Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
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MamaV - Sorry to hear about your MRI results. I know it is hard not to worry but as Sandee said - Breathe - Breathe and remember the 24 hour rule. Hoping for B9 results.
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MamaV- Hugs for you!!! Just like Sandy said the 24 hr rule is a good thing. Will continue having you in my prayers for B9 results!
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MamaV, I agree with all the others and am sending you warm hugs and good thoughts. I know it's nearly impossible not to think about it, but hoping you can push it away until the 14th, and then just make sure you are comfortable with what the BS wants to do. When they tell you it is probably b9, I know in the overwhelming majority are b9. They know what cancer looks like. (((((hugs)))))
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A quick question please!
Is Tamoxifen considered a 'steroid'?
I know it's in the chemo family and is a anti estrogen med
Thanks
Jan
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MamaV - you are in my thoughts. Hoping for B9 results.
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Jan, I hesitate to reply because I am no expert, but my understanding is tamoxifen is a hormonal drug (an anti estrogen, although it works differently than the AI's). I don't think it is a steroid or in the chemo family.
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Good mornin' ladies...... wanted to take a minute to check in with ya.
Surgery went good. Dr. said he "cleaned out my lungs", and took out four nodes. Two of them were larger than what they showed on CT only two weeks ago, Don't know why. Get results to see if it is/was cancer on Wednesday. They said the report should be done on Monday, but Dr will talk to me on Wednesday at my appt. OY!! Oh well, what is a few more days huh??????????? Seems sometimes like a lifetime!!!
I was so upset, but really didn't know what to do....my surgery was scheduled for 11:00 but dr. had a surgery that was going bad, so he had to stay with that person. My surgery didn't get started till around 330 pm. He wanted me off all my pain meds the day before, so I laid there hurting like hell for most of the day.....finally my dil called the nurse and said, look.....y'all gotta do something for her...she is in such pain and not saying a word!! So around 2pm they finally gave me pain meds....OY!
I was released around 7 or 8, I think, somewhere in there. Came home and was in such horrible pain!! He wouldn't give me anything but 5mg loratab.! I have been on Butran patches, 15 mcg....and 7.5 mg loratab as needed for pain since May!!!! 5mg of loratab ain't gonna touch the pain I had. But I had an appt with my pain clinic on Fri. morning. I wasn't gonna go but I had to report the surgery to them. My nurse took my bp and dr. flipped out!!! She was sooooooo pissed and said so. So she put me back on my meds and since then it has been better.
Went to Onc. after that and had to have more blood work done. Monday I have to have CT scan of pelvic and abdoman. I am sooooooooo tired and hurt so much I am not even looking forward to that!! But, oh well, they have to find out what is going on and get it taken care of. That's all I care about........going on with LIFE!!!!!!
I want to thank each and every one of you for being in my pocket.....I honestly felt the love, and calmness that day knowng there were so many of you, my family and other friends in my pockets and in my heart!!!!
To those of you that are having tests and such.......I pray that everything goes good!!
MamaV....praying for B9 reports for you!!
Love and hugs..........I can't stay up long, but wanted to get an update to ya'll.Paula M
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First so happy for the good news for you Jules and CHABBA !!
NOW we need good news for you dear Paula... I have been thinking about you. I pray for b9 results or god forbid it is bad they got it all out~
It sounds like many need hugs so I am sending you all a virtual ONE (((((HUGS)))))
I have to admit I have been staying away from here for the most part because when I hear bad news or someone having surgery it just makes me sick to my stomach with more worries than usual. I care about you all dearly but I can't take the fear I live in. I have a lung ct scan and my blood work in February until then I hope to not think about cancer...... it is a battle each day.
HUGS,
Alicia
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sunangel...sending you love and gentle hugs. The things you have had to endure.....!!! Not sure if it helps at all but last year throughout every visit ( and still now when I go to the dr and blood appointments and follow ups)I wear a bright scarf around my shoulders...to remind myself that I am wrapped in love...and I bring my mp3 player with songs that cam me or keep me in a happy place so I don't stress as much while waiting...pain is a bit*h....hard to focus on anything else when you are hurting.
hang in there!
love and hugs
Sandee
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Paula M... we are with you all the way girl!!!! hugs and praying for you and all good things!!
MamaV so sorry about the MRI.. will be thinking of you and praying for all good news!
Sandee....lovin the new profile pic!!! you sooooo adorable girl!
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((((Paula)))) Hoping for B9 results for you!
