2017 Diagnosed-- A Place To Share "Whats Next"
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You’re right PeachyJeanne it does suck! This is the place to vent so don’t feel bad about that. Getting a port is a good idea. I just got mine out but it was great for my infusions. I have a gut feeling it will be going back in at point though. Yes, you will pull yourself up and get through this but it’s ok (and healthy) to allow the anger, fear and sadness to process. Enjoy your glass of wine tonight. Get some rest and tomorrow you can regroup and process this crap. I’m really sorry.0
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Paulette, rest well. Hope you get through the next ten rads without serious issues
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Hey, girls. There are so many Tamoxifen boards out there. Are any of you graduates on one that you find helpful? I am also wondering about people who are attempting to juggle an SSRI with T, and although there is a forum for that, it isn't very active.
TIA
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Rhyfelwr— while I can’t reply to your question, glad you posted it
My MO hadn’t decided between Tamoxifen or AI yet so I am not sure which board I need to review! I know Tamoxifen was blood clot risks and while AIs can have joint pain and hot flashes as your body depletes of estrogen. MO did a test and I am ALMOST at menopause so she is thinking of monthly shots to stop ovaries from producing estrogen but has to get insurance approval ... so I am in a holding pattern and came here to see what overs on hormone therapy wereexperiencing
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illimae—Woot! Woot! On GREAT scan results
So happy for you!!
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Thanks dodgersgirl, I thought the brain lesions might be a little sluggish to heal with all my holiday indulging after Gamma rads but I certainly will be celebrating
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Yes, illimae, CONGRATS on good news. May this be the start of a wonderful 2018.
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illimae, Happy for you, New Year with a New starts!
I’m counting on my radiation and now I’m thinking life after this major change. Diet, the next 10 years of Arimidex, need to enjoy life as much as we would.
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Peachy, I am so sorry!!! Chemo a second time - that just sucks. I hope you had a good ole cry,I would. Sending you lots of love!
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Peachy, I would cry for you, but I just know YOU of all people can and will handle this well. So many supportive people are here for you. Stay strong, positive and determined that this is all you need in 2018 to annihilate BC!
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Peachy: I only had 6 treatments directly in the veins in my arm. Get a port. It's been since the end of Sept and my right arm still has cording in the 6 veins and puffiness. My arm looks somewhat deformed in spots. I'm sorry you have to go through this again. It's heartbreaking enough the first time around when we find out we have this cancer. Rant away! We're here for you.
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Hi ladies - Finished RADs end of December and this week met w/MO. I'm on day 3 now of Anastrozole and so far no SEs thank goodness. The cancer ctr at my hospital has an amazing survivorship program and I started taking exercise classes (which I haven't done in years) and next week start a 6 month weight loss for wellness program there. I'll be living at the hospital with all these classes but I figure this is the year for me to get healthy and take care of ME!!!
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Ellyn27–. Your post made me smile. Sounds like such a positive step forward I love it.
Congrats on finishing rads.
Please let us know how you are doing on Anastrozole as I just learned that is the drug I am being prescribed.
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Hi all,
I was diagnosed at the end of 2017, and then after the whirlwind of surgery and having kids home for Christmas, got the news this month that, with my oncotype of 26, I will get chemo. So I'm starting that the week after next, probably. My oncologist is letting me go ahead with a vacation first.
Because my husband is also on chemo for Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis, it seems that we will be experiencing the joys of Dexamethasone at the same time. Our family has been warned.0 -
Ellyn27 - Congratuations and so glad to hear about no SE! Hear Hear to moving forward!!!
I'm still waiting to hear what I'll be taking....saw the breast specialist on Monday and am waiting to hear if she wants to manage the medication side of this journey herself, or refer me to an MO....
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Hi Princess and welcome. You are certainly going to have an "interesting" 2018! Let us know how it is going.
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tifrank - I'm curious to hear what your breast specialist recommends for you.
Question for all of you. I finished my RADS the end of December and still have an area above my breast where my skin is still pink. I continue to use my Aquaphor. I'm thinking of taking a swimming aerobics class and was wondering if you think the pool water will irritate my skin. I forgot to ask my MO when I met with her and when I asked the nurse she said since I don't have any open wounds that it should be OK. I'm just concerned about the chlorine. What do you think?
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Just guessing Ellyn but I think you will be fine with swimming. The skin is rejuvenating itself, so needs both protein and the moisturizer. But if you're diligent with that I think the pool water/chlorine is inconsequential.
