Arimidex - Coping with the SE's
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Hi Beth-good luck with your new onc, I hope you'll connect. I had to switch oncs because my company changed insurance companies and my new insurance didn't cover my old group and I miss them every single day.
My se's, while minimal, started within a couple weeks. After 14 weeks I stopped for about 10 days while on vacation and started again when I returned. I didn't notice much of a change whe I stopped- hot flashes, minimal joint pain and bouts of depression.
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CONGRATS RUTH! I hope you stay with us! I truly appreciate all your knowledge. I reached a milestone today: I finished my 33 radiation treatments! Hooray. I am starting to feel a little achey in the back and joints. Need to remember to try claritan tomorrow.
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Kjiberty! Rad done! Yay!.celebrate!
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Congratulations Karen! A GREAT thing to be done with. Yes, I will stick around and keep bugging you all
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Moonflwr: Thanks. It has been quite an emotional day. I must have cried at least 10 times about various things, including listening to songs for the mother/son song I have to pick out for next week's wedding. Every song, I was bawling like a baby. Got a massage, a facial, two boquets of flowers. What a great day!
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What song did you pick? I always threaten DS with Paul Simon's Love You Like A Rock, which I used to sing to him when he was a baby.0
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I haven't picked one yet. Something I can dance slow to. I have been looking on utube. There's too many to pick from. Everytime I listen to the words, I start crying!
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Report when you do. When is the wedding?
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9/15
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Like next week??????
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YEP. I have to decide on a song by Sunday.
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Holy Cow, the pressure is on!
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Kj~how about, " I hope you dance " by leann Womack? Slow, pretty, and everything we wish for our children!
Ruth~My 24 year old son made me promise him, if he dies before me, that I'd play that crazy chicken song, and make everyone do the chicken dance. Lol. I guess that's his way of teasing me, but I don't like it!
The arimidex is supposed to be delivered to my door on Monday, so I guess I'll get some Claritin this weekend. There were 2 coupons in the Sunday paper last week. $4 off on each one. I didn't have hot flashes with menopause 12 years ago, so I'm praying I don't get them now either.
I'd better get to bed. We rise at 5am here on Saturdays. DH goes to work early, but gets off earlier too.
Blessings
Paula0 -
Is anyone still here? I feel like the most recent post was 2to years ago...
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Karen congrats on the rads and good luck with the song...my son's only 17 but I teared up just thinking about a wedding dance with him!
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Congrats, ruthbu! I'm 3 weeks behind you. The time has gone fast, and yet it feels like forever, too. At least the next few weeks are going to seem awfully long!
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njackson....yepper, we are all still here!
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I'm seriously thinking about changing oncologists. I'm just not connecting with the one I have. Any time I mention SEs she just says it's because of my age and not to worry about it. I was complaining of night sweats and she gave me Effexor even though I had also told her of my insomnia. One of the side effects of Effexor is insomnia. I didn't take the effexor for more than a couple of nights. Then when I listed my side effects she said, very blandly, well you can try Tamoxifen or just go off the AI all together. This is after she told me at the previous appointment that my best chance was taking the AI. So, we go from strongly urging me to take the AI to, basically, "do what you want".
I told her I was going to go to a naturopath who specialises in breast cancer and she basically pooh, poohed it but said as long as I didn't take anything with estrogen in it, it was OK. I wasn't asking her permission. I really wish she was more responsive and more supportive.
So, my naturopath suggested that I go back and see my accupuncturist who I haven't seen in 4 years. I did that yesterday. I talked to him about the oncologist. He said he's worked in the oncology area at this particular hospital where I go and really wasn't impressed with their cancer center. Living less than 1.5 hours from Boston, he strongly urged me to think about finding another oncologist. Boston has some great hospitals and is a mecca for lots of really smart doctors and researchers. He trained in Boston and knows lots of people so he's going to ask around his network for the name of an oncologist who is open to working with conventional western and complementary medicine. We'll see. He also did some accupuncture that relieved much of the pain in my feet. Yay! I'll be doing a series of visits with him.
