Starting chemo August 2014
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Bippy, Keep us updated and praying for you. Praying it is nothing and just a hang over from treatment or a pull excarabated by this darn Tamoxifen. We are going to say it is not Mets!!!!!!
There is a good thread on the Stage IV forum to ask questions about "symptoms" and has a wealth of good information and advice for those of us that face these types of scares. The ladies on the thread helped me with a scare I had.
Keep us updated and praying for your peace of mind and also that it is aging bones, chemo residual, etc. Told my husband a few months ago to go figure that I was happy to here I have a strained rotator cuff and the pain was excarabated by Tamoxifen.
Edited: agree with Beatmon we forbid it to be mets
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Bippy, I forbid it to be mets! There, we are done with it! I'm having some low lumbar pain also and my friend who is also stage 4 and I were laughing because who prays for arthritis? We do, that's who!
Please let us know when you test so can be in your pocket. We love you
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thanks my chickas! every joint I have aches on and off since chemo and tamox, so trying not to freak out. and really, I've been singin the Doris Day song, whatever will be wiill be.....and that side of my low back has always given me trouble anyway. it is so different now, you just cannot ignore any pains easily. sighs, oh the good ole days
BUT! it aint mets as we have decided already. my appt is not till Feb 2, so i will be bitchin at my onco about my aches and go from there.
tx angie, I have seen that board and posted there too.those ladies are amazing. brenda, LOl at the arthritis thing!!! love yas back, I will let you know.
Candy
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Bippy, keep us posted on what it turns out to be, since we know now it won't be mets!! {{hugs}}
Taking DD to her third audition of the season for summer programs, and today's is currently her top choice. Wish her luck! So far she's two for two on acceptances. She seems to know what training she needs and where best to put herself out there. Almost 16 years old, too...time is flying by.
I've let my boss know that I'm thinking about next year and am going to need to make some changes. Thought I'd like being full time again with all the responsibility and influence, but I don't. Being in the classroom is usually great, but all the admin meetings, and dealing with angry parents? Yuck. I'd say life's too short for that, but even if I have 50 more years ahead of me I wouldn't want to spend them that way. So we'll see.
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Hi everyone,
It's been a really long time since I've posted on this thread. It is wonderful to see how active it remains. I'm popping in now because I saw Bippy's post with a metastasis concern. It's such a fine line to walk between worrying about recurrence and not worrying about recurrence. After completing chemo in December 2015, I was determined to put it all behind me. I had the port removed as soon as possible, my hair grew back, I finished reconstruction and I went back to pre-cancer life. When I started having pain in my back last fall, I figured that I had pulled a muscle at the gym. My GP prescribed painkillers and muscle relaxers and eventually steroids, along with taking it easy. The pain got better and then would flare up once I picked up my activity level. I even tried a chiropractor for the first time. It never dawned on me that it could be related to breast cancer. An MRI just before Christmas showed that I had a collapsed vertebrae and you guessed it, it was breast cancer that had spread to my spine which caused the vertebrae to collapse. So I'm back on chemo again. Trying a chemo pill as a first line treatment and thankfully, it's not supposed to cause hair loss. Even here in Georgia it is COLD right now
) I can't read through all the past pages in this thread, but I pray that all you August 2014 chemo ladies are well. Sending you love and light. 0 -
oh, puprlgurll, my heart breaks with the thought. What medication have they put you on? Have they checked you everywhere else now? I hate this damn cancer. I was getting ready to post some nonsense about upcoming trips coming up, but it seems so stupid compared to a freaking collapsed vertebrae from a woman that started out stage 0 then 2 now 4.
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Hi Beatmom,
Thank you for your note. The stage IV diagnosis was pretty devastating, I won't lie. Two areas of my spine and lymph nodes between my lungs. I am in the first cycle of xeloda, a chemo pill approved for metastatic breast cancer. The cycle is a twice daily dose for 14 days and then a 7 day break, then repeat. That continues until,well, until it does not work any more. Then they try a different chemo. As you said, hate this damn cancer!
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Puprlgurll, I am just so hurt and I did cry when I read your post. Sending healing thoughts and loveyour way that this treatment goes in and does the job for a long time to come. Also that SE's will be minimal and pain!
Angie
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Oh, purplegurl, that really sucks.
Here's hoping that the current chemo works well and for a very long time, and that newer and better treatments will be available if you ever need them. My ribs have been sore on the side I had surgery and radiation. Now I'm wondering if I should bring it up, just in case... I really, really hate cancer. 0 -
purplgirl, tears and prayers for you. What an awful day to hear that news. It's so fresh too. I'm so sorry.
