yeah, that little monster! After I adjusted my dentures and rested my cane down, I told her!!!!! Whippersnappers! On top of that, the little witch was correct!
On Mac...I refuse to go to "I" land and I can rent from Amazon for 3.99 as well. My brother and his entire family are on Mac and my sister is ½ way there with her PC and IPhone but for me, I never went there. I am so old school with my MP3 purchases at Amazon!
Well, I am going to use a nail brush on my arms!!!!! This poison sumac/ivy stuff is very, very itchy and it is driving me mad! I have not had stuff like this since I was a kid. Wasn't calamine lotion the, I guess, antiquated antidote for these poison things? Doesn't that stop the itching? I am going bananas!
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I remember years ago (at least 6 or 7 cuz it was before kids) i would rent from redbox and you would HAVE to return it @ the same location and you would need the credit card you reneted it with to return it, first you would scan your card, press the return option then insert your disk, then you had to "logout" once we didnt do that and the next person rented 3 dvds on our credit card and we totally were unaware until after so long they charged our card something like 24 or 21 per movie!
i am glad they changed that!!!
Tonight on PBS (at least here) there is gonna be a movie called "not as i pictured" about cancer and going through it, seems very interesting... if its not playing where you live you can order a free dvd from his website : http://www.notasipictured.org/ I am gonna try to catch it tonight! Oh and i saw they are playing @ diffrent times in different areas so just look for your state
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tex - apparently Netflix is splitting into two now, netflix will do streaming and the new company called Qwikster will do the DVDs. We dropped to 1 DVD out at a time and use the streaming primarly now so when they changed their pricing our cost went down. They are also adding games.0
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Hey all -
Been kinda laying low - the runs never let up until this morning. Had a real revelation in all of this - my DH got it but so mildly he hardly noticed -my kids were barely a blip on the radar-- they had aches, tummy aches and dizziness but never actually threw up or had the runs. Me -I've had freaking dysentery for four days now. Seriously - bleeding out the behind somebody put a sump pump in my colon kinda dysentary! I am scared that chemo can really knock the immune system into not ever responding the correct way ever again. I never had anything like this in my life.
It's finally going away as of this morning. I have energy again and while I still have stomach and intestinal cramping and pain, the runs have calmed down considerably.
I went to my nutritionist ( I was actually terrified of leaving the house - they made sure they were ready for me as soon as I got there!) But speaking of electrolyte drinks, and he gave me this WONDERFUL electrolyte stuff - you put on only 1 tablespoon in a cup of water, so the bottle lasts FOREVER unlike Pedialyte. And I will tell you, unflavored (and even flavored) Pedialyte gets NASTY after you've been drinking it a while! Speaking from experience here..... Anyway, this is unflavored and is much much better and has more electrolytes than ped. Of course it was not cheap - $50 a bottle, but I guess that is cheaper than buying bottles of pedialyte. I guess it will last me a long time. I feel it pulled me out of a pretty bad dehydration situation.
I went on a "triple therapy" of herbal supplements yesterday targeting bacteria and viruses and he told me it would work very fast. He was right - it seems to have turned it around by this morning. FINALLY. But it's been a long haul and I still can't eat what I want because my gut it really really irritated and sore-and if I eat the wrong thing my tummy tells me!
can't sleep at night so I'm exhausted but hoping to sleep tonight finally. Since I got this I've just been sleeping in like a fevered twilight sleep. Weird.
Anyhow, just wanted to drop that little tip - that if you're thinking of drinking more than water, concentrated electrolyte solution is lots more efficient than hauling bottles of pedialyte around, and it tastes a lot better too! I'm sure it can be bought on line --
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Hi everyone....I have missed a few days. Being back at work really sucks my energy...that plus the kids are in sports most nights...makes for a busy time right now.
First--CONGRATS LADY..I'm so happy to hear your news. That made me smile for sure
I am in the same boat as everyone else---My Onco (although nice) doesn't really want to see me except for my followups. I go see one Onco every 4 months and the other every 6 months. I actually don't have a Doc appointment until January 2012....woot woot!
