Any 40-ish survivors?
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MamaMia41: If you are interested in diet, I would recommend the book Anti-Cancer by David Servan-Schreiber. One of the most amazing and well thought out books I have read about keeping cancer at bay for everyone. Plus, it isn't too extreme, like some of the Alkaline diet books out there (diets where you pretty much eat and drink grass all day ). I am a huge advocate for change in our food industry, so another book I would recommend is Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Not so much diet, but more an examination of where our food is coming from exactly.
Gina: Great job with the weight loss, but a word of caution. Let your rad onc know that you are on a diet because if you lose too much, your measurements will change. My rad onc told me not to lose more than 10 pounds during rads. Don't mean to reduce your momentum, but just make sure he/she knows so you are getting the maximum rads where you need it.
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Good Morning ladies,
Hi Christine, glad you jumped into this thread
Well I am a go for tomorrow chemo #3 then I will be done FEC yeah no more red devil. then Three of docetaxel (not sure if I spelled that right). and off to rads.cant beleive I will be half way done chemo after tomorrow where does the time go. Got some new drugs to try out for the sickness as we still havent been able to keep it at bay. Anyhow have lots of work to get done as I will be away for a week
hugs to you all
will check in later
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40ish group sounds good to me especially since my grey hair made me look like a senior lol. I'm much happier now that I had my hair (albeit ver short) colored
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Kymm how long did you book off work for this round? You still amaze me working through the chemo. I was in no shape to work
Christine0 -
You all amaze me to that have worked through chemo. I got sick with my first round and on after my seventh round I spent four days in the hospital. You are some strong women.
I went shopping today after picking my DD up from an early release day. In the line my lovely child told the cashier that mommy was crazy headed thanks to chemo. Love my child...I really do. I can only imagine what she says when I am not around. Anyway. The lady asked me what kind of cancer I had. Turns out she is a 13 year survivor of stage IV breast cancer. She tells people she is a walking miracle because her Dr.'s never thought she would have lived long after chemo. It wasn't busy and we had a little chat. I needed that.
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KittyDog isnt it special when something like that happens exactly when we need it, divine intervention
.Christine I am off till next thursday, should be enough, one whole week I hope its enough but I promise if I need it I will take more
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Kymn - definitely ask about emend. I took that with zofran and never felt bad. I know several people who ended their sickness with emend. I don't know why it is not prescribed as a matter of course. I also had compazamine for breakthrough nausea but never needed it. And drink as much water as you can stand.
I am off to bed. Two hours of sleep last night. Ugh!!!0 -
Oh, I took emend too. Great stuff! I think not all drs prescribe it because it's kind of expensive and not all insurance covers it.
Well, I finished up rads today. It feels kind of weird; like I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do now...
I go see my MO on the 9th to get started on Tamoxifen. Anyone here on Tamox?
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Hello Ladies!
So nice to see this post...and I am almost through reading everyone's.
I was diagnosed 2 weeks after my 39th birthday. Had 2 lumpectomies, 20 radiation treatments (shorter canadian protocol) and now 3 years so far on Tamoxifen.
I have to say being 3 years out that I have finally figured out some kinda normal.
The past few weeks I have been really focusing on my new job that has caused me a great deal of stress...through all the stress and pressure I actually forgot about having had breast cancer! Funny thing is..I am so greatful for the pressure and stress!
Anyway,,,I just want to thank you for this thread,.,,,it brings me great strength especially when the black clouds of having had breast cancer come to lurk.
Hugs and Love....Kosh
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Hi Kittydog, maybe it's the way the chemo is given? I seem to be in a group of not many here that received the meds at the same time in a 21 day cycle for 6 rounds. I was ok to work from home taking naps on day two and three, but when the wonderful Emend wore off, I was useless day 4 and 5. I worked from home for the week since chemo was on a Monday, then went to the office the second and third weeks. And by the way, I'm still fixing my mistakes....I had the office texting me during that week so if I was sleeping I could respond later.
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PAGE 7, WOOT! I'm a dork-I fully admit it.
Welcome Kosh! Glad you found us. Yay for you on finding some kind of normaI. I think we all strive for that (or will strive for it once treatments are over.)
