Calling all triple negative breast cancer patients in the UK
Comments
-
Hello Mary,
I was sorry to read that you are feeling down and I hope that this feeling will go away quickly. I do know how you are feeling and I do not think the weather helps. I have been having down days and I think it all started when I had that flu jab, then the lymphoedema and then the problem mole, not to mention the rash. I have now switched off it all as I realise any appointments will be few and far between and I am really on my own. The scar from that second incision is taking a long time to heal and I have been told the scar could take a year to heal. It has made looking after lymphoedema somewhat problematic. I think we all need some long weeks of sunshine.
I was sorry to read that your legs are bothering you and I can understand that you are not sure what to do next. I do hope you will be able to sort things out. Over here doctors seem too keen to do knee replacement and from what I have heard it is not the great miracle it is supposed to be. Good luck tomorrow.
I was interested in what you said about varicose veins. I have one on the right leg, the breast cancer side, and it has come about since the lymphoedema. I have been rereading the section in the book Let's talk about Lymphoedema about varicose veins. In the book it says that "surgery for varicose veins will often reduce the swelling but if it does not then the cause is probably lymphoedema. Furthermore, as lymph vessels are positioned anatomically very close to surface veins in the leg, any surgical treatment of varicose veins can damage the lymph as well."
Apparently varicose veins can affect multiple small surface veins, accompanied by some brown staining in the skin around the ankle ans some oedema.
All this makes interesting reading, especially the following: "There is known to be a significant cross-over between the genes governing the development of lymph vessels and those that affect veins, so if you veins are inherently weak – and susceptible to becoming varicose – there might also be a similar weakness in your lymph vessels, which could in turn make you more susceptible to lymphoedema".
I think the lymphoedema in my right arm has caused a varicose vein in my right leg. I shall probably just have to live with it all and take care of it as best I can.
I think I agree with you that chemotherapy treatment makes everything in your body far worse.
I do hope all will go well for your breast MRI today.
I do wonder about the dosage that we are told to take for iodine. I am in the middle of reading a long article in Nexus magazine for April/May, under Health and I think you can get this online. There are five full pages. On the first page a Dr Sircus, a world expert on iodine, "feels that people may safely take much higher levels that recommended daily without clinically adverse effects".
https://www.nexusmagazine.com/
"Even the Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine has set the tolerable upper limit of 1,100 µgrms daily (microgrammes)".
There is such a lot in this article that I need to go through it slowly.
The title of the article is "Iodine – Universal and holistic super mineral – Iodine is essential for the body's proper function and may be beneficial in doses higher than recommended daily amounts" by Gabriel Cousens MD, HMD(H), DD.
I am trying to get the iodine in my food.
I think I should mention that Dr Mark Sircus has written a book entitled "Iodine: bringing back the universal medicine".
Somewhere in this long article there is information about iodine deficiency associated with fibrocystic disease and higher rates of breast cancer.
It is well worth reading but you need to take it slowly.
Finally, I am glad to know you are going to eat lentils. They are a great protein and full of iron. I buy all the beans and pulses in cans in water. There are very small lentils known as puy lentils.
That is about all for today.
Take care of yourself.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Mary,
You are right. There is a lot of research going on about breast cancer. I think all of it ends up with taking drugs.
More and more, I am beginning to think that cancer is caused by all sorts of deficiencies in our body of vitamins and minerals and that it sends all of our hormones out of kilter. it is just my own belief, as I read more and more how deficient people are.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hi Mary,
I just want to let you know that I'm keeping a good thought for your breast MRI today, and your doctor appointment tomorrow. Hopefully this is just a bump in the road, and it will soon be behind you. I'm wishing you some peace of mind and improved mobility.
I loved seeing the Forsythia in full bloom. The sunny days are coming soon. If I haven't already posted it, here's a picture of our Meyer lemon tree.
Love, Pam
0 -
will do Sylvia. My face healing well but will go to drs on Friday to make sure. Having lots of aches and pains in hip and lower back since I’ve been back in a cold environment after not having a problem in the humidity of KL. Exercised quite heavily over the weekend and i pay for it now! Not think about that tho. Will continue with massage and dry needling which helps heaps and I know I had these issues precancer and taxol does exaserbate arthritis. Scares me so much tho. Need to stop think what if?Anyway onwards and upwards
Cheers
Kath
0 -
Hi, I’m glad your doing fine. 😊. What are some things that you include your day to day meals?
