TRIPLE POSITIVE GROUP
Comments
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Hi Bryona - SpecialK (and someone else and I can't recall who it was at the moment) recommended the Anastasia brow kit for brow fill-ins during chemo (and beyond).
Here's a link: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/764183?page=399#post_3287252
Believe me, when it comes to makeup I am impaired as well; but in order to not scare small children and animals I will attempt to make new draw-on brows (if necessary).
<--note the browsP.S. You have free license to all my creative material here at BCO.org and beyond, including but not limited to boobless ball of fire
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Hi Bryona - SpecialK (and someone else and I can't recall who it was at the moment) recommended the Anastasia brow kit for brow fill-ins during chemo (and beyond).
Here's a link: http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/80/topic/764183?page=399#post_3287252
Believe me, when it comes to makeup I am impaired as well; but in order to not scare small children and animals I will attempt to make new draw-on brows (if necessary).
<--note the browsP.S. You have free license to all my creative material here at BCO.org and beyond, including but not limited to boobless ball of fire
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Rozem, good luck on your bone scan.
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Lago - Congrats on your 2 year milestone!!! You are an inspiration to many of us.
Lee - glad you are finally healing up after all you have been through.
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It is so wonderful to hear all the good stories. Lee, your attitude is amazing. It will get you thru this with flying colors. Keeping my fingers crossed for everyone undergoing scares or tests.
I just wanted to comment on the discussion a while ago about the time you took tamoxifen. I changed from morning to just before bed because of it. I think it's helping me sleep better. It's a win win! Thanks to all who added to that discussion.
I have to tell you a funny story from when I was bald. Anyone with teenage daughters will appreciate it. I lost every hair on my body, no eyelashes, no eyebrows, nothing on my arms or legs, I was completely hairless. I made lunch for my 13 y.o. DD and she was eating the Mac and cheese. She has blonde hair half way down her back. She pulls out a hair from her Mac and cheese that was 12 inches long at least. And she says you got a hair in my food. LOL. I am getting used to being the cause of all bad that happens any where in a twenty mile radius of our house.0 -
Thanks I too am very happy about my shiny hair
Anastasia brow duo can be purchased at most department stores, Ulta and Sephora. I know Ulta used to carry the kit. You can also purchase it online but then it might be hard to get the right color so I would first go to a store. My hair is dark brown, eyebrows are darker than my hair. I actually purchased the darkest color for me. My mom is a red head and she got the one with some red in it… mom's is a perfect match. For me it's a little lighter but blends fine.
I bought mine 4 weeks before my surgery and I'm still using the same one! 2.5 years! It's a powder so I'm not so worried about bacteria. Also its not on my eyes just eyebrows.
I never had clumps of hair fall out. It seemed to come out in the shower but pretty evenly. Maybe because I had so much. But I did cut is shorter the day it started to fall out. I never did buzz it.
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Just read this article on BCO.org:
Fear Pushes Many Women to Choose Double Mastectomy
"Among the women who chose double mastectomy, about 80% didn’t meet the generally used risk assessment standards for double mastectomy. The standards, developed by the Society of Surgical Oncology, include:
- having an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene
- a family history of breast cancer among more than one first-degree relative, such as a mother, sister, or daughter"
Originally I wanted the BMX but my BS didn't recommend removing healthy tissue, although would support what I wanted. Then when we found LCIS in the "good" breast he changed his tune. I do believe this is also recommended/standard care. I really hate when BCO.org simplifies things a bit too much. IMO they are not giving the full picture. (No family history in my case).
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I got this Anastasia kit at Nordstrom yesterday. $48.00 for the following:
Five-piece kit includes
1. Five brow stencils
2. Tweezers
3. Blendable brow powder
4. An angled duo brush
5. Brow gel
And it all comes in a handy dandy case.
