Topic: 2017 Diagnosed-- A Place To Share "What's Next"

Dec 19, 2017 04:15PM illimae wrote:

Rhyfelwr, the holiday question is an interesting one. I am flying out to California to meet up with the hubs and drive back to Texas. We will pop in to see my parents, brother, nephews and aunt & uncle, who I have not seen since my diagnosis. It will be odd considering I was dxd Stage IV from the get go at 41 and recently discovered brain mets. I suspect there will be crying and that they probably think I’m going to die at any time but they’ll feel better once they see me, I can out run all of them (except the nephews). I do see them very rarely though (I prefer it that way), so this could be the last time.

Dec 19, 2017 04:34PM DodgersGirl wrote:

illimae--- hope your trip is fabulous. And that your family visits go well.

Looking forward to hearing all about your trip!!

And happy early anniversary

Dec 19, 2017 08:42PM illimae wrote:

Castingame, way to go, your steps are great!

Dodgersgirl, thank you, I appreciate it!

Dec 19, 2017 09:13PM Peacetoallcuzweneedit wrote:

RhyFewlr -

I think the holiday gatherings are stressful for so many families. I am actually not traveling this season because of all the surgeries this year - BUT I did return to work and attended a large meeting where I had not seen many people since my diagnosis in May...and that was interesting...no one really knew what to say - beyond the "oh it is great to see you!" and then it was a weird silence and then the catching the "side glance" at my chest to see what it looks like...it was strange. My family inserts humor to situations when they do not know what to say (cousins, etc). The typical response has been "you should have just gotten the boob job, you didn't have to go and get cancer." (oh the joys)

Dec 19, 2017 09:33PM Peacetoallcuzweneedit wrote:

Gigilala - I was perimenopausal...I am 48...and I had night sweats and hot flashes already just from the perimenopause. The hot flashes I experience now are not the same, and most people notice when they start because I turn bright red. My gyn - onc (had hyster for cervical cancer in situ - ovaries done because of all the cancer in my family) thought I could have some severe side effects of the surgical menopause and I psyched myself out a little by reading too much but so far it is manageable. My hot flashes did not start for ~ 3wks post hyster and then I got a few and then the flood gates opened for a weekend and then it subsided. I might have an active 24hrs but then it subsides. What are you most scared of???

Dec 19, 2017 10:31PM Gigilala wrote:

peactoallcuzweneedit: I am 39 years old

And my gyn told me that I will have bone problems

Mental issue , libido issue and the list is very long

I already have hot flashes it start with chemo

And now with tamoxifen

My oncologist wants me to remove my ovaries because I am triple positive it's like prophylactic oophorectomy

Dec 20, 2017 10:24AM MsP wrote:

Hello!

I'm at a different stage with my breast cancer than you, but had my ovaries removed just last week as my surgeon felt the incidence of OC and BC in my family were high enough to warrant it. I won't be tested for BRCA 1/2 until April and may or may not have already had a double mastectomy by then. My next scans/biopsies for LCIS are in January.

Anyway... I'm 53 and still haven't gone through menopause. The surgery was 6 days ago and I'm still in bed for the most part because pain and dizziness. I can manage the pain with Advil and don't need any big gun drugs, but the first 2 days were hell on earth. I convinced the nurses to allow me to alternate Advil and Dolipran (paracetamol) so I could take something every 3 hours those first 2 days.

I had a nice, flat tummy before surgery and now look about 6 mo preggers. I'm told the swelling will go down in 2-3 weeks post op. I recommend digging out the maternity trousers if you still have them. Clothing is very uncomfortable. I'm living in my night gown or loose yoga pants.

It takes, so I've been told, 4-6 weeks to fully recover. At this stage I can't make it half way around the grocery store without feeling like I'll faint and being in great discomfort. Plan for having helpers and spending a lot of your time with your feet up. I wouldn't even attempt to drive a car.

As for the menopause thing... I thought it would kick in right away, but have since been informed by one of my doctors that it can take up to 2 weeks post op before it does. And when it does, it's the full package in one big hit. If you like, I can keep you updated when that happens, but it's too early yet. And you need to keep in mind that women go through menopause very differently. You are more likely to have the same symptoms as your mother or other close relatives.

Dec 20, 2017 03:35PM Capecodgirl wrote:

Hi Gigilala-

I just had a prophylactic bilateral salpingo oophorectomy (sp?) because I tested positive for Brca2 gene mutation.I had it mid-November of this year. It was very easy for me. I really was in no pain afterward, and did not need much of the painkillers they prescribed. After a week or so it felt like they were never poking around in there!! My surgeon said I could not run until 4 -6 weeks after surgery, but I honestly felt like I could at 3 weeks -- maybe even before that. My surgery was laparascopic btw.

I hope this helps, and good luck to you on your oophorectomy!

Barbara

Dec 21, 2017 11:19PM T-Sue wrote:

Teresa, how beautiful!

Dec 23, 2017 07:31PM Castigame wrote:

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Dec 23, 2017 11:08PM EastcoastTS wrote:

Joy, peace and love to all my sisters out there!

Dec 26, 2017 12:05PM LoJo100 wrote:

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!! Thank you for being fantastic people and for all of the support this year. Here is to a great 2018!

-LoJo

Dec 27, 2017 05:47PM Georgia1 wrote:

Hi there Ellyn and all. My MO discussed pros and cons of tamoxifen and the AIs with me, but the only test she ordered was a bone scan. As expected I have osteoporosis even after three years of Fosomax, so it will be tamoxifen for me, at least for the first year.

Here's wishing everyone a new year that is better than stupid old 2017!

Dec 28, 2017 11:03AM DodgersGirl wrote:

paulettek-- my nose has started dripping again. I attributed it to the cold. I know where you live doesn't get bone-chilling cold so maybe that's not the issue?

Hope you are doing well with your rads. You about halfway finished now?

Dec 28, 2017 11:20AM DodgersGirl wrote:

time for a quick rant.... we had our first snow of the season recently. Now I am ready to move to a warmer client.

Snowed around Christmas and then got bitter cold. Knowing it was going to be cold for many days, I went outside to shovel off the sidewalks before the really cold air moved in. I used to like shoveling snow but between the effects on the body from chemo, surgery, rads, and cording from surgery I was not thrilled being out in the cold for an hour working on clearing sidewalks. Normally, DH would be out with the snow blower, clearing sidewalks (we have about 300' of sidewalk to clear) and I would clear off steps, back patio, driveway where needed and as a team we did pretty good. But we found out on Dec 14th from his cardiologist that he can't ever use a snowblower again and isn't supposed to do any work outside if temp is below 40. (Snowblower is too hard on them graft from open heart surgery). So it is up to me now to clear the snow and ice all winter --- sigh

Of course, the forecast for the first week in January is a chance of snow each day. Looks like I picked up a part time winter job. Maybe on the positive side I can find shoveling a good exercise to break the cords from surgery?