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Ladies in their 40s

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Comments

  • jenwith4kids
    jenwith4kids Member Posts: 216
    edited May 2016

    I can honestly say that I have no real joint pain. I'm very stiff in the morning or after sitting for a long time but that's it. I'm working out five days a week (check out www.themaxchallenge.com, I love it) and I take magnesim. The magnesium helps with the joint pain and with hot flashes. My bone density test was normal, have another scheduled for September, hoping it stay good. Haven't checked my cholesterol in a while but it's always been high. My primary took me off the creator though. I see a cardiologist for a mitral valve prolapse, he is not on board with me not being on a statin, but I'm not going on it - instead I'm changing cardiologists, LOL, if the new one says I need the crestor, I will do it.

  • justamy
    justamy Member Posts: 296
    edited June 2016

    Hi all! Just rejoining the BCO community because of all the junk I'm dealing with with my hormone treatment.

    If I could go back, I would go to a major Cancer treatment center. My MO does no scans, no marker tests, just blood work like CBC every 3 months when I go in for my inhibitor shot. Recon was also very shotty and I am left with uneven mounds of flesh covered plastic that do not resemble breasts.That is after 2 revisions. Sigh...

    Just my two cents.

  • viktoryak
    viktoryak Member Posts: 238
    edited June 2016

    justamy,I am with Sloan Hospital in NY that is one of the major and supposelly best cancer center in the country. My oncologist is a top one in a field, but guess what , they don't do either PAT scans or any margins.I guess there must be reasons for it?

  • thinkingpositive
    thinkingpositive Member Posts: 564
    edited June 2016

    I was told no scans unless symptoms that last and no tumor markers. Reason was that both are unreliable. Cells are too small to be picked up on scans and tumor markers can show false results. I was told this is protocol for early stage bc.

  • jenwith4kids
    jenwith4kids Member Posts: 216
    edited July 2016

    same here, I'm happy with my Cancer center and all my docs ....no scans.they do tumor markers but I asked them to stop, too many false positives and my markers were low when I HAD cancer.

    I still find that my foobs are changing...maybe give it a little more time?

  • thinkingpositive
    thinkingpositive Member Posts: 564
    edited June 2016

    Jenwith4kids..your reconstruction was a month before mine. I have a full implant on my left and I had a lift and slight reduction with the small implant on my good side. It definitely feels weird and I often wonder whether I have slight truncal or chest and Lymphedema. I go to a lymphedema specialist and she says no because there's no sign of it but it feels weird.

  • jenwith4kids
    jenwith4kids Member Posts: 216
    edited June 2016

    TP - I feel weird periodically as well. I'm sure mine isn't LE. I am pretty sure that I'm gaining some feeling back in areas that had been numb; mainly around my ALND.... it's all weird! I think I've given up trying to figure it out.

  • Cwhitney
    Cwhitney Member Posts: 42
    edited June 2016

    Hi girls. I was diagnosed at 42 in May. No family history although my mom died at 49 from a rare lung cancer. I have exercised and ate right just to prevent cancer. I watched my beautiful mom die of this devastating disease and have missed her all of these years.I have three kids, 7, 10 and 12 and can't believe they have to go through this with me. I was lucky that my cancer was 6my but it was grade 3, her2, so it was ready to get me. I start chemo in a few weeks and I am terrified. I am so glad that I got to vent to you ladies since I feel very alone among my peers.

  • youngturknyc
    youngturknyc Member Posts: 115
    edited June 2016

    Cwhitney,

    So sorry that you found yourself here but welcome. My 7 year old twins (when I was diagnosed) are now 11! I had a very aggressive (extremely high Oncotype) cancer - two tumors both IDC ILC, Stage IIA, and extensive DCIS. I was really worried that I would never be able to see my kids graduate from elementary school but they will be graduating next week! Once you start treatment, you will feel in much more control. Feel free to vent anytime, and everything you are feeling is completely normal. Also, do not listen to anyone (or get hurt by the words of someone) who has not had cancer, regarding what you should or should not do or how you should act or should not act. They do not and cannot understand. Chemo is much easier than anticipated (at least it was for me). Take your anti-nausea medicines and anything else they give you without fail, and drink a lot of water.

  • Cwhitney
    Cwhitney Member Posts: 42
    edited June 2016

    YoungturkNY, thank you for your response. I think your right, when I have a treatment plan, and I am in the midst of it, it will get better. I am in limbo right now. Thank you for your kind words!