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Paula - We are here for your all the way praying for good results and better pain control.
MamaV - We will be there with you as well and hope for benign news on the 14th.....Hang in there, one day one hour or one minute at a time and reach out for distraction if need be.
JustmeAlicia - I totally understand. I am early in the process and will go for my first 3 month visit in January. Does the fear & uncertainty ever lessen during the 5 years or beyond? I sure hope so because I don't want to live forever in fear that it will come back so I am hoping it is just due to the novelty now.
Am a little over a week on the Tammi train and will see my ob/gyn Tuesday for a baseline appt. This will be my first visit post bc diagnosis & BMX so it should be an interesting appt...
Gentle hugs to all....
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Jan - Tamox is a chemo drug as well as an antihormonal and not considered a steroid.
Been away for a few days and just no way I can catch up. Been super busy at work. My assistant manager just found out her father passed away. She did not have the money to fly home to Ohio for the funeral so I am helping her out. She needs to be home with family. Will be gone a week so please don't worry if you wonderful ladies don't here from me this next week. I will have to cover her tasks at work which is no problem but I may have to work some longer hours. I certainly do not mind doing this - she is such a sweetheart.
Hope everyone is having a good weekend.
Hugs
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Jo - You are a good woman! We will miss u but understand. Just be sure to take care of yourself too....
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Hi tammi ladies. Has anyone had ovarian cysts? I understand tamoxifen can cause them. Started with a dull on and off ache last night on the lower left side and has continued all night and day today. wondering what joy this could be. If anyone has info on similar symptoms and or ovarian cysts can you shoot me some info? Thanks so much!
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can't help you out with answers bcisnofun but will hope this is just a passing weirdness for you....and not more medical garbage!
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Just stopping by to send best wishes to MamaV and Paula. JustMeAlicia, I find some days I am stronger than others when it comes to facing the fear and checking on the boards. And you have had such a ough time. But I inherited a trait from my mother that just seems to compel me to support every stray dog or child or fellow breast cancer survivor, so here I am. Still scared, still recovering, still full of love for all of you. Gentle hugs to all of you.
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bcisnofun - I have not had ovarian cysts but did have to have a hysteroscopy (biopsy for a large fibroid tumor) and a D&C this past summer. I know it was the cause of two things - no estrogen and the Tamox. I do have a history of the tumors and thick uterus but did not have to deal with them until now. A lot of the doctors will deny Tamox can cause these issues but you can find such information on the internet. It makes you wonder who is right and how is wrong......
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Thanks sandee and jo
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HI, Ladies:
I've been away a while, but had to stop in to tell MamaV that I had an MRI in May that showed a 'something' and it turned out to be a benign cyst. MRI's are so sensitive and lots of time they show things that are not anything. Still so hard to wait to find out, but just wanted to tell you, MamaV that this often happens. They wanted to watch it for 6 months to which I said, not 6 days, and we did the US and then the bx. I think that this kind of vigilance and close surveilance has the down side of finding all kinds of things that will drive us crazy. I still prefer it to not watching, though. Wishing you good thoughts, MamaV.
Re ovarian cysts, I had them for years, pre BC. One ruptured and that was pretty painful. They are almost always benign but like everything else now, I guess you have to speak w your MO and check things out. Sigh. I am now 3 weeks past ooph, doing pretty well. Still tired but otherwise ok. Back to swimming. So far no cataclysmic menopause symptoms. Don't want to speak too soon, but no hot flashes yet. They were far worse before on Tami alone and then even worse on Lupron.
PaulaM, praying for you and sending you good wishes. Also glad you are getting the pain managed better.
I've been away because I got some rough news 2 weeks ago. My Dad, who was dx w leukemia 20 years ago, and has been clean since (I think I wrote about him a few times here as he is so inspirational to me) was just dx again w a new leukemia. I hesitated to come here to write this as I don't want to discourage anyone, though it shouldn't, as a recurrence like this is incredibly rare. We are all shocked, as are his drs. Apparently this happens in less than 2% of cases, it coming back after so many years. He's in treatmt again, and he's a really young, and other than this, healthy 75 year old.
