**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

pickle

Yes Francine, that makes so much sense. Glad you will get results before Panama.

Hugs

Beth

PattiB

Sounds good Francine

Alyad

Sorry to hear about your friend Francine, and I'm glad you feel that you are making the right decison for you.

I had my yearly mammo yesterday- I scheduled a diagnostic cause I've been feeling a weird spot for the last few months- I think it is something I've had for several years- but was told it was no big deal in an exam way before I had cancer- and it was there through all the other testing I had-it just seemed like it had grown a little or was more noticeable or something. My onc said he thought it was glandular (whatever that means!)  I wasn't really worried about it- but DH had noticed it a couple times, and whenever I do a self exam I notice it. So I had the many views on the mammos and an US- its nothing which is good of course.(now mammos are so a non event- yep squashing the boob again, uncomfortable, but just not really a big deal) 

 I think maybe being on tamoxifen and/or age has made my breast less dense and perhaps made it easier to notice the weird spot. 

I read something on here that suggested mammos are not as effective at finding cancer in women with previous cancer esp if you are under 50 , have dense breasts and had chemo. (check, check, check. ) I might ask my onc about doing MRI's annually 6 months after mammo as I've read some women have done. I'm BRCA neg but I have a strong family history. I figure with the US bill I will have met my deductible in 2011 again for the 4th year in a row anyway... But its good to have peace of mind.

I recently reconnected with a friend from high school on FB- through her I heard of another classmate of ours who just died of BC- she was dx stage 4 in 2007. She was only 37 or 38.

crusader1

Hi Ladies,

Dayla..nice to hear from you. Glad that you had NED..I know that some of us get MRI's regularly and others don't.Dayla ..sorry to hear about your HS friend. So young..Glad that what you feel is deemed to be nothing.. MY BS believes that there are often false positives..Re what you said about mammo's etc. Going to MD's has become run of the mill for all of us.

The MRI got me into the position I am in now. I do hope it is a false positive.( I am not that panicky though) Tomorrow is my biopsy done by ultrasound. Then I go to see PS.I am confident with my decision to have the surgery once again.

Wish me luck tomorrow.

Hugs,

Francine

pickle

Francine: good luck tomorrow. Big big hugs

BethP

sakura73

Thinking of you, Francine.

pickle

Francine: I hope you are doing ok today. I declare that your DH should treat you to another nice lunch/dinner today. Keeping you in my thoughts sweet lady!

Hugs

Beth

ChrisC433

Francine...I hope that everything is settled for you tonight!  Thinking about you and sending hugs your way!

pickle

Francine:Checked in a few times today...hoping to hear from you...i do hope that I am needlessly worrying about you. Thinking of you

Hugs

Beth

bethr

Hi All..

Francine - I hope all's going well for you. 

I feel like shit today and I want to go work in the yard and start getting ready for Spring.  Ugh!  Maybe I'll feel better once I get out there.

Have a great weekend all!

Beth

crusader1

Hi ladies,

Sorry that I didn't check in but I was upset after yesterday. The biopsy went well and  I will know the results Tuesday morning. The BS said the cells looked good. Let's still keep our fingers crossed. Right after the biopsy I went to see the PS about reconstruction. The pair , I always see two of them suggested I have the lat flap( they take a flap of skin from your back and put it on your chest) surgery again to make my breasts look alike. It was a very difficult surgery and after it I got the MRSA virus. I don't know why but I agreed and we set a date for the mastectomy and lat flap..Well I now believe they sort of took me by surprise.I had expected them to tell me of a simple proceedure and was not prepared to confront the PS.I had that surgery the last time because I had no skin on my breast due to necrosis. This is not the case now. I could not sleep last night and I made the decision to just have a simple proceedure.( I have plenty of skin, just a little lifted on the underside. ) Who needs these boobs to be perfect?I will make an appt to go back to the PS and talk on Tuesday..Hopefully by then I will have the biopsy results.  

Thanks again for all your kind thoughts and always for being there.

