Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
Comments
-
helloGood days and bad days continue! My head is my worst enemy. Still have lots of aches and pains but seem
To settle with stretch and exercise. Got myself paranoid again the other day about a small lump that my onco has already checked over 9 months ago on the inner sspect of my arm just below Auxilia. Onco not worried about it then and can only feel with fingers so I think it's cording, logical me says That if it was anything serious I would be in trouble by now but still I think the worst! Hope everyone is doing well? Have been really busy T work. Enjoyed time with my boys and the cdc conference in Sydney. StAyed right by the bridge and went for a walk every morning over it! It was amazing . Check out my view the first morning . Think of u all
Cheers KAt
0 -
Hello Kath in Australia,
What a beautiful photograph you have sent. It is a nice way to begin a dreary November morning in Exmouth, England, where fallen leaves are everywhere.
I was sorry to read that you are still having anxious moments, but I think that we all go through this. I do hope it will get better in time. It seems to and people carry on their normal routine and somehow manage to cope. The most anxious time seems to be when routine check ups and mammograms are due. I know that I used to get very anxious about these. After the check up, when we are told all is fine, there is a great feeling of relief. All this seems to be part and parcel of post treatment.
I remember how I felt after I had finished treatment. I felt a bit lost because I was no longer going to the hospital for treatment. I then settled into the routine of regular check ups, first of all it was every three months, alternating between the oncologist and the breast cancer surgeon. Then it went to every six months and then once a year. After five years I was discharged from the breast cancer surgeon and continued just with the oncologist once a year. after ten years with the oncologist she felt I could be discharged. Then I had to adjust to being without any ties to the hospital and the dedicated women who had been my breast cancer consultant and my oncologist. I have gradually adapted to that.
Then in October this year I had this lymphoedema problem and i felt down about it. It has been a long wait for an appointment to the lymphoedema clinic. As you know, I had to go back through my GP to my breast cancer consultant. It was very strange going back to the hospital and seeing my breast cancer consultant surgeon again. She greeted me with the same smile that had become so familiar to me. I felt anxious through the check up but so relieved when she told me all was clear. I had an ultrasound as well and all was clear. I came out feeling good. I now have to deal with the lymphoedema problem, which I feel could be quite a challenge. In the meantime I just carry on as usual. Of course I shall probably never really know what caused the lymphoedema. Was it some kind of strain on my arm or was it that flu jab that I had after never having had one since before I started breast cancer treatment in 2005?
Somehow we get through all this and I think we are lucky on this thread with a small group of compassionate and understanding women, whom we have got to know as whole people and not people defined by breast cancer.
Keep on moving forward, Kath, and know that you can always come here for comfort and support.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello LoveAndLight,
I was just wondering how everything was going with your mother. I do hope things are progressing. Did your mother come to a decision about her chemotherapy treatment? If so, I was wondering what chemotherapy drugs have been chosen for her and if she has started treatment, how she is getting on. You will remember that I mentioned that the women on the thread have said often that they find the drugs done on a weekly basis are easier to manage.
I remember you said that a doctor had mentioned having the genetic testing. Did your mother decide to have this?
I was wondering how your aunt who is going through chemotherapy is doing.
How are you doing? Take care of yourself.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
HI, Hanieh
It's been almost a week since your surgery, I hope you are feeling much better and not having much pain. I know you are worried about the pathology report and that's in about another week. I didn't think my mastectomy was overly painful, but I still have twinges and pains in the area which, I am told, is just the nerve damage from the surgery. I was very happy when I got rid of my drain. I am sorry this has come upon you at such a young age, as I look over some of the threads on this website I am always amazed at all the young women posters.
I do know who Joel Osteen is, but I have not listened to his sermons, but have only seen him on TV a time or two. I am so glad that you have found comfort from his message, he seems very sincere.