0 -
hi all
Had a massage and dry needling today and it helped my aches heaps. Some of the reading Ive been doing days that taxol can cause an excaserbation of arthritis. Doing ok with it but I’m s very stiff when I don’t stretch. Range of movement still
Good and I exercise every day. Massage and dry needling every fortnight seemed to be doing the trick before my big plane trip. Was feeling telling good Does anyone else have problems with arthritis. I know Mary does and I wonder if it’s linked to taxo
0 -
Hi, Sylvia
I think our "down days" are caused by the drip-drip-drip of things happening in our bodies, I think we both like to have some feeling of control, and this gives us the idea that it doesn't seem to matter what we do, things keep happening that affect our routines. At least, that's what I think about myself, I shouldn't assume to diagnose you! Let me know what you think.
I also think that when one is in pain, it is very hard to remain positive and cheery. I am looking forward to my trip in a couple of weeks. I hope that all the distractions of a different part of the world will take my mind off such things to a degree. As several of us have spoken about on this board, it is a little nerve-wracking getting ones' ducks in a row before a trip, I am in that state now.
I very much agree with what was said in the book you are reading on lymphedema. I think we all have areas of weakness in our bodies, it is very possible that the slight swelling I get in my ankles at times could be because of the varicose veins not behaving properly, with maybe a little lymphedema thrown in. I also know that if I have a very busy day, and use my right arm a lot that it will be very achy all over by the end of the day. I find myself looking at it and comparing it to the left arm, I can't see much, if any difference. I don't know about you connecting the lymphedema to the varicose vein development, the vein maybe be a thing unto itself.
I got back the report from my breast MRI, it states that no suspicious masses are observed in either the breast or the surgery side, and no node enlargement. It does say there are "minimal parenchymal enhancements" in the remaining breast, I looked this up and it says these are small fibrous things often found in dense breasts. I didn't read much farther, I'm sure I could find something scary if I keep looking!
I also had Blood Labs done for my annual check-up and I always get a copy and go over it. I noticed my Total Cholesterol (should not be over 200) jumped from 146 to 176. The only reason I can think of is the fact that I can't exercise as I used to, because of the knees and the post-chemo leg weakness. I haven't changed my diet dramatically since then. I am still in normal range, so doctor will not jump me about it, I'm just curious. I do know that when I was doing chemo, my Cholesterol was the highest it's ever been, 199. I laid it partially at the feet of eating eggs every day because it was one of the few foods that tasted good to me. I lost quite a bit of weight, so tried to eat what I could, but I didn't eat much.
I think I will start slow with the iodine drops!
Thanks for all the info! I think we should have worked in the medical field perhaps, we do seem to find it absorbing, lately with ourselves the guinea pigs. :-)
Talk to you soon, love,
Mary
0 -
Hey Pam,
Thanks for bright, sunny pic of your lemon tree, what luxury to go outside and pick a fresh lemon! When my mother-in-law owned a condo in Palm Desert we would sit on her patio and be surrounded by orange, grapefruit and lemon trees. There would be so much fruit around the common area that the aging residents couldn't use it all, so the groundskeepers would pick a lot of it and take it home, but a lot would just lay on the ground and be spoiled. I'm sure you appreciate your lemons, I remember them being very large, much larger than we ever see in a store here.
I had a good report from my MRI. I did see my orthopedic doc also, he will give me another shot in knee if I want it before I go on trip, not sure. He also brought up the subject of arthroscopic surgery on the knee to clean up meniscus tears and kneecap arthritis, he was not overly enthusiastic, it is about a 60/40 proposition. He did say that it wouldn't make it any worse, but can I believe that, I'm not sure. I will mull all this over.
So on we go, hope you are well and having great days!
Love, Mary
0 -
Hi, Kath
What is dry needling, is it like acupuncture?
I did have arthritis before Taxotere use, but I did not have the knee pain, or neuropathy before chemo. I believe the chemo can worsen problems we already have. I believe the combination of being knocked down physically by the chemo and the fact that chemo can degrade muscle tissue can contribute to problems. The arthritis I have is degenerative, so is expected to get worse over time. But, as my least favorite doc told me, "you are here to complain about it!"
Great pics! I have seen the very large windmill parts moving down the highways too, they cause a lot of traffic congestion in our area too, especially when they move through a city. Really big!
Love, Mary
0 -
Hi, Hanieh
I think I missed posting to you after you put up the pic of you, your sis and mom. You all look so happy to be together, that is wonderful.
