Australian Sisters
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Hi Girls
Well - hubby is having a hip replaced. It's not until 23 April, and for a moment I was hopeful I could still get to Adelaide. But ... it's been a horrendous week financially. His specialist was relatively cheap - only $220, and we'll get around $90 of that back. I have to see a Rheumatologist on Friday - it was brought forward from the end of May - he "triaged" me lol. That one's going to cost $415, and I get around $200 of it back. And my car needed servicing this week - there's another $330!
On top of that I have to find around $6,000 out of pocket for the hip replacement. Think I'll pull that out of my a#@se lol.
Looking at a reverse mortgage at this stage, there's no way he can wait the 2+ years for the surgery as a public patient. I had thought I'd be able to use some of my super for it - but Centrelink won't approve surgery if it's being covered by private health insurance. Can you see me crossing my eyes!
Trish
xoxo
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Trish can we just say....Oh poo!!! Talk about raining and pouring! So much expense! Sometimes I think these specialist expect everyone to be millionaires just to be able to cover their fees. You will be greatly missed but you gotta do what you gotta do, besides, there is always next year. 😚
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Trish,
That hip number is very very steep.
Here are some numbers
https://www.medibank.com.au/livebetter/health-brie...
😊🌷
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Oh that's a shame Trish. It will be good he is getting it done, but ouch that gap is awful. My scans tomorrow come in at just under $400 and more next week. It is such a pain not being able to just pay the gap, but I have put them off while hubby wasn't working, so tomorrow it is!
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Hi Wildplaces, thanks for the link - I looked everywhere prior to going to the specialist to try to find indicative costs and couldn't find one. The ACT is typically more expensive than other states, as we seem to have a shortage of specialists. I don't know why people don't want to live here - we love it - it's a great place to live.
The specialist we are seeing is a teaching prof, and apparently the best in the field here. The gap for him is $3000, then his assistant's gap is around $800 and we haven't received the anaesthetist's quote yet - but typically that gap is high as Medicare doesn't seem to like to pay anywhere near the fee charged. Then there's all the scans required, and physio. I've estimated at the top end (I hope).
It might be lower if we used another specialist, but our GP want's him to go to the most experienced dr in the field here, and I'm not going to argue with that lol.
At least all the other costs (including the actual hip bits) are covered completely, and our excess for the hospital is fairly low ($200). It all adds up unfortunately.
Trish
xoxox
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He is quoted you about half way between AMA fees and that the health insurance companies pay - no gap.
A Prof he will have 2-2.5 days of public work so his fees are marginally higher for the 2-3 days he does private.
Sounds like you are in good hands!!
And that you have a great GP😊
PS I wish the health insurance companies would publish their yearly profits....
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hi all. You won't believe it but I've been in hospital since Wednesday with a blocked bowel. Trying to avoid surgery I am feeling very unwell if I have surgery I might have to cancel my holiday. Carol.
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Oh no Carol!! Well, that certainly explains all the pain you have been having that's for sure. I'm keeping my fingers and everything else crossed that surgery can be avoided and that we see you here for the get together and your holiday.
Please keep us updated as to how you are but for the mean time, try to rest and hope that things come good so surgery can be avoided.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Oh Carol - you poor thing! I hope you are feeling better soon. At least you have an explanation for your pain. Sending you ((((hugs))))
Trish
xoxox
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Carole ..thinking of you and hoping you are feeling better !
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Just saying hi. Im in Western Australia. Diagnosed 2011 at 32 weeks pregnant. Diagnosed 2017 with Mets to Liver and Bone. Hope to just touch base with other Aussie women in similar circumstances
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Hi Tennille, welcome. Wow, what a time to have been dx! I was just looking at your dx line and noticed a Stage 0 Grade 3.......is you Stage correct? With three nodes positive I would have thought Stage 3 also......it's no never mind really as that is now all moot. Bummer that you have joined the stage IV club.......not really a club we want to join but there are some benefits. ......we get to meet some wonderful peope that are riding the same wave.
I'm bone mets only, dx 2009 after original dx in 2003.......I'm one of the old girls and not just because I've been around here for a while......lol.😁 I'm also one of the lucky ones as I'm in full remission and have been for seven years now.
