February 2012 Chemo
Comments
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Susan, oh that stinks!!! Ugh!!!
Firstcall, congratulations! That's great news! And thirteen grandchildren! Woo that much keep you busy!
msbelle, I have had the pleasure of two ports and therefore two port removals. It is no big deal at all. Very quick procedure, I think I might have taken a bit of tylenol for a couple of days after. Girl, after everything else you have been through, you're going to have paper cuts that bother you more than this. I went to work immediately after getting mine out.
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Msbelle
I had mine out a little over a month for sure now. I got the same twighlight (spelling?) sedation as I did when it went in. Neither procedure was much different from the other. You'll be fine. Just another PITA procedure.
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Grit, that sucks that you are heading on this much-anticipated cruise feeling like crud. I hope you can lie in the sun and just bake the cold out of you, and come back feeling much better.
Firstcall, congratulations! What a blessing.
Msbelle, when I first read your post I thought you were being deported, as in, removed from country, and I was horrified. Then I read a little closer... Hope it goes smoothly..
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I thought the same but I too read it again. My port was no problem and had no pain.
Today I went to see my GP this is the lovely guy who has helped the whole family. I have had a lump near my groin about 2" above the groin near my tubes. It's 2" long and I thought it was fatty tissue like what's in my breast. I 've had it before Xmas and now it's got bigger so I went to the doctor's.
He said he would do a letter to the Onco doctor so she could US it. Also said I should call the breast care nurse and tell her and she could tell my doctor.
I called the breast care nurse and told her my story and she said, " do you know your doctor well" I said why and she laughed. Then she said she wasn't sure why I needed to see the doctor because she didn't know what the problem was. She called me back and said my doctor say's, when she gets the letter she will read it. If I haven't heard in a month contact her again. Then she said the doctor was busy and more important things to deal with. I said I wasn't happy with that and I would go else where and she was happy with that and put the phone down.
I couldn't believe this and told my GP and he is going to send me to my local hospital.
Shoud I be upset? I thought she was mean't to look after me.0 -
Ali
You have every right to be upset, pissed off even, I know I would be. She should be reported. Cow.
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This is why people over here never go to see doctors because we are made to feel, time wasters.
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Margo - Yes you have been Missing In Action .... dropped off the boards. How are you doing? Fill us in on your going's about.
Hildy - I had that 'deportion' image in my mind too.
Ali - Did your primary doctor get you in to see someone else for that ultrasound? I'm so sorry you have to put up with that over there.
Grit - I'm hoping and praying you are sailing the 7 seas or about to and that your bronchitis has taken a leave of absence!
Msbelle - Hope all goes well with your port removal. I was under for the insertion and removal (moreso for the insertion - as I vaguely remember some sensation of tugging with the removal and they said I was talking to them.)
Saw the Physician Assistant today and she gave me the go ahead to take a real shower (but face away from the shower stream). Enough of washing my hair in the sink or over the bathtub
) Still have to wear a surgical bra. With my masectomy and DIEP reconstruction I could NOT wear any bra until 6 weeks - so it's interesting to have the reverse with this much smaller, skin removal surgery. I'm missing my running - and have to wait at least until I see my surgeon on the 24th for clearance to resume. My mood certainly gets messed up without those endorphins pumping and this dreary gray weather is not helping. Also get to resume taking my Tamoxifen. Had to stop 2 weeks before so I've been off 3 weeks and I had such perfect attendance where that med was concerned ;0)Okay ... so I've been having some pains. Most of these things I would have totally written off prior to all this bc ... but now I'm not certain. I had some knee and shin pain - which normally I would write off to something to do with my running - and I know it's not LONG bone pain. Before this latest little surgery I was having some back pains. When I return home from running I usually lie down and stretch and it was really killing to do that - (did not seem muscular) - and then my husband would go to hug me and it would feel like it was crushing and crunching. I'd heard - give some things a week or two ... well then it was Easter and this surgery and I've really not had a repeat on that.