BethP..Went out for a nice lunch right after my visits but I was drained..

Tonight we go to see my stepson perform in Improv in the city.

Have a great weekend  all.

Isn't that terrible about waht has happened in Japan.So many have died. How cruel Mother Nature can be.

Hugs,Francine

pickle

Francine: Thanks for checking in. Glad to hear the cells looked good but will keep everything crossed for you until you get your results on Tuesday. As far as the surgeries go, I don't blame you for wanting to keep it as simple as possible. You have been through so much with the previous surgeries and of course the breasts don't have to be perfect....mine never were and certainly aren't now and at my age....who cares? I have a couple of really good bras that I wear when I need a little extra oomph!

That is so cool that your stepson does improv. Have a great time and keep your chin up...I know....easier said than done.

Yes, very tragic what happened in Japan. Mother Nature can be a real B&@&@....indeed! So sad



Hugs

Beth

pickle

Hi Francine. Good luck tomorrow. Thinking of you...big hugs for great results ...B9 ... and a productive meeting with your PS.

Hugs

Beth

crusader1

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB99999999999999999999999999999999999999

I am so relieved.

Hugs,

Francine

My DH and I are off to Panama for a week tomorrow.

pickle

That is terrific news Francine! Such a relief for you.

Enjoy your trip

Hugs

Beth P

Alyad

AMEN!!!! so glad Francine!

jdeking

Yay Francine! Congrats on great news and have a good trip to Panama!

Anyone have IV iron infusions? I am supposed to be getting these soon due to continuing anemia. It means being back in my chemo room, with the chemo nurses and chemo smells, getting infused with iron, benadryl, and acetaminophen. I am really dreading this. I can't take oral iron because I have been having a lot of trouble going to the bathroom since December. My colonoscopy was clear, but ob/gyn thinks my fibroids have now grown large enough to cause blockage/pressure in my bladder and rectum. So I am having a myomectomy 4/5/11. Apparently fibroids really have a party with Tamoxifen - it actually increases estrogen-effects in uterine/ovarian tissue. Whoopie.

 Anyone else having issues?

pickle

Hi JD; Sorry you have to be returning to the chemo room...too bad they couldn't find somewhere else to do it. I don't blame you for dreading the trip back there....YECH!

I have never heard of iron by IV. I don't know if anyone on this thread has had it or has heard of it. If not, it might be a good idea to start a new topic about it...surely someone on the boards has come across it before.

Now a myoectomy too!....you poor thing! Hugs. I never heard that fibroids increase with tamoxifen. I have heard about possible uterine issues but I guess I didn't pay too much attention because I don't have a uterus. Wow a person can sure learn a lot here.

Sorry I am not much help to you but I am thinking of you and I hope someone else comes along and chimes in with some answes for you.

Best wishes

Hugs

Beth P

bethr

Hi All,

 Francine - FANTASTIC News!!!  I hope you enjoy Panama!!!  I'm sure you will now that you know everything's fine.

JDeking - Unfortunately, the closest I came to that type of treatment was a woman sharing the chemo cube with me during one of my treatments that was getting iron.  I remember her because she had alot of problems with being able to find a vein.  I hope your treatment goes smoothly.  And I also wasn't aware of the fibroid issues related to tamoxifen.  Yay...   yet another thing to look out for.

All - I hope all is going well and you have a great evening!

Beth

crusader1

Janine,,Sorry to hear about your problems. I have low iron but it is due to low B12. That's what older women have. I go once a month back to my chemo room for shots..luckily not infusions. I really don't mind being there. I guess I feel I'm over with that stuff.Good luck with your myoectomy..

At my Gilda's Club meeting someone brought up whether one is more anxious the first time when one doesn't know what will happen or the second time when one does know what to expect..I guess I am having my second mastectomy because I don't want to find out.

Ladis..thanks once again for all your support and friendship. I am just so relieved.   