How's your treatment going, are you having a good response? Sure hope so.
Stay in touch as we love to hear from other Aussies.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Hi Tennille, welcome to the Aussie Girls thread.
You've had a rough time - but Chrissy is the "mum" of the group and she's been around for a while, and will be able to give you good advice for stage IV.
I'm in Canberra, and have been through two lots of bc - fist time in 2010 triple positive and then in 2015 in the other breast, this time triple negative.
You'll find all the girls here very helpful and supportive. Feel free to vent, laugh and cry with us.
Trish
xoxo
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Tennille.. welcome ...I'm from Brisbane...but we did drive to Western Australia many moons ago for a holiday ! So sorry for all you've been through ...I can't imagine being pregnant and being diagnosed at the same time .
I've had a terrible night ..I couldn't get to sleep , then woke up 2 hours later and couldn't go back to sleep :-( ....Chrissy ...judging by the time you replied to Tennille you must of been doing an "all - nighter " too ?
Hugs to all
Edited to add...Morning Trish !
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Hi Tennille, welcome and I am glad you found us 💓 I am in NSW. You are going through a difficult time, hopefully this forum can ease your way a little. Sending hugs, Kylie 💓💓0 -
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. Hope to get to know you all better soon.
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I've been having back pain for a little while now, and all the traditional treatments (chiro, physio massage) haven't helped. I went to see a Rheumatologist last week for a range of things, and one of the things he was concerned about was my back pain. So - he sent me for a bone scan. I hadn't even considered that the pain might be cancer - doh!
Anyway - results were back yesterday - it's arthritis, and quite severe and it wasn't there in 2015 which was my last bone scan. It seems my T9 has developed a spur which is pushing my rib out. Ouch - no wonder it's sore. But I'm just happy it's not cancer!
I'll see a Dr next week sometime to see what we do about it - and I'll see my chiro too.
So I'm a happy camper at the moment (a sore one, and a bit sick with a bug I picked up at work) but happy
Trish
xoxo
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Trish, any thing other than cancer is a good thing although other things can cause a lot of pain, arthritis being one of them. Ouch! Spurs are nasty things and quite often the only way they can be dealt with is surgery but I sure hope you don't need to go that road.
Yuk on people sharing their bugs but I guess those little monsters are the greatest of all opportunists. Rest up while you can and feel better soon.
My costume making for my niece Evie is progressing well although if another little girl asked me to make this costume I would have to say a big fat NO! It has taken me hours to cut, shape, stabilize, edge and place all these feather shaped things that for the wing of an owl......it is definitely a labour of love. The rest of the costume took me just a couple of hours. I'll take a pic with it on her and share after April 8th as that is her birthday and the day she will receive it.
Carol, sure hope you are beginning to feel a little better after your surgery.......what a bummer things had to go that way! Hopefully this will sort things out and the problem won't rise again.
Hoping everyone else is doing well.
Love n hugs all. Chrissy
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Trish that is good crappy news. Hopefully you can get some relief, that sounds painful.
I just got home from docs. I have a couple of Irregular new lumps on my good side which I will get biopsied. I also have to get an Axial biopsy. I have been having breast pain and have "aggressive nodular density" where the pain is. I can't find any info on this if anyone knows.
Other than that the grandkids are all coming for Easter which will be nice.
Wishing everyone a lovely Easter, hugs, Kylie
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Kylie, all I can find for 'aggressive nodular density' is that the breast is full of nodules, some of which produce milk. These nodules can turn fibrous and show up on x-ray and mammos as areas of concern but the statistics that are quoted are that only 2% go on to be cancerous and are usually classified as birad 3 and recommend a six month follow up. Hope this is so for you.
Breathe.........
Hope you have fun with the grands and please let us know your results.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Thanks Chrissy, that is great info. The swelling and pain has coincided with me getting periods back after ceasing Zoladex, so hoping it is hormonal 💜
Carol I hope you are recovering well xx
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Kylie, I am keeping my fingers crossed that it is indeed just hormonal and boo! to getting your periods back....what a pain!
