Stage 2 Sisters Club
Comments
-
Ginger tea is good for nausea.
0 -
Missing - thanks for tips on how to update/add photo.
SpecialK - thanks for useful links. So much to be aware of! I read that is estrogen in facial creams that do not show in labels. How is one to know what to put on the skin considering how it quickly absorbs anything we put on it!
Ruth - I called around asking for a "virgin hair stylist" and no luck
. 0 -
nisa - I like to look at this site when I am considering a purchase. It has a pretty good breakdown and you can look by specific brand, or you can look by type of product - like mascara. You can also look by asking it to give the products in order of toxicity or harmful ingredients.
0 -
Nisa- I've talked to my surgeon and onco about the discharge and has a ductogram scheduled but of course no discharge for the test so they couldn't do it. I'm now having the same tweaks of pain and stinning I complained about four two years before my diagnosis in my other breast.....hoping at my next appointment they will do some other test....
0 -
SoecialK - great site, thank you so much for sharing. I am going to create my own list and will share in case others are thinking about what is being absorbed through the skin.
Monmado - I think some MOs like to think of their patients as "cured" and subsecuently engage in certain "benign neglect" that has its risks. If you feel your symptoms need attention, I feel one should ask and insist until you get it. Good luck and let us know how the next appt goes.
Saw movie "the fault in our stars" last night and thought of everyone here. Wonderful connections can be made in support groups - virtual or not. Thanks everyone for being there for me!
Hugs, Nisa
0 -
Mommado- have you had an MRI of your breasts? A negative one might ease your mind.
0 -
Everyone - how often do you get PET scans? I had one just before my surgery which showed NED - did not pick up a thing wrong with either of my breasts! MO thinks I should do one at next appt but given the prior bad reading...should I bother? Thx for sharibg your thoughts and experiences.
0 -
I never had a pet scan. If you are node negative, what would be the point at the beginning? And if you have no strange symptoms, what would be the point now?
0 -
I found this in the BCO archives. Nisa, I bolded the parts you might be interested in:
PET scans are not used to screen women for breast cancer. The test has only a limited ability to detect small tumors. PET scans can be useful for evaluating people after breast cancer has already been diagnosed, in a number of different ways:
- to determine whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes
- to determine whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and if so, where (metastatic breast cancer)
- to assess whether metastatic breast cancer is responding to treatment
PET scans are available in only very few centers, and they are an expensive, sophisticated test that requires special expertise. Generally, they are used only if your doctor has reason to believe that the cancer may have spread beyond the breast. They also may be used if your doctor suspects recurrence of a previous breast cancer. PET scans can be helpful if other tests can’t tell for sure whether the cancer has spread beyond the breast or to other areas of the body.
0 -
I had a BS in the beginning of my treatment who was totally against PET scans - and he was also anti-MRIs. He said a PET scan wouldn't pickup microscopic cells that may be floating around the body. I asked about an MRI before surgery and he said it was not needed. At the time I thought he was being reckless. Now, current research is saying that for most women, there's a lack of evidence that pre-op MRIs will ultimately affect their treatment outcome. Crazy, huh?
0 -
So, they are not a good screening tool, and they not part of normal follow up for early stage cancers......they should only be ordered for us if something suspicious is going on.......ask what specific reason your MO would have for suggesting a PET, and if he/she doesn't have a specific answer, then the terrible thought I have is that they are trying to make money off of you.......
0 -
Hi girls do you mind if I join in I have read a lot of your posts and I feel quite at home reading along Judy
0 -
Hi Judy. I don't mind.
As far as tests since my surgery, I have had a Cat Scan and bone scan. Both were clear. Tiny spots on my lung that they believe are from living in the upper Miami valley. High mold counts here. I was actually aware of this occurrence, though not in me, from living here. Dr. is going to keep an eye on them anyway.
Got my results back from my first post chemo treatment. Went from one item being low to six. Corpuscular Hemoglobin, Leukocytes, Lymphocytes, Monocytes and Neutrophils. Saw my GP and she said to make sure I take my thyroid medicine and watch my sugar, because of the steroids.
Over the weekend I have developed a slightly painful feminine rash. I've heard chemo can cause a yeast infection. Is this true? If so, this got bad fast. It was no apparent when I saw my GP on Thursday.
0 -
I haven't had an MRI since my diagnosis and I really don't want one....I'm a pretty tough person and don't cry at many things but I sobbed during my MRI it was so painful. I have a bad back and it was the worse experience of my life. But I should probably ask about one
0 -
See if there are 3D mammograms in your area. They are awesome and give so much information that my doctor says that they should pretty much eliminate the need for MRIs as part of a regular screening program for most women.