I will say prayer for you as you recover, and send you positive vibes through my keyboard! I did too much outdoor work yesterday, so today I am in pain and I will have to work on getting some positive energy myself, guess I will never learn!
Hanieh, I think about you often, and always send good thoughts your way when I do.
Talk to you soon, love, Mary
0 -
HI Marias,
The picture of you in your hospital bed is very good, you look happy and well. I hope you are recovering quickly from your surgery and all you have been through, and that you will be able to move on away from all these troubles.
Take care of yourself!
Talk to you soon, love, Mary
0 -
Hi, Angie
I am glad you are liking the acupuncture, I find it very relaxing and therapeutic. My doc does the Chinese style, which is addressing the meridians of the body, and freeing them of any impingement. He did it in the Western style a couple of times, but it didn't work for me; that involves putting the needles directly into the painful areas of the back and muscles elsewhere in the body.
He is wanting to experiment with a laser machine that will do the same thing as acupuncture, sounds interesting. I haven't been there for a month, so tomorrow I will hear what is going on there.
I am not sure what you mean about me going into a trial, maybe you misunderstood what I was saying about stem-cell therapy. I am not sure I will be a candidate for it because patients must be one year past remission, and BC patients are never told that word.
It's been almost a week, and you were waiting for your mapping; hope that has all progressed and your wound is healed!
Talk to you soon, love, Mary
0 -
Hi, Sylvia
I am glad you liked the GP you went to, it's always nice when they don't have one foot out the door through the whole appointment, and take time with us. I find several things interesting about your visit; about your reddened palms and no good answer for it. I had that happen to me for years, always in the summer when I would be working outside and would get hot. My hands would be hot, red and itchy for weeks on end. Now I am so heat-intolerant that I can't do much strenuous activity in the intense heat, it makes me feel ill.
I had to look up tubi-grip, we have the same thing, I have used it to wrap up sprained ankles, my husband's swelled legs and so on. It looks as though it also comes in somewhat of a stocking or sleeve, it does sound like the same as the gauntlet sleeve.
The pharmacy everywhere I go is always busy, so many of us are becoming senior citizens at the same time, we baby boomers must take a lot of pills!
I found it very interesting that the GP told you it is not true that we should not have injections or BP cuffs on our affected side. I have always wondered about that, because it has been hammered into me by every nurse I have ever talked to since surgery, and none of them could ever really explain why. To me it seemed it would only be a problem if the injection area would become infected, and the lymph system would not be able to get rid of the toxins, but nobody would ever confirm that. I have had insect bites and cuts since my surgery, and have been very careful to clean the area and bandage it, I don't know how an active person can get through life without a scrape or cut once in a while. I am used to telling medical staff not to use my right arm, and will continue to do so, but I'm actually glad to hear a doc say it's not an absolute, but a sensible precaution.
Having injections in the feet as your neighbor did sounds very painful, a little neuropathy might be helpful in that case!
I don't blame you for not wanting another flu shot, I struggle with that decision every year, I did get one in October of this year.
I am going for acupuncture tomorrow, it has been a month. I find it very beneficial, the effects are temporary for me and I do it on a "maintenance" level. I am having a massage today, I overworked outside yesterday since the weather was decent and had a very painful night last night. Better today but still painful.
I am going to my stepson's house for Thanksgiving meal, they are only about 45 minutes away. I am invited to another get-together near my home after that, we will see how much energy I have left! I avoid Black Friday shopping like a plague, sounds horrible to me. My 2 stepdaughters have been looking forward to it since summer, they love it.
I will have to stop for now, typing is making my painful shoulder hurt more; I will be back to help figure out the troubles of the world later!
Talk to you soon, love
Mary
0 -
Hello Mary,
I can see that you have been very busy today.
I do hope we shall hear from Hanieh and Marias soon to let us know how they are getting on a week after their surgeries. I must say both of them looked very well.
It was quite interesting seeing a different doctor but I would still prefer to see my own doctor, as she does know me better. She knows that Raymond and I are strictly 'no pills' people.
