Starting Chemo in Nov. 2011...anyone else?
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Hello Everyone...
I see my oncologist on Friday. I met her in September and haven't seen her since. I have been reading about radiation and heart problems. I had radiation in 2008 on both breasts and this is very scary. My cousin who had bc twice, has a heart condition now. We do the treatment that is recommended and the SEs are going to change our lives even more.
I have been going to therapy for my knee and it feels better. I haven't joined the gym yet. I may just go to the aqua zumba classes. I have gained so much weight that I want to wear my sweatpants in the water! I am going to start walking again. I am back in NC and the weather is great. I got my exercise holding the babiez and walking the stairs at my mother in law's house.
I hope each of you are well. Take care and be blessed.
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Hi everyone! My scans were all clear. Yippee!! No mets! I had the surgery on Tuesday afternoon and I was back home (at my friend's house) by 10:30am on Wednesday.
I slept most of yesterday. They gave me tramadol for pain and it knocks me out. I'm sore today but have not needed meds yet and would like to stay awake for at least a couple of hours.
I have the standard 2 drains and my new Batman utility belt to hold the reservoirs.
They are doing a microscopic biopsy of the breast tissue they removed and we will have those results on Wednesday, 3/27 when I see my MO again. I have a follow up with my surgeon that day also.
My MO said that their committee will meet and try to get a consensus on what further treatment will be.
I will try to stay awake today and catch up on your posts!
Thank you all!
Phyllis0 -
Phyllis, Yay for no mets! That is really good news. I'm so glad your surgery went well and is overwith.
You know, I've never heard of you and Batgirl being together. Is it possible we know her secret identity now?
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Beth, I know what you mean about the weight. I got a swim suit in anticipation of my upcoming water exercises, starting in April, and it's very modest but doesn't cover nearly enough. To bad we can't wear the kind they wore in the first part of the 20th century.
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Phyllis, It's so good to hear from you. NO METS is so AWESOME!!! Hopefully the treatment won't be too terrible, you've been through enough already. Hugs to you. I know what you mean about the pain meds. I wanted to stay awake and visit. My family knew better and didn't let the pain get ahead of me. Take care and it's so good to hear from you!
Grandma V--if I could find one of those bathing suits, I would wear it proudly!
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Phyllis, Great news on your scans!! Rest and sleep as much as you can, you just had a big surgery. Hugs to you!!
Beth and Grandma V, I've traded my bathing suits in for rash guards and bathing suit bottoms:)
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Phyllis-CONGRATULATIONS! I am so very happy for you! Blessings and I will keep you in my prayers
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PHYLISS - -WAHOO, rest and give yourself time to heal. Think of some great indugences to treat yourself when you are feeling up to it. You deserve it.
I have just spent 2 days down with a nasty stomach flu. I never got this sick during treatment, but it did bring on a bit of post tramautic stress. What we all went thru and how far we have come... guilty induugences for all of us I say
Be well
Nel
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Sandlake, I had no idea what a rash guard was and googled it and it opened up a whole new world for me. Am I the only one that didn't know about this? I especially love the loose fitting ones. I'll have to find out if any stores around here carry them. Will the public pools and gyms let you swim in these? Thank you, thank you. If anyone else would like to check them out, this is what I found:
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Beth, I hope everything went well today at your new onc.
Nel, That stomach flu sounds awful. Several people I know have had that, and I've been so fearful of getting it. You definitely deserve a guilty indulgence. Maybe some chocolate lava cake?
Linda and Bonseye, it's great to hear from you.
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GrandmaV, Great website you found! I love my O'Neil rash guard, I found it a dive shop. I swim in lakes and private pools mostly. It also protects me from the sun. Have fun exploring your new world
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Phyllis - Hoping your healing process is a smooth one and that your new treatments are not too bad this time. I certainly believe that once around with these regimens should be enough.
As for the indulgences, I certainly agree that we all should have these whenever possible. I would like to come up with some new ideas for those, especially ones that don't involve food. Growing up with a big family in the deep south, everything was about the food. All occassions involved particularly fattening dishes and desserts. And even now, when I think of doing something special and fun, the first thing I consider is what will we have to eat first or during the event. For example, my husband and I are going to Hawaii in September, and my biggest concerns are not what sights we will see or activities we will do, but what foods will we have. I even looked up the flight to see if we would get a meal on the plane. I guess I am hopeless, but if anyone has any "fun" ways to splurge without food, please post them. Have a great weekend.
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Bahamamom, it's tough to think of a splurge without food. For me, I guess it would be something that would help me relax. A massage would be relaxing. How about hiring someone to give the house a good cleaning. Knowing me, I would have to clean the house first. But I wouldn't call either of these things "fun". While you're in Hawaii, I've heard you can take a helicopter over the volcanoes. That would be exciting. It's amazing how much of our culture revolves around food.
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Good morning all,
My ideas often lean toward food as well. I am trying to think differently. Reading for half an hour mid day, not cleaning my house today, a new scarf.