The area where I live is beautiful, it has its' drawbacks which are temperature extremes, violent storms, and too many insects in the summer, in my opinion. Not that I can do much about it! But we do have 4 seasons, and lots of green things in the spring and summer and pretty colored foliage in the autumn, and lots of animals and birds.
How is your hair?
Talk to you again soon, love
Mary
0 -
The New World Trade Centre building - now the tallest building in NY
Family photo taken in Central Park
The Dakota building where John Lennon lived - Yoko Ono still lives there. It is just across from Central Park
Greenwich village, Manhattan - a typical apartment building.
Hi everyone,
I have been away in New York for a week visiting my daughter - had a wonderful time. Just a few photos to share of my trip. Now I must catch up on all the posts.
0 -
Hello Pam,
Thank you for posting the lovely photograph of your lemon tree. It looks most exotic.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Mary,
Thank you for your post. Most of the time I feel fine, but the lymphoedema and the mole have got me down over the past nearly seven months. The weather has not helped. Today it is like a lovely summer's day and I hope it lasts for a while. I have had a really good look at the grounds here and made note of what needs to be done.
I can understand that you are looking forward to your trip abroad.
I was so glad to read that you got a good report from your breast MRI and that there are no suspicious masses.
As for the cholesterol my information is that very little of the cholesterol containing food has very little to do with the cholesterol count in the body. The body makes its own. The way cholesterol is measured in the US must be very different to how it is measured here. Normal cholesterol level here is said to be 4.50, but these figures do not really mean much. In addition, you need to know what your HDL, LDL and triglycerides are. I have given up on blood tests. There is so much difference of opinion.
I do hope you manage sometime to read that article under Health in Nexus magazine.
There is also an article in there on magnesium entitled The extraordinary power of Magnesium by Sandy Sanderson (2018). Again, it is under Health. It is eight pages long. There is so much detail in it that I cannot post it all. There is a paragraph – Magnesium Deficiency and Pain – which I think you would find very interesting. It says that "Magnesium (Mg2+) has a lot to offer in pain relief via its anti-inflammatory effect, without the adverse side effects of medication. As inflammation is always associated with ill health (cold, flu etc.) or degenerative disease and premature ageing we should be looking at feeding the body what it needs to resolve the inflammation which is at the root of the pain, rather than merely masking it with drugs".
Some of this long article is about how strong opioid drugs are now becoming common use in illness when they used to be reserved for crisis management.
The article in this section quotes "chronic pain or inflammation (often experienced by the middle-aged) is usually concomitant with chronically low tissue levels of magnesium".
I was interested to read that increased stress levels cause excessive excretion of magnesium. "our soils and food supply have become depleted and we are under more stress in modern societies". It states that "most people in modern societies eating processed foods and leading hectic lifestyles are, by and large, magnesium deficient".
There are a whole list of symptoms of low magnesium in this part of the article, under Magnesium Deficiency and Pain. They are (take a deep breath):
Tremor, agitation, muscle cramp, cardiac arrhythmia, hypokalemia (potassium deficiency), chronic fatigue, numbness, tingling, seizures, excessive electrical activity in the brain, sleep disturbance, bronchial spasms and asthma, allergic reaction, hyperactivity, and ADHD, compromised immune response (over or under), as well as free calcium in blood causing hypertension and calcium precipitation, which results in ligament and vasculature hardening, fibroids and lumps.
You can see from all these symptoms how important the mineral magnesium is in the body and how easily a person can end up with low magnesium (hypomagnesaemia).
Apart from all these symptoms there is a list of "associated diseases, which can include osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome, insulin-resistant diabetes, arteriosclerosis, skin disorders, lymph and kidney dysfunction, thyroid disease, cancer, anxiety and depression. As magnesium is also essential to synthesise RNA and DNA, low magnesium has even been found to be carcinogenic".
There is so much more in this article that I am sure would interest you. It can easily be divided into paragraphs according to headings, which is quite a good way to read this long article.
I was particularly interested in the part headed Prolonged stress leads to chronic inflammation. There is a section under this that caught my attention, the last part of it said "the healing process thus slows down. Peripheral neuropathy is an example. More magnesium can get the job done with fewer soldiers, because they get better weapons and more power".
I must admit the section under this heading made difficult reading for me. I just retained that the body desperately needs magnesium.