The other day I had an appointment with my podiatrist and I saw the lymphoedema therapist just to say hello, because she and the podiatrist work in the same small building. She is very helpful and I was telling her briefly about my visit to that GP. She looked puzzled about the mention of blood with reference to my reddened hands, which have been going very red when I feel warm or stressed, and that is since I have had the lymphoedema. She said it was all to do with lymph and the struggle through the lymph system.
I do not know whether I told you that I have just joined the LSN (Lymphoedema Support Network) which is situated in London here. You get four magazines a year and can phone for help if you need it. There are also various leaflets and booklets that you can buy. It is a charity run purely run by volunteers. I was intrigued to find in the package they sent an LSN Medical Alert Card – Lymphoedema. I have to fill in the details on the card but I was interested in the following.
"Caution – No invasive procedures to the affected area.
"No blood tests, blood pressure readings, IV access or injections in the affected area, except in medical emergencies."
I was not convinced by what the GP said about this was a myth. I think better safe than sorry. We know that we have impaired lymphatic system, so I do not think we should take chances. Of course, in an emergency, with no other choice, you would have to do whatever was necessary.
I have now read three LSN magazines and have found them very interesting. It makes me realise that lymphoedema is a much neglected part of breast cancer and that it should be a very important part, because it can come on any time and I think the treatment is rather difficult. When I have more time and feel more relaxed, I shall probably write a letter to LSN about what happened to me. I am more than ever convinced that the flu jab set something in motion. I think my system went into over activity with antibodies filling my system after twelve years of not having a flu jab. Although I had the injection in my left arm, the blood would have carried it around the body and it was too much for the impaired part. I think it was rather like an infection going into my body.
I have been reading up about lymphoedema on the bc.org site and have found it very useful. I have printed out the following sheets.
Lymphoedema signs and symptoms.
Lymphoedema treatments.
Exercise as treatment for lymphoedema.
Manual lymphatic drainage (MLD).
Arm elevation.
Compression sleeves and garments.
Complete decongestive therapy.
Lymphoedema and infection.
I have doubts about whether anything of this works on a permanent basis. Apparently CDT is considered the gold standard but it is so complicated, time consuming and expensive that I would think only the rich and those with plenty of time on their hands would be able to deal with it.
I have decided just to carry on as normal and use my hand normally and wait to see what happens on December 5th.
The reason I have written about this in detail is because I think the newly diagnosed patients that look at the thread or post, should be aware of this and ask their consultants etc. before surgery and before radiotherapy. It would be of interest to all of us to know what they are told. I shall keep you posted but I hope we may have some posts about all this. We have covered surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy in a lot of detail since page 1 of this thread, but we have not mentioned much about lymphoedema. When I clicked on Active Topics on bc.org and then saw all the different threads, I was quite surprised.
It looks as though your pharmacies are as busy as ours. It is unbelievable the way people are medicated. Raymond and I are probably the only ones in our complex of 21 apartments that are not on any medication. Everyone seems to have a variation of statins, blood pressure lowering pills, steroids and antibiotics. We are heading for the Budget on Wednesday and apparently we need £4 billion injected into our NHS. Nasty Phil Hammond will not be delivering, but the Government is preparing to hand over £40 billion to the unelected nasties in Brussels as a settlement for the UK leaving the EU. It is a disgrace. They owe us money. The public has been betrayed on the referendum.
I do hope you enjoy your acupuncture and massage tomorrow.
I did forget to mention that in the latest LymphLine magazine, I was reading about a new book on lymphoedema which I shall probably buy. It is entitled Let's Talk Lymphoedema: The Essential Guide to Everything You Need to Know. A new book written by Professor Peter Mortimer and Gemma Levine. Professor Peter Mortimer is the number one expert on lymphoedema.
I think that is about all for today.
