new and future flat sister, with questions
Comments
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We even give probiotics to the cats at the shelter because they're on antibiotics. My friend, who has IBS, believes she's getting probiotics in frozen yoghurt. If I had her problems I would go to the health food store and find at least 3 kinds with different stuff and take them all. I doubt that frozen yoghurt has any, although good yoghurt does.
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Anyone have any advice? For the past 1-2 months I have been starving all the time. Today I ate lunch at noon and was starving at 3pm. Naturally I'm gaining weight (duh). I just don't know how to break this cycle.
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Hi Wren, I should have mentioned that Dex has been on dog food with Pro Biotics since his big tumor surgery a few years ago too! The effect for him has been amazing, he has the sweetest breath and no tooting!
I read somewhere that you would need to eat somewhere like 20+ tubs of yogurt to get even a tiny dose of Pro Biotics.
I am no expert, but the only thing that will make me feel really full is high fiber foods. I get that 3pm feeling too and have a box of high fiber low sugar health bars that I allow myself. They are made by the same company that makes the pro biotic drink that we buy.
This is off their website. I don't know if they are sold over there, but there would be something similar. They are very, very filling.
Flora Blend Live Food Bars are a great healthy treat
that are handy on the go or at home for improved digestion and nutrition!
Finally a tasty, yummy snack we dont have to feel guilty about! Most people
are so busying trying to fit so much into every day that we dont find the
time to give our bodies the nutrition it deserves.
* Flora Blend Bars give you a tasty, nutritious snack that fills you up,
helps to cut the sugar cravings and gives you a daily hit of natural
probiotics
* Processed using Flora Ferm. A natural, organic fermentation process that
prepares organic grains, greens and foods without destroying the natural
nutrients within.
* This can in turn increase the nutritional value of the finished food, add
active good bacteria to the digestive system and can also assist in making
the food easier to metabolize
* Only the best quality ingredients used offering a concentrated natural
boost and other health benefits including; Cranberries - a great source of
antioxidants and Vitamin C, Oats, which are high in protein and are great
sources of thiamine and vitamin B1 and many, many more * Ingredients:
cranberries, almond & almond paste, dates, rice, oak flakes, coconut, honey,
malt liquid, queen garnet plum, tumeric, maqui berry, bilberry extract,
grape seed extract, oat groats, maize, goji berry, alfalfa seed, rice, pearl
barley, ginger, linseed, mung beans, wheat grain, millet grain, buckwheatCatch you later....M x
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Hello Dear Sisters,
Finished Chemo yesterday and had the shot today so I figured I would drop you all a note before I disappear for another week or so. Didn't get any rally days last infusion and I am already starting to feel it coming on again! The good news is I only have one more left!!! Hooray!
OTC- I pray you are finding some relief! That antibiotic is a nasty one! My SIL told me to take Acidophilus tablets to help with the loss of good bacteria from chemo. This probiotic is in activia yogurt as well. It should help! BTW my SIL is a clinical registered dietician and I have to admit she knows her stuff! She is also my biggest advocate and would never steer me wrong! Gentle hugs to you! {{{{}}}}
Ariom- sorry to hear about your friend. I hope she finds comfort and healing soon. All your soup talk even has me, the ultimate meat and potatoes girl, interested in your vitamix! As we move towards summer we eat less soup, but when fall approaches there is nothing better! Hummm...
Jsj- hoping you are doing well. I did see that it has been getting warmer down there. I have family down by you and worry about the storms all spring and summer long. I hope you are storm free this season!
Wren- could the season change have anything to do with your hunger? My body used to change every 7 years. Weight, exercise activity, and eating habits all seemed to go in cycles. I am still moving toward my new normal so I'm pretty clueless as to how my body will cycle from here on out. Could your new normal be changing? I hope you figure it out so you don't fret over it! In the meantime eat as best you can. I always found I did better to allow myself to eat what I was craving in moderation or I would eat everything in sight!
Chemo brain has gotten to me already! I do hope everyone is doing well and know that I would mention each of you if I only had half the brain capacity I had before! Always, S
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M, is it your friend you see on Thursdays with the ovarian c?
Birdie, I am starving too. xx
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hi everyone, just got home from Zumba dance class.. Whew what a workout! But good for me.