I shall try to write some more about this in regular doses, because I think it is important to us as breast cancer survivors. I did notice further on in this article that there is mention of ankle swelling and water retention also being a sign of magnesium deficiency and dehydration. There is a warning against diuretics that further deplete water and magnesium.
I think that is enough for today, but these two articles are well worth reading, iodine and magnesium. It is easy to retain the essential basic information.
When exactly are you going on your holiday?
Take care.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Minetta57,
Welcome to our thread. Would you give us some more details about your TNBC. I can see that you are new to bc.org. We would be only too glad to help you on your breast cancer journey.
There is a lot of information on this thread about nutrition. I think I can say we all believe in a healthy diet and we think that healthy diet should be based on the Rainbow/Mediterranean diet and that we should all stay away from processed food, junk food and sugar for starters.
I do hope we shall hear from you again.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello adagio,
Thank you for the most interesting photographs of New York and your family photograph. I do remember when Raymond and I went to New York when we lived in Montreal.
I hope you are keeping well.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Everyone,
Sylvia and Mary, I'm glad you liked the picture. I'm very glad to hear that you had a good MRI, Mary. Keep us posted about your knee.
It's wonderful to have that tree. I use the lemons constantly, adding lemon juice and zest to yogurt, salads, and just about everything else.
Kath, I think you asked about Taxol and arthritis. I was convinced that my post chemo aches and pains - which have now mostly passed - were arthritis. I must have been on my way to having it already, because it's cool and damp here today, and I can feel it.
Adagio, It's so lovely to see you out having fun. Thanks for posting the pictures.
Hanieh, I hope you're still improving every day.
And to anyone that I may have missed, I hope you're relatively well today.
Pam
0 -
Hi all
I copied this here because I remembered Kathy's mother having pain and others who were having lots of pain with chemotherapy. note: it mentons paclitaxel, which covers Taxol, and Taxotere, as well as other drugs commonly in the chemo regimens that BC patients receive.
Muscle Pain (Myalgias)
Select Language▼Common Forms Of Pain:
Joint Pain (Arthralgias) | Bone Pain | Muscle Pain (Myalgias)What Is Muscle Pain (Myalgias)?
Myalgias can be defined as muscle aches. Myalgias can be a deep, constant, dull ache, or a sharp, sporadic ache. Myalgias are often a result of:
- Medications - certain chemotherapy medications can cause myalgias and joint pain (arthralgias), which usually resolve when the medication is removed. These may include biologic therapies (such as interferon or aldesleukin), or growth factors (such as filgrastim). Certain types of chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, may also cause myalgias.
Other possible causes of myalgias are: - Infections - Infection in the blood, which produces a fever, may cause muscle aches. You may also have an infection or inflammation in one of your muscle groups, that may have caused pain.
- Prolonged muscle use - usually with exercise or movements that your body is not used to.
- Other inflammatory conditions - such as fibromyalgia (a syndrome characterized by widespread muscle pain, lack of sleep, headaches, and depression), or polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).
Symptoms of Myalgias:
- You may have muscle pain in a local area, or the pain may be more widespread. The pain may be a dull ache, or sharp.
- This pain may be mild, or severe. The pain may last a few minutes, or it may be constant.
- You may have fever, chills, if you have an infection.
- You may have pain in your joints, as well as your muscles.
- You may be overly tired, or very weak (fatigued). It may be hard for you to do any kind of your normal activities.
- You may feel depressed if your pain is constant.
Things You Can Do To Minimize Myalgias:
Keep a diary of your pain. If you are having pain for any reason, your healthcare provider will ask certain questions to determine the cause of your pain. Things to include are:
- Onset - when did the pain start? What was I doing when I had pain?
- Quality - What does the pain feel like? Is it knifelike and stabbing, or dull and constant?
- Location - Where is the pain? Can I point to it with my finger, or is it spread all over?
- Intensity - How bad is your pain all the time? How bad is it with certain activities that cause you to feel pain, on a 1-10 scale, with the number "10" being the worst pain imaginable?
- Duration - How long did the pain last for? Is it while I was walking to the door, or did it continue for a while?
- Character - Does the pain come and go whenever I perform a certain activity, or is it unpredictable?
- Relieving factors - What can I do to make the pain go away? Does anything help? What have I used in the past that have worked, and does this work now?
- Your mood - Are you depressed or anxious? Does this make the pain worse?
If the cause of your pain has been undiagnosed, your healthcare provider may order certain tests or examinations based on your pain. This may include x-rays, CAT Scans, bone survey or scan, or an MRI. Your healthcare provider will order the exams that are right for you.
