Any 40-ish survivors?
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I think so for the most part. If you have heavy bleeding while on Tamoxifen, there is concern of endrometrial cancer. I think.
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I am so sorry about Kaitlyn, it is horrible when it happens to a child. My thoughts and prayers go out to her and her family.
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I have a hair question for those of you that have hair, how did you go about growing it out? I am at the point where I can go topless, which I have been, but my hair is going in 100 different directions and I need a trim. I want to go to the barber my husband goes to, he really likes him and my husband and I look alike now, same hair style. Anyway, if I trim it to even it out, in 2 weeks it is going to look the same, how will it ever grow if I keep trimming? I have never had short hair in my life so this is all new to me.
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Twinmom06, I currently have no hair (but plan on having some soon, just finished chemo on thur). I will tell you, I have always had very short hair, and frequent trims are a must, I would get mine cut every 4 weeks to keep a nice shape. Just don't let them cut to much, just shape it up.
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Hey Julie-good luck tomorrow on your scans and MRI. I had a bone density scan and MRI, and they were really annoying, bordering on uncomfortable. Laying still in one position for 45 minutes is not my idea of pleasurable. But you'll do fine! Think happy thoughts and ask them to put on some music. Oh, and I also took a Xanax before-so if you have anything like that, I would advise.
Christine-I was 39 when I started chemo and went into chemopause. After chemo I immediately went on Tamoxifen, so remained in some kind of "pause." I never had a period. Then I had my ovaries removed this past February, so I'm in permanent menopause. I'm not sure they want you to be in any kind of menopause, I think it's just a side effect. As far as my hair, it was almost straight before chemo, and now it's curly. Well, really curly on the sides and back-and just wavy on the top. Weird. Hard to manage unless it's really short, and I put lots of goo in it. Lol
Twinmom-I started getting trims right away because my top wasn't growing in. So I had to keep the sides and back short. The trims definitely didn't effect the growth. I'm not sure about going to a barber since they only do men's hair. I went to my old hairstylist and she did a great job, trimming the sides and back really short, and leaving the top longer. And obviously blending the two together. So I have a really short pixie cut, which looks fasionable-like I did it on purpose. Although I will be happier when my bangs are a little longer.
Nothing much going on today except I was on the phone with the IRS for over an hour-most of that time on hold. Talked to 4 different people in 4 different departments, got 2 different answers to my question(s). Fun. I'm going with the answer I like best. Ha!
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Oh, and Page 11. Woot woot! We've only been going for 2 weeks, so we're moving right along. Love all you ladies! So happy you're here!
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My period came back about 8 months after I started Tamoxifen and have been regular ever since, I have since stopped Tamoxifen.
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Hi Michelle! How was your day? How's work?
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Hi Kim! Work has been great, just closing up shop and cannot wait to go home because we brought home 2 kittens this weekend and they are so much fun to watch
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Kittens-I'm jealous. We have 3 cats, but our 4th died about six months ago. I've been dying for a kitten but the hubby won't let me get another cat.
With 4 dogs, 3 cats, a tortoise and a fish...we are full anyway. Hee
I wasn't sure how work was because last week you had a bad day?
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I may stay in chemopause/memopause, since I am 47. Interestingly however, I had what they believed to be an active ovary on my 1st PET scan (really lit up). I had a 2nd scan after 3 rounds of chemo, and it looked normal (so they are assuming it was a ovulating ovary). Ironically, here I am ovulating at 47, and I took fertility drugs to get pregnant. I will be getting ultrasound of my ovaries after my next onc visit. Really wondering if I should just have them removed too.
Michelle- stopped tamoxifen?? side effets?
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Christine-I'm BRCA1 positive, that's why they took my ovaries out. I had a 40% chance of getting ovarian cancer. SCARY!
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Hi Burley,
I don't know what it is ..but you Arizona ladies are really catching my eye on this site! Must be the beauty
I'm 42, 41 at diagnosis, few days before my birthday. Two boys, 8 & 15.
Finished chemo 6 weeks ago, started Tamox last week, and will be starting Rads in a week or two, and getting a TE expansion the first few weeks of rads.
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I am BRAC1-, and BRAC2,"mutation of unknown significance". After concern about the ovary until the 2nd PET scan, if there is anything unusual about the ultrasound, I want it out, not going to take wait and see approach. I guess I am still in the cancer panic mode.