  • boardwalkgirl1
    boardwalkgirl1 Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2016

    Hello everyone,

    I am 42 and was diagnosed with DCIS on my 1st mammo in May of 2016. My world has changed upside down. I am married and have an 11 yr boy who is so concerned about me as he has seen his strong mother in tears more often in last 2 months. No family history of BC and BRCA negative. Decided to go with lumpectomy that is scheduled for 7/7/2016. If things weren't difficult enough, was just diagnosed with bilateral ovarian cysts (2cm each). Although, it was seen 5 years ago on a lumbar MRI, now my ob-gyn wants me to see ob-gyn oncologist to discuss potentially removing both ovaries. I do not know what's the right thing to do. Waiting seems to be the logical thing to do (w/regards to ovaries) as BRCA neg, but then how would I explain DCIS. I'm willing to hear suggestions, and/or your experiences regarding this.

    Also, was Dx with very low vitamin D (11.6 in 2015) and who knows how long was I so low (explains muscle spasms and cramps I experienced in my legs for 2 yrs). Has any of you been Dx with low vitamin D also?

    Looking forward to some replies :-)

    Dx: 5/10/2016 - DCIS 1.2 cm (left), grade 2

    Surgery: 7/7/2016 Lumpectomy (left)

  • viktoryak
    viktoryak Member Posts: 238
    edited June 2016

    Hi boardwalkgirl, I kind of have a similar story.. I also have 11 yr old son but also 20 yr old son. 11year old was so scared when he found out i have cancer. Actually he listened by accident to conversation with my DR. (he was with me in the room) when my Dr. called to tell me i have cancer. Yes, my world crashed. My son is doing better now, since he see me still active (even on chemo) and I have hair for now -I am cold capping. (My son's main scare was that his mommy will be bold )
    I am 47 (but look as people say much younger). I also had lampectomy, no BC history in the family and BRACA negative. Exersise a lot and healthy eater. Have no f..g idea where this cancer comes from?

    Have my ups and downs (downs a lot). A lot of crying. But we need to go ahead.. and survive. We have no other choice.

    best of luck to you and all of us!

    Heart


  • boardwalkgirl1
    boardwalkgirl1 Member Posts: 2
    edited June 2016

    thank you viktoryak for responding. How are you doing with chemo?

    You're right that we have no choice but to survive. I wish things were moving faster with my treatments but my BS's schedule is booked and I am not well with anticipation.

    I too eat healthy and exercise 45 mins everyday but here I am. Many of us are with no family history and BRCA neg so thinking that science yet has to find the link.


  • viktoryak
    viktoryak Member Posts: 238
    edited June 2016

    boardwalkgirl, the worst thing is waiting. When you start your treatments you will be much better off. I try to exercise every day even when I am not feeling up to it. Sometimes i just want to stay in bed, but I push myself out of it and exercise. I run/walk 3-4 miles or go to the gym as much as i can. Yes, i feel tiered and not usual myself but it's ok its not so bad.. I guess. I am trying my best not to get depressed, of course not without many downs in a mood and crying ....Sometimes I feel OK , sometimes I cry... sometimes i am scared... But i am trying to have normal life as much as possible. I thought before i started chemo that my life will end then. But I still go out, visit friends and host kids for play dates... My son graduated elementary school this year. One of my friends said : you are so negative... I don't think so. If i would be negative I would just stay in bed and feel sorry for myself. ... But I do push myself to go on, to be active..
    I think it is the key in my case not to feel that much that i have cancer by being active and distract myself...

    Boardwalkgirl, don't worry, life will not end on chemo.


  • Having_Faith
    Having_Faith Member Posts: 6
    edited July 2016

    I was 46 when i was diagnosed this spring with Stage 2 Lobular carcinoma. Had a double mastectomy and expanders for now. Will have "real" boobs next month and will be happy to get rid of my "turtle Shells". I had radiation in Scottsdale with Dr. Kuske who is amazing. My oncologist prefers Arimidex because he knows too many people on Tamoxifen that still have periods and he says if you have periods then you still have some estrogen. Because i was pre-menopausal, i had ovaries removed at the end of May. I must have been fairly close to menopause because the side effects of that were not near as bad as worried about. I've been on Arimidex for 1 month now and so far not too many side effects or at least nothing i can't live with. Some hot sweats and mild nausea occasionally. The mild fatigue is the most annoying. I work full time and have kids 25, 20 and 15. In addition to my job, i work part time as a personal trainer. My health and fitness are important to me. Starting to work out again but frustrating to have lost ground but just keep working at it. I have always had protein shakes for breakfast on the way to work and it has been a challenge to find a protein power that a) doesn't have soy in it and b) still tastes good. Since my cancer was estrogen + i have to avoid soy as it is a phytoestorgen. I am eager for my last surgery so i can get back to "normal" or at least a new normal. For the most part my husband has been great and supportive. We have always had a great sexual relations so that has been interesting but doable. Looking forward to learing from everyone and sharing stories and support.