Many thanks for all that you do. I am still trying to find some time to settle down and read some novels. I want to concentrate on Javier Marias, who is being called the Spanish Proust.
Sending you best wishes across the Ocean.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Sylvia Mary and all of you. I hope everything be good with all of you today.
I'm much better feeling good most of the time. I began letrozole last Friday. And waiting for the pathology of my surgery of the thyroid. Getting betters days now.
Today I went back to the manual massage of the. Lymphedema. It was really nice. They says we have to do it al least one a month.
My shoulder get big no my arm or.my hand. Only my shoulder and my back. I have a new appointment next Friday.
Have a good night.
Abrazos
Marias
0 -
Hello lately I'm been reading _ is a lay - books. Is a lay because I put the Adobe acrobat to read in aloud voice the books. Well this last week I viewed different movies in Netflix: "they first kill my father*". About the live in Camboya in 1975-1979.with red jemer. "The promise" about the last year of the ottoman empire and the genocide of the Armenian people and the last one was "*lore" a movie about a young German girl before the second war. I look for the book and I found it in Spanish the writer is Rachel Seiffert. Is a lot of moving emotionally to me this book.
Is like us in Colombia part of the country kill one part becouse they want the land so they kill and they terrify the populations, the poor people leave the land and those who have sent to kill,they buy the land at a very low price. but in Colombia this is an open secret, most of the population says that the enemy is the guerrilla fARC o ELN when they are and have been the paramilitaries, the politicians and the corrupt that have permeated everything by seizing the land and its richness
Abrazos
Marias
0 -
Had some visitors near our car park when I left work tonight. Not much green around so they loved the lawn
0 -
- Hello katherland thanks for your great picture this and the other the bridge. So take your country to us.
- Abrazos
- maria
0 -
Hello Marias.
Thank you for your post. Thank you for the lovely photograph. You look really well. I was glad to know that you are feeling good most of the time.
I do hope you will feel alright on letrozole.
I do hope also that you get a good pathology report about your thyroid surgery. Have you been given medication to help you post-thyroid surgery? How long will you have to wait before you get the results of your thyroid surgery?
I was very interested to know that you had been for treatment of lymphoedema by having a manual massage. Here we call it MLD, manual lymphatic drainage. Tell us what was done. I would like to compare it to what is done here. I have posted a lot of information about lymphoedema and treatment in recent posts. I do not think we are told enough about it, or anything about it before our cancer treatment here. Please let us know how you get on at your next appointment on Friday. I would be interested to know if they mention compression garments.
Thinking of you and sending best wishes.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hi Sylvia and all
It's one week since my surgery and aside from the pain of the surgery I feel quite well. On Monday my doctor removed my drain and I went back to work on Tuesday. Since I had classes from 8am to 8 pm, I got really tired and had a sharp pain in my ribs all the time. None of my students or my colleagues know about my surgery. Just my boss and some close friends. Today, I just had 3 classes to observe. I feel much better. I think so far everything has gone well especially on my family part. Yet my daughter still doesn't know I missed my right breast.
I'm waiting for my pathology report. I miss my breast but I'm happy that malignancy is out of my body.
It's me after a long day of working.
0 -
Hello Marias,
I was glad to read in your second post that you are finding ways to relax. You have been watching some very interesting and informative films.
I think that wars will never end. It seems there are always power-hungry bullies that want more than their fair share. Mankind's inhumanity to man knows no bounds. When I watch the news about world affairs, I can see World War III building up. I cannot see the point of blowing up countries, reducing everything to rubble and forcing people out of their countries to become misplaced people around the world.
Politicians around the world get elected on false promises to the people, and then betray the people while they themselves continue to live in a privileged bubble. We waste money on weapons and bombs which could be used to eradicate poverty and fund housing, the health services and education. In the UK we should hang our heads in shame that we have children living in poverty, adults living on the streets and feeding their families at soup kitchens, while others own several homes and live in sprawling country estates.
