Any 40-ish survivors?
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Hi everyone,
Betsy, I really agree with everything you said...I also think it is best to check with your doctor.
Way to go Tracy with your walk...I was trying to picture you walking and stripping clothing all at the same time ( with snowflakes flying) .
Today I went to the Y and took a water aerobics class..it was really fun and I was the youngest and the ladies were helping me with how to do the exercises....It was like having several moms correcting you at the same time Lol...I will do this class again it was a good workout.
I know what you mean about the drugs and weight gain...somehow I get updates from the ( I think) it is the Cancer Network on email..and that was the subject. I really do think my ability to burn calories must have changed...I am trying to lose the extra pounds but no luck so far. I think with no estrogen...my body "thinks" it is older...much older...but that's ok...I am still kicking
Hope everyone is having a good day
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Beth - I used Cold Caps during chemo (4 AC and 12 Taxol). Although I lost a lot of hair and I added more "pain", I do not regreted. I hate wigs, they make me look terrible... sick. Cold Caps played an important role in my recovery, I never saw myself bald and I didn't look like I was on "chemo", so it made me feel like I was not on chemo. I looked healthy, so I felt healthy. Good luck!
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Blueyez - I opted for ovary removal - even with a low ONCO Type Dx score, my family history $ucks. I was 46 at Dx (same for older sister). Grandmother and her sister both had BC and ovarian cancer. There are pluses and minuses. I had my permanent implants on 1/9 then back for ooph on 1/18 so just getting my life back together now. I will PM you additional info - just saw the onco this morning. I am going to finish my current tamox perscpription, then take a week off then start on anastrozole. Insurance covered it, no issues. Plus with menopause, I now have an excuse to be bitchy now and again. Seriously, though, didn't have bad SE's on tamox (have been on it since September). So far night sweats only, but it is still early. I see my ooph surgeon tomorrow a.m.
Good news is I did get back to the gym this morning and felt soooo good. Do a lot of walking anyway, but am allowed the elliptical, just no arms yet cause of the implants. Have also gained weight during the whole BC extravaganza, joined weight watchers on line and have started losing it, working out helps a ton.
DH and I are going diving for the first time since DX last summer - motivated for bathing suit in April! Cheers. Lisa
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Just a comment on the cold caps. I considered them but decided against them for 2 reasons. First, it seemed like an incredible pain in the ass. Second, it is apparently damaging to your hair and you can only wash your hair once or twice a week, which for me was almost as bad as being bald. I am not saying they are not worth it. I would love to have my old hair right now. But it is not as simple as wearing caps for a few hours.
First day of my staycation is done. It has been great so far. I am thorougly cleaned and organized my house - something I have not really done since diagnosis. I have been in this "just don't feel like it" funk for so long that seems to be clearing - YEAH. I have done my tax returns . . . some good money coming back. Got the ceiling fans installed on my lanai. Just bought a new bed and am making a final decision on furniture for the lanai. . . both should have been done a while ago but got put on the backburner with BC. Looking forward to spring weather on the lanai. Now, if I could just grow another 4 inches of hair, I would be almost back to normal.
I hope you are all doing well. Looking forward to my friends arriving tomorrow then it is off to mexico. The weather is looking iffy, but who cares . . . it is not work!
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Gina, sorry about your friend, glad her spirits are well.
Betsy - yes, I was debating whether to wear the black dress or red dress to the wedding. I ended up with the red dress and my mom gave me a black scarf thing to wear so I wouldn't get cold. The wedding was lovely, but the most extravegant I think I've been to, soooo much food. 1.5 hr cocktail "hour" with at least 10 different stations and about 8 choices for dinner I think! Ice cream sundae for dessert before the cake, sno-cone maker in the corner and bottled water and zeppole's as you left. It was nice to spend time with dh's sisters and his cousins, who are our age. I think it went to 12:30, but we left at midnight. I was up late Friday night too with my book club, so I'm tired today.
Kim - good for you trying all those classes! I love my class, but haven't looked beyond that yet and, no, ours does not include family.
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Meegan... sounds like a Bar Mitzvah I attended in Rockland County right on the Hudson...very extravagant!!
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Wow - good work everyone exercising.
It was a long holiday weekend in NZ and I didn't manage any exercise. I did manage a sleepover/slumber party for the DD 7th Birthday. It was mostly great! A couple of the little girls got on my nerves and I couldn't wait for them to be picked up the next morning. One little girl (who is an only child, thus very spoiled) complained about everything. "I don't like that", "I won't watch that", "I want to eat this, not that". Aaargh. I felt like screaming!