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Hey All! Hows it going tonite? Not bad here. Just the messing with the intense pain from the taxol. Joy Joy. I know I will get threw it but man am I ever uncomfortable. This to shall pass.
Kim Im glad it was you n not me dealing with the IRS. Girl I do feel for ya. Plus the fact having to deal with 4 people who seem like they are cluelss, ugh.
Oh Michelle Im so jealous. I want kitties so bad. They are so much fun. Enjoy them.
I cant believe it was so warm here this past weekend now its cool again, brrrrrr. Thank goodness for the hotflashes. Its the only way to keep warm when Im not laying next to the hubs, lol. Its suppose to warm up in the next few days, so i will look to that.
Ok Ive got a question for you gals who have had the exchange. Did the muscles around your armpits hurt while you slept. I wake up in pain all night long because of it. I dont know if this is normal or if Im over filled or what. I am freakin cause i dont want this to be how I will feel once the exchange comes. Because if it is I want the outa me permanant. I am starting to wonder if I made the right choice or do I just need to qiut freakn about it. Any help would be great.
Well im off to find a snack. Have a fun one all!
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I had a hard time resisting cutting the hair around my ears as it got longer and then when it was long enough I tucked it behind my ears. I kept having the back cut short while leaving the bangs and sides to grow as to avoid the mullet look! Egads! Now the sides are longer than chin length with the back cut up shorter. Just keep going back to get it shaped every 6 weeks or so. I also wouldn't go to a barber. Better to stick with someone who does women's hair. JMO
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Paula-I was in pain everywhere with the TE's, including my armpits. The only thing that still hurts is my ribs (slightly), and they have hurt ever since the MX. Otherwise, the exchange provided immediate relief.
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Oh, and Hi TonLee! Welcome-glad you found us :-)
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O good I glad to read that. Ever since I had surgery I dont sleep well. That was back in Dec and im starting to go crazy frum lack of sleep. I even take a pill and it really doesnt help. I cant wait until the exchange then. Thanks Kim.
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Hi ladies,
Wow, we have such a crew!!!! Kim, you are AWESOME at keeping up with names and peeps, good JOB!
I wanted to thank everyione for the well wishes for Kaitlyn... poor thing, she just got her haircut in a A line prepping for the inevitable!!! Poor child, but she is SOOO positive, and she is inspiring, this can only help her through!
As far as the hair thing, I had bone straight hair prior to chemo, my pic is the last picture of me (my aline cut right before I lost my hair)... it came back REALLY curly like others are sharing! I remember thinking my hair was growing in like a CHIA pet, I use to say CHA CHA CHA CHIA!... you know how it grows in all sporadic!!!
Anyway, ladies, you are so great to get caught up with.. I get glued to my computer to catch up on you ladies...
Oh, about chemo pause, I was 36 at diagnosis, so they "shoot" me into menopause every 3 months with Lupron shots...
BTW- Just had my 3 month checkup today, and other than the over all 20 pound weight gain out of this whole thing, I AM HEALTHY!!!! Going to be 3 years soon for me... and yes life goes on, but it is nice to be able to connect with others daily, kind of my own therapy... YES, you are all therapists LOL!
Night!
Nicole
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Kim - Thanks for remembering my bad day at the office...it is more of a concern of potential lay off or hours cut. I love my job but just wish it was busier.
We now have 4 cats, two dogs, two kids and a husband
in my household. My DH is down right hysterical over or kittens, he has already posted a video and 20+ pictures on FB. 
Dot (our girl)
Sparky (our boy and DH)
Misty (our oldest fur baby) & Dot
Misty, Dot, Sparky and Bella (now the middle fur baby)Christine - I quit Tamoxifen for a lot of reasons, some of them being SE's. My ER was 10-15% + and between the inability to loose weight and feeling like a 90 year old in my joints and muscles my QL was not the best. I was not able to participate in activities with my family. I was depressed and irritable and would have moments of crazy rage. I decided to take a break from Tamoxifen to see if any of these were SE's or if I was just losing my mind. Thankfully my mind is still ok and a majority of those SE's have diminished. My family has noted on several occasions that it is nice to have 'mom' back and they are happy that 'crazy lady' is gone
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I qualify for this group
I'm 3 years out. September will hopefully be 4 years NED. I have a husband of almost 2 years, and a daughter who is amazing and 12 1/2. I'm in south Florida.
Thx for starting this thread!
Lisa
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I had baby fine golden brown straight hair before cancer. It came back in baby fine staight black and a few streaks of grey. I so wanted curly hair. Oh well. It took a long time to adjust to the black hair.