I think that is enough of my moans, but I think this country of mine needs to clean up its act.
Keep in touch.
Abrazos.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Kath,
Thank you for the lovely photograph. It was quite exciting to see those kangaroos. In the grounds here at the moment we have lots of squirrels running around munching acorns. It is fascinating to watch their movements.
Sending you fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Hanieh,
Thank you for the lovely photograph.
I do admire you for doing that long day at work so quickly after your surgery.
I do hope you will find some time to relax and give yourself time to recover.
We are all thinking of you on the thread.
Find a nice relaxing book to read or listen to some gentle music.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Sylvie and all of you, thanks for your Word soppuort
in this video es like they do it to me. but is like they began in fingers, go up gentely to the shoulder and "make a new street" to the ganglionar center of the belly. After de surgery of the tyroides they take de linfa to the neck also.
Is like this It's like that, very soft
the began in my fingers and goes up. the lymph fluid doesnt had any more their street, they the physiotherapist need to make a new road, in than case the body knows what to do. From the shoulder they take to the massage it to the lower back and then to the belly. they massage my breast, than usually is is very hard and sore and take the fluid and push the lymph from the breast and from the armpit to a little behind the breast and then to the belly,
They dont put machine or other things because they said, the body needs to know what to do, with the seelves the lymph fluis stay in the shoulder... and then... you have to say them, with the massage he will knows whats it need to go to the other way, to the belly.
they also tell me dont cut this arm, do my nails with no scissors to remove cuticle, take care when I cook, also dont take up anything with this arm.
Some of them went to this school, and them came back and teach the other what to do.
http://www.nortonschool.com/lymphedemacourse.html
I DONT KNOW A LOT OF ENGLISH TO SPLAIN MY SELF, BUT I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAN ME
Abrazos
Marias
0 -
Hello Haniee, you look so good, I hope your schudule dont make be so tired. I hope your pathology be good. Abrazos
Marias
0 -
Hi Sylvia & Mary,
I was down with fever & flu last week. My DS was sick before me so I must have been infected with the same virus. He is well & good now but it took me quiet a while to get better. I am still coughing but so much better than a few days earlier.
I am not sure what bitter gourd is to you. I found on the internet that it is sometimes called as bitter melon or bitter Squash. It is quiet bitter in taste and calls for an acquired taste. Initially I also cannot take it but after my cancer diagnosis I try not to go for taste. I eat what I believe is beneficial to me now.
The coconut is fresh from the fruit itself. It is quiet abundant here & they import it from Thailand. I am not sure if it helps but after consuming it almost daily the aches & pains all over my body is barely there anymore. Even the neuropathy in my fingertips & toes is barely noticeable now. I also seldom feel the sharp pains and I regain senses in my mastectomy side.
When I was going for chemo, one old lady said that when she went for chemo she never took her nausea meds. She took fresh coconut juice everyday instead. That is why I added it to my daily diet as well. So I thought maybe it well help and I decided to try it.
I also never touch processed foods. I only eat food in it’s true form. I try to find beneficial foods which is available here. Recently I added watermelon, red dragon fruit & sour soup. I make it in a smoothie. I didn’t add anything. I just blend them all together.
I have been reading about the lymphedema informations you both provided and I believe it is helpful in many ways to all of us. As for me, when my lymphedema specialist discharged me, she told me that they are not concerned about me developing lymphedema because they only removed one lymph node. Then I told her that sometimes I carry my DS which is about 20kg. She said she is not worried about it and actually I should exercise it to regain more strength and flexibility. For me, I will still follow the no IV and no BP on my mastectomy side and everyday when I am sitting down I elevate my arms.
I will be working in a luxury hotel as a parttime receptionist. To help me reintegrate in the work force after quiting my job 4 years ago to take care of my DS. Maybe eventually I willwork full time when the time is right. It will also keep my mind off breast cancer. I need to keep myself busy now that my DS start going to school.
