Radiation recovery
Comments
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Hobbles I'm one of the people who read anti-cancer and embraced it. I changed my diet and lifestyle and feel great. Will it stop cancer? Who knows. It just makes me feel healthy and empowered.
There was a terrific anti cancer food thread a while back. Maybe you could scan it for ideas.
Sew, thanks for asking about the shoulder. I think every ache or pain is scary after what we went through. Orthopedics on the 20th.
Janis your funds pretty.
Kate I hope you get that pain under control. Let's count down to July!
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Janis-place sounds pretty
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Sab, more auto correct? Don't ya love the interpretations? Got your office settled again yet?
Josie....you must live someplace with lots of rain and creeks and rivers. In California they create huge water reservoirs along some sort of stream or river which holds millions of acre feet of water. That reserved water is used to supply the water demand of the cities during the summer and fall when we don't get rain. Sometimes they're used for flood control during the winter. They are also used to control water levels in the rivers to protect wildlife. They are now running completely dry in northern cal, and our snow pack which would typically refill them each year is only at 20% of normal, so apparently that won't help much. And that's my lesson for the day....back to my popcorn dessert
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Sew, yes we do have lake, rivers and creeks but I don't know how much of our water supply comes from those sources.Now I have seen those reservoirs but not sure how they work .Thanks for the explanation.Enjoy your popcorn.
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I love what SAB eats, so I should give the book Anti-Cancer another chance. But hobbesla, I am a little bugged by your nutritionist dumping a lot of big changes on you without follow-up. You shouldn't be the one figuring out how to translate those goals into healthy snacks that you actually like. In my experience, that's the nutritionist's job first. I needed to revamp my diet in my 30s and early 40s because I started to get really symptomatic (shaky, nervous) when my blood sugar would drop, and it drops pretty low. I also gain weight very easily so I didn't want to solve the problem with just eating the same stuff but more frequently. After one long session with a nutritionist, I went back a couple of times and we got really specific talking about particular products, benchmarks, and combinations. I was able to take it from there, with additional investigations and experimentation over time. I think after you talk to your MO and do some thinking and maybe reading, along with experimenting yourself, you might consider going back to that nutritionist, or to another one, to get more guidance, maybe more than once. And I think the advice to make your diet your own, folding in some new ideas perhaps, as you're ready, but not feeling bossed around by them, is the right call.
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Hi, been trying to catch up but each night I fall asleep at the computer.
Run, I haven't read back yet, but I too want to eat like SAB...maybe she can start a business shopping and shipping to us haha I'd buy!!! Mood swings so bad lately and I have blood sugar issues...I have been told to try more drugs but I know I have to change my "fuel"....
Off to my bone density scan...wish Josie were here!!! I am sooooo bad at staying still and I panic. I am congested and don't want to lie flat.....imagine....am thinking of taking a drug for 20 minutes. Anyway, I will be having it done at the same radiologist where I was diagnosed in 2011. First time back. I hope that my Femara bones are not thinning like my hair (I have lots of hair but not much padding on the bones!)
Will catch up later...today is the big "thaw"!!0 -
Joan, I hope your bone density ended well.Yes that would have been fun if I were your tech.We could have chatted and you would of forgot all about the test.
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Joan I hope you get good results from your bone density test
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Scan was OK - I drugged a little so I could breathe and lie still...results next week. thanks, Josie and Kate. I still have to read backwards....it feels so good to have a little time to be flexible with reading here.
I am at work now, alone....too quiet...am sleepy from Benadryl...so tempting to put my head down.
I think I will stay home this week end...after all the company and traveling of the past few weeks.
Today's goal at home: Undress tree (finally - but it still looks like new) and hang up clothes and find all the important stuff I stashed away over the holidays!
SAB, I ordered the anti-cancer diet book...hope it's the good one...and while I have time will go to Whole Foods to start slowly with.changes. I am 45 minutes from WF store and the local healthy markets do not have much in the winter. Some supermarkets keep adding more organics.0 -
OK, braised kale on garlic toasted baguettes with a bit of feta cheese sprinkled on top for lunch coming up. Since the baguette is quite small, I can have 2....yummmmmmm.....I need to have this for lunch since after my 45 minute walk with my buddy, I had not only my latte but also a scone for breakfast
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Hi! Starting Rads today. I've got my Udder Cream to put on when I change out of the gown into my clothes. Will do that a few times a day and Eucerine at night (those are what my Dr. said to use). Going to wear my husbands old undershirts to protect our sheets. Starting next week I'll be getting Rads at 8 in the morning so I'm planning on showering at night and again lathering up before bed. I'm trying to drink as much water as possible. The constant bathroom visits are a pain.
