You know youre a cancer patient when....
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To all, we all have discussed chemo/ anethesia brain. We now can call it anesthesia/chemo/drug brain. This article is in AARP magazine. It discusses the drug classifications that can cause memory loss. It describes why each drug class can cause memory loss. It gives specific names of drugs. It gives alternative drugs that can be substituted. I would suggest reviewing it with your prescribing doc if you have concerns regarding any of your meds. I also suggest you put it in your favorite places on your computer. Also, printing it off for future referrence if you have a printer. Please, pass this on to other BCO friends, friends etc.
sassywww.aarp.org/health/brain-heal...
Haven't been here much in alongggggg time, but this artcle is a MUST SHARE type with those I care about
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Great article, Sassy! I need to print it out and send a copy to my mom, she's taking more than one of these drugs!
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My mother is also on a few of these meds.....I was too when I was on the AI's....no wonder my cognitive functioning was soo bad n AI's and now that I'm off all that cr** I am so much better.....Not sure what meds Mom can stop, but she really is doing pretty good considering.....
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HOLY CRAP!!! I'm taking either 5 or 6 of those 10 listed!!! (Can't remember is it's 5 or 6, but I guess that's the point!!!!) Can you imagine how CLEVER I'd be if I was drug free????? I think it's the Fentanyl patches that are the worst, but you'd have to shoot me to strip those off my body!!!
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Barbe, IMHO you're pretty dang clever now! I don't take ANY of the listed meds and still have issues. I blame chemo brain, although being middle-aged may have something to do with it.
YKYACP when you rejoice that you're up to eight healthy toenails.
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Ykyacp when you get a new symptom and search the boards here first. Who needs web**? BCO much better at keeping me sane.
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When you cry hard tears, snot running down your chin crying because a "sister" you've never physically met announces she's gone from stage two to stage IV with multiple mets
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When you r typing away on laptop and husband asked if you're on Breastbook again.
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LOL angelanature!!
YKYACP when you go on vacation & don't need to pack shampoo/conditioner, a comb, a razor, or bras (but you do need a bag of medications and a lymphedema sleeve!)
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Barbe-so, with you on fentanyl patches. Worth gold when they're needed. Not much available to do pain control without making you loopy. LOVE the drug. Glad you found the AARP link useful:) sassy
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SAS I NEVER get loopy!!!! I WISH I got loopy!!!! I want to get HIGH sometimes, but alas, when they work for the pain I don't even know I'm taking anything. In fact it was hard to trust the drug when I first started taking it as I coudn't tell when it is in my system. I wear a patch ALL the time. Change it every 3 days.
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Rofl, breastbook! I love it. Angel, he's a genius.
Phyllis0 -
Barbe, I screwed that post up somehow. The beauty abouty fentanyl is at the right dose, you don't feel high. Did I do better that time? Sassy
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I read somewhere that we should not put "Donations to Cancer Society" in funeral notices, as that alerts certain low-lives to the fact that there may be morphine type drugs in the home of the deceased and they break into the home while the funeral is under way to steal the medications. About two weeks ago, one of our tv news channels ran a story about the same sort of low-lives trying to get the fentanyl patches so that they can process them back into drugs/hits. A couple of days later they ran a story on a woman who was using the patches and gave her full name out during the story...now I'm waiting for the story about her being attacked for her supply of patches!
I am becoming quite paranoid about anyone finding out that I have scripts for these (Oxycontin and Endone too) meds, even though I only have enough for one months worth at a time. Since all this became so public, I now shred the packets as soon as I finish them and my pharmacist keeps all my scripts on his file at the store.
Bloody media has a lot to answer for!
Sheila
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I now keep any remaining drugs locked up. My dd good friend who we adored, stole a lot of my xanax. Then apparently tried to kill himself. It was very devastating for him to do this in middle of my chemo. Had to ask my girls if they had taken my drugs.we are back on speaking terms now.
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AussieSheila--yeah, there are a lot of ways that low class people can figure out that there may be abusable drugs in a home. Some people look in the trash for drug labels. Some look at obituaries for people who died "after a long battle with cancer." Some watch to see if medical people go in and out of the home. Or to see if drug stores deliver to the home. OR if a medical supply company delivers (oxygen, hospital bed, that kind of thing). There's almost no way to totally protect yourself any more. The best you can do is be careful and destroy any drugs as soon as they aren't needed any more.
Fredntan--keeping drugs locked up is a good idea. I am so sorry your dd's freind stole your medication for such a sad reason, and at such a difficult time. So hard for you and your girls.