My hair is growing well and I saw it blowing in the wind the other day. It was quite momentus! My hair was long enough to low. Don't get me wrong, it's still very short but it is getting there.
Blueyez, Scuba - I'm going to ask my onc about oophr and Tamox. The night sweats are pretty horrible. It might be because it's the middle of summer and hot at night, maybe I'll cope better in winter.
I saw a PS last week to discuss recon. He thinks the best approach for me would be DIEP. I am considering things and planning to discuss options with a few ladies who've been through the procedure. He has given me some patients phone numbers who are happy to share their experiences. It is tentatively scheduled for late April. I didn't realise how major it was. He says I will be in hospital for 6 nights and off work for 4 weeks minimum. I guess I need to read some of the recon threads to get a better idea of what I'm in for. He doesn't want to lift/shape my remaining breast in the same surgery. He wants to let the breast settle for 3-4 months so he knows what he has to match ... I guess that makes sense.
I felt quite overwhelmed!
Lisa, your staycation sounds great! Enjoy.
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I have received four DD tx of AC and today received 8/12 of Taxol with herceptin to continue until December. Today my liver levels were elevated on the blood work. I didn't think about it until after I got home - I was told back in August when I was diagnosed that if it were to spread, it would most likely to go my liver, lungs, or brain. A liver ultrasound back in August/September was normal. I know this could also be just from the chemo but wondered if anyone has had mets to the liver and what were the first warning signs? Thank you ladies!!
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Julie.. I think when you are in chemo they give you the liver test because chemo is hard on the liver... and they want to make sure it isn't over taxed by the chemo... so elevated levels could mean you have put too much strees on the liver with chemo and possible other medication, alcohol etc.
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JulieLynn - I had elevated liver counts on Taxol. My oncologist adjusted the dosage and my liver levels went back down. They did go up again after my last chemo, but it didn't matter by then since I was DONE. My liver levels returned to normal within a month and have remained there.0
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I appreciate all the opinions and info about the cold caps. It really helps me to decide after hearing a bit of both sides.
Family Doctor says he has never seen my type of cancer in over 40 years. I did not think ILC to be that rare. I was a bit surprised to hear this. My BS did say it is more rare than the others. This just kinda made me take a step back in shock. I ahve seen many other ILC woman on here. So i told him about this site and said to tell any other woman that get BC to come here.
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I also heard similar when I found out I had ILC - my surgeon told me that usually he only sees it in women 65 and older - I was 43. I am also triple positive - which I do not hardly ever see on here.
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achpurple i am also in my forty's i am 46.
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HI everyone! My friend LM went to the onc today. She was very very happy with her. She's going to do oral meds and radiation for now.
About the hair loss, it sucked. But it sure made for some very funny jokes along they way. I even wrote an "ode to hair" with puns all over it - that was one day the chemo wasn't messing with my brain that much. I take prenatals just because they are the best....and my hair and nails are growing like mad. Funny enough the hair on my legs seems to grow really slow, not so much the hair on my face!
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Gina - How do you get prenatal vitamins? I have always understood them to be by prescription only.
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Thanks Kiwimum. any additional information is always helpful. although i hate the thought of them removing any other bits of my body, not crazy about the tamoxifen for 5 years either. seems no easy choices.
hope everyone else is doing well! another cold morning for a walk today but got my 3 miles in. kmur, no snowflakes this morning
thank goodness no hot flashes either! have a great day!!
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this is what my friends husband posted on facebook about LM 's brain tumor - I have no other details on the meds etc. but I think she's ready to go back to work!!!!!!!!!!!! Surely it won't be until after radiation though. Thank you all for your prayers. Just wanted to share, since news in our arenas isn't always so positive.
Update per our meeting yesterday with LM new Oncologist, Dr. Amy Lang. She was highly recommended and we were very impressed with her confidence, demeanor and the plan she had for LM..
It was confirmed, there is no other cancer in her body. What is still in her brain will be taken out with "gamma knife radiation", very targeted. It is a two day procedure which was a great relief. The last time LM had radiation was an everyday session for 6 weeks straight. We will know what date the gamma knife procedure will occur after we meet with the Radiological Oncologist (Dr Keith Eyre) on 2/7.
LM will get MRIs twice a year now that will include her entire body. She did not get those in the past as regular follow up. They are changing her cancer meds to a new more aggressive version that targets the kind of cancer she has specifically and will course the entire body. It will be a monthly injection, no pills. (Whoo Hoo, less pills to keep up with) LM and I are very relieved and happy with what we heard and so was her father ( a doctor) who attended the appointment with us.