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cypher - I did not have Oncotype DX - I was responding to kay's question about her friend. Mammaprint is a genetic assay test, similar to Oncotype, but the Mammaprint was sent off a biopsy sample, same day, so my surgeon had no idea that I was Her2+ at the time. The Mammaprint was the first response that indicated that I was Her2+. My insurance won't approve or pay for Mammaprint for anyone - Her2+, or not - because they consider the test "experimental" even though it is FDA approved.
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SpecialK, did your BS talk to you about the results of the mammaprint? My onc wanted me to do the eye spy study which would have done the mammaprint free and then I would have had an experimental drug with taxol based on the results of my mammaprint. I chose not to, I didn't want to wait for another biopsy and wasn't sure about doing an experimental drug. As it turned out, I was allergic to taxol so probably would have been kicked out of the study after the first treatment any way. Just wondering if it factored into your treatment at all.
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SpecialK, thanks for the explanation. I learn so much on this thread! I think it is incredibly short sighted of your ins co b/c if you had NOT been her2+, that test might have made the difference between your needing chemo and not needing it. I can’t imagine that the cost of the test is greater than the cost of the chemo (and all the stuff that comes with chemo, like neulesta, various other SEs that require medical follow up, etc.)
LeeA, nice pic!
I bought some cheapy kit on amazon.com that was recommended on that website, in part due to my aversion to going to the mall during the holidays. It took awhile before I lost enough brows to need one. I am happy to ship it to one of the newbies once I’m done with it! I’m using it less – I feel like I can at least open the door to sign for a delivery without it on. For awhile there I looked freakish without it and would use it even when I was home by myself so as to not scare myself when I looked in the mirror.
Rads wise, I am onto the boosts. I walked out of the 1st day of rads and just felt ... SAD ... and it persisted the whole time. I started the boosts on wed. and I felt noticeably less moody and tired by friday. Could be that I only have 3 days left but honestly I think that the boosts are a slightly differnet type, different focus + amount, so maybe I am done with feeling overwhelmingly tired and whiny. Can't you tell? I am asking questions related to scans, i.e. to make sure I don't have mets anyplace, and there is an absence of freaking out accompanying it. Not that I won't have that when the time comes but I don't need a biological shove to get in that state of mind -- it's frightening enough as it. I am able to bifurcate it off now though. I am perfectly healthy (or don't have anything serious - arthritis, neuropathy maybe but...) and this is just to make sure. Just like Rozem is perfectly healthy (similar caveats) and will obtain confirmation of that shortly.
And -- nudge -- I'd really appreciate advice/input on the different types of scans.
Ok, off to my photography class!
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cypher - The Mammaprint info came back prior to my first appt. with the BS. It was requested by him, but submitted by the radiologist (one sample) and the rest of the biopsy samples were submitted to the regular pathologist. If I had not been Her2+ they may have ordered an Oncotype Dx, but it was moot because we already knew I was Her2+. I also had two positive nodes so I was most likely doing chemo regardless, the Her2+ made it a no-brainer. My insurance company denied the Mammaprint, but my Her2 status would have come from regular pathology anyway, and Oncotype is not usually done for Her2+ patients.
kay_g - He did not discuss much about it, but he was participating in a study with them - one of the reasons he sent my sample. He did not bring up any trials - I had already had five surgeries before I started chemo, which I started very late - not a time for taking any chances. If Agendia Labs had not written off the remainder of the cost, he would have had to foot that bill - he was the one who sent it, and partially for his own purposes. If the AOB thing had not worked my next stop was his office.
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Lee - you are hilarious - I love reading your posts & victory steps - and they are big, big steps!cheers
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I'm a LeeA groupie too. Love the new photo.
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Cheers to you as well, Suegr8! Are those snowshoes you're wearing? I recently read that snowshoeing is one of the hot new sports/workouts.
Lago, thanks re: the photo. I asked DH to take some photos of the new haircut last night. I've hidden behind my hair since my skin went crazy the first month I stopped having periods (age 43). Now, I feel like I'm missing my face curtains!
Oh boy. When it all goes...
Well, like Scarlett, I'll think about that tomorrow.
