Radiation recovery
Comments
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Brookside you are right. Even if my MO does not agree with the surgery I am going to the robotic urologist surgeon for a 3rd urology opinion. I am seeing my radiation oncologist Friday. I don't know if he will shed light on whether I should have the surgery or not. To be real honest I haven't a clue of why I have an appointment with him. OK I did make the appointment to appease my MO, but I don't want radiation of my pelvis or bladder. I will be armed with a zillion questions, especially about side effects. Side effects for pelvic radiation are much worse than breast radiation.0 -
Good for you Kate for being so on the ball about all your medical desicions.I hope you go away from your appointment even more armed with options .
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Josie, glad to hear you have some good days as well, thanks for the info. I won't be worried about the testing now.
Run how is your skin regimen working? I hope you are getting the itch under control.
Kate I hope you can find some answers. You have certainly had the run around, and still no definitive decision.
Bunkie, how are you doing?
Hi to everyone! I drove to the northwest tip of Minnesota on Tuesday. It was my daughter's 39th birthday. I hope we brightened her day. We helped the grand kids have a special day for her. SIL in harvest, and couldn't even be there. Busy time at the farm.0 -
Kate, I wonder if there is a possibility the radiologist could shrink just that one lymph node that's been annoying you? Maybe a couple of very targeted rads sessions could do lots of good without side effects? Anyway, Isn't it wonderful that you're just going to gather info, and don't have to even think about doing anything rads related just now!
Gigil, too bad you (and the rest of us) can't just trot on over to Josie's joint for our bone density scans!
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GiGiL, thanks for asking--it might be a teensy bit better. I've only taken the Bactrim for a day and a half, so if it's better at all, that's probably not due to Bactrim. I do keep having big itching crises, but maybe not as often. I try to rub instead of scratching, or do a quick scratch and then a rub. It's just so tough. I am hopeful that this combination will help within a few days. I see my PCP on Monday and I'm going to put her through her paces. I got my blood work done today (had to fight for it, long story), including the tests my MO said I should have, some extra liver function test along with CBC, complete metabolic panel, and thyroid. One of the nurses at the lab was a BC survivor from 4 years ago and wanted to talk about it.0 -
On the one hand, I wish you perfect bloodwork. On the other hand, I'm kind of hoping that something really innocuous and easily adjusted is slightly skewed and turns out to be the very fixable source of all the itch. You are such a patient patient!
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Thanks Brookside, that's a great wish! Little tweaks I can handle.0 -
The hospital scheduling called yseterday to schedule my mammogram.I'll get it Nov 5th.This will be my first mammogram since surgery.That will probably stir up a few unpleasant memories.Can you believe it's going to cost like $89.Can you believe that? I reached my deductible like Feb2013. I confused on why I should have to pay so much.
Brookside, good idea we could have a bone density party.
I have a slight lump I've been kind of wondering about in my surgery breast.I can't decide if it's really a lump.It isn't round it's long if that makes sense.I did tel the scheduler this when she scheduled me.
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Josie, when I got my mammogram last month, I also had a careful manual exam by the surgeon. Is your mammo a stand-alone thing, or will you see your surgeon too?0 -
Actually the mammogram was ordered by my radiation oncologist.He told me to see him after the mammogram.I'm not due for my surgeons appt until like Feb.He told me on my last post surgical appt I didn't need to see him for 1 yr.
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Hi friends,
I am on a "business" trip to a conference in CO....and am exhausted from traveling...got 2 hours sleep last night and was doing geology field studies all day...and the last stop we made was a steep hike. No vacation! Home soon.
Runfree, your rash sounds like it is peaking again--there has to be someone who can help you somewhere.
Glad you had a good time in NY. It's pretty easy to get around but always hvae
Am falling asleep...kept up with your posts and hope to have more awake time soon.
HUGS
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Josie, I see. I would think your RO would do a manual exam then. My MO did one as well as my surgeon. You could certainly point the lump out to him and ask him to feel it, if he's not already doing so.
Joan, you're right, my rash is more extensive than it's ever been. My derm and I both think it's really the Tamoxifen at work, and if I take a vacation from it, the skin stuff might not appear when I start back up. So I've read, anyway. If we were out of things to try, I'd be ready to consult someone else. Your business trip sounds very different from the kind historians take!0 -
Are you ready to try the tamox holiday? If you do, do you do it gently (half a pill, etc.) or just stop?