Any other suggestions that have worked for you all? (can't get through all 291 pages here) I'm scared out of my mind!!!!!!!!!
Thanks!!
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Welcome,mcgis. So glad you've found us, so sorry you had to!I wore white cotton, and white cotton only, next to my skin, all through rads, and for several weeks afterwards. Any time I had a concern, I went right to the RN, the RO, the techs, or the head tech.
Are you scheduled for 8 AM so you can get to work? Do keep an eye on your energy level, and pencil in extra down time, both at work and at home.
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Mcgis...you'll do just fine. One day at a time. It's initially daunting to think about all those weeks, but they DO pass, and Will pass and then....you're finished! You might have some cornstarch on hand to use as a sort of powder puff if you find you get "girlishly damp" although in winter that shouldn't be a problem. If you have only under-wire bras, get rid of them....no wires. I removed the wires from mine, cheapskate that I am. Built in shelf-bras from someplace like Target or even Costco are cheap and work well. Remember to use a really soft, creamy soap like Dove, which I changed to for Rads and still use (2 years later). I recommend eating lots of protein, which worked well for me and kept my strength up, but I see Brookside went the other way and ate less, so I'd guess it's up to you. don't worry about weight at this point, just truck along, 8 am each morning and get thru it. Try to get some sort of exercise daily. Doesn't have to be long nor particularly strenous, but will help with healing, and your frame of mind. Hopefully you won't have significant burning or fatigue issues, but if you do, check in here because we've become expert in those issues too. It's kind of strange your first few days as you don't know what to expect, but it doesn't hurt, takes just a few minutes, and I amused myself counting the "clicks". Others wore headphones and listened to their favorite music. I think you've got a good plan, just remember to take it easy when your body tells you to, and you'll be fine. We'll be waiting to cheer you on at the finish line. Good Luck, and you're almost done..........
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Thanks ladies!! I did OK. 1 down, 32 to go!
What should I avoid? I heard antioxidants like blueberries. I've been wanting to take a multivitamin for some time now but am worried about starting it with radiation. Have you all? I thought I heard to stay away from A and D during treatment?? What about Tylenol?
Thanks!!
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mcgis, congrats! You'll be amazed how quickly it will pass.
You should avoid antioxidant *supplements* during rads, but don't avoid eating antioxidant-rich foods. A healthy diet will help your energy level and overall well-being during rads. Talk to your RO or nurse about what vitamin supplements are ok to take during treatment. You probably have one day a week when you meet with your doctor.
Hope it's smooth sailing for you!
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Mcgis, I second what gemini said--healthy diet is great. Good protein like salmon, nuts, quinoa. Lots of water if you can. (I couldn't increase my water intake much because I'm already one of those people running to the bathroom all the time, and I had nearly an hour drive to and from rads--not to paint a picture.) A friend who's a chef also said miso soup. She said they use it in Japan to counteract the effects of radiation and they believe it protects against breast cancer. Then again, it's made with soy, so if you're ER+, you might want to check with your doctor about whether that would be too much estrogen production. I just found this article about it that makes me hesitate a bit:
http://www.naturalnews.com/025519_health_anti-aging_soy.html
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I worked during rads and it was over the December holidays so I was always busy. I did fine....but have to admit, stopped on the way home for coffee and snack for my 40 minute drive. By the end of rads, I had crumbs on the seats and anyone could see what I was eating....a little comfort food. But I do agree with those who suggest extra water, planned rest, and mainly good diet.
My biggest problem was anxiety about having to lie still. I used listerine strips to keep mouth moist, and clipped my iPod under my hair with only one ear bud in so I could hear instructions. The music was great and I played word games for the few minutes that I had to lie still. It all worked for me and I made it through. I wore cotton camis with shelf bras. If my skin was sore where the elastic hit, I'd tuck in a silken scarf against my skin and it felt good. I had a very itchy rash which responded to steroid cream; and I healed immediately after I finished.
One day at a time....it is usually not too bad.0 -
Welcome Mcgis, but sorry you have to be here. I used Udder cream, and did well. I agree with Joan it's not too bad, and it will go by quickly.
