For Arimidex (Anastrozole) users, new, past, and ongoing
Comments
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Thank you so very much for your kind thoughts and wishes
Bren...I have a long haired red standard named Oskar, truly a lover boy. And Miss Heidi who is a mini short haired blk/tan.
I will fight this again...but this time we are not going to "assume" anything...LOL
And on the bright side UGA Bulldawgs won a hard fought game today against LSU. Hard to live in Athens, Ga and not be a dawg fan.
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Momof2.....I am also so sorry. Geez. However, I am also convinced you will be just fine. Happy birthday and make sure you continue to celebrate. Your puppies sound like amazing friends. - Claire
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momof2 - I am sorry you have to restart this fight again...I will be getting my first mammagram next month since all the treatments are completed and I have to admit, I am scared.
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IamNancy
Please do not fear...you had fairly extensive treatment; I know you will get a clean report. I am one of the very rare people this happens to. Makes me kinda special...have to find some humor, never thought of myself excelling in anything. But wow, I can grow new tumors!!
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mom, I see that you had two tumors, one l cm and l DCiS at 4 cm. I'm curious how a 4 cm tumor remained in the duct.
The DCIS was considered stage 0.
They were both in the same breast? I'm a little confused about DCIS. I thought it meant there was no spread.
I hope you don't mind my questions and if you'd rather not answer, I understand. I just get confused sometimes about how the whole thing works.
I like the others, feel sure that you'll be ok. It's just a pain to have to go through it all again. But as they say, you know what to expect. Do you think you will have a mastectomy this time?
Better get some more sleep.
Good luck, wishing you the best.
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Mom
DD did grad school there. GooooooooDawgs. woof woof
I'd move there today if I could.
Sorry to hear your new dx, hang in there!0 -
mom, sorry to hear you have to fight this again..too bad you have to be one of the rare kinds.. wish you could have just one the lottery type instead
! But I know you will fight it again. I too will be afraid when the next mammo comes along! take care, we will all be thinking of you.0 -
Mom- sorry to hear about the news of the new tumor. You have worked hard to follow your treatment plan and reduce your risk with weight loss, etc. We will be here for you as you go through this next round of treatment.
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momof2, I too fell into that rare/special category. My recurrance risk was 1-2%, but 12 years later there I was again. And every Doc felt the need to remind me of how "special" and uncommon my case was. There are a few of us on these boards. Still too many IMHO though.
BTW, my DIL with the mini long haired doxie (blonde) is a HUGE Dawgs fan as she grew up in GA!
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Momof2, so sorry for your updated diagnosis at your birthday! But try to think of it as the gift of life....if you didn't have that follow-up mammogram, then who knows what would happen?
Momof2 and Bren, I too keep hearing what an "interesting case" I have. DCIS in the left, then two tumors in right. One was ER+/PR+ and they thought the second was the same so they did not send it for pathology. Thankfully the MO sent a sample for oncotype screening which showed Triple Negative. Total turnaround! Recently I was in the hospital for four days with a post-chemo neutropenic fever....I think every doctor (and there were lots of them) that came in commented on my interesting case. Certainly it's nice to know that people think that you are interesting, but I can think of lots of other interesting things to do......
I wish you all the best. Do what you need to do so you will be around for the long haul. We are all in this together. I have not yet started my Armidex (originally thought I would have by this point but took the chemo detour first). I do appreciate all the posts, suggestions, tips, and support from all you ladies. BTW I just warned my hubby to expect the emergence of Godzilla in about six months after the chemo is done.........)
Martha
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Timbuk...My second tumor is in the other breast(right). The left breast had a lumpectomy followed by radiation. Yes the left breast had IDC and DCIS. Now the right side has the same with identical hormone receptors and the same stage 3. I am one for the BOOKS.
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Timbuktu there are people on these boards that actually have 5, 6 & 7cm DCIS. I think those ducts can stretch. But if the cancer mutates and learns how to move outside the duct.
My BS was quite surprised that my tumor hadn't move to the nodes at 6.5cm total with the grade 3 HER2+. If only they could figure out why some do and some don't
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Momof2, I'm so sorry about your new tumor. That's what we all dread, and it makes me sad when any of us ends up being 'special.' Surprising that it grew to 4 cm in one year. They do mammos on my surgical side every 6 months but on both breasts only once a year, Given your case, I wish they'd scan both breasts every 6 months.
Do hope you do well. Sounds like you have a good attitude!!0 -
Thanks lago. It just drives home what a mystery this disease is. It seems to have so little predictability.
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Wave Whisper...just said good bye to my DD who lives in Charleston, she came up to see me for the weekend.