Joan, at least you're exhausted from doing something you love (not the flight, just the rock stuff)!
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Brookside, I think you just stop. I'll ask the derm on 11/6 and put it to the MO by email (at least). There's also at least one other anti-itch med I haven't tried, plus the whole allergy question, not to mention my PCP visit on Monday. I have not yet tried one OTC remedy, Sarna, so I'm going to get some of that today.0 -
RunFree, The RO wants the mammogram then I will see him.It's probably nothing but I'm going to definitely point it out to him when I see him.
Hope your rash improves.Hope they don't have to take you off the Tamoxifen.But if it helps that's important.
I have had a very itchy eye lately and it was swollen this morning.It's the lid and corners of the eye.It almost reminds me of cellulitis.The lid went down but the corner is still swollen and the tissue under the eye.Enough that it impares my vision slightly.
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Runfree- I am just recalling now that about 3 weeks into my 6 weeks of RADS I started getting a mild rash but only in the RADS area. I had started Tamox 2 weeks before I began Rads and was having really bad nausea and stomach problems-pain w/it along w/emotional upheaval. Anyway I stopped the Tamox and even though I had bad fatigue and some skin burning it started to clear when I was 2 weeks post RADS but the rash disappeared before I finished RADS so maybe Tamox related. Appetite back despite a 10 lb ( with diet change) . It may be worth trying a couple of weeks off Tamox to see if yours clears some. You have had this way to long now poor thing.0 -
Thanks Grammy, that's a really helpful parallel for my mysterious case! Your sounds more like radiation recall dermatitis, which is more common in people who've had chemo and only affects the radiated skin. My RO said that's what I had on my radiated skin, but now it's pretty much everywhere so it could be the Tamoxifen but not in the same way. Glad you're feeling better too. I do think I'm going to end up taking a Tamox vacation, perhaps next month. We're waiting to work through some other things first. Then the symptoms might not resume when I restart, or so I've read.0 -
Josie, Gigil, and Brookside thanks for the support. Gigil I am glad you had fun for your daughter's b-day. Joisie $89 for a mammo by itself is expensive. Joan try to find time for fun in Colorado. I love Colorado. When i was in my 20's I lived in Denver for 2 years.
I saw my radiology oncologist today. Can't believe I had to go back there. The good news is that he said I don't require radiation now. He said I would only need it if I had pain, bleeding or a blockage. It would be radiation of my bladder and not my pelvis. If I had to get it I would have 15 treatments, and my private parts wouldn't be exposed. The bad news are the side effects. I think my MO thought it would be pelvic radiation, but it would only be bladder radiation. My MO didn't think I needed radiation right now either. I think he just wants me to cover all my bases in the event that I need it. I would not want radiation for pain when it cause side effects that are painful. If I had bleeding I could have a transurethral resection. I think radiation is useless in my case. Right now my MO is just wanting a wait and see approach. By wait and see I think he means see what the CT scans show. My last CT scan was stable, so nothing needs to be done.
My urologist and MO finally did talk, and my MO still thinks I should not have partial bladder removal. My urologist recommended a robotic urology oncologist surgeon either at Cedar's hospital or USC. Cedar's hospital is easier for me to get to. I am calling Monday to get an appointment. Since my urologist said I should have surgery, and my 2nd opinion urologist said not to have it I want a third urology opinion.
I told my radiology oncologist that the only discomfort I have now is constipation. He said bladder cancer does not cause this, and he suggested that I see a GI specialist. As you might remember I had an appointment, but I canceles it. I will call Monday and make another appointment.
Right now I am drinking a large glass of Chardonnay, and feeling good. Even without Chardonnay I have been feeling good lately. I am so grateful Have a nice weekend everyone.0 -
Kate, when I was in my 20s, I lived in CO for 2 years also. I loved it then and always feel like I'm coming home here...
I am on a field trip to try to figure out when the Colorado River started cutting down and eventually when it formed the Grand Canyon. It is amazing that after over 150 years of exploration, nobody really knows. I learned a lot.
