**NEW** Starting Chemo March 2009

ccbaby

Dayla...Yeah, what the hell!?  Why is the same place charging my insurance 7k and yours 3k? That doesn't make sense. I am in the 100% now with my insurance, so I don't have to pay any of it, but still...

Gina...Your hair looks so thick!

Pickle...I was surprised too when my onc recommend rads for me even with a mastectomy.  He mainly wants me to get them in my arm pit where I have one positive node and my upper chest area. My tumor in my breast was 3.3 cm and my lymph node was 1.4 cm. Like Buddy said, I have never heard of the 5 cm thing either. I had clear margins on my breast tumor, so he doesn't think I need rads there.  How clear were your margins on the tumor?

Buddy...I LOVE your profile pic!

Chris...Have you been ok since you passed out during your MRI?

I am actually looking forward to my last chemo in Monday! I can't wait to be done with this part of it. I will still have to go in every 3 weeks till March for Herceptin only, but the side effects of it by itself can't be as bad as with the chemo. Then I will have rads on my lymph nodes a month after chemo.

ChrisC433

CCBaby:  I've been fine, thanks for asking.

Gina:  I know those little buggers are toast because of the chemo!  Skin sparring, do you still need expanders?  I thought the skin was left and an implant just put in the void!   Couldn't be that easy, huh!

Going shopping for wedding dress.  Finding everything too small should make me feel much better...lol!

Chris

crusader1

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to let you all know that tomorrow will be my latismus flap breast reconstruction . I can almost see the end of my journey. Unfortunately I am going to have tissue expanders put in so I will have to have fills etc. But the end is getting close. It will be a year since my bad mamo last August . Yes it has been a long journey. I am to be in the hospital for two nights. Fifth surgery since November. I am feeling pretty calm..

Wish me luck ..

Hugs to all..

Francine

didle20Diane

Francine,

Will be thinking of you over the next few days.....sending good healing vibes for a quick recovery.  Congrats on getting this far!!!!

Hugs

Diane

sakura73

Good luck Francine! May all go smoothly for you.

ChrisC433

Good Luck Francine....glad you are nearing the end!  Healing angels are coming your way~

Chris

7timewinner

Blessings, Francine!

I keep looking at your pic and at Gina's...hair = hope for normalcy again, lol!!

Let us know how things go tomorrow.

Nadine

7timewinner

OK, I'm starting to feel angry again!! LOL

I have been reading this board about the great disparity in treatment costs, and on another board, a gal who shares a past diagnosis of Hodgkin's Disease and radiation treatment were comparing notes about radiation for our new BC diagnoses...and came up with polar opposite opinions from our oncs. Hers said "mastectomy and no radiation" because of her radiation from HD 20 years ago, and mine said "lumpectomy with radiation is fine, since radiation is so targeted."

I mean, really...can the oncologists of the world please get on the same darned page about BC already? I realize that each perosn has a unique diagnosis, with a unique treatment plan, but in this case, the issue was simple: is more radiation now OK, with a previous history of radiation to the chest?? Yes or no!?

And the variance in costs is just sickening.

Alright...juming off my soapbox now...probably just some pre-treatment rage soming through, lol

G'night all,

Nadine

kellerka

Francine, good luck with your surgery and good for you for being calm! I think I was more nervous for the reconstruction surgery than the bmx. But I probably just don't remember seven months ago.

I started Arimidex a week ago and so far no SE. Could it be?? Any one else on this?

Kathy

Alyad

Francine, good luck on your surgery- wishes for a speedy recovery!

Nadine, I feel sick and discouraged every time I think about the state of the medical industry- ccbaby and I go to the same oncology center  but apparently she gets charged nearly 3 times as much I do for the neulasta shot!  We have different oncs and diff chemo regimens and we have had totally different experiences with care. The system seems so broken to me- I don't think medicine should be a for-profit business- people are getting rich off my having cancer. And then the grey areas like yours where one doc does one thing, another does something else. Sometimes it feels like they are just flipping a coin!