If you already have a source or cause for your pain, whether chemotherapy or some other cause, it is important to follow your healthcare provider's recommendations. Also, continue to keep a pain diary, and chart your progress.
Keep your bowels moving. People in pain tend to move around less, drink less fluid, and become constipated from pain medications that slow down the movement of food through your stomach. This is easily treated by:
- Increasing your daily intake of fresh fruit and fiber. Prunes, and prune juice may work for some individuals. It is important to move your bowels daily.
- If you do not move your bowels every day, your health care provider may prescribe stool softeners and laxatives to help prevent constipation. Work with your healthcare provider to develop a regimen that will work for you.
- Drink 2 to 3 quarts of fluid every 24 hours, unless you were told to restrict your fluid intake. This will decrease your chances of being dehydrated, which can lead to constipation.
- Increase your activity, if tolerated.
- People with pain, who may not be taking deep breaths, need to circulate air from the bottom of their lungs and out of your lungs (oxygenation), to prevent infection and pneumonia. Using an incentive spirometer for 15 minutes a day, twice a day, can help promote oxygenation.
- Physical therapy is important. Try to exercise, as tolerated, to maintain your optimal level of functioning.. Exercise, in persons with bone problems, will help promote strengthening and bone remodeling (repair). Discuss with your healthcare provider how you can create a specific exercise program to suit your needs. Make sure to exercise, under the supervision of your healthcare provider. Walking, swimming, or light aerobic activity may help you to lose weight, and promote the flow of oxygen in your lungs and blood (oxygenation).
- If you have back pain, or pain due to bone problems, braces or assistive devices (such as walkers or canes), may help.
- If you can locate your pain, especially if it is muscle related, warm compresses may help. Warm baths may help as well, to relieve muscle aches.
- Occupational therapy (OT): you may be taught in OT how to do many tasks that you normally do, in a more effective manner.
- People who are in constant pain are often overly tired. To minimize excessive tiredness (fatigue) due to pain or cancer chemotherapy:
- You should ask yourself: Am I experiencing fatigue? If so, how severe is it on a 1-10 scale? Is it interfering with my ability to function?
- It is important to weigh the value of certain activities.
- If you feel anxious, use relaxation techniques to decrease the amount of anxiety you have. Place yourself in a quiet environment, and close your eyes. Take slow, steady, deep breaths, and try to concentrate on things that have relaxed you in the past. This is called behavioral therapy.
- Participating in support groups may be helpful to discuss with others what you are going through. Ask your healthcare provider if he or she is aware of any support groups that would benefit you.
- If you are ordered a medication to treat this disorder:
- Do not stop taking any medication unless your healthcare provider tells you to.
- Take the medication exactly as directed.
- Do not share your pills with anyone.
- Many medications to treat pain may cause you to feel dizzy or drowsy. Do not operate any heavy machinery unless you know how the medication will affect you.
- Antacids, such as Mylanta® , Pepcid® , NexiumTM and others, may change the way many medications are absorbed. If you have any questions specific to medications that may have been ordered for you, ask your healthcare provider.
- If you miss a dose of your medication, discuss with your healthcare provider what you should do.
- If you experience symptoms or side effects, especially if severe, be sure to discuss them with your health care team. They can prescribe medications and/or offer other suggestions that are effective in managing such problems.
- Keep all your appointments for your treatments.
Drugs That May Be Prescribed by Your Doctor:
If your muscle pain was a result of a medication or treatment, removing that medication may relieve your discomfort. If you still are experiencing myalgias, depending on your overall health status, your doctor may recommend that certain drugs be used to help decrease your muscle pain. Some of the common drugs that are used to treat your pain may include:
- Antibiotics - If your doctor or healthcare provider suspects that you have an infection that has caused your muscle pain, he or she may order antibiotics, either in a pill form or intravenous (IV). If you are prescribed antibiotics, take the full prescription. Do not stop taking pills once you feel better.
- Antidepressants - are used to treat depression and pain in adults. People who have pain for a long period of time (chronic), may become tired and depressed.
- Certain nerve signals, when activated, make pain worse, and cause more depression. Serotonin and norepinephrine are important conductors of nerve signals (neurotransmitters), which are found in the central nervous system (CNS). The places that these neurotransmitters work are highly important. These neurotransmitters contribute to depression.