The last few days I've had some pains in my breast (to the inside - cleavage side) like little sharp stabs sometimes and other times little channel radiating pains along with some pain that seems to be around my sternum. It's not constant. My PA said that although the skin removal was on the other side of my breast, my surgeon was operating on the whole breast. She also reminded me that I'd been intubated and that sometimes patients will have some discomfort relating to that after surgery. She is having me try ibuprofen every 6 hours for 24 hours and see how I feel. Said it might have to do with reflux that people experience with the intubation - but I don't think that's it at all. And also told me to follow up with my primary care doctor too if it persists.
I have so many appointments over the next month - they lined up that way - Yearly gyn appointment (next week); 6 mos follow-up with RO (24th); follow-up with surgeon(24th); 3 mos follow-up with primary care (last week of the month); labs drawn the first week of May and then 3 mos appointment with MO the next week. Breast MRI and 6 mos appt. with Breast Surgeon in May too. It's not like I won't have the opportunity to talk to my team. LOL. But do I just wait until I see them? I'm just antsy and frustrated. I've always been a run through the pain kinda gal and take OTC meds and see how things shake out. Just hate that aches and pain send my mind to a dark place. I hate the dark place! I'm 49 years old and perfectly healthy, right?
Someone help me process!
Hugs!
Diana
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Diana, you have to do what feels right in your heart. From where I am sitting, it is easy for me to say, give yourself more time to heal from your surgeries and see if the pains go away by the time your appointments come around in a couple of weeks. But if you are feeling really frightened, it's not worth the stress you'll have to endure during the wait.
I've scheduled a ridiculous amount of appointments for myself too now that the semester is ending. I have at least one appointment every week or two it seems. Most of it is just piddly things I have put off; biannual teeth cleaning (5 months overdue), annual eye exam (7 months overdue), follow up x-ray for a (benign) cyst taken out of my jaw a couple of years ago (5 months overdue), annual women's exam (6 months overdue), plus appointment with recon surgeon, appointment with oncologist...I think that is everything. LOL Oh and an appointment to get fingerprinted so I can apply for my social work license. My boss is going to have a cow when he sees all of my time off requests.
Ali that is HORRID. I am so glad your GP is working to get you seen.
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I'm having a pelvis US on Monday 22nd April so not too long to wait. I have this lump and pain in the pelvis during sex and whilst trying to get into my jeans haha.
So fed up with things popping up but we have to get them looked at. I'm 99% sure it's fatty tissue and it's the tamoxifen that's giving me the pain.
My dog is doing better, middle daughter feeling a bit better and no weight lose. She is even doing her college work well and the teachers are telling her so. I think the meds are kicking in so I feel a bit better about giving them to her.
Trying really hard not to reach for the wine but it's so hard when your stressed.
Love to everyone xxx0 -
Diana....if you are having reflux from the intubation, you should be taking antiacids. Ibuprofen would only make that worse. It wouldnt hurt anything to try some antiacids and see if it helps. If its musculoskeletal or something that ibuprofen would help, it may take more than 24 hours to tell. Ibuprofen helps a little the first day, a little more the second day and so on. Peak antiinflamaatory effect is in 10-14 days. But if you have acid problems it may make things worse.
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Grit, hope the trip can be salvaged. Get feeling better!
MLB, glad you popped in. First Call, congrats on lucky #13! Diana, it could just be nerves repairing themselves too. Christina, congrats on finishing, still praying on your test results! Ali, so glad you got an appt, and that your daughter is doing better. Msbelle, I still have my port in, onc says it can come out, but I just couldnt face another surgery right now. I still need something done with the implant I have left, so I will either get it pumped up and Exchanged, or taken out, so I will get it done then. Hildy, I had that thought the first time I heard deported! LOL much love.0 -
Hi everyone,
I have decided to stop the Tamoxifen the SE are so bad I've had enough.
I have massive weight gain, bloating all over, terrible joint pain, fullness in my stomach that I can't bend over, hot flushes all the time, pain in my hips whilst having sex.
Also still have pain in my shoulder from Rads and now have rib pain the same side.
I've had enough and will take my chances !!!