0 -
Thanks Ruth - I'll do that!0 -
Hi Judy! Welcome! I have seen photos of Bendigo's beautiful Art Gallery. Liked reading you dealt with diagnoses several years ago. How is it like now?
Missing - You seem to be soldering through chemo with much resilience. It took months for my blood values to normalize, and a few low are still lingering. Eating heathy can help some with that.
Mommado - Sorry to hear about your bad experience with MRI. My problem is blood draws. I end up with 4-5 band aids and blue arms as my veins vanish at the first attempt.
Ruth - MO suggested PET bc pain in left lung area has expanded to neck and shoulder and we can't find reason. And a percentage of negative nodes go on to metastasize. I'm not sure I want that much radiation in me again so am thinking about it.
Thanks all!
0 -
My veins are horrible. Was so happy to get the port, but did not know that all clinics are qualified/certified to access them. Blood draw at my GPs office was via hand as my arms are useless for vein access.
btw, thank you Nisa. I am trying. Going through this no matter what, might as well work on doing it with the best attitude I can muster.0 -
Nisa/Missing - I have the same problems with my veins, had surgery once and it took the head of anesthia 12 tries and he finally went through my foot! Didn't do chemo but would have been the first in line for a port!0 -
They put the IV in my hand to prepare for my BMX, but I was told before hand that it would be moved to my foot. It stayed there during my hospital stay.
I came home sick today. My acid reflux is so horrible it gave me stomach pain and the nausea did not help. I have a prescription for it I had actually stopped taking as eating healthier had pretty much taken it away. I can feel my crohn's medicine having trouble getting through to my stomach. I have to drink lots of water between the two pills. Never had a problem before, even when reflux was at its worst. I will make sure my Dr knows in case this is not something I should take while on chemo.
On the plus, someone I know who recently went through this in Oct gave me her wig. She ended up not wearing it. It is cute and very close to my hair color. She had surgery last week to repair a leak in one of her expanders. She is done with treatment though and in recovery.
0 -
i have been spending so much time at the animal hospital with my very ill sweet golden retriever that I get to read posts and FB much more frequently than before.
I too had my IV the 3 hospital days after BMX. It kind of makes sense with our arms being tied up for 5 to 6 hours and the pain from lymph nodes removed.
Nice to get a wig from a friend. Enjoy!
0 -
Sorry about your puppy. I have a lab mix and a few month ago she was really sick. I adopted her in Feb right before I was diagnosed. When I came home to after my diagnosis, she was standing there with her tail wagging and let me hug her. I love her so much.
0 -
Good evening,
The pathology I had been waiting on finally came in late this afternoon. I was originally staged IA from the biopsy and MRI. I had a bilateral mx on 7/2 with lat dorsi/TE's. The right breast path shows no disease but the left breast shows a 3.0 cm combined ductal and lobular tumor with three of six lymph nodes involved. I also by the way had DCIS and radiation in the left breast five years ago. I will meet with a MO and the BS also suggested a RO as well, something about proximity. My cancer is ER-, PR-,HEUR- I guess this makes my staging IiB triple negative. I could really use some positive thoughts right now. Thanks for listening.
0 -
Purple - Welcome and I am sorry to hear your diagnosis turned out to be more involved than originally predicted. As you hear from more of us, you will find that it is not uncommon for that to happen. But once you are over the initial shock, you will go about treatment and move forward and get well one day at a time as we did. The worst day was today and it is now behind you. Once you have a treatment plan in place, you will feel so much better - I promise you!
My beautiful 39 year old friend has the same diagnosis as you. She is 3+ years out and doing great and now 2 years into her very profitable business venture. There is a thread for triple negative BC where you could ask specific questions but please hang with us and ask questions. You will be surprised the kindness and knowledge you will find here.
I am sending you gentle hugs, Nisa
0 -
Well said Nisa. Hang in there purple. I just had my surgery end of April and I remember well my diagnosis. I was upgraded from stage II to IIb after surgery.
0 -
Purple,
I am stage 2b triple negative - almost two years out from diagnosis. Hope to see you on the "calling all tns" thread.
0 -
Antibiotics today. Whites are down and have sore throat. He said signs of infection. Same antibiotics that gave me diahrea last time. Bought yogurt already to prepare.
0 -
Purple......many prayers and good thoughts.......
0 -
I'll admit it. I just freaked. A small clump of hair just came out in my hand. Knowing my hair will fall out and seeing it are apparently two different things. How did you guys handle it?
0 -
missing - it is what it is - some are empowered by buzzing it off themselves - that way you are removing the hair rather than it falling out. Many salons will do it gratis.
0