My rash is under control with the cream the dermatologist gave me. No more itching YEAH! I am still having a terrible time with constipation. I have been in pain from it for about a month now. I hope it won't postpone my surgery. It will be difficult to go to surgery when I am already in pain. I see the surgeon Jan 21, and will see what he has to say about it. I have an appointment with my GI specialist Monday. I am thinking that the problem is either caused by my lymph node tumor or my bladder tumor. There is something blocking my anus so I am unable to evacuate all the stool that needs to be evacuated. Sorry to be so graphic, but that is the only way to describe what is going on. I hope it is the bladder tumor causing this to happen, but I am thinking it is the lymph node tumor that is doing this, because my bladder tumor is not near the plumbing, it is higher up.. If it's the bladder tumor, then the surgery I have planned on the 30th to remove the bladder tumor will correct this. If it is the lymph node tumor then I don't know what will happen. My surgeon wanted to also remove some of my malignant lymph node tumors, but Doc said no, because he says removing lymph node tumors could make problems worse. For instance my leg is swollen because a lymph node tumor is pressing on my leg veins, and doc says it could get worse if I had lymph nodes removed. I will have to revisit the possibility of lymph node surgery with Doc again on Monday, after I talk to my GI specialist. If a lymph node has been causing my constipation pain for over a month then I want the lymph node removed.
I hope everyone has a great weekend. I don't have much planned this weekend, and that is ok. I need rest, because the pain has been keeping me up. I was taking 1 mg of Ativan for sleep, but Doc wanrts me to cut back, so I went back to 100 mg of Trasadone for sleep, and it is not working well.
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Oh Kate, great news about your rash--but I am SO sorry to hear about your GI woes and your inability to sleep. That sounds 100% miserable. I was constipated for 8 days in my first pregnancy and I thought I would go MAD. I can't imagine tolerating it for a month, and not even getting the relief of sleeping. Did your doctor explain why removing lymph node tumors could make the problems worse? That's puzzling. Whatever's going on, of course you have a right to understand it and to know why the course of action is what it is. I hope you have good home-based distractions planned for the weekend, since you're not up to going out.
There's a great discussion going on over on the Bottle o' Tamoxifen thread about what people eat. I'll link it if anyone has trouble finding it.
We are getting another day of ice, actually rain that is freezing on contact because the ground is so cold. We didn't really see this coming in the forecast. My husband is at a conference in Montreal, 4 1/2 hours away, and all the highways between here and there are full of accidents and even closed for some stretches. It's supposed to get a little better this afternoon as the temp goes up just a tad, then get bad again as the temp falls. I have my fingers crossed that he'll find a large enough window to get home safely. Yikes.
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Thanks for the support Runfree. Good question regarding why lymph node surgery will make it worse. I can't believe I didn't find out. . I've asked him a zillion questions, but I didn't ask that. I've had 2 other doctors besides doc telling me not to remove the malignant lymph nodes, but I've also had two doctors tell me to remove the lymph nodes. I trust doc's intelligence, dilligence, and experience, and I won't do a procedure without his approval I will ask him that no later than my next appointment Jan 24, if not sooner.
I am looking forward to the Golden Globes tomorrow. I love fashion, and I am hoping a couple of my favorites win. I loved Cate Blanchett in Blue Jasmine, and I loved Bruce Dern in Nebraska. I alos loved the old lady who is up for supporting actress in Nebraska. Nebraska wasn't a big budget film, so I am not expecting it to win, but Cate Blanchett is predicted to win.
Sorry you have ice. Maybe your hubby can stay over in Montreal, instead of risking driving on ice?
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Kate - sorry you are fighting constipation ugh. Old fashion remedy...1-2 T of blackstrap molasses mix in your milk or coffee add some ice ...pulpy prune juice. Drink plenty of warm water...and stay home works well especially with good old fiber one cereal. Hope this helps...
Full house the next few days
than USC for another bladder blockage ugh!Enjoy the sunshine...it tops a polar vortex!
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Gee, Kate, I'm so sorry to hear this partial blockage problem is being such a pain (literally, as well as figuratively), but so glad you're seeing your GI lady. Hopefully, she'll be able to give you some good ideas, maybe even be a Kate-specific lets-get-moving, anti-ouch med. It's enough a'ready with this cramping thing. Phooey on tummy aches!Freezing rain here as well. Usually, my Saturday morning starts with dump, library, post office (all the high spots in this great metropolis of about 250 hardy citizens). Today, the dump was well sanded (Town trucks parked just next store can't very well pass it up, can they?), but I couldn't get out of the car at the unsanded library or the post office.