OTC, so sorry to hear how you are feeling, wish I could do something for you. Those drugs are tough on our bodies but what can we do.
SG, one more to go.. Yippee
Sorry about your friend Ariom, that is hard, makes us feel helpless.
Wren, I feel your pain, hungry a lot too, I try to drink water and see if it goes away, we'll not usually, we are both on arimidex and not supposed to have much hormones left, but sometimes it seems like a hormonal thing for me?
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Hi girls, yes Bobo, my Thursday GF has Ovarian C, she is the sweetest soul you'd ever meet, but she isn't doing well. She is going to Canberra for Easter while her only Daughter has a hysterectomy, because she too carries the BRCA gene. It's so unfair and very sad. Thankfully the Daughter has had her children.
It is so wet here, it has been coming down in buckets all night and I just went out to do some grocery shopping and go to the pharmacy, even with a jacket I am drenched and it is quite cool. We can't even see past our front fence for the rain and there's a whiteout over the water. I miss Summer already!
I was outside yesterday admiring all the Camellias that have come out, but the petals are all over the grass from the violent rain storms. Boy, were we lucky with the sailing the past couple of weeks! M x
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Hi nd, Zumba, I am envious, I wish I could get motivated to drive into town to go to classes like that!
Sgc, so sorry you have to do this and it is hitting hard, but so glad you just have one more to go to knock that c out of the ballpark! Gentle hugs for you and I hope you can relax and sleep it off this week. Take care! M x
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Ariom, So sad about your friend. I hope she enjoys the time with her daughter and grandchildren.
ND, There's a zumba class at the senior center but it's at 8:30am. Do you need any dancing ability? DD loves it but she's a good dancer. I'm clumsy with poor balance.
Sgc, Gentle hugs. Sorry it's treating you so poorly.
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I've been hungry too and thought it was hormonal because it's what I did PMS.
You only need a since of humor for Zumba. I have no rhythm and two left feet. It's fun and you laugh a lot. Next week is my last Livestrong class and I've got to find something.
The support meeting wore me out. It took three hours to do my hair, nails and makeup. My trainee didn't like how my hair turned out after washing it 4 times, round brushing it and flat ironing. So the trainer came and redid my hair. I had fun but it took its toll.
Took a nap on Tuesday and Wednesday. Even skipped Livestrong.
This weekend is going to be a busy one. Today trying to get stuff done around the house. Sat family get together - egg hunt and nieces and nephews birthdays for 2014. Sunday going to Keeneland Race Track for bc day. Lunch, programs, fashion show plus horses. Supposed to be a gorgeous weekend. Swim lessons tonight but might storm. I hope they get cancelled.
Hello everyone. Hang tough OTC and SGC. Stay busy SJS. Get out and enjoy the weekend if you can.
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Hi All!
I apologize if I did not provide you with an update of my diagnosis - or did I? I have been on so many discussion threads lately!! So if I missed you, I sam so sorry! Plus I have been crying a bit more than I would care to admit!!! So, here we go;
Today I go to a chemo class at the hospital to learn all about the wonderful world of chemo!! I don't think that my news is so wonderful anymore. I am scared again - down in the dumps and back to being convinced that I will be dead very soon! I cry and then, suddenly, I am back to being strong again
I was told that once I am diagnosed, things will roll very quickly and that is exactly what has happened. Since feeling this lump in my armpit in late January, time has flown. Here it is April 11th, 3 weeks and 4 days since surgery and I am recovering quite well. My range of motion has improved and although the fluid has returned, it is only a bit and not even half as much as what I had before seeing the surgeon.
So, my Oncologist is Dr Sheldon Fine. He is actually the Chief of Oncology at the Credit Alley Hospital and helped to establish the Cancer Centre at this hospital in 2005. The hospital is no more than 15 minutes from my house.
So, my pathology report confirms the following:
- Invasive ductal carcinoma AND Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
- 2 of 21 lymph nodes had macro metastases --> size of largest metastatic deposit: 1.9cm (that must have been the lump under my arm - I'm guessing that this means it was pretty full of cancer cells??)