I might get too busy by then but I will try to update you once in a while.
Regards to Pam, Marias and the rest of the group.
Best regards,
Lou
0 -
Hello Marias,
Thank you for all that interesting information which I shall study later on today when I have more time.
Hello Lou,
Thank you for your most interesting and informative post, which I shall read again thoroughly when I have more time.
It is so enriching to have you, Marias, and Hanieh, on the thread so that we can get different perspectives on everything.
Best wishes to you.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Mary, Pam, Val, Rhonda and Angie,
I am just popping in to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving Day. I do hope you all have an enjoyable time. It sounds to me as though this should also be a day of quiet philosophical contemplation of counting your blessings.
I always enjoyed Thanksgiving Day in Canada when our friends always invited us to join them.
Thinking of you all and thanking you for your contribution to the thread.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Marias,
I have been looking at the video again and it certainly reminded me of the kind of thing that the private lymphoedema therapist did when I had the one consultation with her. It seems the most important thing is to use the arm to try to keep the lymph moving. I think there are various methods of trying to deal with the compromised lymph by making room on the good side of your body and then with gentle strokes, try to move some of the lymph on the affected side to the good side and then out through the body.
I have found that the worst thing is to sit for too long with your arm hanging down. It needs to be elevated. The arm seems to be best first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. During the night you have to keep your arm slightly elevated on a pillow.
I must admit I was getting a bit fed up with all this. Today I decided to get back to my normal gardening and did two hours, but nothing heavy or strenuous. After that my arm looked better than it has done since this all started.
I think we have to be careful about not lifting anything heavy, carrying heavy shopping bags, moving furniture etc. and not getting cuts, burns or stings. I felt so much better after doing physical work.
I have looked at all the information about lymphoedema on breastcancer.org, as well as MacMillian Cancer in the UK.
Keep in touch with us and let us know how you progress.
Sending fond thoughts.
Abrazos.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Lou,
I was sorry to read that you have had fever and flu. I do hope you will soon be fully recovered and that your cough will disappear. The cough at the end of flu can be very wearing and it always seems to be worse at night.
I think I know what you mean by bitter squash. I would think that the mixture of the squash and the fresh coconut would make the smoothie palatable. I do buy little tubs of fresh coconut from time to time and I cut them smaller and sprinkle over organic soy yoghurt. Coconut is very much in vogue here at the moment. I do buy fresh coconut water as I find it very refreshing and it has got electrolytes in it, which is supposed to help with hydration. Apparently, with lymphoedema, a person needs to keep well hydrated. Again I want to say that just because I like it and drink it, it does not mean I am telling people on the thread to drink it.
I was glad to know that you feel the coconut has been beneficial to you.
I think you seem to be doing all the right things to keep well and that is all we can do. I like very simple food in its most natural state.
I was very interested to know that you are going to start working in a luxury hotel as a part time receptionist. That is a good idea for working your way back into the workforce. You are right to do this as it will keep you busy and keep your mind off breast cancer. With your young son starting school, there will be a kind of empty feeling and you need to fill that. You will meet lots of new people as a receptionist and that will be a good experience.
Try to keep in touch. You are important to all of us.
Fond thoughts.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Everyone,
Thanks Sylvia, for your good wishes. We are having a peaceful, relaxing day, with good food.
I'm grateful to be here, of course, after everything I've been through since my diagnosis. I'm especially grateful for the incredible care I've received. And I'm grateful for all of you out there, all over the world, providing support. I hope you're having a wonderful day.
Cheers,
Pam
0 -
Hello I'm really sad today. The papilar carcinoma of the thyroid has 3.ganglia with metastatic.
Tomorrow I will go to the endocrinologist.
Abrazos.
Marias
0 -
Hi, Sylvia
Well, it's Black Friday, and I am glad to say I'm not out shopping! It sounds as though some places have had violence, which just seems crazy to me, how can a TV be worth all that!