Cheryl-I was only on Tamoxifien for 6 months until I had my ovaries out, then my Onc switched me to Arimidex. Kosh has been on it for 3 years-I'm sure she's got some advice for you. I had the usual symptoms-increased hot flashes (mine started during chemo), joint pain and stiffness, weight gain...I also had insomnia (which I still have on Arimidex) which is really frustrating. CONGRATS on finishing rads!
I loved Emend-I also took Zofran with it, and had the Compazine in case I needed it.
Kymn-good luck with chemo tomorrow. Sending you a cyber-hug from AZ :-)
Hugs as well to everyone else-thanks for making this such a great thread.
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Kymn- I too am sitting in the chemo chair tomorrow, I am usually a friday girl, but this is my last chemo and I moved it up a day so I can watch the royal wedding. I had hoped to get a crown to wear to chemo, but so much to do today and tired, so never got to the party store. This will be my last of 6 TAC! You are 1/2 way, congrats. Hope your SEs are minimal this go round.
Working and treatment is hard. I am off rest of week and next week, but will try to go to meeting on Thursday if I can. I know some of you don't have that flexibility, you are remarkable, especially with young families.
Christine- I am also considering staying 1/2 time, for sure thru this year and maybe permanent. At least until my kids are in college.
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Ah Christyine47, I forgot about your last treatment! WHOOO HOOO! I know how awesome it feels to be done. That would have been funny if you wore a crown-lol
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Kymn & Christin47 - sending you well wishes and cyber hugs for tomorrow too! I worked part time through my chemo and I agree, it was hard to muddle through. I had just started a new job and was trying to learn new systems and procedures in an industry I had not worked in for years. Thankfully my employer and co-worker were awesome and didn't get to frustrated having to training me over and over again as my poor chemo brain just could not absorb information.
Kosh - welcome! I have just started on the path to understanding and accepting my new normal. I still miss the old me, but I am starting to like this version of me as well...
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slainte... you wil love the mayan riviera... we stayed at the iberostar... the kids loved it
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For me, it wasn't nausea--Emend nipped that in the bud. Never had that for a second. But, the general feeling I can only describe as "toxic landfill". I felt totally bizarre, like I was walking around in a chemical haze. For the week after treatment (starting day 3 when the steroids were coming down), I often wasn't able to do much other than go to our local museum and sit in the garden and stare. I also got significant bone pain from the Neulasta. Other than that, the GERD was really show-stopping, just awful. I wish I'd started Prilosec before I started my four rounds of TC.
It has been almost 8 months since my final chemo, and I'm happy to report it seems like a distant memory. My hair is still ridiculous (such weird texture and curly in a very "chemo" way if you ask me) and my period hasn't come back. I think that is the saddest part for me. I was borderline for whether I needed chemo (pending Tailor X trial findings), and I sincerely feel that it was not my time to go into menopause. I'm a slow healer, so I am trying to keep faith that my cycle will come back and I can save some bone at the tender age of 40...
I worked through treatment with intermittent leave. It was luxurious, I could come and go as I needed. I really wanted to stay active, being home alone while my husband was at work was simply depressing.
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Good luck Kym n Christine. You both can do it!!!!!!!
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Christine47-Woo Hoo for being your last chemo tomorrow! I'm doing the "happy dance" for you already!
Kymm-Half way done for you tomorrow! Rock on!
Hugs and High fives!
Tori
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ltothek - my period came back 11 months after my last chemo and has been regular ever since. The 'toxic landfill' feeling, oh yes, I hated that feeling!
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Bravos, we are going to iberostar lindo! Which one did you go to? I'm so excited to go away and do nothing in the sun with my family ( not too much sun though, I'm pretty sensitive).
Christine0 -
Oops , that was suppose to be Bdavis !! Hahaha
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Slainte... My friend stayed at Lindo and loved it... we were at Tucan/Quetzal... All the Iberostars down there are great!!!
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Bdavis, I'm in NJ too. Freehold Township, Monmouth County.