- Tumor size: 2.3cm x 1.3cm x 1.1cm --> single focus of invasive carcinoma
- Grade: 3 (I know that this means aggressive which is what I thought)
Skin invasion: absent
Skeletal muscle: free of cancer
Margins for invasive cancer = Clear 4mm
Margins for DCIS = clear 7mm
This means that the primary tumour was removed
Lymph-Vascular Invasion - Present
I know that this means that the cancer may have already started to spread. While it was found in lymph nodes, it may also have started to spread to other parts of the body - hence chemo. Since the bone and CT scans were clear, hopefully it was just starting to spread (diagnosed by Dr Ang)
ER/PGR/HER2 positive
So, I don't see where the Oncologist sees this as looking good! He told me that I will have a long life as it is in the early stage. How? It is grade 3 (which I know is aggressive), in 2 lymph nodes (macro spread) and triple positive!!!!!! I think that he is just blowing smoke up my bum!!
So what are the positives of cancer?
- I've met a lot of people and made new friends (such as yourself) with more to come
- I will save $ on hair products!!
- I have re-connected with people, some of whom I haven't heard from in 35+ years!!
- I am learning more about myself
- This is happening at a good time of year - I won't have to deal with snow storms and the chemo treatments will be over just in time for the football season to start!!!!
Other than that, I am sacred to death! This lady that I chat with shared an article saying that treatment should start no more than 30 days after surgery to increase chances of survival. I'm bacb to thinking that I am a dead woman!! I can't believe that I have been so healthy for so many years and in a blink of an eye have become so infected!!!
Most of the women that I have chatted with who have had awesome recoveries are not triple positives, let alone HER2+. I am doomed!!!!!!
Hopefully all will work out!!
So, my schedule is as follows:
- April 22: Heart test
- April 29: 8am - insert port; bloodwork and meet with Oncologist
- April 30: Noon - Chemo round 1
Meds:
My treatment is referred to as FEC-D. It consists of 6 cycles given on a single day for 21 days.
- The first 3 cycles = Flourouracil (or Adrucil) + Epirubicin (or Pharmorubicin) + Cyclophosphamide (or Procytox). The last med includes tables as well.
- The last 3 cycles = Docetaxel (or Taxotere)
During the above cycle I will also get an injection of Neulasta.
At some point Herceptin will be introduced which will last approx 1 year.
Then I will get Tamoxefin for 5-10 years - if I live that long!!!!!My hubby and I will be going away for approx 1 week to get a break from all of this. As such, I might not be around too much during that period of time so DON'T WORRY. He wants me to forget about everything and just concentrate on having fun. We will be going to Montreal and NYC all by train - I love the train and haven't traveled on one in nearly 30 years!!!!! I'll re-connect once we are back!!
:-)
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Hang in there FootBallNut!
My diagnosis & treatment isn't exactly the same as yours but similar. (you have meds after chemo, I have radiation) It is overwhelming at first. But now you have a plan so just concentrate on getting through each day, step by step toward beating this!
As far as chemo, try to think of each infusion as a positive thing, a day you are catered to, a day you know is killing those bad cells & helping to make you well.
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thank you vintagegal!!
How has the herceptin been for you?
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Idesim did/does herceptin.
My LE therapist sees a woman who's been on herceptin for six years. She's still trucking along.
If your MO was worried about the delay, there wouldn't be one.
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FootBall
no issues with the Herceptin at all. Started end of Nov with Taxol, when Taxol ended in Feb I get Hrcepotin every 3 weeks, til Dec. I have had two echos & will have another next month (every 3 months).
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I started Chemo 6 weeks post MX, I was supposed to start at 4 weeks, but developed an abscess in a tooth, that went to the bone, so I had to wait 2 weeks. I'm still NED at 4 years! My tumor was the size of a softball, with the cancerous part about 5 cm, on 5 lymph nodes, the were clumped together and basically all cancer. With HER2 herceptin is the most important drug, it can work like magic on HER2 tumors, it's also the easiest of the drugs to tolerate! Hope this helps footballnut. Have you checked out the HER2 forums? There's one called Triple Positive, they have tons of info!
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Footballnut, No chemo advice here, but have a wonderful trip. Your DH is right that a week away will hit the spot.