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Hi Ellyn... I’ve done a bunch of swimming since finishing rads in late Dec. it’s been good .. I just make sure that I get dry pretty quickly and then get the lotion on straight after. Congrats to all of you finishing rads 😀
For those worried about side effects of AIs.. I’ve been on Femara for 3 weeks now.. mega hot flushes to start with but they seem to be easing off now and I feel a bit “creaky” in the morning but after some stretching it seems to come right. My MO said that it’s not until the second month that you really get the worst SEs, so we’ll see, but for what it’s worth it’s been a lot easier than I’d imagined... stay strong, we’ve got this!
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Kiwi, keep us posted and I hope the SE won’t be too bad.
Just finished 25/30 radiation, 5 more boosts to do. Feel fatigue, resting this weekend should help me.
Princess welcome to this club, if you have any question you can ask here. Many the ladies here are knowledgeable.
Have a great weekend ladies, be happy!
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Ellyn27 - I'm seeing her tomorrow and will let you know what she prescribes. I'm a little nervous about them, afraid of turning into a dried up old lady.
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tomorrow I have appointment with MO to get my first monthly Zoladex shot to stop the function of my ovaries so I can start Anatrozole (AI)
Will also get paperwork from Clinical Trial nurse for the trial my MO wants me to do.
The trial means taking meds (Everolimus or placebo) daily for a year. Study is to see if Everolimus along with AI can reduce chances for recurrences and metastasis in Stage 2 and Stage 3 BC patients. I am all for trying to minimize progression, isn’t that why we did chemo and rads in the first place? Just need to know all the details before agreeing to trial (will insurance cover costs that trial doesn’t? Do I want to take chemo pills everyday for a year?? Do I want to deal with SE like mouth sores for a year? Do I want an opportunity to take Everolimus to give me better odds long term? Do I want to do this knowing it could help other stuff in the future? ) I think I do want to try this but it is bit scary. I could get placebo and have no new SE or could get chemo pills and new SE for a year.... sigh.
Going to be an interesting day tomorrow.
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DodgersGirl - Also ask what happens if you begin the trial and then change your mind for whatever reason ... you just want to know if you are ever responsible for payment for ANYTHING. You don't want to find out that all the blood work (or whatever) will now need to be paid by you since you opted out. Sorry, I just have trust issues and hate surprises
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Ellyn27– don’t be sorry... I am very concerned about ending up with surprise charges, too. I won’t agree to the trial until I have the details and have spoken with my insurance company.
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Dodgers Girl, my MO had talked to me about the PALLAS trial which combines Ibrance with AI. My understanding of that trial is you either take it or you don't and you know if you are on it or not. It's randomized but not blind. You are followed the same regardless. And I think it's longer than one year. I'll have to ask about this one. I see my MO in two weeks.
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OCDAMY— the trial I may be taking part in is SWOG-S1207.
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Thank you for taking he trail DodgersGirl and Amy, so many of us will be benefited from you.
Hope everyone are enjoying the weekend, for me this is a long weekend, tomorrow is holiday and no zap day!
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Hello, sisters.
I think I am doing exceptionally well. Walking as much as possible. Arimidex is not a problem for me at all. Claritin helps w AI bone pain. NSAID usage went way down that last week I took none. Flexitouch pump is not required daily. I do the pump and Epsom salt scrub every other day. Sleeping good.
Work is a bit stressful. Besides being away for practically one whole year, the process changed 80% plus. My anxiety level is quite high that my heart beats as fast as 140 per min. Maybe I should take .25mg of Ativan during the day. Honestly, if it does not work it does not. I know I can find a way to supplement income. It looks that maintenance scans for the next 5 yrs may not be that costly. I silently laugh at people these days because I know I survived at least one personal nuclear war. yes I am flat at work. Me and my hubby joke that if it were not for my flatness, I look so good no one would believe I was sick. I just could not take mastectomy bras due to PTSD from the breast cancer. Got sick from stress and some germs I guess. Thank god for Nyquill. I am back to 100%. No matter what happens I know I will survive and hold my head up as well as walk tall.
Mayo clinic GI consul was originally March 6th. They called me I can have it Feb 19th. Even better. Feb 19th Mayo and Feb 20th Moffitt 6 month chk up. Feb 20th is min $50 reimb for sure by United Health Care. I am trying to get the same for Mayo visit on 19th.
Honestly, this is a mental battle for the majority of the time.
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Ellyn2 - I finished radiation on 3/24/17 and got back in the pool on 5/2/2017 with my radiation oncologist's blessing. While my skin didn't "break down" during treatment, the burned layer sloughed off so I waited until that was mostly done and I'd gone back for a 1 month check.
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