But today I had two more steep hikes...the first was worse than yesterday, and the 2nd was worse than the first. I just cannot do vertical climbs without a lot of resting. I felt when I was doing it that it iwas not fun and I didn't care about what was at the top. But I made it up there...alone ... after losing the group and going off the trail and climbing up steep slopes with only deer tracks to follow. Does that sound like fun to anyone?? I did collect some rocks from the ash of the last big Yellowstone volcano...the ash fell in Colorado and it is quite thick rock now.
RunFree, yup, my trips are definitely different!!! I learn by doing and seeing so it's good.
Gigi, so nice that you made it to your Dd's for her birthday. You do so much for your family...I know what it is like to drive all over to be with my kids..but I do enjoy it. I have more birthdays coming up...
Bye from Colorful Colorado...home soon.0 -
Joan sorry you had a rough trip/ hike.I have always been amazed by geology.
We have a creek in our country place and I could sit there all day looking through the rocks in the creek bed.
Kate glad to hear your feeling well.It sounds like radiation wouldn't be my choice either if I had your type of cancer.
I woke up again with a swollen eyelid and that cheek on that side is swollen.I guess I better go to the urgent care and see what's wrong.I don't know if it's celluloid or an infection but they usually say don't mess with your eye seek treatment soon.
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Josie, could it be conjunctivitis, ie pink eye? I had that a few years ago and it was really dramatic. But medicine cleared it up equally dramatically.0 -
RunFree, I actually called my eye Dr and she said it sounded like an infection of the tear duct and called me in a script for antibiotic ointment .Unfortunately it's $60 that I don't have so they said they would call her back and ask if I could get the same antibiotic by in a drop for $10 I haven't heard from the pharmacy yet so I guess I will call them back.She also told me to use hot packs on the eye.
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Holy cow, $60!!! That's ridiculous. I hope you get the eye drop Rx.0 -
Josie, I hope you can get the prescription for less, and I hope your swelling goes down0 -
RunFree and Kate yes I got the drops for $10 Headed to the pharmacy soon they are filling it now.
The swelling is actually going down.The hot packs are helping.Thanks for the concern
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Josie so glad you are feeling better. I had a bit of a scare. I went out and did some retail therapy today. I came home went to the potty, and there was blood in my urine. It is gone now. I emailed doc, but haven't heard back from him yet. It's always something.0 -
Glad you got your drops Josie! But Kate, that IS a scare. Jeepers. Hope you hear back from the doc soon.0 -
Am in a hotel that I wouldn't return to...One more day then home. I'm ready now...
Not sure if I should get up early and go to meetings or sleep later and go in the afternoon.
I am too tired to look at the schedule so I guess I'll go to sleep and worry about it tomorrow.
Oh Kate, so sad that you have something to worry about. I wish you could get a month or two free of worries.
Josie, hope the eye clears...I agree, we shouldn't let eye things go.
This year it will be a week since the hurricane hit New York and New Jersey. I hope we get through the next few weeks with no storms.It is starting to cool off so that is unfavorable to storms in cooler waters.
Well, it's off to bed in my "bad" hotel...but this will be the last sleep I have before I go home tomorrow night -- a night without a bed (on the red eye).
Wishing you a good week ahead.
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Joan, I sure hope you're not going to hop off the red eye and sleepwalk directly into work. While I appreciate your description of the hotel as somewhere you wouldn't go back to, I'd just love to hear some of the unappealing details.Kate, such a scare. I sure hope it was just an isolated event and your onc will just say, "Fiddle de dee."
Hoping your itchies take a day off today, Kate. Also hoping your pcp orders every blood test known to the universe when you go there tomorrow.
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Kate, how scarry....How are you feeling today?
Did your doc email you back?
Joan sorry to hear you had a bad hotel stay.
My eye is much better.Thank goodness.The eye doc knew what to give me and it worked.I felt kind of bad for bothering her on a Sat.
We are headed to the pumpkin patch today and to get my daughter her costume for Halloween.She went to a lock in with the girl scouts Friday night and came home early Sat morning and crashed on the couch.We couldn't wake her until about 4pm.She had stayed awake the whole night.Most kids do but it surprised Me she was able to.So needless to say the pumpkin patch had to be postponed until today.Unfortunately my hubby works so he'll miss out.
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