Hugs,

Francine

NanaA

When I was doing herceptin for a year, there was a lady in there doing iron ivs a couple times when I was in there.  It did not seem to be  anything to major just another thing to get thru.  Good LuckI  

Francine glad your news was good.

I ended up having a hysterectomy this year because of tamox and fibroids.  They could have done a D & C  but could not guarantee it would not have to be done more than once. I was ready to be rid   of uterus, ovaries and cervix.  I was back to work in 2 weeks.  They did it laparscopically.  The OB said 70% can be done that way.

I am still recovering from my knee replacement.  The damp cold weather has been hard on getting the exercise they want because the weather makes it hurt more.  They are talking about 50's and sixties later this week.  I can't wait.

Hugs to All 

sakura73

Francine - great news! Enjoy your week away.

Janine - I am so sorry to hear you have to be back in the chemo room, and the reasons why. Tamoxifen is actually used in fertility treatments - as you say, it has an estrogen effect in the reproductive tissues like the ovaries etc, so women taking IVF use it. Strange the different uses a drug can have. Hope the procedure goes smoothly, and that the fibroids can be managed.

 I had some minor bleeding last night and rang the obstetrician in a panic and went in for a scan today. Space Turnip (D's nickname for the baby) is alive and well, so no clues where the bleeding came from. Being pregnant definitely feels more stressful than having chemo etc. But perhaps I have forgotten with time how stressful chemo was. 

Love to all.

jdeking

Thanks ladies! I am not too worried about the iron, just mainly the psychological ramifications of being back in that room. I think I have a little PTSD. I will get over it.

 Nana - thanks for the info on your hysterectomy! My gyn is going to attempt to do my myomectomy laparascopically, but there is one large fibroid in the wall of the uterus that she is a bit worried about, and may have to do it abdominally. I am voting for the lap as I want to be back at work ASAP!  I hope your knee is feeling better soon.

Francine - what date did you set for your MX?

Rachel - hugs for the pregnancy stress. I cannot even imagine, as I am sure I would be a nervous wreck the whole time too. I work with lots of chemicals, so I would probably have to take a year's sabbatical from work, just to be on the safe side! lol

Pickle - thank you for words of encouragement. You do so much to keep us all bolstered! How is Dragon boating going?

crusader1

Hi,

Off to Panama today. But just wanted to say a big thanks to all for all your support. I do believe that the radiologist overreacted and really sent me into a  tailspin...

My mastectomy will be on the 11th of April.

Rachel..relax ..My friends daughter had bleeding two times during her pregnancy and all was fine..

Hugs,

Francine

PattiB

Francine - have a great trip - congrats on B9

ChrisC433

Sorry I missed you Francine.....Congratulations on the B9 biopsy!  Now you can sit back and enjoy Panama!!!

Haven't had time to get online with you ladies lately...I check in when I can,but don't have time to post too often.

Hugs out to everyone!

bethr

Hi All,

Just popped in to wish you all a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Have a great day!

Beth

pickle

Hy ladies

Quiet around here with Francine away. Hope she's having a good trip.

BethR, how is the dragon boat training going? I am loving it and we have a great group of women.

Rachel, how are you doing now?

Chris, how were your appointments?

Not much new with me. I am leaving for Vegas at the end of the month with my hubby, daughter, son and daughter in law. Can't wait. It will be a great little getaway for us. Our kids are taking us to celebrate our 50th birthdays. They got us tickets to Celine Dion and we're booked athe Bellagio. Should be fun.

Hope everyone is well.

Take Care

Hugs

Beth P

ChrisC433

Beth...my blood work and MRI came out great...thanks!  I'm good for another 3 months and then I see the Onc.  A part of me wants to graduate to the once a year plan...but the other part likes getting checked every 3 months!   As long as the results are good....I'll take it anytime!

My grandbaby is as big as a turnip!  They might find out the sex on April 11th (next ultrasound).  I can't wait!!

Take care all....

pickle

That's terrific Chris! So happy for you.

Ahhh yes...the grandbaby. So exciting. Do you want to know the sex?