- Medications, such as venlafaxine (Effexor®) works by blocking the "reuptake" of the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine, thus decreasing your depressive symptoms.
- Corticosteroids - Corticosteroids work by decreasing inflammation (swelling) in many areas of the body. The corticosteroids prevent infection- fighting white blood cells (polymorphonuclear leukocytes) from traveling to the area of swelling in your body. This means you are more prone to infection while on steroids.
- You may be taking steroids if your myalgias are a result of inflammation.
- Steroids will decrease the swelling in areas where tumors are located, which may decrease the pressure of the tumor on your nerve endings, and decrease your pain.
- Narcotics -The central nervous system (CNS) is a way for our brain to send messages to our body in a timely manner. It is highly alert, especially when we are experiencing pain. Many narcotic analgesic (pain medicines) work by blocking these messages, such as morphine sulfate and oxycodone.
- Make sure you discuss with your healthcare provider common side effects, such as constipation, drowsiness, nausea and vomiting, and how to control these side effects.
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) agents and Tylenol® such as naproxen sodium and ibuprofen, may provide relief of musculoskeletal pain.
- If you are to avoid NSAID drugs, because of your type of cancer or chemotherapy you are receiving, acetaminophen (Tylenol®) up to 4000 mg per day (two extra-strength tablets every 6 hours) may help.
- It is important not to exceed the recommended daily dose of Tylenol®, as it may cause liver damage. Discuss this with your healthcare provider.
- Your healthcare provider will discuss with you which treatments are helpful to you.
- Do not stop any medications abruptly, as serious side effects may occur.
0 - Medications - certain chemotherapy medications can cause myalgias and joint pain (arthralgias), which usually resolve when the medication is removed. These may include biologic therapies (such as interferon or aldesleukin), or growth factors (such as filgrastim). Certain types of chemotherapy, such as paclitaxel, may also cause myalgias.
-
Hi, Sylvia
From information I can find execise is a very big component in raising HDL (good cholesterol). My HDL is high but not quite as high as before. I do believe that my decrease in the level of exercise is part of the picture. And yes, the Total Cholesterol is a combination of all the numbers, the good, the bad, and the triglycerides, and whatever else. It can probably change from one day to another at times.
I have read quite a lot about magnesium, and know its' importance for our bodies. I was looking at my hospital record from the last several years, which is posted online on my hospital portal. Apparently when I was on chemo and was hospitalized I had hypomagnesemia (low magnesium), hypokalemia (low potassium), myalgia, and general weakness. Apparently receiving chemo can strongly affect the electrolyte levels, I believe this affected me all through my regimen. I do supplement with magnesium now, which always seems rather haphazard to me. Am I getting enough or not? I try to eat foods that supply these things as well, hopefully they are getting well absorbed by my body. As far as the side effects of low magnesium level, I am very familiar with muscle cramps, foot cramps, numbness, tingling, sleep disturbance, allergies.
The part of the article about "Prolonged Stress leads to Chronic Inflammation" looks very interesting. Perhaps it is a lack of this (these) minerals in our bodies that lead us to neuropathy with chemo, and would explain why some people develop it and some don't. I do also have a problem with slightly low sodium and chloride because I drink a lot of water, and I know that depletes electrolytes in the body. I don't really like many other drinks, and tend to get thirsty a lot. And no, I am not diabetic!
I will try to find time to find this article in Nexus Magazine, but my brother is now coming to visit next week and we will be leaving the week after that. We are flying into Amsterdam for a couple of days. then boarding a riverboat and going down the Rhine River for a week, and then staying in Switzerland for several days. If anyone has any ideas for things we must see in Switzerland, please let me know. The rest of our trip is already quite busy. I am worried about my own physical capabilities, and keeping up with things, but then I am always worried about something!
I am hitting the middle ground with the iodine drops, somewhere in between the government-suggested level and the dosage on the bottle. Like I said, haphazard!
Must close for now, talk to you soon,
Love, Mary
0 -
Sylvia,
I do wonder about Kathy's mother, and Marias, and I haven't forgotten Rhonda, she seemed to be having some troubles. It seems that Lou has settled into a busy post-cancer life, and Hanieh is recovering from her treatment. I know there are many that have posted I haven't mentioned, but it would be great to see some news from any of them. Best wishes to all!