As for Tamox--I am technically menopausal but am still on Tamox as Doc said it is better due to my age and trying to conserve my bones. Funny enough, I used to work at a company named Genpharm and we made Tamox---they were bought by Mylan. As I take my Tamox each morning--I think to myself--how strange---5 years ago I was the Sales Ops Manager there and now I am swallowing the damn pill each day. I haven't had many issues on Tamox...had really bad hot flashes last year but basically everything seems OK.
I am enjoying spin class....my butt isn't....but I am
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For all the tamox ladies- i am not having regular menstual cycles... they tested ovaries and saw they were working fine so my gyno doesnt know why that would be happening. But what makes me nervous is i have the "old" blood (brown instead of red) my gyno said thats not supposed to happen unless i have had my period first, its like my body is absorbing my period LOL but i get the joys of that junk at the end....
Anyone going through this as well?
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Good morning Ladies,
Lizzy: My husband had poison ivy this summer, and he said calomine lotion worked great!
Kel: I am so sorry you've been so sick! That sounded awful! I think you are definitely right about our immune systems having been put in pause mode. Let's just hope resume play will come in the future! But I'm glad and relieved that you're feeling better now, and thanks for the tip on the electrolyte stuff. I saw something like that in my grocery store. It might be cheaper that way. It said it was for electrolytes, but I am wondering if it might be really sweet to appeal to kids. Don't know. If I try it, I'll let you know.
Haven't heard any news about the liver panel yet. Hoping to hear today. I'll call this afternoon if I haven't heard. Of course I discovered a little trick recently on how to get lab results even if your doc hasn't called to give them to you. My shrink had ordered some tests, and he then went out of town, but I didn't want to wait until he got back to find out. You know, some doctors' offices will give you your labs without asking if you've talked to the doctor yet, and some doctors' offices won't give them to you unless you have. So I bypassed the doc's office entirely and went to the hospital where they drew the labs. I went to medical records and ordered my lab results for the last month! Cost a few bucks but I got my results!
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Tex - my periods have not been right since chemo. You're a lot younger than me, but I still think the rule after chemo is that there IS no rule.
It may not be your ovaries that are malfuncitoning, but the connection between the ovaries and pituatary. My naturopath explained that the pit. gland in your brain actually signals and regulates the ovaries function - hormones, etc. So when that connection is disrupted problems set in. He put me on chaste tree extract because I could not stop bleeding -it went on for weeks and weeks. The chaste tree works at the pituatary level - within 24 hours the abnormal bleeding stopped for good and has not returned.Chemo screws up our body's energy flow - the connections between the brain and hormones, etc- it's a shocker to the system basically and the body has to try to recover from that. I think that's why immune system is wacked. I think the brown bleeding might be just because your period is slight - and that the body isn't kicking out the blood quickly as it might usually do. I think "anything goes" when it comes to cancer treatment!
Here's the link to the stuff he gave me for electroyltes. It's $30 a bottle here -- plus shipping. http://stores.homestead.com/BiopureHealingProducts/Detail.bok?no=14
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Good day warriors-
I have a question: this poison oak (that is what it looks like) is driving me crazy. I so wish I did not go out in the yard that day. You know, when I was young, I was always in the woods and my parents showed me pics of what to avoid etc... As an adult, I have all but forgotten that wise info! In any case, my dermatologist gave me cream etc... but a few hours after I apply it, I am ready to scratch my skin off. Today I am not going to be in the position to keep stopping to reapply etc... Does anyone *think* a pain killer would help me stop feeling the itchiness? I have oodles left from surgery last year and am an adult and know all the warnings of taking these things. I just have something I have to do today and I can't be scratch-o-rama all day! Any opinions on this?! BTW, what I have to do today does not require me to necessarily be *present* like I am not taking a test for my pilot's license etc...!
Tex: I agree with Kel. Sometimes in the past when I have gotten light periods (I was blessed with the 3 day/no pain cycle my entire life!) I would get brown blood. Don't forget, the "flow" is what keeps it red. No flow, it dies and goes brown! Tex, btw, I am on tamox and I have no cycle for 14 months now. Even though you are young, all you have been through might have put you into menopause. You have 2 beautiful kids and a great outlook....who needs a cycle?!!