Gina, love the hair! I stopped shaving mine a few weeks ago and now have a little very sparse fuzz of various colors. I am anxious to see what shows up in the weeks to come. 

 ccbaby, I haven't ever actually seen the neulasta bill,  I meant to ask the case manager that - and someting else now can't remember what! but she called today and I forgot I even had anything to ask her!  She is going to call again next week or two and then probably close my file after that. But I do that one I got in the mail cost 3k and what she had told me was that it turned out it would be "cost effective" to get it at St. J. I know most of the stuff that is billed- my insurance doesn't pay that amount- it pays a lower amount since I'm "in network". So it seems to me if they can take a smaller amount for all these things- the larger amount they list as the "charge" for something is just an exoribtant markup.

those of doing rads already- you have to get yet another CT scan in the prep somehow? I am getting a follow up CT and PET scan next week- what is the rad CT scan for?

Sakura, sorry to hear about the ice cream flavor flight, but the makeup sex/ day off work sounds nice! I think I am looking forward to the return of some mojo as much as hair.Right now I have very little inclination or energy.   My DH has a short term long distance job where he's staying nights elsewhere occasionally so the whole absence makes the heart grow fonder thing should help some.

kellerka

Alyad, you reminded me of something I was going to mention about the Arimidex. My onc warned me about the sticker shock I might feel. It's $330 a month! When I picked it up they didn't even charge me my normal $5 co-pay. I asked why and they said it was follow up care for chemo. So I realized that put my hopeful retirement plans out another 5 yrs. BC sucks!

Kathy

maidmarion

Good Luck Francine! hope all goes well...will be thinking about you today and sending positive vibes your way.

arnie

Francine...(((((((((hugs))))))))))))) thinking about you today...

bwbly

update .... i feel better today.

Pain from cramping was unbearable yesterday, so I called onc. She said come in to get checked. She suspected UTI and sent me to lab ..... urinalysis and blood work. Gave me antibiotics and Vicodin.

She called late yesterday. UTI confirmed and WBC very low. Said if not better today, come in again for neupogen shot. Temp went up to 99.7 last night, but came right down with a couple Tylenol. Today I am still cramping but the Vicodin definitely helps LOL. Will call her later to see what she says.

Good luck, Francine.

Bunny

jdeking

Nadine -

Happy Birthday!!! And..... congrats on last chemo, here are 2 Sangrias for you to celebrate!!!!

Hope you have a wonderful day.

jdeking

Also-

Francine, good luck today with the lat flap!

Bunny - glad you're feeling better, and hope the abx clears everything up for you.

ChrisC433

Kathy:  I am also taking Arimidex.  My surgeon put me on it inbetween chemo and surgery.  Not sure if I take it again after surgery or after rads.  I paid $20 copay, but I hear that it is expensive.  I have not had any SE's either.  From what I read, there seems to be a  honeymoon period.  Hoping that lasts for 5 years!!  I think I am also going to do the trial for Zometa.  I figure even if it doesn't prove to reduce recurrence, it will help my bone density.

 Take care all,

Chris

Dawnmrn1

Francine!  Good Luck, you are in my thoughts and prayers!

Nadine!  Happy 40th!!!                Dawn

arnie

  Happy Birthday Nadine....

pinkdove10

Happy b'day Nadine

Uma

didle20Diane

Nadine, Welcome to your forties!  Wishing you a great birthday.

Going to the beach tomorrow for the weekend and can't wait.  Need a break from BC!  Monday I have my appointment with my new onc to start tamox and see what I med I get for the bone trial for the next 3 years.  

Beth, hope you are settling in nicely and you must be so glad to be near your children again.  

Everyone with treatments, surgeries, rads and whatever else....healing thoughts and speedy recoveries as always.

hugs

Diane

pickle

Thanks to everyone for the Radiation responses.