0 -
HI, Adagio
I love the pics of NYC, I had not really seen such a good pic of the new World Trade Building, it's stunning. Your family looks great, happy to be together exploring. The Dakota Building is interesting, I read a book a while ago that used it for most of the setting; the book had artist illustrations of how the Dakota looked when the roads were still just dirt, and there were small farms visible near it! The building itself looked exactly the same, just jutting out of a rural setting, fascinating it has held up so well. The Greenwich apartment building looks very nice too.
Good to know you are out and about and enjoying life!
Love, Mary
0 -
Hi, Pam
I hope your aches and pains are better, at least I don't think you have very many rainy days there.
My knee is a problem, I saw the orthopedic doc again Tuesday. He brought up the subject of arthroscopic surgery, which he says has a 70% chance of helping the problems. He said he could fix the meniscus tears and the ACL ligament, and perhaps polish some of the kneecap arthritis, but could not do much about the quad tendon where it joins the knee. Nor the leg weakness. So he told me to think about it. I am in a little bit of a panic about our trip, my sis-in-law is very energetic and I hope I can somewhat keep up. I am determined to enjoy, so that's that, and I am very much looking forward to getting away from all the things that will be waiting for me when I get back!
I'll talk to you again soon, love,
Mary
0 -
Hello Mary,
Thank you for pasting all that information about pain. I am sure everyone will find it interesting and useful.
I was interested to read what happened to you during your chemotherapy treatment. I think I was very lucky to go through chemotherapy treatment without feeling unwell at all. I had a bit of fatigue and that was it. I carried on as normal and I really did my own thing. Of course I had homoeopathic treatment all the way and I followed my own nutrition and vitamins etc. I had Iscador for five years in all of this. The cancer and homoeopathic consultant said my case was a successful one and asked for permission to use my case in her lectures. Of course I gave permission.
I do not know what the answer is for cancer treatment, but I just cannot see that it is in all these toxic drugs.
I know how important electrolyte levels are and I do regularly buy coconut water which is said to have all the electrolytes needed. I find it refreshing, hydrating and a good thirst quencher.
As for getting enough of everything we just have to do our best through our nutrition and supplement as we feel we need. We cannot keep worrying about these things and if we want to we can just get tested to see if we have any deficiencies. I am not sure what happens in the US but I doubt if we can get anything like that here on the NHS. If we have a mixed healthy diet we just have to hope we are absorbing the nutrients in them and have to hope that the food is not deficient because of deficient soil etc.
I shall try to post more as I can from Nexus about magnesium and iodine deficiency.
I do hope you have a good time with your brother. That will keep you busy.
I do hope also that you have a good time in Amsterdam. I went there many years ago back in 1971. I visited Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Holland at the time. I really enjoyed that trip. I have no idea what the countries are like now.
I hope you will tell us all about your trip. I have not been to Switzerland but Raymond has. He liked it very much. Raymond thinks you should go on the cable cars there. They are not something I like. I did go on one in British Columbia when we went on a two week holiday to western Canada.
I would not go on the Capilano suspension bridge there, but Raymond did. I did go on a school trip to Germany and we stayed in a lovely place called Bopard on the Rhine.
I hope you can manage to relax and not worry. Just live each day.
Thinking of you.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Hello Mary,
Thank you for your second post. Like you I do wonder what is happening with the women from whom we have not heard in a long time.
I do hope that we shall hear from Sarah with news about her mother and that we shall have good news.
As for Kathy, she was posting in about her sister who was going through cancer treatment. I do hope all is well with Kathy and her sister.
I do wonder about Rhonda as well, because, as you say, she was having some problems.
Above all, I do wonder what has happened to Marias. She was having such a lot of problems and I do hope she will be back on the thread soon to tell us all is well.
Another person we have not heard from is 4everStrong living in Paris, France. I think she was also having some problems.
We have not heard from Val in a while, either, and I do hope she will pop back in.
There are some others who just pop in and then vanish. I find that very strange. This thread has to be two-way and a give and take system.
I do have some photographs that I want to put on the thread. I am still having a busy time here and I am trying to take it all in a relaxed manner. I am so aware of the damage that stress does to us. I can read it in my body so easily. I am so annoyed at a lot of what is going on in this country and disgusted with our politicians who busy themselves with everything except the people here.
That is about all for today but thank you for all that you do on the thread and also thank you to Pam, adagio, Kath and Hanieh for their contributions recently to the thread.
Take care. Relax and enjoy the days.
Love.
Sylvia xxxx
0 -
Sylvia,
Thanks (again) for straightening me out on Sarah (and her mother) and Kathy (and her sister.) Maybe I need a memory vitamin!