  • Having_Faith
    Having_Faith Member Posts: 6
    edited July 2016

    Taking the ovaries is a big decision. My oncologist pushed fairly hard for it as he much prefers the Arimidex to the Tamoxifen. You hear horror stories about how your body reacts w/o estrogen. Skin looses elasticity, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, etc. Although i'm 5 years older than you, i have so far found most of those to be manageable. Just pray about it and you'll find peace about your decision and what is right for you. For me, I was willing to go pretty aggressive because i wanted the best chance of it NEVER coming back and my tumer was 7.5 cm long. They guess it had been there 8-10 years and though i'd complained about a lump the last 4 years it was just referred to as dense breast tissue. Sigh. I have no desire to go through all this twice. I'll be praying for you. Let us know what you decide.

  • lisey
    lisey Member Posts: 300
    edited July 2016

    Boardwalk, i have low VITAMIN D too!.. and I have been taking 8000 IUs a day since staying out of the sun due to Melanoma 6 years ago. I'm like should I increase to 10000Ius? How the hell can I still be low?

    I've decided to go to 10,000 IUs a day AND eat something fatty with the capsules. I am getting a cheap $150 genetic test which measures my metabolic rate of my genetic enzymes. Vitamin D goes through two specific enzymes for metabolizing, so if I'm a poor metabolizer, that would explain it. This genetic test also will measure my Tamoxifen pathway enzyme as well, so I'm anxious to see how I'm going to handle Tamox... In my opinion, pharmacogenetics is going to be the wave all new patients testing in the future... so we know our individual medicine need dosages per our genetic pathways... it's just so new, few docs have heard of it.. but my oncologist actually had and suggested a test if I wasn't having enough SE from the Tamox. I'm learning so much about enzyme pathways!

    Anyway, I'll start Tamoxifen on Friday... I should have my genetic test back in a few weeks... I chose a BMX and finally landed on staying flat and fabulous with no reconstruction (after getting TEs in and hating them).

    I'm 41 and have 3 kids, 15, 10, and 7... I want to be here for at least 20 years to pester my hubby and kiddos - and actually enjoy working my ass off so hard in 30s and 40s to not have a mortgage. Told the hubs if some new wife got the benefits of no debt I'd be really pissed off in heaven... so I intend on sticking around.

  • jenwith4kids
    jenwith4kids Member Posts: 216
    edited July 2016

    Having Faith - look at Fit365 protein powder... the only one I found with no soy and it's really good!

  • Dawn41
    Dawn41 Member Posts: 17
    edited July 2016

    I have been using Orgain Organic Protein plant based powder. No soy,gluten,dairy,lactose,GMO

    Mix with my fruit and yogurt every morning taste pretty good.

  • frill
    frill Member Posts: 105
    edited July 2016

    Hi, everyone. :) I'm 47. Last year I was "diagnosed" with LCIS. The "dr" did 5 or 6 biopsies before the DX. 6 months later at a follow up mammogram, more biopsies were ordered, and this time he found a 1cm tumor. I changed to a large hospital - the dr also said I would be permanently disfigured and aged 20 years.

    Anyway, I wound up with a 10cm tumor and a 1cm tumor which was discovered after I was to have BMX and TE inserted. I woke up with a MX because of an allergic reaction to the sentinel node dye that caused my blood pressure to become non-existent. Imagine my surprise and screaming at the top of my lungs. That was in November, the beginning my adventure.

    Fast forward to now, I'm about to say no to rads and Tamoxifen - I was against that one all along. I've driven myself into such a state of panic I wake up crying. My "body image therapist" (wth?) says in my mind I don't have cancer I have a huge inconvenience that's caused me to lose my hair, lashes, fingernails and a breast (so far). I'm meeting with my plastic surgeon's PA (PS is on maternity leave) to try to calm me down about rads and recon, but....I just read a textbook with a study conducted by my hospital where women who have rads eventually are all unhappy with recon. So there you have it.

