2017 Diagnosed-- A Place To Share "Whats Next"
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This morning is my Dexa scan. Two years ago was the baseline test before starting an AI.
Funny thing is until stage 4 diagnosis, I was looking forward to the Dexa Scan to see how my bones where holding up. I took all the supplements recommended to me and was sure my Dexa Scan was going to show good things. Now I expect the opposite
Tummy is feeling much better this morning!! For the first time in a long time, I am dreading rads today. Sure don’t want to feel flu-like every evening
I do remember needing extra protein during rads from 2017 rads. I found some Vermont beef sticks that are high in protein without all the grease of a store bought beef stick. I also purchased a couple of tuna and chicken pouches that don’t need refrigeration for another quick source of protein. I have Gatorade and ginger ale ready, too
RO’s office gave me a skin cream yesterday with lidocaine in it. They must be trying to tell me something. No skin problems at all for the thoracic area. I suspect this 2nd treatment is more concentrated so skin exposure is also more concentrated.
As always, thanks for the support.
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DodgersGirl,
I've been following your posts, through the weekend. As someone else said, this is really the only thread that I follow constantly. I actually have updates from this thread delivered to my email account so that I don't have to wonder whether there has been an update. I just get an email message.
Rads is the only thing that I did NOT have to do as part of my treatment. So, I don't have any first-hand experience. However, I am just hoping that you are able to find some relief both the pain and flu-like symptoms soon.I am sure that you have a calendar, somewhere, where you are placing an "X" on every day until this part of the treatment is done...when you can start getting ready for that beach trip! There is a new study that just got released, which suggests that virtual reality (and music therapy, interestingly) during treatment relieves some negative side effects. So, perhaps just going to the beach, in your mind, during treatments could help! I hope so.
Hoping that today is not as bad as you are thinking, but glad that you are prepared with what food/drink might help. Ginger ale was quite soothing for me during chemo nausea, especially the kind that had real ginger pulp in the bottle!
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Annbee, I am glad to hear about the results of your exam! I am sure that you breathed a sign of relief!
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Moth,
Doing less aerobics could be the cause...that is the type of exercise that brings down the RHR, as I understand it. The good news is that the RHR is reversible just by stepping things up in the activity department. Do you have an activity tracker? A lot a folks think that they are useless because they are not 100% accurate. I find that the tool is motivational. I don't care whether it thinks that 10,100 steps is only 10, 050 steps...They are accurate enough to know that 7000 steps is not 10,000 steps! The 10000 is arbitrary. It's just about pushing yourself to get activity. At some point, when you get close to your daily goal, you will start to get active just to "get your steps in" as they say!
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Rads to thoracic spine DONE!!
Rads 3 if 5 now in the books.
Nauseousness is increasing. I am so cold and tired. So I talked with RO. He prescribed an anti-nausea med. RO told me my SE will be worse next week. I just keep telling myself “this too shall pass”.
I feel like a sick cancer patient and I am tired of it. Not sure how I got thru work today. Tomorrow will be better with the new meds and tomorrow will take me 1 rad closure to the finish line!!
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Yes! Keep the count down going! Yes, this, too, shall pass!
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took the Zofran an hour ago. It’s already working. I feel almost normal right now. Going to enjoy this feeling tonight for sure
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Glad that the Zofran is working...it never really worked for me...I needed a much stronger med!
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I now have an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon. My MO wanted his opinion about the strength of my bones. Do I need rods and such to bolster up anywhere. Orthopedic Surgeon’s office left a voice mail saying the doctor did want to see me and gave me a date/time for appointment next week
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Wow, DodgersGirl...it's just so much to manage all at once! You must be super-organized to be able to keep up with everything AND work AND just take care of yourself!
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So appreciate the updates, DodgersGirl. That's great news that the Zofran is working. To feel semi-normal is such a gift. And "this too shall pass" is one of the most powerful mantras out there - Hang onto it, because we all know it to be true. You are indeed making progress to the end of this round of treatment, with next steps in good hands, or so it sounds. Sleep well tonight.