Will check the tamoxifen thread for food (center of my universe) posts.
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Sorry, Cindy that yet another trip to USC is getting in the way of everything and anything else you might want to be doing. Here's hoping for a quick and easy solution.0 -
Kate, so sorry your GI problems persist.Maybe increasing the fiber or just more liquids and less solids.Hope they find a solution to that soon for your sake.
Cindy, sorry to hear about the bladder issues. That's just Terrible.
We have begun the great thaw her in St Louis.It's supposed to be in the 50's tomorrow. We did get to play in the snow the other day when the kids were off.Then I realized the weirdest thing.It looked like little speckled in the snow.I look closer and the snow was just covered in these little fleas.I really got grossed out until I googled it and found out that they are not fleas at all.They are called snow fleas but are not even insects.They live in the soil and have been around for millions of years.When the snow starts to melt, they are migrating and they use this little spring on their tail to jump like a flea.That's a relief .There little bodies are filled with this liquid like antifreeze so they can survive such brutal temps.
You learn something new everyday.
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Cindy, Brook and Josie thanks for the support
Cindy, thanks for the advice. So sorry you and hubby have to deal with him having another bladder blockage. I hope there is a quick solution
Brookside, sorry you have freezing rain too
Josie, glad your weather is getting a little better
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Josie, I have never heard of snow fleas! Maybe they don't have enough antifreeze for this arctic latitude. Our thaw is coming in a couple of days and I will look for them.
Brookside, a couple of my friends went to our town dump to get sand for their driveways, and they got stuck in the dump's driveway which hadn't been treated! So yes, they can absolutely bypass their own territory. Some of my near neighbors have slid down their driveways sideways. I'm not budging. I asked my husband to text when he left Montreal, but he hasn't. He is supposed to do a thing at our church in the morning, here. I told him on the phone not to be a hero, just to stay over, in Montreal or anywhere in between, if he needed to. The highways are often better than the little side roads, so I am hopeful he'll get at least part way home. It is still supposed to be slick in the morning, though.
Cindy, so sorry about your husband's blockage! My stepfather used to get those and he was in absolute agony.
Kate, thanks for the reminder about the Golden Globes. That will be fun to watch. I bet the red carpet event will start pretty early on TV too. You are almost close enough to go in person, but you'll get a better view on TV.
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Runfree here the Globes start at 5 and the awards shows at 2. It is supposed to be over 70 degrees and sunny here tomorrow, so great weather for the stars. The show is held at the Beverly Hilton, in Beverly Hills, and I am about a 15 minute ride from there, without traffic, but unfortunately I wasn't invited. I wish I were going as George Clooney's date.
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Kate, where's your sense of adventure? You could sneak in.Nobody would even notice.
RunFree, how much snow did you get? Our 8-10 inches is almost all melted.It rained all day yesterday.
We haven't done much today either.I feel really achy tonight.Not sure if I'm coming down with something or what.I'm too stubborn to get sick.Between that and the fact I was awakened at least twice throughout the night with the cat and then my son.I woke up with a sinus headache again.Oh well enough of my complaining.
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Kate - I like award shows too. I love the fashions. I am so sorry you are in pain again. Darn it is always something. Hoping you can have the surgery and it goes well. I have the other problem since GB surgery> I live in the bathroom it seems. I do remember I used those supositories and they worked for me when I would get plugged up after surgery. Several times.
Runfree - We had 19 inches of snow this week and then last night we had horrible warm rain becasue of the thaw. Well you know my house. My basement is wet again....not flooded but seeping from the rain. Tonight it is supposed to freeze up again and I can hear the wind. Scares me after the 10 day power outage. Every time a light blinks I get anxiety. I have a bag packed with meds and undies all ready to go. Usually the winters here are bad but this one is a doozy.
mcgis - Welcome to the group. You will do fine. Most do. I did not but it was because I had other health issues and not just rads so I will not talk about it. I ate a ton of protien and it did help with my energy. I still eat like that because I am still fatigued and I took naps every day for about an hour. I think the most fun thing was listening to my rads group say "Come on Down" when they called my name. Good luck.
Josie - Snow fleas? OMg never heard of that.
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I googled all my symptoms for the last year and I came up with hyperthyroidism. Looks like I really do need the new endo I see next week. I have another ultrasound Monday orderd by the office of the endo that fired me. Guess his office forgot about my follow up and since I have the new appt I minds well do it and send a copy.
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