MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

jo1955

Marlegal - We do think alike.  We could be soul mates - I wish we could get together and compare notes.

Woke up feeling soooo good.  Have already done 2 loads of laundry and heading out the door soon to get the grocery shopping done.  I have my sites on doing some sewing on a quilt today.  I had to start taking Lyrica for neuopathic pains associated with Tamoxifen and it has not only eased the toe pains but is giving me some swee sleep.  I feel like me again WOO HOO. 

barbe1958

You sound like yourself again JO!!!! Welcome back!

jo1955

Barbe - It is so good to be back.  Onward and upward.

marlegal

Had lunch today with 5 ladies from the site (chat and/or boards).  We were all so busy gabbing for three solid hours and no one remembered to take any pics!  We try to get together at least 2 or 3 times a year - same group that had lunch with Faith when she blew through PA back in December.  Great way to spend a Saturday

jo1955

marlegal - Sounds like a great day.  Good for you.

lynniea

 Spent some time with my DD today. Figured I better get some time in since I have surgery on Wed. for port.  We had a great day. 

VickiSam

I gambled the afternoon away at Pechanga  .. Good friends, hubby and I went for 4 hours .. had a great time, cocktails, salmon dinner .. and I won .. $10.00 -- but gambled for hours --   Now home and time to rest ..  So many people,  what recession?

Vicki Sam

elimar86861

Most of the time I come to BC.org and read through the discussion board, so I know that many times I am missing the news and info. they provide.  Today, I was reading one of the news articles about 3-D mammos, which just got approved by the FDA.  If you are one of my dense-breasted B/C sisters, you might want to take a look:

FDA Okays First 3-D Mammogram Device

Well, it sounds like they intend to use it in addition, and not instead of, 2-D mammos (at least at first,) so the down side is a bit more radiation exposure.  The up side is it is a non-invasive way to check questionable areas, eliminating a (small) percentage of uneccessary biopsies on benign breast conditions.

Since I have written, at least a dozen times, that we need some new & improved testing methods, this sounds like we might be moving forward.  Hope so.  And I want to be the first to know if any of you Middies gets one of these.  It won't be widely available, but report back if you DO get one.

JeanH

Thanks ELimar,

my next machine check is am MRI but wondering if this will be available for the December check. Will let you know.  I have dense breasts as well an have been given the Mammo/sonogram combo for some time before BC, and they still said my ilc was hard to detect. So anything new on that front is an advance.

Marlegal, lunch sounds fun, glad you had a great day.

Vicki sounds like you had a fun day too.

Lynne, hang in there one day at a time is the motto.

I am definitely in counch potatoe mode today. (Day 4 round 3) dh and ds are busy creating a helmet for a HS costume day- each class has a theme and the freshman have selected monty python. of course it is for tomorrow....but they have it under control, I think.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend Middies.

Jean

ps I am totally taxing my chemo brain switching from iPad to Laptop. I keep touching the screen on laptop and wondering why it does not move. Actually forgot about the touchpad! yikes and I am a techie.

elimar86861

JeanH, glad you are withstanding the chemo.  I think most take it day by day, and keep an eye on the end point of being finished with it.  That never comes quite soon enough, but you'll get there.

Sounds like most are feeling well enough to be out doing things and socializing this weekend.  The thread has been a little slow with everyone able to have a little fun IRL, and that's a good thing.

Hope everyone seeing docs and/or getting treatment/procedues next week will get only the best of care.  I'm going to my BS, but it's almost a social visit, and probably my last one with him.  I know I am as healed as I'm gonna get, so unless the doc volunteers to remove my souvenier surgical clips, there is not much more for him to do.  It will feel good to be "downsizing" my number of doctors.  Less is more.  More like "old normal,"and less like "new normal."

heartnsoul76

Jean - LOL on trying to touch the screen to use your laptop. I still do that, but I'm not a techie. Hopefully, you will come to your senses! 

My son is a CS major - so he's a techie - and I got him a keyboard/cover for his iPad. He said it is kind of weird because he has a keypad in front of him but actually has to touch the screen to do something.

You are doing great for this to be day 4 of round 3. Have you noticed how they get cumulatively worse? My onc certainly didn't mention that to me among many other little secrets she kept!

And isn't it just like a kid to wait until the day before something is due?

elimar - I have to see my onc Tuesday for the first time since finishing chemo. I know she's going to line up my first mammogram since my diagnosis last April. I'm going to BEG for an MRI instead, and hopefully put off the mammo until the fall. The area around the scar has some swelling that the surgeon said will go away in time. I don't want to smash it some more right now. And I can't believe they haven't come up with something better than a mammogram, but the 3-D imaging is a step in the right direction. 