I'm taking palbociclib in a clinical trial and am on the boards, as its approved for stage iv patients. Some women have been on those boards for over a decade, so have hope...oncos have a lot of tool in their arsenal. The palbo/femara combo of you find yourself on it, is pretty liveable.
Bippy--prayers for you too, and it's not happening! Just good ole wear and tear. I went to the gym for the first time today. My arthritic neck joint is killing me tonight. I thought it was the workout? When I saw my breast surgeon last week for check, she said mammogram in 1yr, because I'm not afraid of local recrrence. Then I said you are afraid of mets. She said yup. This disease sucks. F@&$ you cancer
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Purplegurll, Wishing you good results with this treatment. Sorry you are going thru this. Cancer stinks...please let us know how you are doing.
Started working out regularly again. I've aged 5 years in this last 1. From head to toe, it's amazing. Hope to get my body stronger and ache a little less. Chopped my hair off pretty short today. The top still growing much slower then back. Besides can't bother fussing, it's just easier. I bought eye lashes today too. Still very little eye lashes and brows. Watched a YouTube video on how to apply and care for them.
Biopsy - Will be looking after Feb 2 to see how ur appt went.
Cassiecat - Love to hear how ur DD is still enjoying her dancing. Hope you figure out what works best in regard to work hours.
LadyB, Gatamol, Betamon, so good to read your updates.
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Purplegrl. No words. I am sending positive prayers your way friend.
my luck is holding for now--pulled muscle and arthritis. need to lose weight, strengthen core, lots of things.
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bippy, thank goodness for some good news. I'm happy for you, friend.
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Girls, speaking of eyelashes, I had extensions put on. Really loved them. They are pretty pricey and fall out as your normal eyelashes do, but mine have only grown back as little stubs. Unfortunately, I'm sensitive to the adhesive and had to give them up. But it really made a difference in my appearance. You have a touch up about every 3 weeks and don't need mascara
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beatmon, I considered that. I've seen Groupon deals for lash extensions. It's definitely a pricey option. I have two products coming in the mail - one is a mascara primer, to give the mascara something more to grab on to, and then I have a Clinique mascara that I like. I've also started using Rapid Lash serum again. My lashes all came back, but they don't seem as long as they used to.
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Hi all,
I haven't checked in in a while, but it's good to see how we're all doing. I'm glad this group continues to post. I love seeing all the baby, kid and hair photos.
Purplgirl, I'm sorry to hear about the bone met. I'm also in GA and my husband works with a woman who had a bone met about 8 years ago after initial bc tumor. She's doing very well, working full-time and a martial arts master. I know you have plenty of support here on the boards, but if you'd like to talk with her sometime, pm me and I'll put you in touch.
Interestingly, she told me once that of all the meds she takes, the AIs give her the worst side effects.
And, of course, we're nearly all on those. More than a year post-chemo, I'm feeling really well, except more fatigue. It's a real struggle some weeks getting through the work week. (But maybe it would be anyway at age 58?) Complicated by the fact that I don't sleep as well now that I'm post-menopausal. After about six months on Aromasin, I started to use Estring, which is a godsend. My MO thought the benefits outweighed the risks. And just after Christmas, I got my first Prolia injection after my BMD declined pretty drastically over the past year. I'll be getting the Prolia injections every 6 months. They are shown to prevent fractures related to BMD loss by about 50% and bone mets by about 20%. See this write-up from the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in December: http://www.ascopost.com/News/34129.
Also, post chemo/cold caps, I decided to stop coloring my hair. I find that I love my salt and pepper hair and I don't miss at all those long boring hours in the salon having it colored (plus all the $ to do it). So I guess that's one silver lining, no pun intended.
Best wishes, ladies. May we all continue to thrive, no matter where we are on this journey.
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bippy, hum I thought I posted early Feb but don't see the post. I came on the board 2/2..urge. Anywhoo. I am ecstatic for the awesome news! I find that weight strengthen/resistance is helping A lot.
Nottoday, I am with you on the fatigue. There really are times it just comes in like a flood for no unknown reason. But so happy it is not constant. My SE's from Tamoxifem wax and wane.
Love across the miles!
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Purplegirl, how are you doing with that da#### bone mets? Are you holding up with the new meds ok?
I know we are are all holding you in our hearts.
Hope everyone had some joy on this Valentine's Day.
