2010 Sisters
Comments
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DMom-thanks. On the way to the health food store.
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BarbaraA have you tried using acidophiles? I use coconut milk Kefir found at the HFS. My acupuncturist wants me to have a healthy colon so he has recommended I use it every day - the colon helps the toxins exit the body and needs to be as healthy as possible. He's also working with me on the liver.
Sorry to hear some of you are having trouble with drainage. I had hardening with was the fluid build-up under the skin so my BS did an aspiration three times. I think it could have been done a couple of more times but I started Rads and he released me to the rad onc. When I walked it felt like I was swishing like a balloon! It's better now, thank goodness.
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Barb...make sure the acidophiles is the one thats refrigerated.the rest have no value.and the Kefir is good but my gastro dr recc.Align probitics.he said this is better then both of them. My gastro dr is up on all the new modern tech.i didnt try it yet but i will as soon as i get to the store.love ya girls.
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Thanks Sam and GD. I'm headed to the health food store tomorrow.
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Hi ladies. I had my first of 12 taxol today and it was petty uneventful. Slept through most of it due to the benedryl. Hoping that things only get better not worse:)
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I am having panic attacks as well. During the core biopsy and during the ekg. At night I cry and shake. I aked for xanax, but haven't taken any. My husband made me an excellent Margarita and it worked just fine. I am taking it day by day. I read the Dune series and the "litany against fear" helps me enormously: I will not fear, fear is the mind killer. I will face my fear and let it pass over and through me. When my fear has passed only I will remain. I take three cleansing breaths and silently think the litany. God bless and hang tough!
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Paula - I'm glad you've found something that helps. We all must face our fears. This is a great place to express your feelings, fears and yes face them. Keep reading other ladies posts and stories and share and you won't feel as your so alone in this battle. You see that it can be done and we NEED to see that right now. God Bless and hope you find some peace soon.
Cathy
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Hi ladies, I just found this forum, so I'll join your group. I was diagnosed May 27, 2010. BMX surgery 7/8, 1 of 14 nodes positive. TEs put in place. Started out with 4 drains after surgery and am now down to one. I'm doing pretty good, 3 weeks out from surgery, no pain, just discomfort from the TEs, still can't lie on my side; not sure if that changes, I need to ask my PS. I see an oncologist for the first time next week, so will know my future then. Everyone says chemo is in the cards so I'm just hoping it's a "lighter" dose. Hang in there everybody. Regina
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Welcome Regina - glad you found us. Your just a bit ahead of me with your dx and surgery. I had a Lumpectomy 2 weeks ago today, just got the pathology and next week meet onco and back to BS (more node surgery) on Aug. 10. This is a great place to share and to learn and find support from those going thru it or have been thru it. Again, Welcome, Cathy
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Hello, Joining the group. Dx 6/29, lump 7/22. Will have my first meeting with the oncologist on Tuesday. Waiting to hear what my treatment plan will be. Already know some of you from the Just Diagnosed forum.
I learn so much from you all and don't know what I would do without the support. I see my good friend Cathy (tryn2staycalm) is here already. Hi Cathy, Hope you are enjoying your weekend at the lake.
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Thanks so much for the kind words. I am also "trying to stay calm". I had my bone scan on Friday and am so scared as I have back pain. Could it have migrated there? Geez every little ache and pain has my panties in a ruffle. I will see my BS and PS on August 10 for the preop and then have left breast MX on the 17th of August. Terrified! I am going to do the lat reconstruction right away. I hope I am making the right decisions. Thank you all for being here. Just knowing I am not alone is a comfort.
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Hi Deb! - Welcome to 2010 sisters - I'm back and forth from lake to home. Daughter is here. Good Luck with your ocon visit Tuesday. I am guessing chemo will be in line for us both due to size, after the Rad onco. Your first visit is with a Rad onco too? Mine is. (Friday) Soon we will know more.
Cathy
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Good morning. Just a follow up to my latest. I had a port a cath placed on Friday morning. The pain has been very bad and I was not told that it could be this uncomfortable. (I have been sleeping on our recliner and waking during the night for pain meds), I removed the outer bandaid this morning as it has been 48 hours and the incisions are taped with steri-strips. These are to be removed in the 7-10 day range and will likely still be in place when I begin my treatment (first one is Thursday, 5th August). I realize that though this is rough right now, it will be a real blessing for the duration of my chemo.
take good care and just breathe. . .