I have had my hair trimmed and shaped up three times now. The back hair along the neck line is growning twice as fast as the rest. I am do for another trim now and I can't wait to shape it back up. Mine is also in a very short pixie cut. It was shoulder length to start and at the rate it is growing it may be two more years before it gets that long again. Shhhh don't tell my girl I kind of like it short. lol just not this short.
I was already in the beginning stages of menopause before chemo. It had been six months since my last period and after chemo, I never got them back. I had the opph and hyst. because I was so high up there in ER and Pr. I was not tested for BRCA so I have no clue and there was no family history of any type of cancer. My DD is adopted so I guess they didn't think it was necessary. Gee I have lots of nieces and sisters.
I am on Femara and I so hate my side effects. Not as bad as taxol and neulesta pain but getting really close to that. I am very ticked that it caused me to gain my weight back. I had lost 52 during treatment. uggg. They say walk but gee my knees hurt so bad I haven't done it. Hoping the pool will help when we get it open.
The kitty pictures are adorable. Thanks for sharing.
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Those kitties are soo cute, looks like the dogs love them too!
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Ok on the hair topics, I had curly hair ever since I was about 12 (it was straight before puberty, weird), so since I'm on chemo pause now, maybe it will be straight again? Any way if you are new to curly hair, the best investment you can make is in Aveda's Be Curly. Someone told me about that product about 7 years ago, makes all the difference in the world!
Now, the hair on my face is growing fast! My eyebrows are growing even faster! and my nose hair, yep, hadn't really ever noticed it before, it takes the growing fast prize!!!
Perhaps Kaitlyn's family will start a caringbridge.org page for updates? It keeps the family from having to repeat information over and over....my prayers are with her.
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For my curls I buy FX brand curl enhancer... just made ringlets out of my hair... and then a serum (many different brands)
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Sorry I ended my post so abruptly, the kittens were facinated with my keyboard and I thought I would lose the whole post. They finally settled down...
Paula - I had pain issues constantly with my TE's. One thing that I found was wearing a binder to keep the TE's from shifting towards my pits helped. At first I used the ace bandage with Velcro that I was wrapped up in after my BMX but then I found a binder online that is much wider and seemed to stay in place better, bonus is they are not very expensive http://www.breastbinders.com/Store/catalog/Traditional_Breast_Binders-1-1.html
My pain issues did decrease considerably with the exchange.
Sherrill - every time I see my hair dresser she cuts length off the back (much to my dismay) I hate to loose the length but she says it is the best way to shape may hair so that I can grow it out the way I want it to grow. My sides are growing slower then the back so I have the opposite look, my hair style looks like a brown football helmet. I would stick with a hairdresser too (I have had the same hair dresser for 12 years).
Nicole112 - I am so pleased to hear that Kaitlyn is in good spirits and getting ready to fight this beast. I am praying that chemo kicks this beast to the curb and is gentle on her body. Congratulations on the rapidly approaching 3 year NED Anniversary!!!! My two year is just 2 days after your 3 year...
Starfish/Lisa - welcome! I have enjoyed checking out your website and your posts on nutrition, something I need to be better educated on.
Have agood night all!!
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I'm with you on the nose hair, Gina...WTH. My eyebrows never came back in fully-they were thick before, and now they're thin. They also grew in a different shape. I am still losing eyelashes from one eye, but they grow back as fast as they fall out. Weird
Michelle-I'm so jealous of the kitties! They're gorgeous.
Hi Lisa (new Lisa)-welcome!
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Hey girls!
For those of you dealing with curly hair for the first time, here are some suggestions from a lifetime of trying to manage naturally curly hair. Trust me, I have tried just about every product out there.
If you want to wear it straight (if long enough), nothing beats fekkai glossing cream, a chi hairdryer (expensive but all the difference in straightening curly hair), and a round brush. This will give you a full, very soft wave that looks like you hot rolled your hair. This is how I usually wore my hair befoe it fell out. Very pretty.
For curly, I love bumble & bumble sea salt spray. But I have never tried the aveda product mentioned above. I will have to look into that one once my hair gets long enough.0 -
Michelle-your animals are beautiful! I just have one cat right now. would love more but I am allergic and he's all I can handle (actually he is one of the rare cats I am not allergic to-we joke he is part oriental shorthair). We will be shopping for a dog for my son after our Europe trip in June.
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