Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!
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Hi ladies! I hope you are all doing well and enjoying this spring weather!
I have a friend who was dx 1.5 years ago that just started chemo for AML (leukemia)...likely from the cancer trx. Just so sad for our sisters that can't get a break from this.
Hugs to you all.
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I finally found a remedy for the 24/7 muscle/joint pains letrozole was causing: venlafaxin at the lowest (starter) dose. I started it for depression, and surprise surprise almost all of the pains disappeared. Which meant I could enjoy exercising again, and started sleeping better - which helped clear my depression. Doc suggested I raise the dose to ”maintenance level”, but as this dose works, I’m staying with it until it stops being effective. I feel I’ve been given a huge part of my life back. I will never be the same ”me” I was before all this mess, but am gradually becining physically stronger, and have finally succeeded in putting most of the psychological trauma of this ”journey” behind me. Next Oncology Clinic control is September - hard to believe it will be my 3-year check-up! Honestly never dreamed I’d make it that far!
Laugh at this if you like: After so much home criticism from husband about ”I have more hair than you do!”, I tried to regrow my hair longer, but it looked rather lifeless in its natural color. (Have read that hair dye is yet another risk factor for breast cancer; had been coloring for 15+ yrs before diagnosis, and don’t want to start again). Also, I got fed up with having to wash and dry it so often, what with more frequent exercise, and much more frequent hot flashes. So last Monday I got it trimmed quite short again, and love it. This new me is a lot more selfish than the old one!
Wishing everyone here a happy, healthy, hopefulsummer
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tessu, so great to hear good news from you! Made my Monday!
I also am keeping my hair very short....helps with the hot summers we have here. Who cares if it is selfish? :-)
AIs really speeded up the arthritis in my knees, to the point where I recognized the inevitable, and had both of them replaced. Now that I am mostly recovered from that surgery I am finding I have many, many fewer aches and pains (at least in my knees). It is so wonderful to be able to move better and to be almost pain free.....
I hope all are doing well. Sending love.
Octogirl
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OHH I may have to check that drug out for SE of Letrozole, Thanks Tessu!
I hope everyone is doing great this summer. Hello from Kite Boarding for Cancer KB4C in Hood River OR!!
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lookin' good, el tigre!
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Just checking in. Hope everyone is doing well. ???
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Hi all! Doing okay here. It's hard to believe it's been three years. Hope everyone is doing well.
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I got my heart checked out yesterday, looking for late effects of chemo. My ejection fraction has come up a bit but is not as high as a few years before chemo/herceptin. And it is not enlarged. But it is showing the first signs of stiffness, which is a very early sign of heart failure. My blood pressure is normally too low for me to take either of the heart meds usually prescribed for failing hearts, so he is just starting me on a statin (because the letrozole is raising my cholesterol) and recommends I get off my backside and do a lot more pulse-raising aerobic exercise several times a week. (Since my dog died, I’ve slacked off horribly on exercise, except pilates for my back - which doesn’t count as heart exercise). He said this should lessen the stiffness. He said not to worry, the change is minor and may not progress - but he firmly believes in doing all one can to be as healthy as one can. So I’m glad I went for the check (and glad I could afford the private doc fees).
What prompted me was advice from an American friend who just went through chemo etc. for bc at MDAnderson. Not my oncologists here. She said this focus on late effects of chemo on the heart is very new, and becomng necessary because we bc ladies are living a lot longer (yay!) and a lot of oncologists still don’t know about it.
Like twiggyOR I am a bit stunned to be still here, and relatively healthy, and definitely enjoying life now, after all the doom-and-gloom predictions from the docs during treatment. Every morning I wake up grateful to still be part of this world. My 3-yr checkup is the first week of October; hoping nothing awful shows up, but if it does, I’ll deal with it then. Today I just want to enjoy this day.
Hope everybody else is doing well and enjoying the start of autumn
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I am doing well....had both knees replaced this year (it was going to happen eventually, but AIs definitely pushed it along...). It is wonderful to not be in pain any more when I walk!!! In order to have them done, I first had to go through a very thorough heart check, and fortunately all is well. Wouldn't hurt me to do more aerobic exercise anyway, though I have been walking and swimming.
Tessu, look for a private message from me this spring: a girlfriend and I are contemplating a trip to Finland, Estonia and Latvia this summer. I'd definitely love to head up to see you if I get up that way.....
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Hi all
Good here! still have joint pain here and there and back tightness that should fade with stretching. I try and do indoor cycling twice a week as well as Swim laps twice a week (my goal). Still walk like a penguin most mornings but it doesn't last long (thank you Letrozole for that SE).
I'm attending Casting for Recovery at the end of this month, gonna learn to fly fish!
Pushing on... lol
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Hello Ladies!
I am doing well here in MN, 3 yrs sure went fast! I was thankful to have the opportunity to walk my daughter down the aisle at her wedding last weekend. And dance the night away with friends and family. Life is good!
I am also feeling the effects of the Letrozole, mostly in the joints in my hands.
Take Care!
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Congratulations on the marriage of your daughter, here2win!