Teklya
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Teklya,
I found my port very uncomfortable for about a week. After about the 1 week mark I could finally sleep in a way that I found comfortable. I'm getting to ready to start chemo on Wednesday and got my emla cream to put on my port so hopefully it will all go well. I'm getting anxious but it's only because of the unknown. I expect it to get better after the first one.
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Huntreiter3 and Teklya-->I've had my port for over a year, and am so glad to have it. I was only sore for a few days. Hopefully, Teklya, it will get better for you soon! Yes! Use the Emla cream--ask for a presctription for it if you don't have it yet. I need to put it on an hour ahead of time for the port to be completely numb. Anything less than that and I can still feel it. And you need to use a BIG glob of it--don't skimp! I cover it with Glad Press n' seal to keep it off my clothes.
For those of you just about to start chemo, I wish you all the best. It is scary, but it's good to keep moving forward and beat this thing!
Keep us posted on how you do, and know that YOU CAN DO THIS!
Tina
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Thank you ladies, your comments were very helpful. I, too, will be applying the Emla cream an hour prior to chemo treatment. I have been thru enough pain in the past couple of months and hope this to be as easy on me as at all possible. I will keep you ladies posted on the first chemo treatment. To those of you getting ready for yours, my heart goes out to all of you, this is no easy feat!. I am anxious and yet wish to not be too worried for I can do nothing about it, it will be what it will be and I need to conserve my energy for the bigger fight. You are in my prayers ladies.
take good care and just breathe. . .
Teklya
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For all of you ladies just starting chemo. The anticipation of the first one is truly the worst. Once you get that one under your belt, you will know what it's like and it gets easier. Fear of the unknown....truly is the most frightening. I read somewhere "you don't get extra credit for worrying ahead of time". Try to distract yourselves and enjoy these good times. You are all in my prayers.
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tryn2staycalm Cathy, Actually my visit on Tuesday is with an oncologist, but not a rad onc. The cancer center in Chanute (where I had my surgery and where I will see the oncologist) has the equipment and trained professionals to do chemo but not radiation therapy. The oncologists there are only there on Tuesdays. Each one travels from Wichita and is there once or twice a month. I will have to travel a bit further for the radiation. Yes, we will know more soon. Today I got a call from a Pampered Chef lady....I booked a party with her way before all this came up, so now I will be glad to get the party done and over with and not have that to think about.
Teklya I am sure you will be feeling more comfortable soon. Everything I read about it says that the discomfort doesn't last too long. Well, think I will get ready to relax for the rest of the evening.
Deb
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Hi all--I posted a question on the IDC Slow growing discussion topic regarding question about node biopsy but perhaps someone here may not check and may know the answer. I had lumpectomy with sentinel node biopsy on July 19th. On July 27th, met with Oncologist and diagnosed with IDC, Grade 1, Stage2, 7 nodes removed, 1 positive. Treatment includes: 4 months chemo FEC-T, 1 month rads, 5 years Tamoxifen. At the time of surgery, the doctor got my approval for sentinel node and axillary dissection but only did sentinel node. When I met with oncologist, chemo is delayed until surgeon decides if Axillary dissection required--he wasn't sure why surgeon didn't do it at the time. I didn't see the surgeon after the surgery as he went in for other surgery and I left from post-op. My question is as they removed 7 nodes already--will they HAVE to remove more? I am worried about Axillary dissection due to lymphodema--I have had hard time recovering from sentinel node biopsy (weird being that I was up and around 1 week after radical hysterectomy earlier this year--so normally I recover well). I have recently been reading information that indicates there is no benefit to Axillary Dissection (in that it changes your treatment plan, prognosis). Does anyone know any additional information? I do not want another surgery but of course, want to take what is needed to get better--hence the reason they are basically "throwing the kitchen sink at me". I am young and relatively healthy (expect for this) so they believe that doing chemo/rads/tamoxifen will give best chance of lowering my recurrance rate. Sorry to ramble on--but I want to get some idea from others prior to my meeting with surgeon later this week. Thanks again, Rachel
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Hi Rachel,
I can't answer your nodes question, but I'm going through FEC-T and think you posted a question about that earlier. I will PM you my experiences so far. If you are against the node dissection and and there are risks of lymphema, I would stick to your guns if you really don't think it is necessary after doing your research.