I've been meaning to ask - Your screen name suggests you're a fellow MLB fan, and I'm a lifelong Yankees fan [inherited from my dad]. Pitchers and catchers starts in a few weeks, and then it's on to spring training. That was one of the things that kept me going three years ago, and if I'm right about my assumptions of our shared love of the game [if not the team...] it's on to 'play ball' soon!
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Scottie719–. Bleed Dodger Blue! Love baseball. Spent 2017 summer going thru chemo and watching baseball every night on MLB.com.
If I can’t get a trip to the beach worked out, I have thought about attending spring training in AZ. I have been a few times when spring training was at Vero Beach, Fl but haven’t made it to Phoenix yet.
Can’t plan anything til all my tests are done. I see MO Wednesday next week. Hope to get an idea where he sees my path going
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Perhaps I shouldn't mention that I live in Houston and that 2017 was pretty magical (at the time). I opportunistically jumped on the orange bandwagon, after finishing treatment (not a core fan). Now, with the whole "sign-gate" scandal......hmmm....I don't know anymore!
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Scrafgal— I thought the Astros Dodgers World Series was a great one to watch. Some real talent on that team. Too bad their season will always be remembered for the sign stealing. So not fair to their fans
Now I hoping LA can figure out how to win it all while I am still here.
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Scrafgal, that cracks me up - Just as I was reading DodgersGirls's post, I was thinking 'here's hoping there aren't any 'Stros fans in our group'. And voila, your post popped up - LOVE it! I'm married to a lifelong Red Sox fan [we refer to it as a mixed marriage...] so I know full well of all the rivalries, but the sign stealing does add quite an element to the discussion. Can't wait for the season to start. And DodgersGirl, like you, I spent the summer of 2017 [chemo and surgery, rads during the playoffs] glued to MLB.com. It gave me a sense of normalcy. Uh oh, maybe following baseball causes breast cancer. Just kidding, obviously. But it makes as much sense as some of the other stuff I've read!
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Scrafgal— ref your post about being super organized.... I call it efficient laziness. Why walk into the kitchen to get a drink empty handed. Find something to take to the kitchen. Organized? Guilty. Spreadsheets with all my blood work so I can quickly create a chart if I think there is a pattern.
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DodgersGirl, I agree about the talent. That's the thing...they could have won without cheating but we'll never really know. The asterisk will always be there for that championship.
Wait--spreadsheets!!!!
Scottie719...love the "mixed marriage" description!!
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Rads 4 of 5 to hips now in the books. Skin is really pink.
Thought I felt better today ( probably due to Zofran) but just vomited... so going back to soft, bland food tomorrow.
Monday is last rads treatment!!!
Going to stay home tomorrow and nap and watch tv.
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Rest and stay hydrated, DodgersGirl.
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One more DG! Hopefully this weekend will give you time to recover and give you the strength you need. Do you have more Zofran? Maybe one in the morning will get you through the day. Rest up and let your busy heal
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yay for last rads on Monday, DodgersGirl. Hope you had a relaxing day today.
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Finished rads today! No more taking a shower while worrying about 4 temporary rad marking stickers coming off due to getting wet or rubbing them with a towel. They are history!! And I can put lotion on my dry itchy skin finally. Haven’t done that. In almost 3 weeks.
Have to admit I am a bit bummed though. The pain in my right hip seems worse that before rads. And sadly the pain in my back is returning. Woke up at 3 am this morning due to back pain so I got up and started my work day an hour early.
Still trying to work out my meds. Rads in pelvic region causes diarrhea and nausea. When I take the anti-nausea med, I feel better but the big D is replaced with constipation. I stopped the anti-nausea med this weekend. Felt crappy but was no longer constipated. This morning was quite nauseous and in pain so took all my meds. Will see how I feel tomorrow— will I work to fix nausea, constipation, or diarrhea. I sound like a Pepto Bismol commercial.