Val is still around, I have seen her post a bit on other threads. She sounds good.
Yes, Marias is a mystery, hopefully she has finished all treatment and is trying to get back her strength.
I will post more later.
Mary
0 -
Hello everyone,
Just a few photographs from around our grounds at the complex where I live.
0 -
Hello Sylvia,
What absolutely lovely pictures. It's finally spring in the UK. Thanks for posting them.
Pam
0 -
Hi, Sylvia
The flowering plants in your complex look so pretty, I wasn't expecting it, you have been talking as though it was cold and gray all the time. I have been complaining too, and the flowers ignored us and came on anyway! We are having another rainy Sunday, this is the 4th since raining on Easter. It is said that if it rains on Easter it will rain for the next 6 Sundays, or maybe 7, I'm not sure.
I think your chemotherapy journey was not a big problem for you because you took your time, and researched it very well, and looked up a homeopathic doctor to help you get through. I did none of that, I was diagnosed and surgery was 2 weeks later, and then on to chemo. I knew people that had been through it and I just wanted to get it over with, and I underestimated the side effects. I have read up a bit on Iscador and I think you were very wise to take that course and it seems to have done well by you. I was quite beat up by chemo, but then I didn't know what I was getting into, not really.
I like chilled coconut water a lot, it's so refreshing, and I think it does have a lot of electrolytes. I am also supplementing a liquid mineral. The GP I go to now, and I have been seeing him for 20 years, would order any test I asked him to; he is a rare breed nowadays and I am very afraid he might retire soon. If I call for an appointment I will be in either the same day or the next. If I call the office, he will come to the phone himself. I might have to wait, but he will answer the question I have. If he retires, I am afraid I will be like others I know, they wait for weeks to months for their appointment, and there is no such thing as a doctor who comes to the phone that I know of, other than mine.
I'm looking forward to seeing my brother.
Thank you to Raymond for offering tips on what to do in Switzerland, the cable car rides look amazing, I looked them up. We do already have a city tour of Lucerne coming up, and a cable car tour is optional as well. In Zurich we have a city tour as well. I do hope the weather straightens out, it looks as though Switzerland will be rainy when we are there. O well, I have a raincoat! Anyway, I will talk to sis-in-law about cable car ride.
I have spent this rainy day trying to clear some clutter, I have made some progress but not finished yet. I think about stress too, and when I feel stressed I try to go into diaphragm breathing and de-stress. I have a window open now and the birds are singing spring songs, so pretty. At the moment, it's a red-winged blackbird, a very handsome bird!
I'll talk to you soon, love,
Mary
0 -
Hello Sylvia, Mary and all
Sylvia, your pictures are really nice especially the last picture you were in. You are as lovely as all those flowers. Good for all the people living in your complex as these plants show how much you have planned and worked on them. You asked about the genetic testing. I should say I have second thoughts about it. I have not done it yet as I think if it comes positive, I will be perpetual anxiety about my daughter. Of course I will ask her do the routine check ups but this anxiety will be a heavy burden on me. Also, my doctor said he doesn't recommend it. It costs a lot as the tests are sent to Canada. I will decide about it at the end of all my treatment.
Mary, I was excited to hear you you are going to travel to Switzerland. It will be wonderful. Wish you the best there. I can not travel abroad until my hair grows completely. It is still growing very very slowly.
I'm doing radiation now. It is tiring but of course much better than chemo. I have to do it for 16 sessions. Today my doctor warned me about lymphedema as a side effect of radiation. He told me not to hold even a pillow with it but I don't think it's practical for me. I try to do my best not to put any pressure on my right hand.
Here is a picture of our small garden in our complex yard which my daughter took.Sylvia we have nobody like you here.
0 -
Hello Mary,
Thank you for your latest post.
I do hope you have a nice time with your brother.
The weather here has been miserable but it is the hours of day light that count most for the blooming of the plants. We had about four very warm days last week, but we are back to normal cool April weather now.
I really did do my own thing during my treatment. The h omeopathy was on the NHS and it was my breast cancer consultant who referred me and the two worked together.
That is all for today.
Love,
Sylvia xx
0 -
,Hello Hanieh,
Thank you for those lovely photographs. I think your gardens look lovely.
I do understand what you said about the genetic testing and do agree it would be another source of anxiety for you and your family. Just enjoy every day.
Do your best with the radiotherapy and see what happens when you have finished.
Love,
Sylvia xxx.
0