We are all very close and I'm trying to stay optimistic and cheerful, but it's hard sometimes. My Mom discovered lung cancer (by accident, she got an xray after breaking her arm while jogging!) in 2009. She had surgery and is doing well now, thank God, but it was a rough few months. Then I filled up everyone's 2010 with my adventure, and now 2011 seems to be going out with a bang as my Dad's year. I don't mean to complain, after all, we've been so lucky to be survivors. But it's wearing. I live far away and I flew a few times when my Mom was sick. Hard to be away from my family here but then hard not to be there with my parents and brothers. Now I've got the same thing starting again. My youngest is 14 and though my kids are pretty self-sufficient, I hate to be away from them. Back to the same hospital in NYC where my Mom was treated. Depressing that we all know it so well. But, with God's help, let it be the place that cures my Dad, too.
Worst part is that I stress about being stressed! How stupid is that? Do any of you do that? I worry that it's not good for my health to be under this stress so continuously, but a sick father is a sick father, nothing I can do. I am trying to minimize other stresses at least. Nothing to do but support them and pray. (And eat chocolate...)
Thanks for listening,Love to everyone,
Shari
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Wow, Shari, I'm so sorry for what you and your family are going through ( and have been through! ) Sending hugs and good thoughts your way. And the part about being stressed about being stressed? Not stupid. Normal. I do it too. A lot more then I want too, that's for sure, especially lately. I'm not even sure why, since I got a good mammo report last week and good blood-work reults. I think it's because when I made my next MO appointment for February, they set me up for chest X-rays that day. I was startled, since my MO didn't mention it at my last appointment. I asked why, and the nurse didn't know, though my guess is they are looking to make sure there are no mets, either from the BC or the radiation treatment. That made me start thinking about the possibility of those things, something I never thought much about until now. >sigh< Oh well, just another thing.
Hope everyone had a good weekend. Going to go out and shovel snow now!
Love and hugs,
Sandi
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Paula, MamaV and Shari: I am so sorry for what you all are going through. My good thoughts and prayers are going out to all of you.
Bcisnofun: I have a history of ovarian cysts. A few years ago I had one ovary removed because of a solid cysts which was B9. I also had a fluid-filled cyst on the other ovary which they removed while doing the oomph. Weird thing is, I had NO symptoms of these cysts. They were discovered during an ultrasound. The only "symptom" was that I hadn't had a period in 9 months and they suspected I might be nearing menopause, but when the blood work came back as "no where near menopause" (which I STILL don't believe because I was getting hot flashes then and this was long before the Tamox), they decided to do the ultrasound to see what was going on - thus the discovery of the cysts. Now I am having dull aching pain like you describe in the area of my one remaining ovary so I suspect there may be a cyst now. Or a fibroid. Or goodness-knows what else, as I know Tamox can cause funky things down there.
I have my yearly gyno appointment next month and I know she will be ordering an ultrasound to find out what is going on. The day after that, I have my next mammo. I'm more afraid of that than I am of the ultrasound, not because of the discomfort but because of what might be found. I doubt that mammo anxiety will ever go away. All I know is I am going to need lots of chocolate by the end of that week!!!
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Shari - My heart goes out to you and your family. It does wear on a soul and adds more stress than you already carry. I understand where you are coming from as the past four years we have had one family health issue after another and while we still feel blessed for those who are still with us, we all really want a quiet/uneventful year. Alas, my husbands uncle has been dx with extensive bone cancer starting from a liver tumor so it doesn't looke like 2012 will be quiet either. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or anyone else when you need a shoulder or ear. (((HUGS)))
Sandi - Snow? I'm envious.... I love snow as it is a great excuse for hot chocolate & baking cookies. Too bad I shouldn't indulge in the sugar anymore........
bcisnofun - I too have had ovarian cysts prior to BC and remember the pain & cramping. I hope you feel better soon!!
Think the Tammi is making me a weepy emotional wreck and sure hope this SE passes soon.
Hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday....
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Shari.. so sorry you have more to endure. We are here to help in anyway we can! hugs to you!
Odie... I know what you mean i am weeoing all the time. I have an Onc appt tomorrow ill see what she says hugs!
ok somehow i pushed something and there is a line under everything I write!!!. one of those days lol!
Hugs to all my dear Tammy ladies.. you all are the best!
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Paula we are here for you and will be in yor pockets from now until you find out your results on Wed.
MamamaV--I know get the not clear is always scarrying as I just went through that a month ago. But one thing I have learned from my Dr's is that even though they are cautious about their findings when they actually say that they think it is B9 they really do mean it and most of the time it is. I experienced this with my Dr's. Even though I could really read the concern in my MO's face he also said he did not think it was anything but either way wanted it removed. BS also said the same thing. They were right it was B9 but I still had to have surgery. I will pray it is B9 but I know how the worrying goes. As I am a worry wart. I'll be praying for you.
