Topic: Can we have a forum for "older" people with bc?

Feb 26, 2009 12:30AM samedaynurseJan wrote:

Good evening to everyone !!!!! So many posts to catch up on......no one my age should be working ten hour shifts cause I miss too much EVERYWHERE :)  Today I cracked up at all the jelly bellies.......one of the only best things that came after my surgery in Dec and my treatment that followed was people actually telling me how incredibly thin I looked....NO ONE ever tells me that......now I fight each creeping back pound.

Silly question for all of you......have any of you given up any of the things you used or like because you feared they contain estrogen ? For example.....I have heard of people who stopped using certain face creams.....dont eat yogurt anymore.....will only buy organic dairy products.....and on and on.....I was hoping, that moderation would be good and that my anti wrinkle cream *bigsmile* and my favorite yogurt wouldnt cause my bc to come to life......whatcha think ?

Snowbird.....we are almost neighbors.....Im originally from Chicago and now live in one of the western suburbs.....and spent many many summer vacations up near Rhinelander if that is anywhere near your summer home.

Nancy what are you doing for health insurance ? Yes.........I am obsessed with health insurance, never thought I would be counting the days to 65.....1520 of them....this *little* cancer is running near 1/4 million dollars....what would we do without insurance ? and where would we get it.......Paula, if I could, I would retire in a heartbeat.....priorities....certainly do change :)

JO I was looking forward to the diagnostic mammos with the instant results no matter how high the stress is.....but you always make me stop and think....it took them 3 weeks to call me back in for films after my routine mammo....5 more days to decide on an ultrasound....3 days to stereotactic biopsy.....and then I ORCHESTRATED everything else myself to happen within 5 days. Im so sorry to hear bout your breast injury....will we never have to stop worrying about them.....

Hi Debbie (sydpen) great to hear that you are hanging tough and going to grow old and have belly fat along with the rest of us.....sorry that you were staged so high but all things are possible now....even seeing 90 ! We will all put you right into our prayers.....Im curious about the rest of your story too.

Rebecca I seriously dont think an age of 71 would have ANYTHING at all to do with treatment....its all about the tumor.....the pathology etc.....71 is nowhere near the end of the road

It was almost....almost springlike here today.....rain tomorrow, lots of it. Thanks to all of you for always being *here* when* I get home at night....

Be healthy, be happy

jan

I am TRYING to figure out how to post a picture.....pathetic , this aging thing !

Feb 26, 2009 12:37AM samedaynurseJan wrote:

JO I sent you a PM cause I talk too much sometimes here ......*rolling eyes*

Feb 26, 2009 03:27AM - edited Feb 26, 2009 04:03AM by darsura

I take calcium 600mg with Vit D 400mg twice a day.  If I add the multivitamin that I have now (One-a Day Womens), it has vit D also, 800 mg.  That would be 1600mg.  Not sure if that is too much, so I have been skipping the multivitamin.  I may just switch to calcium pill that does not have vit D in it, and then add the multivitamin.  But just wondering, how much vit D are you taking - anybody? Thanks!

Feb 26, 2009 03:42AM reba1717 wrote:

Hi Ladies, THANK YOU!! ALL OF YOU!

You made me feel so much better!

Mom had her appt today with the surgeon post op for the mastectomy. Apparently the tissue is ALL CLEAR (which is great news- but of course, probably due to the fact that she had a lumpectomy first).

For some reason the stupid pathologist thought it was a "simple mast" so there was no report on the nodes. Not really sure what he did with the nodes... but hopefully we will get a report next week when we meet with the Onc.

We also don't have the receptor status back either which is strange to me, but that's an HMO for ya!! (one in particular anyway).

Thanks again!!!

Rebecca

Feb 26, 2009 03:27PM - edited Feb 26, 2009 03:47PM by JO-5

 Jan,

I haven't changed any thing like face creams, etc. eat Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt (I don't drink milk - so that is my ca (I finally remembered that ca= calcium - duh)  besides my supplement. I was surprised to find that Mayo's first ing. is soy - so I dont' eat that anymore. Don't use any thing w/ flax. I try not to obsess about soy -- so if soy is at or near the top of the list of ing. I avoid that. I mainly just try to eat smaller amounts - lots of veggies and fruit - and as low fat as possible.

You made me think about the mammo. too. I sure hope they don't wait three weeks to let me know if there is a problem. I am betting on getting a call in a day or two if there is anything and if I don't --- expecting to walk into my appt. Mar. 6 to hear "all clear!"  See how paranoid we get?!!!?

Oh, since I've run out of my ca w/ D I am going to look for one w/ mag.  My Dr. never told me that.