Just saw your post, Elimar. It is so nice to be reducing appointments - can't wait until I get there! I imagine things really can get back to feeling more normal again.

marlegal

Still have some back issues (totally unrelated to anything but a congenital issue) so couch potato day here too.  At the risk of setting off a firestorm the rain was pounding on the windows all day so it was cool to just stay inside   It's so great to hear the ladies in treatment letting us know they're ok and handling things as best they can.  I agree with Eli 100% ... keep your eyes on the goal, the end zone, whatever.  Do the countdown each time so you can appreciate how far you've come and how much closer to the end of tx you are.  That helped me so much during my tx.  Hope you all have a good week in case I'm not here much to read all the posts till next weekend.  Hugs ladies.

lynniea

My cousin signed us up for a Breast cancer walk on May 7 in my Name.  She is getting our family to join the group.  It is in New Britain Ct in the park. 

Stanzie

Hello all - I honestly can't remember if I have posted on this thread or not however I've been what they call lurking (sounds awfully sinister - lol) for a while and thought I've posted....?

Anyway, I love how you all support each other and are so interesting... I saw the post about the 3-D mammo's - a long time ago I had some mammograms that used a sort of clear small "table" that they put on the mammo machine and then squished my breast ontop of it. They said it was a magnifer as my breasts were dense and had micro-calcifications. They did that for a couple of years then never saw it again. That reminded me of it. Any one else ever have that done. I'm guessing it didn't work well but? 

Last fall when my doctor's started saying ok we'll see you in so many months then one more apt. I felt panicked as Oh No I want the reassurance you all are checking me. Now I'm OK with not seeing the doctors and look forward to going without them for a while but it was a nice crutch to make me feel more secure. Possibly some revision surgery and then hopefully just checkup. Glad you all are doing better ! Hope 2011 is a strong happy year! Thanks, this is a nice thread for all us Middles!

elimar86861

Stanzie, Your name is familiar, so if it is not from this thread, maybe you are from a thread I lurk on (The Stage I thread, which I do post on, but just not as often as I should.)  You missed your big opportunity on Groundhog's Day, when all lurker were invited to come out of their burrows and say hello.  But this is o.k. too.  We would like to hear about the revision surgery...a couple here have had it and a few more will have it at some point, so if you feel like posting, we welcome the info.

BarbaraA

Morning middies! Welcome stanzie! Faith, so happy about your CD. Here is the cover she tried to post.

elimar86861

Congrats, Faith!!  Is that music to do the Happy Dance by?  My pigtails have not flown through the air in a long time...I might have to pick one up.

Stanzie

Sure I'd be happy to share. I had latissimus dorsi surgery last March 5th, 2010. I had the kind where they tunnel the muscle under your arms and apparently when they brought the muscle around some lovely fat got stuck up inbetween so have these "pillows" under my arms which drive me nuts. So hopefully with the right codes insurance will pick this up, but they will lipo the areas and then inject it into the breast areas where there is a small dent and the beginnings of a ridge. Sounds like it won't happen till May at the earliest.Anyway, I think I've made it sound worse than it is. Still hate it is more surgery. 

I'm also dealing with a revision for a broken nose surgery I had in 2009! Even after the bad break I could breathe - after the fix not so much and it is still crooked. Will not go back to original doctor! But it is hard not to able to get air in through your nose. 

Sorry I missed the groundhog day burrow out - that is hilarious! 

Wow, Faith a Cd - cute cover too!

Sandeeonherown

Shelley- I am on zopliclone....it is a hypnotic sleeping aid and is not expensive. My doc prescribed it.....gravol also works for the odd night of sleeplessness

Stanzie

Sandeeonherown - does it make you drowsy the next day? What does it mean hypnotic - sort of sounds 60's-ish?? Thanks I'm always looking for something to help with sleeping now that estrogen is not an option.

walker2222

Saw my Lymphadema PT yesterday and I am not stage 1 but I am in the pre stages so we are going to work on that.  I will see her for three weeks 1 x week which I can handle.  I do have cording issues that has been causing my aches in my arm and she is working out those.  Gave me exercises and massages to do and something the DH can help me with.  I am pretty pleased with the out come.  She works real close with my BS who referred me so I am confident I am getting the treatment I need.  See my RO on the 16th and OBGYN on the 24th.  The PT did say my skin looked real good for being three weeks out from rads.

Jean - I have been thinking of you and pray that you will withstand the chemo and not have many SE.  My three month went by quicker than I thought it would, just get lots of rest and have others do for you.