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Hi all! Stopping in to say hello.. and let you know I'm alive lol.
I have missed you all, but I have to admit that staying away from the forums has stopped me thinking about cancer so much... I don't think about it everyday anymore and find myself going a couple of days or more before something triggers a thought In fact, I almost missed my Herceptin appt. last week and had the strangest sensation while I was there of like... why am I here? Hard to explain
So to update... life is good.. Spring is starting to show itself, we are in the mid 50's to low 60's and it's supposed to hit 70's on Monday!! A week or two and gardening can start. I can't believe that awful winter is finally over.
I did the weight loss soup thing for 4 1/2 days about 3 weeks ago and was able to drop 5 lbs and I wasn't even doing that good with the treadmill that week. I'm thinking I'll do it once a month and see how it goes. Now that the weather is pleasant I'll be a lot more active and I generally eat less come summer anyways. Maybe I get get another 10 lbs off by fall.
I finally succumbed to the workplace sickness not once, but twice in the past month and am still trying to get over the latest bout! Slept on the couch a couple of times this week so not to have disturb Joe!
Been busy at work, but not in my area of expertise which is real estate.... since it has been so slow, I have given my services over to the litigation dept and they have kept me very busy (and employed). Hopefully things will pick up soon so I don' t have to keep worrying about that.
I think of where I was a year ago, which was just out of surgery and can't believe how fast the time flies.. even when you aren't really having fun. I hope this year I can overdo it to my heart's content.
Not sure how much catching up I'll be able to do.... but Love you ladies.... big hugs!
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Footballnut.... I have read on these forums and have been informed by both my surgeon and my MO that triple positive is the one of the most treatable types now. You are not doomed at all. Your treatment plan is very similar to those of us who are Her2. When I first heard lymph node involvement I almost threw up right there and then. I have had 3 people close to me die from Lymphoma, and thought that's what I had.. luckily I found out that this line is thinking couldn't be further from the truth.
I am 4 months into my 2nd year of Herceptin, because the fear of recurrence for me is very high. Yes, it is inconvenient at times to be going for treatment every 3 weeks. Yes it is a pain in the butt having to have the echo every 3 months, but it becomes part of your reality easier than you ever think it will. The SE's from Herceptin are pretty minimal for most people I believe. For me, weight gain has been a big one (although it could be the Tamoxifen as well) and I feel a little out of it the evening after an infusion (I go at the end of a work day). Other than the heart risks, the only thing that pisses me off about it is my damn fingernails are so weak and they just shred and break constantly (which could also be from Tamoxifen) ... I always had nice fingernails
As far as Tamoxifen SE's.. everybody is different and you can scare yourself to death reading about everybody's SE's ...... I was so scared to take it that I put it off for months. I don't really have any on it, but have to admit dreading my next pap smear.
I totally believe that how you do is what you make of it.... I'm not saying go hop skip and jumping to your treatments, but it won't be as bad as you think... surgery wasn't.. right?
(I haven't had a chance to read back in the thread.. I sure hope to hell you haven't had trouble or I'll look pretty stupid haha )0 -
So the biggest question I have is.. how many more foobs has M bought and has Bobogirl been behaving herself in my absence?
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ldesim! So good to see you!! I have been kind of MIA here too and I really couldn't understand why. Then I read what you wrote and BAM! that's why. I just had to take some time away. I love all my sisters here more than I can express, and I am reading as much as I can to keep up, and get reports of our recent sx gals, but I have kind of stepped back for a bit.
I didn't have to do radiation, chemo, or take hormone therapy, but I am realizing this has really taken a toll on me mentally/emotionally. I feel depressed a lot and have really been in hermit mode lately.
Lots of hugs to all my sisters!
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Idesim! So happy to hear from you! It's refreshing to get your perspective of life after the thick of BC treatment, it's great that it's not part of your daily thoughts anymore. Looking forward to getting there (can't yet, but one day)! Sorry for the colds you had and for the stressful situation at work. Is the Boston real estate market actually slow? Congrats on the weight loss! And yay for spring!!