 I can't post a picture either so I gave up on that.

 If you figure it out ---- someone let me know.

I see a couple more new ones on here ---- ALL ARE WELCOME!

God bless!

JO

Feb 26, 2009 03:36PM klp wrote:

My FNP advised me to take 2000IU of Vit. D/day...I am only taking 1000IU but D is in my multi and other foods. I take Citracal which has Vit. D and magnesium..take 2 a day spaced apart.

I took the Vit. D blood test and my level was 74..so I'm fine. 

Feb 26, 2009 03:42PM Motherof7 wrote:

Is your belly fat from the Arimidex? I am suppose to go on that next Monday. I went to the AstraZenica sight and most of the ladies there said it made their bones hurt, and some said they couldn't hardly use their hands. This scares me. How about you ladies, how is the Arimidex affecting you? Would appreciate any comments. I really do believe in Jesus Christ, and I am praying for all of you.

Feb 26, 2009 03:48PM - edited Feb 26, 2009 03:49PM by darsura

klp: I take caltrate with vit D the same way.  It provides a total of 1200 mg calcium, 800 mg vit.D, and 80 mg. magnesium.  If I add the multivitamin which I currently have, that would add 800 mg vit D (which I guess is ok, as that would be 1600mg.  I just need to figure out how much I take in in food each day...) and 50mg magnesium.  Total magnesium would be 130mg, well under the 500 mg others are taking.  I am going to check out the GNC supplement.  Want to do all I can to ward off any side effects that may be coming my way on arimidex! 

 By the way, no doc mentioned checking a blood level for vit D.  How may of you have had this checked?

Feb 26, 2009 03:54PM - edited Feb 26, 2009 03:59PM by darsura

Feb 26, 2009 03:57PM klp wrote:

Good idea, arsura...

Feb 26, 2009 04:32PM bluewillow wrote:

Hello everyone!

What a great topic this is and I have enjoyed everyone's posts very much!  You all have shared some really helpful information!  I will be 53 in May and am looking forward to turning 55 so I can get lots of discounts!   

I love the suggestion of a forum for post-menopausal BC survivors.  Only those of us who have been through meno understand the far-reaching effects, such as weight gain in places we didn't know we had fat cells, aches and pains, foggy brain, and anything related to being "seasoned".  I think a lot of my discomforts are a result of menopause, rather than "just" breast cancer, such as the blob of chemo-related fat around my waist that doesn't want to budge all of a sudden!

Dealing with menopause is tough enough, but having breast cancer with it often presents a whole new set of issues and problems we need to discuss.  And I am sure the younger set could also benefit from all the great wisdom on such a forum!

Feb 26, 2009 05:12PM - edited Nov 9, 2013 06:06PM by Moderators

I was playing around and found this link about osteoporosis. It was quite detailed and might give some information to discuss with your doctor.

http://www.womenshealthnetwork.com/community/osteoblast/category/Osteopenia-and-Osteoporosis.aspx

Edited by Mods to update link

Feb 26, 2009 05:16PM klp wrote:

Feb 26, 2009 05:25PM littledaughter wrote:

My 83 year old mom and I are going through the very frustrating time of waiting for the pathology report.  She had a biopsy on Feb. 10 and we are still waiting.  It went through 2 local labs and is now out of state at a 3rd lab.  We are supposed to hear tomorrow but we have been put off many times already.  Her surgeon is recommending more surgery to get a cleaner margin, a sentinel node biopsy, radiation no matter what, and either tamoxifen or arimidex.  Obviously, I do not want her to have to go through any more than is necessary and am considering the quality of life after any procedures.  She has osteoporosis and is very concerned about her back pain which she has had for years.  It is also difficult for her to put her arms above her head so I am wondering whether she will even be able to do radiation.  Overall, she is in very good health for her age and does not have any major complaints except the back pain.  She has had problems with her joints in the past and is allergic to glucosamine.  Her blood pressure and cholesterol are under control with medication.  I am unable to get a 2nd opinion at a major cancer center until the end of March.  Her surgeon wanted to operate prior to the report coming back but I told him we need to know the results before any more surgery.  I am trying to make sense of all of the information I have so far.

I think what is scaring me is the sentinel node biopsy.  I am very concerned that this will limit her range of motion further and possibly bring about lymphedema.

Any insight, thoughts, or prayers would be greatly appreciated!

Feb 26, 2009 05:32PM klp wrote:

I had the SNB and 2 nodes were removed...I've had no problems at all. The more nodes removed the more probability of LE and decrease in range of motion.

I hope you can find a resolution of your worries about your mom..