The seizures should also not come back, with the removal of the tumors, current medication to reduce the swelling in her brain and the future monitoring.Thank you so much for your prayers of healing and support..
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Bdavis and Proud Mom - Thanks for your info! I don't like being paranoid about "little" things but it seems I'm getting more and more that way since the dx in August. I don't drink (although I'm beginning to think I need to!) but it does make sense that with all the poison being pumped into me that it would have to have some effect on the organs. Ahhh, just another lovely side effect to worry about.
Thank you again!!
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KiwiMum, I had DIEP on one side and a Free Flap Tram on other (he took a small cuff of muscle, 90% like a DIEP), feel free to PM me with any questions. Betsy has been through this too. You already had MX, is that right? I am a slow recoverer and had BMX and DIEP at same time, but just wanted to warn that I am just going back to work at 10 weeks. Could I have gone back earlier if pushed?, yes, but could I have gone back at 4 weeks, no. Also, it is definately standard to wait to do the other breast a few months to let the recon settle in so they match.
I'm having a bad day today. I think stresses from plans to go back to work, plus a few other plans going on and just started to think this morning about my bc. Got me way down thinking about how a few tiny cells must have lived through all that chemo, plus the 36 rads and then still had enough energy to grow and in less than 6 months from when Rads finished. It's not the breast I worry about, of course that is gone now, but it's the thought of 1 cell getting thru the nodes and being "out there" in my body somewhere growing. Sighhhh. Sorry, I don't know why I am so down today, poor dh, I was really yelling at him this morning. And I really haven't had these negative thoughts till now, I usually do focus on the positive.
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Hi Everyone,
I had planned to tell you all about the lady I met today...Then I logged on and I hope to share some hope with you as it made me very hopeful. Today I did the Livestrong program..I had met Helen before, she was in a previous livestrong class,but works out on the days we do. Today I got to spend time with her...she is 80 and was Dx with BC 16 years ago...her surgery was very extensive as she had cancer here and there..they removed muscle and so on ...she is doing well. She asked me how old I am and I answered 45..she said you will have to think of me 35 years from now when you are doing this exercise and remember us chatting. I love stories like that..her cancer had spread and she had I don't know how many Rads...she looks great and is exercising...she always asks me "How much weight do you have on there"..then she wants to do it...she made my day...so once again I think I was supposed to see her today.
Gina...that news sounds very uplifting..I know not what she wanted to do..but I have to believe the treatment will kick it.
Hope everyone is doing ok today.
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Kiwi... Yes, Meegan is right.. I had DIEP AND I had a GAP flap... first the BMX and Gap recon in JUly and then DIEP in August (I had skin necrosis (little botch on the MX) and needed the right side redone) 5 weeks post DIEP I was driving 3 hours to a weekend long reunion, and I was back at work at 4 weeks post op... I don't think I could have gone back 4 weeks post BMX, but the DIEP by itself was easier.
I then had my second stage in November... I can't imagine having aany other type of recon.
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thanks for the inspirational story kmur! definitely don't hear enough about long term survivors. hope i'm still cruising at 80
readingmama, can relate to the blues. i think we are in such survival mode and dealing with physical problems, surgery, treatments, etc, at first that we don't really think about what exactly is going on when we're going through it. the beginning of this year the gravity of what i had gone through the six months prior really hit me. it's scary and earth shaking! this too shall pass
give yourself time to be mad or sad or scared and talk about it. i think it definetly helps to verbalize things, even if its here online. i think it takes away the power of the emotion on our mental state if we can get it out. hope today's a better day for you!! personally, have a slow day today. no motivation to walk today. it was raining this morning so great excuse to skip it, although after hearing about the 80 year old at the gym, i think i shall reconsider
have a great day everyone!!
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I agree with you bluyez, I didnt realize all of the things I had gone through were so profound until about 6 months after. I have my moments where I will just cry over the littlest things, husband is the same way. He is worried there is something wrong with him but I told him we have been through a life changing event in our lives, I think we have a reason to be sensitive. I get teary eyed just writing this.
I have been reading a lot and have let you all motivate me. I have been eating less and exercising on a daily basis. I take weekends off but still try to control my eating. It is so hard to lose wieght, I just feel like I am stuck. Went to Zumba last night and it was fun. I have a bad back as well, it has been bad for a few years with a bulging disc but has moved down to my tail bone in the last couple of months. I automatically think METS, so will probably make an apnt with my GP to discuss what he thinks. I hate feeling this way.
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Hey everyone. Just stopping in quickly before I head down to the airport to pick up my friends. We are off to mexico tomorrow morning.