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Hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day! I really appreciate the thoughts and warm wishes from my last post. Your support really helps. I'm now almost finished with my second cycle of xeloda. Overall the chemo side effects are manageable. Some fatigue and a little hair thinning I think but not terrible. I'm continuing to work and I go to the gym a few days a week. I see my oncologist this week and I hope she will schedule me for a scan to check on things. My back seems to be hurting more and I finally broke down over the weekend and filled the prescription for a painkiller. I am also meeting with another oncologist out of state later this month to discuss treatment options for metastatic triple negative breast cancer.Wishing you all much health and happiness. Talk to you soon.
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Purplegurll, I'm thinking about you. I've been thinking about you a lot, actually. I'm glad to hear the treatments are bearable for you. I'm sorry to hear you need the painkillers but glad you're going to have them on hand.
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Just for fun, a recent shot of my hair. This is 14 months after finishing chemo. Nowhere near long enough for a pony tail yet, but it's growing. It's pretty thick and quite curly/wavy. It was thick before, but this texture is all new.
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Purplegirl - Glad treatment and side effects and manageable. Thanks for keeping us in the loop. Holding you in my heart at this time.💗
Cassiecat - You are so lucky to have such thick beautiful head of hair. I am going to post a pic of my hair too. I've been cutting it short mainly because so much easier. Also because the texture is different back and front, plus thinner if front still.
Hope everyone had a nice Valentine's Day! Happy belated Valentine's Day to all....
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hello to my favorite group! So good to read updates and see photos. Life marches on, doesn't it.,finally after six months on my trial drug my blood counts have rebounded, and I'm feeling stronger and better. I even stayed healthy while all four kids and grandma were horribly sick ( like ER for a baby and urgent care and chest X-rays for grandma--sick) and husband in NYC on business. Still managing my truncal lymphedema, but doing okay. Kept my 20 lb weight loss off so far from my hardcore diet, so happy about that too. Shoveled the driveway after a beautiful, powdery four inches so I could go get my Ovarian suppression shot today. Fun times
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hi to everyone. We made it this far!
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Catie57 your hair looks great! Very stylish.
Hello to all! I have good news - not cancer related, but just overall mental health related. I talked to my boss and will be stepping back from the part of my job that has been so tiring and emotionally difficult. I've done it for 5 years and helped bring about some positive changes, but now I'm ready to be done with that. I'm not quite sure what I'll be doing next year, but I'll be back to focusing mainly on my teaching and college counseling. I'm so glad.
In ballet news, DD got her spring casting today and has all kinds of great parts that will challenge her technically and artistically. She's going to be working hard, but she's very excited. Great to see her feeling happy.
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All, wow I can't believe it has been a year since We ended chemo.
Purplegirl, thinking of you and praying that your treatment is going well with manageable SEs. Hope you were able to met with the out-of-state MO and get the scan and that there is no further progression.
Beatmon, how are you doing? any travels lately?🌴🌴
Gatomal, awesome update!
Catie57, love the hair.
Cassie, good for you! You get to focus on what you enjoy! Glad your daughter landed the parts she wanted 💯‼️
Bippy, hoping your book is still in progress📖
Love across the miles,
Angie
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Hi ladies. I haven't posted in a long time but I do keep up with your posts. I have not been doing so well but so far I'm cancer free so I feel silly discussing it. I have suffered from depression for 20 years and during treatment, it was not bad, but since treatment, it has come back full force. I really struggle to make it some days. I've also gained 50 lbs in the last year partly because of my hormone therapy and depression meds. I so miss my breasts. My PS did not do a good job so the fakes are really lopsided. Even if they were perfect, I would miss them. Silly, I know. I'm lucky to be alive. I am so grateful to all of you, my friends for helping me through chemo. Without you all, I wouldn't have made it. Hugs Amy
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Amy, I am so sorry that you are suffering so much with depression and the hormones that are surely making it worse. I think that it is so hard not to have depression after going through what we have been through and when you already a chemical imbalance for all of these years...no wonder you have been suffering.
Can you see another PS for a repair of your reconstruction? I know it sounds crazy to think about another surgery but it might be worth it if it would make you feel better. I also do miss my breasts even though I always thought they were too large and in the way most of the time. But I do most the erogenous part...a lot. And you know I'm old! Lol.
Hope you feel better, please stay in touch.
Love, Brenda
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Stable CT result today of lungs...still showing same 8 unchanged. Nothing in abdomen or pelvis. Degenerative changes in spine.( getting old) Where is NED??? Stable is good if NED isn't around!
Brenda E
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good for stable beatmon, prayers for stable or better. Hugs.
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