Christine, congrats on your last treatment! And hugs to all who are doing chemo now. That was the worst part for me. I did DD A/C and Taxol/Herceptin. I took every anti-nausea med under the sun! Nothing really ever stopped it. EMEND eventually stopped the vomitting, but the nausea was there, to some degree around the clock. I had about 3 days of feeling ok (still mildlly nauseous, but better), only to have to do it all over again. It does seem that EMEND works for many, so if you can get it, try it. It is expensive. I think it was $100 per pill and I took three pills after each TX.
Pre BC I worked parttime, so during chemo I worked part-part time
, and worked a few hours when I was feeling ok, but basically was off for a week, then worked for a few hours the next week, then off a week, etc. I wanted to try to keep working, even just a little, so I would feel like I wasn't a cancer patient. Sometimes I look back and think I should have just stopped working entirely, because I was feeling so lousy. I've been on Tamoxifen for about a year and 4 months, and I have the basic side effects (hot flashes, difficulty losing weight).
Have a great day, everyone!
Sherrill
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Hi Girls 49 here and two boys 11/12 married. Just quit my job after 14 yrs. Last chemo was January 24. A/C then Taxol now lovely tamoxifen. I have so many side effects from it I always think something is wrong! I hate the fear! Example and if anyone has had this please advise. I got up to go to bathroom at midnight - when walking back to bed noticed my legs felt weird like I had just got done with doing squats. Like rubber. So I layed down and they still felt weird. Got up and sat on couch stomach felt nauseated So I took a Ativan and in 30 min was calm an could lay down. Was this a panic attack? I just want to be myself again! I did not call doc did not want to make a big deal of it. I am glad we are in same age group I think it helps. I also have many women in my small town that are stage 4 and many who are ok. it's like a epidemic around here.
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mahometmom62 ~ 7 women on my one block have or had breast cancer, I was not aware until a neighbor saw me bald, and came over and said "you too?" there about 25 houses on my block.
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Sitting in the chemo chair now. I got here and they are completely decorated for the wedding, Brittish flags, scones,little tea cookies, clotted cream and hot tes with china cups. Best of all they have a tiaras for us to wear! What a way to end chemo. I told my husband I now need an saphire ring. I have a platinum ring that I removed the diamond from for another setting, so I know I can talk him into this as a post treatment gift. Mothers day and an anniversery on the way. Hope you have a great day. Since I am off for a week you will see alot of me.
Christine
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Good luck Christine, may the light at the end of this tunnel glide you through the week side effect free!!!!!
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Just saw this thread so thought I would pop in. Diagnosed right after I turned 40. Three daughters....ages 8, 6 and 4 when diagnosed. That was 5 yrs. ago so they are now almost 14, 12, and 10.
It all gets better as time goes by.
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Gina-6 women on my small block of about 30 houses. Four of us are going thorugh treatments at once! Now all anyone talks about is breast cancer around here
Used to be what are kids are doing lately. We are thinking maybe we have a "cluster"? I don't know, but I am not going to stay her longer than I have to. We are moving next year.0 -
Welcome mahometmom62 and Carol! Thanks for joining us.
YAYYYY Christine! And a tiara too! How fun. Here's hoping for no side effects!
Susan! That's crazy-I would move too. How weird!
I just came from the dentist-having a root canal next week. "How come it's been so long since your last appointment?" I dunno...cancer, surgeries and chemo kind of got in the way. Duh
My 11 year old wants to stay up until 2am to watch the royal wedding-uh, no. That would be an interesting reason to call her in sick. "Sorry-we were up from 2am-7am watching the royal wedding." Mom of the year, that's me! Ha, not. I tried to explain how many times they are going to replay the entire thing. I wouldn't have even thought she would want to watch it at all.
I have an appointment with a fancy-shmancy tattoo lady on May 19th to consult about my areolas. In the meantime they are calling my insurance to see if any of it is covered-which I doubt. I asked my husband and he said I could get them done regardless. Yay! Icing on the cake. It's funny-when I take my bra off, my nipples are all smushed sideways and flat. I have to "fluff" them a little to get them to point out and straight. Haha
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Oh sorry-mahometmom...I never experienced anything like that. I had the exact chemo as you, and was put on Tamoxifen afterwards. But nothing like you experienced. I bet it was just a panic attack :-)
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