Calamtykel: I am so sorry you are having such a time of it. I believe wholeheartedly we are in a new frontier with our crippled immune systems. My pit glad is screwed up anyway due to the thyroid crap but, yes, I heard it drives the messages to the ovaries. In any case, my immune was not-so-hot to begin with and now, after chemo, I really think that is why I got this poison oak crap. I just think our bodies can't fight like they used to.
Wherria: you make me proud, slashing the red tape, circumventing the monopolizing layers of medical bureaucracy and laying claim to your lab results!!!! We are warriors, after all!
You guys, please weigh-in on that pain killer business. I am going to scratch my arms off!!! OFF!!! In addition, I have to wear a rain jacket today! My arms are going to be so happy inside of a long sleeved shirt with a rain jacket sleeve over it....ugh!!!!!
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Lizzy -I will tell you - I am more relaxed, more settled and happier without the monthly cycle.
And quite frankly, healthier. That excessive bleeding -two periods in a month - hEAVY periods that didn't stop is what caused me to get that horrendous cold that I got -- that was the downward spiral of my system I fear - then it was lyme after that and now this stomach flu. Now that the bleeding's been gone for a couple of weeks and I'm not ovulating - I feel much better. Have some hot flashes but nothing terrible - some night sweats but nothing terrible. I know my nutr. thinks we should try to get things back to "normal" since it demonstrates that chemo did some damage, but honestly, I'm happier with things this way. I don't need the extra estrogen, God knows, and the little bit of progesterone cream I'm using can better counter what's there.
I for one, would not mind going through menopause like this - it's rather slow and manageable. What is NOT manageable are those horrible hemmoraging long periods!
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Lizzy - Try calomine lotion and ice packs. I find ice helps with iching in general. What about benedryl spray-on, like for mosquito bites, that's great for itching.0
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Wher - - I swear the onc's are trained to say "Oh, that's not a usual side effect of..." just to make you feel totally insane. I was told that my tamoxifen reactions were not tamoxifen related. When I googled it, they certainly were. Absolutely. So I felt she tried to make me feel crazier than I already was feeling on the drug.
It's sad. I know I may be in the minority, but it's how I feel -- I feel angry now that I'm starting to see those blasted pink ribbons plastered all over the yogurt containers, grocery bags, etc. "raising millions for breast cancer". For whom? Not those of us who now have medical bills in collections - whose credit has been RUINED because of breast cancer....not for the families who have lost breadwinners and incomes - and I'm sorry but NOT for effective treatments. The drug companies are STILL the ones who research, develop AND PROFIT (and profit and profit and profit) on the drugs - so where does the $$ go??
It's annoying. "Breast cancer awareness". I hate this month coming up. I hate being lumped in with a huge group that I did not join of my own choice (I'm NOT talking about this group here, nor BCO - but rather the "created" pink ribbon group) -- I don't wanna wear a pink hat. I don't wanna wear a pink shirt or ribbon. I want to see the chains that hold back REAL research into what is causing this and how to arrest it torn off. That's where I want my money going if I save a yoplait top...
Sorry - I just got back from grocery shopping and was annoyed...........
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Lizzy - you need a cortisone cream - or if it gets bad enough, get a cortisone shot. My husband had poison ivy every year - one year he went to a dermatologlist and he shot him with cortisone and it disappeared! He said "I can't believe I suffered with this every year!""
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Oh kel me too! pink sucks
I made this flyer to insert into the clear outside pocket of my binder when i am at school in the middle of it is a pink awareness ribbon with a circle with a dash (like a do not enter sign) and it says "fuck awareness" above it and "find a cure" below it.
In smaller font it lists 13 facts about breast cancer that i got off the metastatic breast cancer sight.
Below that in big red letters it says" BUYING A PINK BLENDER IS NOT GOING TO CURE MY CANCER!" then below that it says in a slightly smaller font "ask me my story (so it doesnt become your story)"
Hopefully that gets some info out into these young minds that probably think the way i thought!
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Lizzy: I'm (fortunately) not allergic to poison oak/ivy, but my hubby is and he said there is a product called "Oak and Ivy" that is the greatest stuff ever for it. Also, take a benedryl. It'll help the itching.0