The naturopath told me to take Eveing Primrose oil and Sage tea for night sweats and that has helped. She also has me on a higher than normal dose of melatonin for breast health and sleep. I'm sleeping much better these past couple of weeks! Claritin is not doing much for my aches, hopefully the acupuncture will continue to help in that area.
Playing the piano is good for my aching hands and also good for my foggy brain.
So, the journey continues...
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I know I read something about this, but I can't remember the answer. What are some suggestions for vaginal dryness? Intimacy is painful and even using Vitamin E suppositories I was bleeding afterward. Should I be using the Vitamin E everyday or just before sex?
Thanks for any help.
Nancy
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Nancy, I am on my mobile and can't link, but the thread, "the solution to painful intercourse- yippee" has a lot of information.
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Nancy~where do you get the primrose oil & sage tea, and how do you use them? What mg of melatonin did she recommend? I take melatonin, but only 5 mgs.
Thanks
Blessings
Paula0 -
Hey Arimidex friends ... been so busy I haven't check in since Aug 24th. No time to go back and catch up. Just wanted to say hello and let you all know you are in my thoughts and prayers. Love to all my BC sisters ....
Vicky
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Welcome back, MamaV 0
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Congrats Ruth and Karen! Two great milestones! Ruth I will echo everyone's sentiments - please stay around. You are the voice of wisdom.
Karen, I was dxd with BC 10 days before my son's wedding. I chose "A Song for My Son" for the Mother/Son dance. We waltzed to it. We had taken dance lessons for two years and it really came in handy. That song made me cry every time I heard it. I was determined not to cry during the dance and I had my whole church praying for me. I almost bawled when the music started, but then I miraculously slapped a smile on my face and danced with my precious boy. I'm attaching the web link for the song if you are interested. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIDYNMbYeTQ
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My DS hates ceremonies so much (I had to bribe him into doing all the high school graduation 'stuff', and he had his college diploma sent to him in the mail) that I bet he'll elope and deprive me of my mother/son dance!
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I danced with one of my sons to Time of your life by Paul Anka, I still cry over it. LOL... God bless the newlyweds, and you too M.O.G.
Ginger
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Rocket: That's the one I have been favoring. Still don't know if I can do it..... It's just so perect. Ginger: I will have to listen to the Paul Anka song to refresh my memory. Haven't had a chance to look at it again today.
As far as vaginal dryness, someone on another board suggested daily use of replens. Haven't tried it though.
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Nancy
I went to MGH in Boston. Of course you also have Dana Farber.... and more.
The thing is this, UNLESS you dont mind the 90 min ride, you may want to find someone more local,, but it SURE sounds like you need to ditch your doc .
Vitamin E can thin the blood, so I *personally* wouldnt use it daily, but I have no doubt lots of folks would/do.
As for the insomnia, have you tried melatonin? Lots of the ladies here swear by it, and it is supposed to be ' good for cancer ". My integrative dr. just suggested 3 mg at least 1 hr before bed. I havent been out to buy it yet , but I have every intention of it.
Good luck to you.
Feel free to PM if you want more MGH info.
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Thanks, Ginger. I listened to the Paul Anka song. It was too sad. I sent my son the other Mother/Son song and he didn't like it. I think he wants Hero, by Mariah Carey. At this point, I don't know if I can handle a song that is really sentimental because I have been an emotional basketcase, especially since just ending rads on Friday. I just want to be able to hold my son. I think no matter what song I/he selects, I will be crying....... PS--I am a very upbeat, positive person. These hormones and treatment have gotten the best of me--especially in the tear department.
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kjiliberty
You have the right attitude ...just holding your son. Time/life is so precious and because of our DX , we all know this in a way that was not so " up front' and personal before. Tears are okay at weddings. In fact, they are mandatory for mother of the bride or groom so bring your tissues .
IMHO, I would let your son choose the song. It will be HIS memory, and I believe it will be all the more meaningful for him.
CONGRATS to you !
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