Back to our lymphedema conversations, I plan on continuing to not use my right arm for injections, BP readings etc. I am also thinking that surgery on my right shoulder might even cause a problem, as painful as it is if I overuse it I might be better off dealing with it until I just can't anymore.
I also told my acupuncture doc that I have been checking out stem-cell therapy to heal my shoulder, but I am being stymied by their insistence on hearing the words "in remission" pertaining to cancer. He said, in his opinion, I should be very cautious about pursuing that any farther. He said he thinks that once we have an active tumor, it is never really gone from our cells, and the act of drawing up stem cells and putting them in a distant part of the body could actually stir up a tumor again. So I have to choose between the lesser of 2 evils, which seems to be continuing shoulder pain when I do the things I want to do.
I completely understand your frustration with the lymphedema. I have had the same feelings about the neuropathy I have had since chemo. I have it to a greater degree than you do, I have consulted every doctor I can think of about it. There is even less treatment for it than there is for lymphedema, it is just a side effect of chemo that doesn't get a whole lot of mention but it has really hampered my activity level. I was told it would just go away when chemo ended, and that was about it. It has caused not only my feet, but my legs to have weird sensations of tingling and pricking, pain, and worst of all, weakness. I live my life trying to forget how I used to be, and get used to my new normal. Some days are better than others.
I'm glad you find the Lymphedema magazines helpful, and I'm very glad you found a book that looks as if it will be even more informative. I surmise that after all this you may be able to write your own book, you have become quite an expert, I think. I am still surprised that you developed this complication after all these years, and you had only 7 nodes removed. I have a friend who had 30 nodes removed, and no lymphedema for her, not yet anyway.
I have to stop for now, but will be back, have to fix something.
Talk again soon, love,
Mary
0 -
HI, Sylvia
I'm back, I wanted to say that I read an article about some recent study results which seem to indicate that many cancers are lifestyle-related. I was not surprised by lung cancer being caused by smoking, and colon cancer by diet, but I was surprised to read that breast cancer is often being blamed on smoking, obesity and/or alcohol use. It seemed odd to me, since I was quite thin, ate well, and exercised a lot before being diagnosed with cancer. And of all the women I know who have/had BC, very few are obese and most drink alcohol not at all or very little, a few do smoke. I told this to my acupuncture doc too, and told him I felt a bit resentful about being made to feel guilty because I had BC! He made a very good point to me, he said that almost all these studies are done on women who are Positive for Estrogen Receptors, E+. He said being overweight and alcohol use stimulate the estrogen in the body and cause problems. He told me I have to understand that the medical community is going to put most of the study money where it is going to affect most of the people with BC, who for the most part have E+P+/-H-. He said the TN cancer is still somewhat of a mystery as to origin, in his opinion.
It sounds as if you have some serious reading lined up for yourself. I am happy to have a day to myself today, and we will have nice weather. Yesterday I went to stepson's house and we had a large meal, I was very tired by late afternoon and went home and vegetated, it's the American way, I suppose! I remember looking at my plate and thinking it was enough for 2 or 3 days normally.
Thanks for the Thanksgiving wishes, it is a nice holiday, like Christmas the meaning gets lost in the flurry of commercialism, but I do give many thanks for all my friends here!
Talk to you soon, love, Mary
0 -
HI, Marias
The picture of you dressed up and smiling is gorgeous, you are so beautiful. You said you feel better taking the letrazole, that's good.
I am thinking from your last post that you got your pathology report, and it gives the report on your thyroid. Can you tell me what it means "3 ganglia with metastastic"? They have removed all of that, I thought, what is the reason for the endocrinologist visit? Probably that is normal with a thyroid condition.
Hope you have a good doctor visit.
Talk to you soon, love, Mary
0 -
Hello Maria's
Sorry to hear you are sad. My prayers and positive energy goes with you.
Love
Hanieh
0