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and before you know it, it will be tomorrow and chemo will be done and hair will be growing back.
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Your hair progression linky is an inspiration. And I will say this - this shorter hair actually feels pretty good. I know you decided to stay with shorter hair post-chemo.
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LeeA I actually have my stylist buzz the sides and back… but I never did the buzz when my hair fell out… waited to buzz when my hair started to grow back. Totally backwards
I post the hair link for women like you going through this. When I did it there was only 1 progression and I don't think it showed her face.This journey gets scary when you don't know what to expect. Granted my hair, even on herceptin grew pretty fast. Some women are slower, some faster.
From start (just before treatment) to finish (this past summer) it's a 2 year progression! I really do think it takes 2 years to stop thinking about your cancer all the time. Now I just think about everyone else.
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Lee - I love your hair. I had waist length-ish hair (if you stretched the curls out), and would never have considered going short - now I hate it to touch the back of my neck - funny how things change. Now I buzzed mine off as soon as I started to pull out handfuls, and would buzz it periodically during treatment, my dd did a henna tattoo that came out really cute one time. Then after chemo I waited about 3 weeks and buzzed it again so that it would grow out evenly. My greys seemed to grow during treatment, but not the regular hair, so I had all the thin ugly grey hairs - after that it grew out nice and even, less grey than before.
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I do think it takes at least 2 years to stop thinking about it all the time too, but then I chose to start volunteering at a cancer center, so not sure what that means. If you have residual side effects, it can take longer. My docs & nurses all said that it takes at least the same amount of time you were in treatment to recover - so if you're in treatment a year, it takes at least another year - though it's taking me longer.
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LindaKR it means you've ended your journey and now are ready to help others with their journey. I too am volunteering and love it. It's also why I'm still on these boards.
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Yes LeeA I'm on snowshoes. Don't know if it's a hot new trend - I also have old wood shoes which are soooo much quieter, but these new thingies can climb hills faster. We'll go out today but first, DH has to snowblow our driveway & get the truck out.
The new hair length (shorter) appealed to my DD after her chemo effects. I didn't have that tx.
Let's watch the Academy Awards...I'm hearing that short hair is trending...
cheers
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Lago and LindaKR (among others!) I for one am grateful you have hung around the boards to help guide us newbies through our treatments!
And I'm a LeeA groupie too. Lee, not sure why you hide behind that hair, you're beautiful! BTW, did your Alloderm fail recently or were you talking about when you had that bad infection?0 -
lago - I love volunteering also, and I guess you're right it is why I'm still on these boards.
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Hello Ladies, I am a newbie here and tried to find an existing (current) thread about JP drains and the issue I am having, but I didn't find one (not to say there isn't one!). Anyhow, I am hoping one or some of you very helpful and knowledgable girls can give me some advice. My surgery was over 6 weeks ago and I still have a JP drain. The PS won't take it out until it's draining under 30cc/day. It is currently averaging between 40 and 50 and I just don't see an end in sight. I have had my initial chemo date scheduled and cancelled 4 times now because they won't do chemo with a drain. The MO is "getting antsy" and really wants treatment to begin....as if I'm over here dragging my feet. It is so stressful to get myself psyched up to start the chemo, get the logistics in place for child care, etc. and then to have it not happen and have to go through the whole thing over and over again. I see the PS tomorrow, but I doubt he is going to take it out because it's still draining. So my chemo date for Wednesday will again be re-scheduled.The only thing they are telling me that I can do to help stop it is to stay tightly wrapped. My chest looks like I have tire marks around me because the wrap is so tight. I am SO SICK of this. Has anybody else experienced this or have any advice for me? I am really becoming a wreck over it. I'm crying all the time and snapping at my family because I am so frustrated. Thanks for letting me vent :-)
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Dizzymom, I'm going to reply to you right now. We're on our way out to the gym but since I've recently been through a somewhat similar situation I want to comment while your post is fresh in my mind.