My gift to myself this AM. Both my kids, teens are still sleeping in and it would be a great time to get stuff done. No, I am sitting on the couch, tea, paper and PJ's and it is approaching noon. Daughter is just getting up so my peace will be gone, Love her to pieces, but she is 14 and really!
Bahamama, in Hawaii - just taking in the sun , maybe with an exotic drink watching the sunset. A great piece of je;wery from Hawaii. I was there a few years ago and got this great inexpensive piece of glass jewlery that I love.
Hope everyone has a great Sunday. They are predicting more rain and snow here in Massachusetts this week. I will need many indugences. SOOO DONE!
Be well,
Nel
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I wear a UPF 30+ shirt outdoors in the sun. I buy them at Dick's sporting goods so my skin doesn't burn. When I was swimming at the Y, I wear swimshorts and a tankini top. Sometimes, I would wear a tshirt on top.
I met with my onc on Friday. I had a lot of questions about recurrence. She told me to pay attention to my body and they would do blood work, etc. I am having a CT scan on Wednesday and I'll see her the following week with the results. I don't have osteopenia or osteoporosis. YAY!
My splurge has been moving here to NC. It is something my husband and I have wanted to do for a long time. I make protein smoothies instead of ice cream which I really, really want to eat..and cake, I want to eat more cake!
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Thanks to everyone for the ideas for nonfood indulgences. Lots of things to try here. Hopefully, we will all take the time to treat ourselves more often.
I am anxious about my mammogram this Thursday. It is a 6 month follow-up for the first mammogram since diagnosis last September. That first one showed "probably benign", which sounded okay when the radiologist was explaining it to me, but got a little harder to wrap my head around when she handed me the paper with that finding on it on my way out the door. She explained that they look for changes and that there were changes in my affected breast, but that they were "as expected", probably as a result of the surgery and radiation. Still, I am hoping that the finding will be a definite negative this time.
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Bahamamom, you and I were diagnosed about the same time and had the same treatments on pretty much the same schedule. My lumpectomy was 10/29/2011, I started T/C chemo in December 2011, I started rads in March 2012 and started Arimidex in April.
My first six-month mammogram in spring 2012 also showed some "changes" in the affected breast, which devastated me. My thinking, "After all that surgery. chemo and rads, I can't even go 6 months without getting more negative results!" I was scared and mad. My BS scheduled a MRI-guided biopsy on the spot, which was more stressful and painful than the LX surgery. With IV, I had to lie still on my tummy, my boobs hanging down, while the doctor did the biopsy almost under the MRI table. Painful!!
Cut to the chase: It was benign, breast tissue change as a result of radiation. My MO later said that they probably shouldn't have done an MRI so soon after rads because the MRI picks up such minute changes.
Anyway, I hope that your results are confirmed as benign. It's awful having these scares, having to endure more procedures and then worrying until you get the results.
Good luck.
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I had the CT scan with contrast today. It always scares me to have these tests done. I am hoping for good news. If the onc doesn't call before the next appointment, I thing that will mean good news.
It's supposed to be sunny and get warmer. I think I'll be walking outside for a while!
Blessings to each of you.
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Bahamamom - hoping your mammo is definite B9 findings.
Beth - hope your scan is clear. How long until your next appointment?
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Great news! My mammogram today got a normal/benign finding. I asked the radiologist what she was seeing last time when I had the first yearly mammogram (since diagnosis) done, and she said it was scar tissue. She was very confident and said that after I return in 6 months for my regular yearly that I will go back to just the annual mammograms.
Wavewhisper-Thanks for sharing your story about your similar finding on a mammogram and the painful biopsy you had to have done with that. That sounded awful-I hope you never have to have one of those again. I noticed a clinical trial you are in now for people who do not have diabetes. What kind of drug is Metformin?
Grandma & Waveshisper-Thanks for the well wishes about my having a good mammogram.
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Bahamamom, congratulations on your clear mammogram. Sorry you had to worry.
The clinical trial I'm in is testing whether Metformin, a drug used for diabetes (actually I don't know what it does for diabetics!), can reduce chances of recurrence in certain women with early-stage BC who DO NOT have diabetes. A study apparently found that diabetic women, already on metformin, had a lower rate of recurrence than non-diabetic women. Some women on these threads are asking their MOs or PCP's to prescribe them Metformin, outside the clinical trial. Some docs will; some won't. You have to have your liver checked every 6 months while on the drug or in the trial.
P.S. I sent you a private message via this board...
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bahamamom, that is great news! I know how worried you were and this must be such a relief. Scar tissue seems to be the norm after surgery and radiation.
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My onc appointment is Wednesday and she hasn't called so I am praying for a good report.
Congrats to you bahamamom on the good mammogram. Are you still taking Arimidex? If so, do you have side effects of any kind?
How is everyone doing with exercise? I have been doing the body test on the WiiFit and I am still obese but my WiiFit age today was 38. It said my body was in good shape! That's the best news I have gotten in a long time!