CCBaby: Regarding clear margins, my onco said there wasn't the amount of distance that they would have liked. I don't remember the exact mm of margin but I'll let you know when I find my report....it's here somewhere in this unpacking clutter.. I am multifocal so the tumor areas were just barely under 5cm. That is another reason they want to do rads. I meet the rads onco on July 13 so I should know more then.

Nadine: Happy Birthday. Have a wonderful day!

Francine: thinking of you today and sending positive thoughts and warm wishes.

Bunny: Feel better soon.

I'll catch up on all the other posts later.....It's Canada Day so I have to prepare food for a bbq at our dear friends place. All of our kids have grown up together so it will be great to celebrate with the whole gang.

Hugs to all

Beth P

ginagina

Janine and Arnie - thanks for the lovely graphics!! I know today's are intended for Nadine, but it sure does brighten the place up. Keep them coming!

ccbaby

OK, I have had a new side effect come up this week. My saliva glands right under my jaw line are swelled some and are a little painful when I push in on it. Has this happened to anyone else? I will be going to see the onc on Monday right before my last chemo treatment and will ask him about it then, but I need some advice.

sakura73

Happy birthday Nadine!

Dawnmrn1

ccbaby!  Call your onc tomorrow, don't wait until Monday!  You may have an infection!  Let him call it!  Too much can happen!  Don't be scared but notify him, please!  Dawn

7timewinner

Thank you everyone, for the birthday greetings and congrats on finishing chemo.

 I DID IT!!!!!!! Today was the last one. Had a pretty good stomach ache around the middle of the Taxotere bag, so they slowed it down even more, and all better. I cried with joy all the way out of the infusion center I can't believe it's really over.

Now on to rads...

Bless us all,

Nadine

ChrisC433

CCBaby:  I also had a swollen gland, under my jaw, just to the left of the middle.  I did not have a temp, chills or any other SE's.  Onc. told me to just keep an eye on it and let him know if anything changes.  He said I could have a virus that my body is fighting.  Also said that mouth sores (which I didn't have) can cause the gland to swell.  As said before...best to call and let them decide.

I have my appointment with surgeon tomorrow.  So....about 10:00 I will no longer question anything, the surgery will be set!

Happy birthday, Nadine.

Chris

kduling

Hi everyone!

CCBaby:  I had swollen glands after the last chemo (4th).   I didn't call ONC but it did get better.  Basically when you are "getting" sick or whatever, your glands swell...it's a way of fighting infection or something.  I just figured my body could be fighting the chemo....????  It got better. (but I'm not a doctor, so please call them if you are concerned).

• Pickle -- I started Tamoxofin a couple weeks ago....I've had some body "aches"....then yesterday I woke up with my TMJ (jaw pain) being really bad.   You never know is it a SE or did I just sleep on my jaw wrong or grind my teeth bad?  Yah know?

Alyad:  I agree!  It sucks going thru surgery, maiming your body.....having to recover (physically and psychologically) from all this, but then to get CHARGED for it?    That just seems so wrong.  I know a lot of people don't want a national health plan, and I don't mean to get political, but it can't be much worse than what we have now, huh??

Gals using the stuff on your hair (to help it grow) do you think it's working?   I'm frustrated it seems like a long time to grow - but it's only been one month since last chemo!   Trying to be patient!

God Bless!
Hugs

Karen

MaryNY

Hi Beth:

I'm new around here and was searching for anyone else who had a multifocal tumor. I came across your post and see that you have almost beaten this thing having already had your mastectomy and gone through chemo.

I was diagnosed with IDC on 21 May. Biopsy said tumor was about 1.1cm so the BS discussed a biopsy with me. However an MRI found an additional suspicious area adjacent to that so I'm now looking at multifocal disease. BS said she would have to remove a considerable chunk to ensure clean margins and at my visit this week didn't push the idea of a mastectomy. Just wondering if you decided on a mastectomy from the beginning or ever considered a lumpectomy?

Mary