Footballnut, I am so sorry. Great words of wisdom from Idesim, and the triple + does mean that you have all these tx options - well, they're not really options I guess :-). And don't worry about the stupid saying to get chemo x days after surgery; like Zills says, your MO would have stressed about timing if it really was important. I started chemo 8 weeks after surgery: delay due to stupid holiday shutdown of our darling hospitals, and then delay due to my infection that needed to heal before they would start giving me chemo. I think chemo is currently killing every cancer cell that would have developed during those weeks! As you know from my "signature", you'll get the same cocktail as I'm getting, which is really equivalent to the AC-T our American friends often get. It's do-able, it's only 6 infusions, and we'll just be happy when it's DONE! As for the whole death talk... yes, this cancer reality is scary. Yes, it's possible we'll die from it. One day. Or we might get hit by a truck. I hope you know (if not, I do and I'm sure there are tons on these boards) many women who have been through chemo and are still living a good life many years later. So, one thing at a time. {{{hugs}}}
Speaking of ladies who have been through it, I just learned that my 71 yr old aunt has BC. She had ovarian cancer 10 years ago and has the BRCA2 mutation like I do. I find it almost amazing that she had not had BC before! Anyway, she went through a scary experience with the ovarian cancer (it was, of course, advanced by the time they found it), and went through chemo then. Hopefully no chemo is needed this time, she doesn't know yet. However, it will be interesting to see what sx she chooses - from the little I know, it seems she only needs a lumpectomy. However, being BRCA2+, I almost hope she chooses bmx. Sure you don't want to get a mastectomy if you don't need one, but does she want to take the chance of getting another cancer in 5 years and another surgery then? She'll have more info next week. Her sister (my other aunt who went through BC twice, chemo, bmx+recon) will be at the apt too.
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gB! Sending you a big hug! Gosh I wish we did not live so far away from each other. I think we could cheer each other up in person! Allow yourself to be a hermit if that's how you are feeling, but please come out soon... How's your land holding up to the melt? Is your little stream quite high these days? Are your crystals selling ok?
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Wren, I'm always hungry too but it's nothing new for me... I can't blame hormones/hormonal therapy/chemo/nothing! BUT today, the weirdest SE has kicked in: tastebuds are gone!!! I knew it was a possible SE, I had noticed strange sensations in my mouth lately but it really hit today: I had a Quizno's sandwich at lunch, asked for honey-mustard, and felt like I was eating cardboard. I thought they must have forgotten to put mustard, then I saw it clear as day in my sandwich. Then tonight, we tried this new smokehouse restaurant, I had a pulled pork sandwich (yeah, quite the nutritious day), and tasted nothing! I was so disappointed, it's my favorite pub food! DH confirmed that it tasted as it should and great, so that's that! I REALLY should take advantage of these tasteless days to eat less!
Zills, I'm glad you're napping when you need it but I can't wait for you to have more energy... When you talk about them doing your hair, you mean your real hair, not a wig? Has it been growing back well? How long is it now? Thanks for your constant support!
M, wren, thanks for your advice on probiotics, I will get some. I'm eating yogurt but it's not enough. Good news is that the cramping has stopped. But I feel as if my gut is going through a wrench, i almost felt as if it stopped working a few times today. I just feel like apologizing to my body for everything I'm putting it through. I'm sure it's going, WTF?
SGC, congrats on having only one chemo left!! Good luck this week, I hope the SEs spare you a little. Hugs!
Hi ndgirl, Vintage, Linda, jsj, bobo, and everyone else ! I hope you enjoy a beautiful spring weekend!
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Hi All,
I have been hiding as well . Idesim I get it . The first time I had BC it was obvious. Chemo , radiation etc. This time I thought I could hide from it just the BMX and 5-10 years of tamox. Then I got the 2nd diagnosis of lymph node cancer (lymphoma) . Separate and distinct from BC. I am trying to hold on as there is only 1 type of chemo that will work for lymphoma and the MO does not want to use the only egg in the basket too soon .
GrammaB . I wont say I hate people but I have been spending a lot of time by myself . I feel a bit strange coming on this forum and bringing up any other type of cancer as everyone has enough to deal with. I won't say that both diseases have been a reason for me to be grateful.........but I have spent a lot of time lately just appreciating life.