Lynniea - good luck tomorrow on having the port put in, that procedure goes by real quick. 

prayrv

Good morning ladies!

Have a quick question(s) - I am going in for my first physical in over 20 years (I know, my bad).  What tests should I ask for?  I know I want my D levels checked, cholesterol and thyroid.  Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Trish

elimar86861

I just wanted to share a comment from my BS yesterday.  This was after my exam and he had said the expected, that I looked good, all healed, etc.  I told him that I felt that I didn't have any more surgery related needs, so I probably would not be returning for any more f/u exams from him.  He replied, "After two years, I like to see my patients once a year through the fifth year, but I have ladies who feel they have too many doctors to follow up with and they make the same decision you are making.  So long as you keep up with the mammos, and have someone doing the CBE, that's fine with me."

I know all cancers are different.  I had a slow growing kind.  The kind that probably was there for years un-noticed and the kind that probably does not change very much in six month intervals anyway.  I do realize that anyone with a more agressive cancer needs to be watched more closely.  I bring up his comment to say that HOW WE FEEL ABOUT IT plays a part in our follow-up too.  I know there are women who had low stage and low grade B/C that want the reasurance of having a doctor tell them all's well every 3 mos. or so.  That was too much doctoring for me, and I am happy to now just be seeing a doctor (either MO or GYN) every six mos.  If I schedule my mammos in between, that seems like I've got plenty of monitoring.  But it is somewhat of a personal choice. We all have to go with what feels comfortable.

elimar86861

prayrv, it does not involve bloodwork, and would be a separate appt., but you might want to have the DEXA bone density scan.  I think a lot of women get a baseline one done around menopause anyway, but they are especially important if there is a family history of osteoporosis, or if you are on the AIs.

Also, prayrv. you are worse than me!  As much as I like to avoid the docs, my GYN always did the "physical" yearly, as far as routine bloodwork.  But I never did have a PCP until about 5 years ago.

prayrv

Elimar,

I was on Tamoxifen for 3 years (last one was surgically induces menopause).  One week before I switched to Arimidex, I had my DEXA scan - turns out even with the "bone protection" that tamox is supposed to give, I am moderately osteopenic.  I do get my GYN yearly stuff done like clockwork (except the one year I skipped my mammo and then next year it showed cancer!). My GYN doesn't do the regular physical so I must go to a PCP now.   I definately appreciate your iinput!

Trish

elimar86861

I have heard that the bone protection offered by the Tamox. results in 4% less bone loss than the general population of women, so you are right...it is not going to do much.  I will probably be on it for the whole five years, and I will be interested to see if I can at least maintain my density during that time.  I had DEXA last year, and I think I will do that at two year intervals.  Some do it yearly, I think, but if you have been reading this thread lately, you know I take the "less is more" approach.  I feel more normal with less doctoring. 

Prayrv, don't be too worried about osteopenia, your density could stay at those levels the rest of your life without worsening.  However, if the DEXA scans keep showing more bone loss over time, that would be a problem you would need to address.  Personally, I would not take a bone-building drug at the first mention of osteopenia, but would see what the trend was at the next scan.  (There's lots of info. out there on osteopenia, so Google for the different viewpoints if interested.)

I will get a Vit D recheck this time around.  That was checked one year ago and I am very interested to see if I have effected any chenge with the supplementing I have bee doing this past year. 

prayrv

Elimar,

I'm not freaking out (yet).  I upped my vitamin D and calcium and my onc wants me to do another DEXA scan in a year and see where I'm at since I'm now on the AI.

Trish

Meece

I have a small comment, Elimar.  You said you schedule your mamos in between the regular medical appointments.  I have found when I do this, something comes up and I end up having to have a follow up soon anyway.  That really screws up my schedule.  I try to plan the mamo a few weeks before I am already scheduled with MO.  Already this year I have seen GP twice, GI once, had a Colonoscopy, two mammos, two US, and and MRI.  Next week I see MO.  I am Doctored-out and it is only 9 1/2 weeks into the year!  Poop!!!!

elimar86861

Prayrv, Just curious, but do you feel you are sleeping better since you upped you Vit. D?

elimar86861

Thanks for the reality check, Meece!  Good point.  I had not put my plan into action yet.  So far, I did have the mammo, followed by GYN or MO a few weeks later.  Well, I might give my plan a try, in hopes that it comes off smoothly.  I am on doctor break for a while.  My next is the MO, but I don't even have an appt.  They send me a letter with an appt. on it.  That's their way.  I'm thinking I am clear til April, at least.