Hope everyone is well xx0 -
Ali - I stopped too. I may try again, but I couldn't take it either. I have never felt so unhealthy in my life. I was to the point of no relief from the joint pain. Ive got to think at this point, the excercising was slowing down, I haven't slept for 8 months, eating extra sugar because im so damn tired. I'm taking crap to try to sleep, taking more crap for the pain and stiffness - I feel like this pill is actually destroying my health. I have got to get back on track. I also didn't realize how much I was swelling. I've been off for 6 days and I've lost about 5 lbs - I'm sure it's water. Sleeping is not quite back to normal, but I don't have to get up at 3 or 4 to walk around to relieve the joint and back pain in the hopes i can go back to sleep. All of the knee and hip pain was completely gone by the 4 th day. I've got to think that excercising, eating right and not frying my liver with ibuprofen, tamoxifen and gabapentin has got to be some sort of a trade off. I have an appt with the MO this week and will be having a serious talk with her about my actual risk. Every time I look into the stats - the chemo seem to be the factor that had the biggest impact - tamoxifen seems to add very little in my case. She's gonna really have to sell me on this for me to go back on it...but I definitely will continue th break for awhile.
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AEM47- you have all the SE I have and I was doing the same. I will have a break from it and see how I feel. My onco said the other drugs are even worse so I'm thinking I'll take nothing.
I too am eating more sugar, drinking, eating to get me through the day. All these things are not good and I can't walk up hills which I love.
Who know's if we will get cancer again!0 -
Funny - ill drink just to relieve a little of the pain! I think I'm doing a job on myself with trying to offset this drug and feel normal..although nothing I was taking was helping,
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OK everyone. Tomorrow is the Boston Marathon, and I'm running it. This is my re-entry into marathoning since treatment. I won't be fast, but I do plan to finish. I was going to run it last year, but it was hot and I was in Chemo so I deferred. Now here we are. If you are so inclined, you can track me during the marathon. I'm in the 3rd wave which starts at 10:40 EST, and I'll probably reach the starting line 5-10 minutes after that. They have timing mats about every 5K. You have to finish in less than 6 hours to get a medal, and I think I can finish in 5 1/2 hours. To track me, go to baa.org and follow the links. My race number is 25980. I hope everyone is doing well. I appreciate each of you and hope you are well.
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Go First Call! We will be following along with you. You will do it this year!
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Cheering for you Firstcall!! You deserve a medal no matter what your time is. You got this!! We are proud!!
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You rock Firstcall!!! Cheering for you here in Illinois!
Thanks for your kind words and encouragement and professional advice too. I wrote a long response and thought it posted but evidently it disappeared in cyber space. I'll save that for another time.
Just know that you have all of us February 2012 Chemo friends in your pocket cheering you on!
So you know you will have to think about us when you get to mile 2 (February) and mile 12 (2012) ... and smile and know we've got your back in prayer!Praying for an injury free run for you and that you will feel the joy and exuberance and peace!!
Hugs,
Diana
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Good luck Firstcall - we will be tracking and cheering you on!!!!!!!
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Thanks everyone...just arrived at Hopkinton
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Have a great run Firstcall! We're all rooting for you!
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Good luck, will track you. Xx
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hello!
at work- work is crazy-good tho!
lots going on but no time- going to try to track firstcall if my comp at work will let me
diana- i will try to get online at home soon to update
love all of you guys! tomorrow is anniversary of my LX.
i'm doing well.....
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Firstcall has made it past the half!
1:22:19 pm (EST) he had a 2:31:39 time!
He's doing it!
Keep those prayers going!!!
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Yes half way and what a great time. Hope he has lots of fluids and snacks.
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It's really good running weather here, sunny but cool--much better than last year's heat.
I am the only one in my family who didn't go watch because I am on deadline, but I did give a virtual cheer for you, Firstcall! Go you!
Edit: Oh my god. News is reporting that there were two large explosions near the finish line with serious injuries. Praying for Firstcall.
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This is insanity!
Praying for our Firstcall.
His last bib update was at 3:16:20 and that was the 35K mark. Explosion was some time after 2:00 .. I had the wrong time initially. .
Knowing Firstcall's heart - if anything - he'd be looking after others. Praying for Adrian (aka Firstcall)
Prayers for the people of Boston, the running community, and those injured and their loved ones.
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Omg, this is terrible just seen it on tv.
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OMG how terrible. I hope he's OK but it looks like he was still 5K out by the tracker. I hope they were able to re-route.
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