I have to say, I have enjoyed my staycation. My house is so clean and organized. Although I think I overdid it with the vacuum/wet-jet. My back is killing me. Clearly a muscular pain. Going to have to pop a few advil tonight.
Jen - your post sounds like me. . . feel like I am stuck . . . cry over little things. Not sure what it is. Could be continued BC drama. Could be menopause (my period stopped again after several regular months . . .ugh). Could just be exhaustion. I feel like I need a major change in my life but don't know what it is or how to do it. I feel better with my exercising now, but the high from that only lasts a few hours. I don't feel horrible, mind you, just the occassional "what am I doing with my life" feeling. Looking forward to a few days with my best friends and the funniest people I know to hopefully perk me up a little. Had a great time with my niece and nephew last night which helped too.
I hope you all have a great weekend!
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Happy Wednesday ladies! Have to agree with the feeling of needing a change but not knowing how to do it. Not even sure where to start.
Lisa - Hope your back feels better and you have a fabulous time on vacation.
Enjoyed a nice walk at lunch today and my weekly Yoga class this evening. Sufficiently relaxed and ready to enjoy some rainy night sleep. Sweet dreams everyone.............
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Gina- so glad to hear the news of your friend!!!
Kim- I love your stories of who you meet at the gym. I thouhgt of you the other day when I got on an elevator with an older gentleman in his 80's. He told me he doesn't want to be old, so don't call him old, he said he preferred to be mature, but not old. He was so sweet. He was saying this on his way to walk on the track.
Lisa- have fun on your vacation!
I will say I have done better with the exercise. I have walked 3 miles or more for the last 3 days and I started to use Livestrong.com to keep track of my calories and intake. That has helped a lot, make me more aware of what I am putting in my body. Plus if I exercise it gives you back some calories. We shall see!
Meegan- I hope your day was better today. I think we all get those days with the blues. I am so sorry it hit you so hard yesterday.
I hate that our minds go to mets every time we hurt. Had some headaches this past week and where did my mind go? Mets! Hate it. Well have a good night all!
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My dad needs your prayers today girls - we found out just a couple of days ago that he has to have double bypass open heart surgery today around 2:00. He needed this surgery four years ago but then his heart was only working at 10% so they said he would not survive surgery. Fast forward to a couple of days ago, they did a heart cath and said he needs that surgery now, but miraculously his heart is now almost normal! Please keep him in your thoughts today - he has been my rock through all of my treatment - drives 3 hours every 3 weeks to be with me through Herceptin and I cannot be there for him today. I have 5 siblings that will be there (and my mom, of course) so I will be the only one not there - trying to not be upset about that but it's very hard.
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Aw, Ach. I'm sorry. It sounds like his body is totally ready for this surgery, and I'm so sure everyone knows that you have lots of other stuff going on now. You've got him in your heart, and I'm sure your family will update you as soon as they can. Hang in there, and let us know that dad's great.
Lots of love!
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Hi Everyone,
Achpurple....thinking of you and said my prayer. Hope everything works out well. I'm sure your family understands.
Stacey...Thank you for saying that...I never know if my little old people stories are annoying..they sometimes have nothing to do with breast cancer but..my goal is to share a laugh or bright stories whenever I find them. My son even said "Mom, you have some kind of thing with old people"...Don't know how or why,but I have always enjoyed being with the older folks. That is awesome your walking and keeping track..I think once I get into a routine ..I actually enjoy it.
I wanted to say ..I no longer have the mood issues...That was one blessing with chemopause NO MORE roller coaster rides..I was in pre-menopause and had that feeling of being sensitive and kind of paranoid ( I think) I am now all even..well other than hot flashes.
Funny story...I did the Brazilian Butt lift dvd yesterday...OMG it is really hard and I am feeling it today. In all the right places though. For any of you that like Planks,squats and so on..this one has it..My goal is to actually be able to do it without stopping.
You all know the super bowl is this weekend ..can't wait to see Madonna ..I will be thinking of you all LOL
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archpurple, just read your post and said a quick prayer for your dear dad! Keep us posted.
H to all, really sounds like everyone is off to a great start on exercise and diet this year. I can see Kmur and her pencil checking her progress on that new Brazilian Butt.
Irr, hope you are having a fab time.
profbee, thinking of you back to work and busy.
I took the day off today and volunteered in my 7th graders science class, they did blood typing, what a hoot! I helped those who could not bear to stick their own fingers. My 13 year old was actually happy that I came (I was the only parent who was invited, by his teacher, a dear and patient woman). Today I have a new respect for teachers, especially middle school.
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