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I was diagnosed on 7/1/2010 two weeks before my 29 th birthday. (what a birth day present). it been 31 days and im so tired of teh unknown i just want to get the treatment done so i can get on with my life
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Good morning; I actually slept a bit last night! YAY! I feel a bit better today and the pain is more manageable this morning. I even went for a nice walk. Thank you, ladies for your encouragement.
Take good care and just breathe. . .
Teklya
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I've been lurking since my diagnosis on July 1st and decided it's time to introduce myself. I had a lumpectomy and SNB on July 30th and am seeing the surgeon later today, when I'll receive the pathology report. I had a core needle biopsy in early July and was diagnosed with an MRI (didn't show up on mamo or ultrasound -so I know the size and most of the pathology.) The surgeon took out 4 nodes and a clump of tissue with blue dye in it that had an additional 6 nodes. I was pretty shocked that so many nodes were taken out but I guess he wanted to get all the blue out. It's great to finally have sisters and I really appreciate everyone on this site!
Cathy
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rachel5738- As you already had 7 nodes removed during your SNB, I don't quite understand why they would do the AND. I may be wrong, but I think SNB means removing one node, the sentinel node. there is also some new evidence that says AND does not improve outcome when the SNB only has micromets (I'm not sure if yours was different). The more nodes that are removed, the greater the chance of lymphedema. I am going by memory (scary as I am chemo brain), but I think there is a study that says the chances of lymphedema increase significantly with more than 9 nodes removed. I would definitely do more research. You might want to get a second surgical opinion.0
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Cathy, welcome to the sistas of 2010. Please keep us posted on your path report. That will help determine your treatment plan. Yikes!! Cancer well and truly SUCKS!!
Well folks, tomorrow I am off to see the onc for the first time post rads. This is the one where he says 'Take Arimidex.' and I say 'Well......' I am just so undecided about it. I am usually very decisive and make a decision (any decision) just so I can keep going forward but this has me flummoxed. Sigh....
I'll let you know how it goes and maybe I'll even make a decision by tomorrow.
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Hi ladies, here I am again. Some of us keep bumping into each other lately! I've been on the other boards but finally jumped into this one with my 2010 sisters.
I'm an early bird, found my lump back in January and got the official "C" diagnosis on February 3rd (although I knew on the 2nd because I called my surgeons office and they said "Well, it looks suspicious...they're having a second pathologist take a look at it." This from the same office who told me a few days before I had nothing to worry about, she was sure it was benign. Ha! But I digress...
Now I've completed surgery (lump and SNB,) TCH X 6 chemo and 2 radiation treatments. I'm doing IMRT rads, 28 regular and 8 boosts. Everything's been pretty uneventful so far.
Hope everyone else is doing well. I have to make some decisions too. Not sure at the end of rads if my onc will start talking about Tamox or an ooph/hyst. Although as I understand it, even if you have an ooph/hyst you still have to take the Tamox. Ugh. I really don't think I want that option.
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Welcome to the 2010 thread lady madonna. I would rather have surgery after surgery than take drugs for 5 years. I take no meds because I have low blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. All else normal EXCEPT for this rotten cancer. I HATE the thought of taking a pill that will cause me to have to take more pills and more pills. UGH. I feel your pain. I think if I had the choice between tamox and ooph, I'd do tamox. That's temporary and ooph is permanent.
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Lady_Madonna - My onc was talking to me about Tamox and said that there is new evidence that Tamox doesn't work as well on Her2 + cancers, so when I get there (I just started TCH yesterday), he wants me to go on shots to shut down my ovaries (or get an ooph), and take an AI like Arimidex instead. (I'm only 40, so still very pre-menopausal) Don't know if that helps your decision or makes it harder. Best of luck. I can't wait til I am in your shoes.
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Cathy, Allotte: Welcome. I am sorry you are joining because of your BC but I am glad you are not lurking. I know you will learn alot here, and we can learn from you. Mostly this site keeps the terror at bay and keeps me focused and positive. Take care and hang tough!
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Hi, I was diagnosed July 9th. I'm having a BMX on August 10th.
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