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Beth - hope your scan is clear!
Bahamamama-glad yours was clear!
I'm finally back home in NE. I still have one drain in place and can't wait to be done with it.
They did the rt mastectomy and took 47 nodes in the axillary node dissection. Only one of the nodes was positive, but they said it had cancer inside the node as well as some cancer cells outside of it.
With 47 nodes removed, the physical therapist recommended a lymphedema sleeve and gauntlet forever.
My mo said that while they don't consider me to have mets, they want to treat as if I do. He's recommending Xeloda and Ixempra and then rads to the level 3 nodes left in my chest.
I should find out tomorrow when we start the new stuff.
Signing out - Phyllis/Batgirl0 -
beth and bahamama - glad all was clear as the saying oes "Oh what a relief it is!"
Phyllis, you can do this - you shouldn't have to , but you can!
Had my first follow up since finishing all in February. Blood work all good so I have the green light to get the porta cath removed. YEAH!!! My onc recommends keeping it in until the first round of blood work comes back, so I was good and listened. April 19th is the day. I see him again at the end of June and wil have a CAT Scan the same day. There was a spot onmy lung during intial DX which they believe was from some childhood bronchitis or some such, but they need to go back and check. The spot needs to still be there, if it is gone it means it responded to treatment and was cancer. NOOOOOOOOOOO! So while we typically want clean scans, I very much want this spot to be there, same size etc. It can't have grown or disappeared. Remove the porta cath, scan with spot , breathe, that is my plan
Enjoy the day
Be well
Nel
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Phyllis, I hate it that you have to go through all of this. I didn't even know we had 47 nodes in that area. I hate cancer.
I know you'll find some great tips from others on this site who are doing those meds and battle lymph-edema. I hope those meds work great for you and keep you NED. I like your doctor's approach, too, to stay ahead of this horrible disease.
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Nel, Yay, for getting the port out. April 19 will be here before we know it.
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Beth, Exercise. I've got to be more consistent with that. Been doing hit and miss (mostly miss) between snow storms and rain.
I have a new pcp and I really really like her. She's 54, close to my age at 58, so has been through menopause. And another thing, she believes in alternative medicine (right up my alley), including supplements, massage, and acupuncture. She gave me the number of a Chinese medicine college here in town, that is very reasonable on price, because the students need someone to practice on. I'll probably give it a try. I was so excited that she agreed with all of the supplements I'm taking except for 1 and she's going to do some research on that one. Most of what I take is for bone building. I'm on Femara and of course, like all of the estrogen blocking drugs, it is known for doing a number on the bones. I was already osteopenic when I had my bone density scan last April. I know I need to add weight bearing exercise too and she is going to help with that as well. I start water exercises next week. She thought that would be good to start with and then build from there.
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Thanks to everyone for celebrating my good mammogram with me. Every time one of you posts a good test result or mammogramI feel like it is a victory for all of us.
Phyllis-I also was surprised at how many nodes you had. my doctor took 17 and I thought that was all of them. I have lymph edema and wear a sleeve and gauntlet every day. It is a pain but I have gotten used to it.
Nell-I hope your lung spot is stable so they can rule out cancer there. Keep us posted.
Beth-I have been taking arimidex since the end of feb last year. I had a lot of pain in my legs that I attributed to chemo because it started before I began the arimidex. But it lasted through early summer. I am sure that I got trigger thumb from the pills/first one started in march, then about 3-4weeks later the other one started. They got real bad and just when I decided I would have to see hand dr about them they finally started to get better. They are actually pretty good now a year later. Also vaginal dryness-I asked gyno about it but all he could give me was some kind of estrogen cream and I didn't think that would be a good idea so it is still a problem.0 -
Hi ladies. I talked to my local MO yesterday and we will start the Xeloda and Ixempra the week of April 22. Before I do that, I will try to get my chemotoenails taken care of. Both of my big toes have nail damage from Taxol last year. One is all bumpy and barely grows and the other grows but has been kind of deformed and ingrown....and painful. MO agreed that a podiatrist was a good idea before starting more chemo.
I also need to have a port placed. I had mine removed as soon as possible after my surgery last year so gotta have a new one. I also need to repeat an echo prior to starting treatment. We pushed that out a few weeks to give my incision more time to heal.
MO here agreed with the MDA treatment plan but explained more about it, including that while there are still some clinical trials on the drugs that the combination has proved effective in gaining several months before recurrence. At least that is what I understood yesterday. I have more reading to do!
Based on my SEs from T/FAC, my MO thought that I might be most susceptible to SEs of: hand and foot syndrome; mouth ulcers and diarreha along with the usual symptoms of slight nausea and tiredness. I hope I get to skip some of those!
Today is my 61st birthday! We had a party at my office with cake and flowers and I've had lots of emails and phone calls. Woohoo! Right now, 61 is feeling pretty good!
I hope we hear from Beth soon about her scan.
Phyllis
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