Also the strangest thing happened. I have always hated and I mean HATED all the pink ribbon crap. My DS came over last weekend and said I have been feeling so bad and there is nothing I can do . I know you like nice jewelry but this did not come in platinum so I hope that white gold will be ok . I opened it and it was a pink ribbon charm . I thought really hard before I looked at him and said it was beautiful . He said I am glad I wanted to get you something special . Then he said I am still single because I won't settle until I can find someone that can compare to you and I just worry all the time about how sick you are . All I could say was I am still fighting and I will continue to fight and that none of us sick or not know how long we have.
Hello to you all. I have been reading and thinking about you all .
Today 's Random Thought........................
So I have decided I will live my life in the front row.............. Wearing my pink ribbon charm................................
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I think we have all been hybernating a bit... I feel like you are all my sisters and I have come to love each of you so very much. I have felt more at home on here talking with y'all and received more advice and support than I have from some people I see day to day. I feel guilty though when I get on here to vent sometimes because I am only BRCA1....I don't have cancer... I don't have the daily struggles that you do. I am having a pbm to save myself from that... I hope. I worry about each of you and am so glad that I have found y'all. You have kept me sane during one of the hardest times in my life. You have given me a sisterhood that I have desperately needed. Only my family and close friends have understood my decision. As it gets closer to Monday, I am more scared, more nervous, more everything. Sailman is doing his best to keep me calm and has built me a fire out back to try to help unstress me and keep my mind off things. I am sitting out here, worrying about y'all, hoping you are all getting your strength back, finding resources to help with the fatigue and the trigger fingers, and the depression, and everything. Hoping that the floods don't come again, that friends who are sick get the help they need. That spring comes and we all feel better. Anyways I know I am rambling and that I prolly sound like I have lost my mind, but these are the thoughts that run through my head. Is RR doing ok? Is Cdelv rocking her recovery? How is Bobo? Is Vintage doing ok from her wreck? You are all so much a part of me... I just wanted you to know... Fia, Ariom, SGC, Octeb, Grammab, Idesim, Zills all of you and the ones I missed... just know you are close in my heart and I am here for each of you. Huggz to you all. Enough rambling from me...
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JSJ, I feel as if you are braver than any of us that have been diagnosed, its like when ppl tell me I'm strong or brave.. I have to wonder why on earth they would say that.. it's not like I said... please give me cancer so I can be brave and fight it.. I didn't have a choice. Even knowing I had cancer, I still agonized terribly over surgery.. I don't know if I could be brave enough to go through it like you are... I think you are awesome
You are going to kick some major @ss come Monday and trust us when we tell you, the relief you feel after surgery is so profound that you feel so silly for having been nervous in the first place. Now enough with all the teary stuff.. and pass the damn marshmallows.I better do multiple small posts.. this FFFFFFF@*#*$*$ keyboard.
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Fia, usually you make my laugh my @ss off, but this time you (and your ds) have me sniffling. What a beautiful story, thanks for sharing that... I'm glad you're loving your pink ribbon and enjoying the breeze up your skirt. I think it's absolutely sh!tful that you not only dealt with BS once, but now twice and also have to deal with a lymphoma dx... that really just sucks. But hell girl, if it helps to talk about it or even just swear and b!tch about it, that's what we are here for, you shouldn't feel strange that it's a different type.. I personally don't give a cr@p, I just want to be here for you in whatever way I can. Hopefully there is room in that front row and you're not planning on hogging it.
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Otceb, yeah real estate here has slowed down when interest rates rose so that stopped all the refinancing. Nobody has equity in their home to borrow against for repairs, but hopefully now that spring is here, home purchases will be up.
Sorry about the taste buds.. I recall everything tasting bland during the last days of chemo... luckily they returned quickly... so yeah.. if you were looking to lose a little weight, take full advantage of it while it lasts lol.
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GB, I'm glad I was able to give you some insight haha. I have become more antisocial since all this crap started... at first I thought it was because I was just tired with the treatments and the stress.. etc. etc. But now I wonder if I am just more comfortable in my own company now and because of that need others less. I don't mind going out for a couple of hours or so with friends, but not for very long periods of time. Even work socializing has cut back significantly... I'm usually content to sit in my office for hours on end. I don't think it's depression, but psychologist might very well disagree.. and I'd tell them to F off
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