I see my MO this week. Looks like I have plenty of questions for him.
You guys following the news on the Coronavirus? I was really aware of people sneezing and coughing while at the hospital today.
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Dodger's, I am glad the rads are over but jeez, I keep hoping you catch a break somewhere. I'm thinking you have to take anti-poop pills at the same time you eat stewed prunes and maybe you'll land somewhere in the middle? I was at the cancer lodge with several people undergoing radiation on their gut parts for various reasons and the diarrhea was almost impossible to manage. Very distressing and mortifying for people. I hope this passes and you get some pain free nights. How in the name of god are you working through this?
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Runor— I am tweaking the dosing of pills to try the stay “balanced”. I am taking anti-nausea meds only when I feel nauseous and when I take them, I take a Colace with Norco. Woke up this morning quite nauseous so will have anti-nausea med with breakfast.
As far as working through all of this, I am taking it a day at a time. Some days are killers though.
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Hang in there DG! Hopefully the nausea and diarrhea will end soon and the other pains simply side effects as well. Rads are no joke! I don't think people understand that unless they've been through it Or have someone close who has. Be kind to yourself. Do you have plans for scans in the near future to see his effective the rads were? I know you need to give it time to do it's work. I was just with my PS last week and he was still explaining and showing me the effects from rads on my skin, ribs abs implant. It's like a gift that keeps on giving. Hopefully, it keeps on killing the cancer cells as well.
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Legomaster225—- no known plans for scans right now. I just finished scans this month. I think they do wait a bit for rads to do their thing.
I have an MO appointment this week so will probably know more after that. Seems other stage 4 people get scans every 3 months.
I also have an appointment with orthopedic surgeon this week. He may order more scans??
I got the results of my DEXA scan this morning. IF I am reading it correctly, my T Scan number isn’t low enough to be dx as osteoporosis BUT with T12 compression fracture without cancer there, it states that puts me as osteoporosis. I should get my first XGEVA shot this week
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Moth- thank you for the well wishes!
Runor- you mentioned the SE you were aware of others at your cancer lodge getting rads to their pelvic area who had diarrhea as a SE. I learned that diarrhea was a possible SE from others sharing their stories here at BCO. My RO only talked about it once I asked him. He then told me that I would have that SE and that it would be worse the week or 2 after treatment ends. You asked about working full time thru this. Today I wasn't able to. Too many trips to the restroom. Now concerned about getting to 2 doctor appointments.
Edited to add: as a result of SE from rads, I have learned to spell diarrhea without having to look it up each time. I like learning things so there has been a learning event from my SE!!
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That's funny. The spelling of diarrhea always trips me up too.
I have osteoporosis as well. Diagnosed after chemo but before switching to Aromasin. I know the AI won't help. I had a Reclast infusion last year and scheduled to gat another next month. I didn't really have any issues with it last year. I wish I could get a scan just to see if it helps. I'm taking calcium, vitamin D and Magnesium to help also. I should be getting more exercise but it's cold outside and I have a million excuses.
Hoping the bathroom trips start to stretch out for you DG. Keep up on the liquids.0 -
That's funny. The spelling of diarrhea always trips me up too.
I have osteoporosis as well. Diagnosed after chemo but before switching to Aromasin. I know the AI won't help. I had a Reclast infusion last year and scheduled to gat another next month. I didn't really have any issues with it last year. I wish I could get a scan just to see if it helps. I'm taking calcium, vitamin D and Magnesium to help also. I should be getting more exercise but it's cold outside and I have a million excuses.
Hoping the bathroom trips start to stretch out for you DG. Keep up on the liquids.0 -
Legomaster225– I have read that taking Vitamin K2 along with Vit D, Calcium, and Magnesium helps build stronger bones. Yes, I take Vit K2.... so did it keep my DEXA scan numbers higher that osteoporosis ranges? Could have.
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