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Thanks Chrissy xxx Yep what a shocker, 5 years of none due to Zoladex and now they are full on. Still pre-menopausal with bloods, so no end in sight 😢 My doctor wants me to see BS, so I have an appointment after biopsies x
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Kylie it's a good idea to see a BS after the biopsies just to get an expert opinion.
Oh yeah, periods after all that time without would surely be the pits......I really couldn't think of anything worse.....poor you and to have no end in sight only makes it harder. Here's hoping it all changes soon for you soon.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Kylie 🙂
Hi - just wondering are you stopping your Arimidex or changing to Tamoxifen? Why was the Zoladex stopped?
(I am on Arimidex with an elective hysterectomy/bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, and 49.
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Kylie, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your biopsies. I know the anxiety you must be feeling now, sending you ((((hugs)))
Trish
xoxo
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Kylie ..thinking of you ..
Wanting to wish you all a happy , safe Easter 🐣
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Thanks Lucy and Trish. It is weird, I have had a few biopsies since treatment, but this is the first one I have felt apprehensive about (((((breathe))))).
Wildplaces: here goes the novel sorry, Apologies for the very unscientific explanations. I was 44 when dxed. I went into chemical menopause with chemo, but by the time radio was over my periods had started again, but really heavy etc. The Tamoxifen was making me feel dreadful so I got the test which checks if Tamoxifen works for you. It was negative so Onc said no use being on it, plus it made me feel cr*p. Onc put me on monthly Zoladex injections for 12 months to start. Then the results from the SOFT trials came out which said Zoladex for 5 years along with 10 years Aromasin was having excellent results. I went onto Aromasin and was having massive migraines. Luckily Trish suggested it might be the Aromasin and when I changed to Arimidex the migraines stopped. Fast forward to 5 years of Zoladex, it stopped and a few months later my periods came back with vengeance, often every 2 weeks. I am premenopausal by my blood tests, so not even borderline. I can't go back on Tamoxifen for the above reasons, and I can stay on Arimidex because I am now premenopausal 😢
I wish I had stuck to my guns and got an OOPH. I hope you are coping ok with everything, sending hugs 💓💓💓💓
Happy Easter to everyone, I hope you get lots of chocolate xxx
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Kylie,
Thank you - that was very helpful - I am trying to work out if I stay 5 or 10 years on this stuff. I am one year down with some bone pain and ongoing hot flushes but nothing that stops me from doing my usual activities. If anything I move more because if I don't, I pay for it in stiffness and I don't like it.
I am not sure the science is as tight as one might hope - I have asked 4 different oncologists and everyone is just that little bit different in their opinion. I think AI are slightly better than Tamoxifen in most cases, and Letrozole probably has an additional mech of action to Arimidex - but whether that is significant in early stage - who knows. The States like Letrozole. The Europeans seem to like Aromasin - but it's steroidal almost like structure can give both headaches and depression....The other bone of contention in early stage is - do the same mechanisms of developing resistance to endocrine therapy operate and the data probably points towards a No - the mechanism for resistance in late stage seem to be evolved - but no one can spell that out.
When I asked my oncologist spec why Arimidex - his answer was - young, so you will be on it for a while, one node, lots of data on it, let's keep the other options. I have gone with that luke warm answer but presssed him to pop me on 6 monthly Prolia ( denosumab) although I am not osteoporotic.
Surgery wise - I had the whole lot out about 10 days post mastectomy - just edged in before chemo. I know... To some extent I recovered from both surgeries simultaneously. I was a bit obsessed with the amount of oestrogen my ovaries produced - all that young for her age came to bite me in the butt. I found the surgery straightforward (am list - 1 night in) but did get a gynae oncologist to do it - IMO they handle tissues a little gentler - much of the pelvic oncology work is very detailed.
Hope the biopsy is uneventful.(())
Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!
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Wildplaces ..I'm as "thick as a brick" ..HaHa ..but very interested ...what do you mean by ... do the same mechanism of developing resistance operate in early cancer ?
We have Hubby's 60th birthday party today , combined with Easter Celebration...Poor Hubby ...I thought he would think of turning sixty as " just being one day older " ..but it's actually playing on his mind !!!😲
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