Octogirl
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Hi,
I just got back form Casting for Recovery Fly Fishing weekend. If you are interested they take applications on their website. It was a great time. We were so spoiled!
https://castingforrecovery.org/
I hope everyone is doing well
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Had my 3-year check-up yesterday: all clear - Yay! - and I "graduate" to once-a-year check-ups. The oncologist tried again to switch me to Prolia injections for my bones, but since my bone density scan shows definite improvement on the weekly Fosavance pills, I can continue with those. I guess people who haven't gone through chemo just don't understand that going to Infusion Clinic twice a year is NOT "easier" (psychologically) for some of us. Although still not at my pre-cancer baseline, I've been exercising more regularly, and feel better than I have in ages.
After such a rocky start, bad path and treatment delays and all that, I am still stunned to still be alive, but so very grateful.
Wishing everybody here good news on your check-ups, anda colorful and happy autumn.
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Wishing everybody a healthy and happy 2019
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Hi all YES a Happy & Healthy new year!!
say hello to our new pup Autzen!
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El Tigre, your pup is adorable!!
All is well with me: I've moved from California to Northern New Mexico and so far we are loving it here....been getting a fair amount of snow, which is a new thing for me, so I can relate to those trees, tessu!
Wishing all of you a very happy and a very healthy New Year!
Octogirl
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Hiya ladies! I’m still here too. I have had a full heart work up. My bone density is back to normal. I’m still tired a lot but that could just get the kids, ha!
I’m still not totally ready to put cancer in the rear view mirror but I’m so thankful to still be here.
Praying for a peaceful new year for you all. Xoxo.
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I wish there was a like button. 💜💜💜💜 we are each other’s biggest chee
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We need a like and love button.
We sold our farmhouse and moved closer to the kids’ school. I am loving it here. Still working and plugging along. God has been very faithful to me. Much moreso than I deserve.
If you are reading, please check in and give us an update.
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Hi, Cajun! Glad to hear you’re doing so well! May Life continue to bless you!
Hard to believe I’m three and a half years out and still here, and grateful for every day. Bonus: my back is in better shape than it’s been in years, thanks to pilates, yoga, and careful gym exercise. What used to be constant lower back pain sprinkled with shots of sciatica throughout the day has eased to almost pain-free days with only occasional exacerbations bad enough to need pain meds. Chemo- brain has eased enough to enjoy crafts and sewing and reading again, although I still forget stuff if I don’t write it down right away (husband is almost trained to stop complaining about my memory problems
). I feel every day is a precious gift, and am truly grateful. 0 -
Just checking in. I'm doing and feeling really well. I exercise, eat well, make sure I keep up all my health tests and laugh on a daily basis. I have been lucky enough to travel to some beautiful places and have done some wonderful things....including swimming with whale sharks!! I treasure my friends and family and take nothing for granted. Really nice to hear you girls are doing well...we've seen some very dark times together. Wishing you good health and happiness xxx
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hi everyone. We really do need a like/love button. My oldest is a senior in high school and my youngest is a freshman. Life is too fast
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I am doing very well...think I mentioned this a while back on the thread, but just in case: I've moved from CA to NM, and we bought a house here! Doing some remodeling on the place and will move in early April. I came out of retirement to take a job here and have been traveling a lot, though mostly for work. Sending hugs to all!
Octogirl
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Hi!
That's great everyone is doing well! Time is flying by no doubt. Reading over the responses i need to go on a tropical vacation and pick up some more crafts and hobbies
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This is all such great news! I am praying that we have all seen the last of cancer and continue to pray for those that are in the midst of it.
Wish we could have a tropical vacation reunion together! It would be so fun to actually meet you ladies and put faces and histories to the user names. I don't know any of you but I sure feel like I do! If you've never actually been through this, you just can't understand.
Xoxo.
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So nice to read updates on my old friends who were there when I really needed advice. I had my 3 year check up and got an all clear on breast cancer. My pancreatic cancer is on hold. It is the slow kind and I have decided not to do anything about it. A pathologist friend told me they see this neuroendocrine type of pancreatic cancer quite often in cadavers. Ha ha but they did not die from it. I got very mixed opinions on how to manage it. But I am doing nothing now. I retired last April early and did not qualify for disability so I got a half payment. But I did not continue working because I could not leave my mother. Also a bad fall and broken leg set me back. She died last February during that very cold spell. A polar vortex. She was 101 and 1/2 so I am glad to have had every last minute with her. She was mentally sharp until the morning she died. She got the Flu in December. Made it thru that but was weakened and would not eat. I miss her terribly now. I was so spoiled to have my mother all these years. She was there with me for all my cancer treatments. A gift to me.
Stay well all nice to stay in touch .
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101 wow! I’m so sorry for your loss but wow! That’s amazing and very special to have had your mom through it all. Hugs to you and may you live many, many more years symptom free
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I had a clinical control for the new lump I found in my remaining breast a couple months ago. It was imaged last month, but both mammogram and ultrasound didn’t show anything there, even though the radiologist was able to feel the lump too, and spent a lot of time on it with the US machine. Nothing on imaging means no biopsy, even though I begged. My oncologist also felt the lump, but said since the imaging was normal, again no biopsy - and no MRI - just another mamm and US next fall with my 4-yr control. I am trying not to think about the half-dozen women I know whose bc was invisible on imaging, and trying to reassure myself that this lump feels different than my bc lump - but yes it is new
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countryfrenchrose I am so sorry about your mom (((hugs)))
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