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Wow, a lot of stories to process! I do know that I could pay my mortgage easily each month if I sold what I took in pain meds! But, I'd NEVER let them go!!! As Sassy says, I don't feel high, but for the average Joe, it would be heaven!!! I guess I'm kind of glad no kids live at home anymore for the temptation of their friends. If someone took a full Fentanyl patch of mine they'd end up in the hospital!! I was on 150 mgs of Morphine every day for 2 years before they could graduate me into the patch. I only have two more levels of patch to go before I would be on Methadone!!!
YKYACPW you can be fairly calm talking about the street value of the meds you take every day!
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Barbe, I truly think the docs don't know how to use Fentanyl or when. I recently got someone to ask for it at low dose 12.5 mg. It controlled there pain more evenly without having to use oxy. The next cycle they moved to 25mg, but it was needed. Now this cycle there is more breakthrough and they are taking oxy. But it's there last cycle. Barbe, I believe you would have benefited from moving to a patch earlier. It sounds like your doc didn't understand fentanyl well. Not to diss them. But Fentanyl is such a gooood pain reliever. Why go to Morphine in such high dose when a lower dose of Fentanyl would do the trick. Irony, I needed a patch a couple weeks ago, but i'm swimming daily. Off it came in the first swim. Had to make a choice. OH wellllllllll
YKYACP when you know the street value of a heplock!
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YKYACPW you can't say "cancer" without the f-word before it.
Phyllis0 -
...you're gardening and every time you look at your Vinca plants you think,"Vincristine" ( a chemo drug) ..and while looking at a catalogue of trees there was a photo of a Yew tree..immediately thought "oh goody I can grow my own Taxol !"
Strange aren't I ??
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sas, I had to go to a Pain Clinic at a hospital to qualify for Fentanyl. Even the website for Fentanyl says you have to be on Morphine for a period of time before you can process Fentanyl "properly" (I think that means not get high). I had asked my doctor about Fentanayl about a year ago, but we were still hoping I'd qualify for surgery and he didn't want to make that move. Once on Fentanyl you're not supposed to go back. It's not a drug you take one day and not the next. The whole point is to keep a balance of the drug in your system. My breakthrough is Morphine Sulphate 10 mgs. Interesting that your friend had less breakthrough needs on the lower dose!? Bummer about the swimming!!! Have you checked their website to see if there is anything you can do????
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Soccermom, re. vinca and yew - me too. And I have a front yard full of vinca!
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Barbe, How I use Fentanyl is approved by my doc, I'm going to write a pain thread and I intend on explaining it there. It's UNUSUAL. You know me well enough to know the run of the mill is not where I go. I have tried to get docs interested in researching my way of usuage. The last thing I remeber when I was being put to sleep for the brain surgery was trying to get those docs interested. LOL--brain surgery and I'm talking research.
Fentanyls web site may say that, but not true. It is a great drug for cancer/chemo/chronic pain. No question it's a strong chemical, but low dose is amazing as to what it can do. Thanks for the info re:what you experienced prior to getting it. I can research that when I do the thread. Very helpful
forwarned is forearmed 0 -
Ykyacpw you hear the "Cheers" theme song and think wow the only place everybody knows my name is the chemo suite and yes they're always glad I came. I tell great jokes ;p
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When you're a raging bitch during scan week and nobody understands why "because you're doing so well". Maybe I'm a little nervous about the incurable illness flowing through my body while the "not a cure" chemo makes me feel like I'm sick and causes symptoms of spreading (bone pain, headaches). But, no worries, I'm fine lol
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Ykyacpw you're having a boobless day and suddenly realise that you need to stop by DS's school to get the teacher assignment and meet n' greet said teacher. Grab the boobs? Nah wear a bright pink survivors shirt, stay boobless, and have the teacher care about your kid for the rest of the year.
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YKYACPW three years after chemo you lose a toenail. Thankfully it does not hurt. I was used to losing/growing eyelashes but thought my toenails were safe after 3 years... NOT.
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Really? I lost ALL nails finger and toe last year. And every hair I had. Even where the sun doesn't shine.
And now you say you lost a toe nail 3 years later?
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0 -
Yep... lost one three years after chemo. And all that hair I had? I am thankful the head hair came back in because I have no arm, leg, or pit hair to speak of still, and as for where the sun doesn't shine.... that too.
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Weird how our hair picks and chooses where and when it wants to reappear... still glad mine picked my head, the rest I can give or take :-)
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