Just to make things clearer, my old tumor was 1.9 cm IDC with 4cm DCIS in my left breast...That one is gone due to the lumpectomy. The new tumor is in my right breast and 2cm on US with the same grade and markers as the previous one. They say it is a new primary tumor...LOL...yea, like its evil twin. Arimidex failed with me IMO.
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Did you have the oncotype done on the new tumor? Seems to me that would prove whether or not it's genetically the same tumor or not. Either way Arrimidex has failed.
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Timbuktu...I am meeting with my surgeon tomorrow. The next step is to test me for BRCA1 & 2. If positive for the gene, I will have to have my ovaries removed in addtion to the BMX. The oncotype has not been ordered because I have not had surgery to determine if it has spread to the nodes and whether I will need chemo. Lots of unknowns at this time and all the drs. have their own timetable as to when they can "work me in". I really fought this beast with all my might, eliminating all types of things from my diet, making it immpossible to go out to eat anywhere, or enjoy food with others. I cooked all my foods and carried them with us on vacation, not eating out in a restaurant one time since my diagnosis in 9/2012. I lost 30 lbs, had little to no side effects of the rads. Some everyone thought I had it beat, or never had "the bad kind of BC".
Today I am feeling numb again. Tomorrow is my 60th birthday and I get to spend it with my d@#$ surgeon.
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I hope you can press them to see you quickly. I have found that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. That's my husband, it's hard for me to push. But it's amazing how they can find time when you press.
every dr i have asked about diet has said the same thing "Just a healthy diet" ie, it makes no difference what you eat.
When I spoke to the dietician and told her that her eyes bugged out and she said their were piles of studies that proved the opposite. The good part is that you know you did your best. Had you not, you would be blaming yourself somehow. Why do we do that to ourselves, I don't know.
And now you will be worked on and hopefully cured. Hang in there!
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Mono. I'll be thinking about you and wishing you a happy birthday. Hang in there.
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Doxie..My thoughts are with you on your 60th, and your future appointments. Stay well....0 -
YES! Happy Birthday Doxie, and many many more!!!
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Oh That is so sweet...thank you very very much..you lifted my spirits. Bless you sweet ladies.
((HUGS))
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Happy Birthday Doxie!! wishing you all the best..
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You guys are confusing me. You do know there is a momof2doxies and a doxie on this forum. The 2nd one is one of the gals walking on my team for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
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Hi there. What is it about Claritin (which is for allergies) that helps to take away the pain when using 'A' meds?? Just curious. thanks
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heartrocklady - Good question! What's funny is that joint and muscle pain are some of the potential side effects of Loratadine (generic for Claritin).
I got to thinking that perhaps it was the process of blocking histamine, which causes huge inflammatory responses in the body. I Googled "Histamine and Joint Pain" and came up with this article.
http://www.ehow.com/about_6661741_histamine-joint-pain.html
Here is just one paragraph:
Any tissue damage triggers an immune response in the body that leads to inflammation. Histamine and other chemicals cause blood vessels to dilate and become leaky. The leakage of blood into the surrounding tissue causes swelling and pain, explains Dr. Stan Gardner, a specialist in pain management. Joint pain is associated with chronic inflammation.
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Heartrocklady~~I asked the nurse/practioner at my oncologists office. She said, they aren't sure why it works, but they've seen it work enough to know it does.
I take in the am with my arimidex. I get stiff, but I have no bone or joint pain.
Blessings
Paula0 -
OK, this is one of the things that drives me nuts and why I'm afraid to take Claritin or anything else.
The explanations all contradict each other. If he's telling me the truth, my dr says that the pain is from an increased sensitivity of the nerves of the body, not from inflammation or any kind of damage. Inflammation is one of the supposed causes of cancer, heart disease, etc. Inflammation is bad. Inflammation is the enemy. So, if Arrimidex cuts recurrence, how can it also be causing inflammation? And if the joints and blood vessels are leaky, yikes! Of course there is "no data" on Arrimidex (a quote from my BS) so everything is up in the air. And my head is spinning!
I like to understand things. I like things to make sense. I don't like flying blind. But that's how I feel through this entire process. We don't know what caused the cancer, really, just risk factors. We don't know what "cures" the cancer, just a crap shoot. And then there are all of these crazy side effects from a very new drug. And we're taking drugs to combat side effects and make life bearable when we have absolutely no idea what is really going on and how they are all interacting? AHHHH!
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lago - thanks for pointing that out - I was referring to momof2doxies - I didn't realize there was a doxie..
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As far as I've been able to research the Claritin works "sometimes" after neupogen shots - never have heard that it works with Arimidex and in fact my drs. both onc and pcp have warned me away from all anti-histamines, cold meds, etc. because they can add to bp and heart problems - if you're going to try any of these once again, check with your drs.
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