    A year ago at this time I had just restarted my life - ended a 10 year relationship, my mother, great aunt, grandfather, dear friend, coworker had passed away, I had a 3 week trial behind me, I'd begun a wonderful new relationship with a man I met when I was 19. I was sooooooooooooo happy. My av is a pic from then. Now I just don't see a future that doesn't involve my huge LE arm, nonstop insurance battles, constant hospital trips.....

    I have one last chemo and I should be so excited.

    UGH. I used to be so funny on here.

  • treelilac
    treelilac Member Posts: 138
    edited July 2016

    Frill: you've done all you can do to this sneaky cancer (sneaky is ILC's reputation)! I hope you're working with a doctor that "understands" LE, which can make life a lot easier.

    HUGS

  • SusanRachel
    SusanRachel Member Posts: 45
    edited July 2016

    Boardwalkinggirl, how did your surgery go? Hope you are doing well.

  • jenwith4kids
    jenwith4kids Member Posts: 216
    edited July 2016

    Oh Frill, I'm sorry. Treelilac is right, I hope you are working with a certified LE therapist.

    I have to say that I had rads - and TEs - and now implants. I'm happy with my recon....

    Happy to talk more if you want to.

  • exercise_guru
    exercise_guru Member Posts: 333
    edited July 2016

    Frill

    All of these decisions are very tough. I am 42. I tried the AIs but switched to tamoxifen. It might not be as bad as you think. Sorry I did not do rads so I am not sure about that

  • Wildtulip
    Wildtulip Member Posts: 470
    edited July 2016

    HI ladies,

    I'm new to this topic. I was diagnosed last year at 46 and had a BMX, chemo and radiation. My MO put me on Tamoxifen, but then he quit 3 months later. My new MO felt that Aromasin and Zolodex would give me a better prognosis, so I began them in Feb of this year. I am now also doing Zometa IV's every six months.

    In June I had LD flap reconstruction and TE's placed. Tomorrow I go in for my second fill!

    I'm divorced and have two children who will be 16 next week. My children both have special needs, so I was already used to hanging out with docs before all my crap started. My children are my source of strength and courage!!

  • karieichner
    karieichner Member Posts: 3
    edited July 2016

    Hello ladies -

    I wanted to jump in and introduce myself - I was originally diagnosed at 37 with stage 1B TNBC, went through the usual treatment of chemo, surgery, radiation. I was re-diagnosed at age 39 (I'm now 40) of stage IV metastatic TNBC and am currently in treatment (chemo only). Like many of us I've been blogging (www.gohomecancer.com) to help cope with everything and while I've been an active reader on this site, I've never reached out.

    I am married and am very fortunate to have a supportive husband. No kids but we have two fur babies, cats named Sacha and Chloe. We live just outside D.C.

    Treatment is my full time job and I am no longer working, which at times has been a real identity struggle. I'm so glad to see this thread as while I am 40 (almost 41), I still feel so young and getting a stage iv diagnosis has been extremely difficult to say the least.

    I am currently in treatment, chemo only, Carbo and Abraxane. I recently switched to a new oncologist but treatment has been touch and go since the carbo is really messing with my blood counts. Oh well, life of a cancer patient, right?

    Looking forward to connecting with all of you

    xo,

    Kari

  • treelilac
    treelilac Member Posts: 138
    edited July 2016

    Kari: cool pictures on your blog. Please keep writing!

    Are you connected to the site dedicated to TNBC? (Some more information I thought you might find helpful)

  • Gatomal
    Gatomal Member Posts: 418
    edited July 2016

    Kari...read your latest post. Cool illustration BTW.

    I didn't want to sign up w a verified email, but here is what I wanted to comment:

    Landed here via breast cancer.org. I'm so sorry. You have every right to be PISSED. It's not fair. But you are here today. And you shared something (well-written I might add) with a total stranger on the other side of the continent. Thank you.

  • ClarkBlue
    ClarkBlue Member Posts: 30
    edited July 2016

    Kari - "What I am learning about cancer is that to survive both the mental and physical battles, you must evolve your thinking and expectations at a rate that is just ahead of your mutating cells. This realization has been a major struggle for me."

    This is so beautiful and accurate. Brought me to tears...

    -Keely

  • karieichner
    karieichner Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2017

    Gatomal -


    Thank you so much for your kind words - I'm sorry I am just now getting back to you. I've had a rough six months or so and am just now pulling myself up out of the fog. Thank you again.

    xo,

    Kari

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