Shari so sorry to hear about your Dad. I can't imagine living so far away when your parents are having health issues. I am lucky that i have had my parents and DH parents so close. I'll be praying for you as well.
If I missed anybody so sorry I had pages to read.
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My dear, dear tammy friends ... thank you all SOOOO much! You are all such a huge army of strength and courage for me!
I am done freaking out (except for at 3am - ha ha). I went on line and research the heck out of breast MRIs, results, findings, etc. This is what I learned ... there are 5 categories of findings in MRIs:
1. No abnormalities present
2. Non mass findings .., probably benign
3. Micromass finding(s) ... probably benign
4. Mass findings (s) ... probably malignant ... biopsy recommended
5. Malignancy ... we all know what that one means!
The BS and radiologists can tell with very good certainty benign and malignancy due to several factors - shape, size, color, edges, and even the speed at which the dye flows through. SO ... I am pretty confident that since my first MRI last year showed 100% positive malignancies, if my BS says "probably benign", I have to feel confident in that. I have always had fibrocystic breasts (even had a fibroidadenoma removed years back) so I don't know why I would even expect an all clear - my breasts are dense as the forest!
I could be totally misinterpretting everything I read, so PLEASE don't correct me if I am. Let me live in ignorance for a week and 1/2 until I see my BS. That is the ONLY way I am going to be able to function! Doesn't help AT ALL that Dec 14th was the day of my biopsy last year and Dec 17th was the day I got the call. I feel like I am reliving this all again even without this scare. I'm wondering if I should just cut them off ...
Thanks again all! You are the best!
Vicky
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Shari- you have had your fair share of sorrows the last couple of years...know you are being hugged from afar .... this past year I have heard of 4 women connected to me who have been diagnosed with breast cancer...all of various degrees and various stages and it just makes me wonder WTH....and makes me grateful that there is soo much support out there as otherwise, this would be totally undoable....hugs to you Shari.
schipmom-24 hour rule....all the others before your BC diagnosis were clear...positive thoughts that this one will be too...better toknow than not know either way hmm? Make sure the chocolate is dark chocolate so your heart is as happy as your soul!
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MamaV- reading is useful if it gives you credible information that calms you..ry not to read into what they said . When I went for my mammogram this past June, the technician decided to do the right one a second time...said the EXACT same words the technician had said the previous year when they found cancer....I was a mess until I verbalized it to one of the gals on the BC dragonboat team..her words? "Sandee, they are probably just being extra cautious becaus ethey found cancer in that area on the other side last year"..voice of reason hmm? calmed me down 100%....right...of course!!! so logical since it was not in my own head!..so here's hoping MamaV...! chocolate and distractions are in order this week.
Marie/Tink- I understand the weepies....good grief. Comes on for no apparent reason....I well up..keeping some Nax Mur nearby and am treating myself to massage and acupuncture!!! and counting the days until school will be over for the year....I soooo need this year to be over despiteal the lovely and loving lessons I have also learned...I just want it done anyhow.
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Hi, new here. I'm so glad I took a moment to look for support boards. Tamoxifen is kicking my behind. Aside from the favorite hot flashes, my gastro system is a mess and my joints are killing me. From the time I was first told I'd be taking T, all the docs were so nonchalant about it, like it was no big deal, like taking a daily vitamin or something. Now I'm wondering if it's even worth it, I feel so sick, can't sleep, achey all the time. All of which leave me an emotional wreck. The family doesn't get it, I'm done radiation, I should be fine, right? As I am the primary earner (and holder of health ins), it really worries me that I'm barely able to make it through a week of work and I've seriously depleted my PTO. Should I stop taking until I see my Onc. on Dec 23? On the plus side, I stopped getting my period (so far). I'm glad that I'm not alone in having issues with the T.
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Christie, I don't think you should stop taking it before you see your onc, but give him a call and see what he recommends. Maybe he can tell you something to help with the joint pain. I am seriously considering acupuncture. He could also tell you your risk of recurrence if you stop taking the tamoxifen vs. Keep taking it, which would be important to know. Lastly, I have only been taking it for a few weeks, but I think sometimes symptoms lessen or even go away as you take it longer.
MamaV, that is exactly what I was thinking. I think you are good. Time to dream of sugar plums dancing in your head and forget about cancer.0