First off, I had a BMX on November 7 (2012) and still had one drain in until December 20 - which was just a little over six weeks. Like you, my BS and PS would not remove the drain until the output was under 30cc. Finally, a few days before removal, it started going down to about 15cc per day.
Unlike you, I was never wrapped/compressed and my left side (cancer side) drains came out much earlier.
The right side (non-cancer side) became infected and required a 10-day course of intravenous antibiotics; however, that breast always had the most output and given what he told me the other day I'm guessing that the infection (which took a while to take hold) was the culprit.
Here's what he said the other day:
He used a new type of Alloderm with my surgery - in fact, I think it might have been the first time he had ever used it. Apparently it's a new version that's marketed as "sterile" (I would think all of it would be sterile - or one would hope!).
Anyway, he says that at a microscopic level the sterile Alloderm has small perforations and the theory is that our own tissue will bond/grow together into the Alloderm. In my case, for some reason or another, he believes that my body rejected the Alloderm on the right side.
Do you have tissue expanders in place and do you know if your PS used Alloderm? I bring all this up because, like you, I had so much output on the one side and it took quite some time for the infection to actually show as redness (and a fever). When they tested the fluid it didn't show any signs of MRSA so my impression from what the PS said the other day is that, in my case, it might have been more of a reaction (?) to the Alloderm.
I'm not sure if any of this might be of help but thought I would throw it out there since he and I just had the discussion this past Friday.
Also, my surgery was November 7th and I didn't start chemo until January 2nd. My oncologist was anxious as well and he started me off with a loading dose of Herceptin in mid-December (sans chemo). You are Her2/neu positive and I'm wondering if that might be an option for you as well (while you're waiting for this drainage issue to get resolved). I was very relieved to at least get that one Herceptin TX under my belt in mid-December.
I'm so sorry you're going through all this. I know it's stressful and I can only imagine how much more stressful it must be with the coordination of schedules with your children. ((hugs))
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Re: sterility/Alloderm (*gulp*)
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Since AlloDerm is juxtaposed next to a prosthetic device, there is a lower threshold for explantation to eliminate the infection, as the AlloDerm is not guaranteed to be sterile.
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dizzy - output to the drain is often more if you are more active. What is your activity level? It is important to let the drain continue to do its job, absent an infection or other unusual reason for producing a lot, because if they pull the drain too soon you may end up with a seroma. I understand the concern regarding delay to chemo - I couldn't seem to stay out of the operating room for long enough to start chemo, I ended up having 14 weeks from BMX to first chemo, waayyy longer than desirable.
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Thank you both so much for responding so quickly and so full of info! I do have a tissue expander and I see my PS tomorrow and will ask whether he used alloderm. One scenario he mentioned was if he pulled the drain and fluid continued to build, then he would probably have to then remove the tissue expander as well as replace the drain. So I understand removing it before it's ready is not an option. If it doesn't come out tomorrow (and I'm quite certain it won't!) I'll ask my oncologist about doing a loading dose of herceptin in lieu of chemo. The PS has indicated my activity level might be contributing to it. But I am so much LESS active than pre-surgery. My mom stayed with me up until Jan. 5 and did all of the kid driving and any lifting of my youngest son, but I had to finally send her home since the chemo date was so questionable. You going to the gym makes me so jealous :-) I was running 15-20 miles/week and doing pilates the other three days up until surgery. Now I'm getting scolded for doing laundry! The drain is also putting out as much when I sleep as when I'm awake so I really don't think my activity level is to blame. My husband stayed home a couple days and did everything while I did nothing (which was very hard!) and the output didn't decrease. Thank you again so much, I really appreciate the input and understanding!
Susan
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DiZZyMom I will echo what specialK says. From what I've seen on this site the more you move around the more output you have but I also think it might have to do with size too. I know I didn't just sit and do nothing yet my drains came out in a week. I'm small and had small boobs removed so maybe that's why. Just take it easy and I bet the output will reduce. But there are many women that have the drains in for what seems like forever. Don't worry, the will have a seat in the chemo room waiting for you when it's time. ♥
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