MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

barbe1958

Yep...especially once I went home and Googled 'vascular invasion and breast cancer'!!!!

Reality

....must be naptime for me.,...I was just imagining you slapping him upside the head with a big fish. (Did you ever watch Monty P,? The Swedish Fish episode? If not, nevermind, and please do not think I have completely lost it!)

barbe1958

Yep, I know the sequence and that's pretty much how I pictured it too! Visualization helps a lot of my anger issues...hehehehehehehe

elimar86861

That pic of fashionable ladies is from the Roaring Twenties.  They are totally fab, but is the one second from left wearing an underskirt or is her flimsy frock giving everyone a peek of her gams?  Shocking!

Kay_G

I'm shocked at the shoes. They all have Mary Janes on!

Momine

Ananda, my back is a total mess, and I did not have a problem during the MRI.

Momine

I also love the new pic. Like barbe, I like the far right dress. I may make myself one like that. My body type is more like the far left chick, just with no boobs anymore

Love Monty Python and LOL on the Swedish fish. 

madpeacock

And everyone is wearing a hat and pearls! 

Sherryc

Wow you gals have been busy.

Jo the MRI's have never bothered me and I have had several.  I do not have a claustrophobic issue.  They gave me earplugs and the rhythmic noise kinda puts me in a trans almost sleep. the breast ones have you laying down but that did not bother me either, the contrast dye was kinda cold running in my veins but did not hurt.  I'm sure you will do fine. 

I finally got my MRI results and no mets to my neck.  PCP still thinks it is arthritis and after I researched cervical arthritis I do agree with him, plus my old neck injury I don't know how I could escape having arthritis.  I realized last night that this neck pain started after my last surgery when I started back on tamox and it has gotten worse.  I asked him about taking a holiday form tamox for a couple of weeks and doing another steroid pac.  He thinks that is very reasonable to try but he wants me to talk to my MO about it and see if he will give me his blessing.  But then said you have to make the decision and then call me back if you want the steroid pac.  So I see my MO on Friday and will talk to him about it but will be taking a Holiday with or without his blessing. If none of this works then he will send me to a spine doctor to maybe try some injections to get off the hydrocodone, but he knows I am trying to take as little as possible.

Reality

Thanks Momine!

jo1955

Thanks everyone for for the info on the MRI.  Like I said, I have never had some and I don't think I am claustrophobic.  I do have a severe fear of needles and just the thought of someone coming at me with an IV really raises my anxiety level.  My BS knows of my fear and maybe he will give me something to calm me down before I have to go.

Sherry - Congrats on the good MRI results.  At least you now have a better idea of what you are dealing with.

Been of Tamox for 5 days now and I can't believe the difference in the muscle/joint pains.  What I am left with is this darn nerve pain.  I so wish I could get that taken care of.  I try not to whine but come on.  Isn't it enough we have other issues to deal with?  Still makes me angry that this is an SE rads and my moron of an RO won't even admit it even though I have documented proof it can and will happen to some.  It is wonderful how much information you can get by way of Mr. Google these days.

Reality

What is with so many RO's and their poor attitudes. (I know that some of you have been fortunate enough to have very compassionate, understanding RO's, but I have read that many people have not!)

jo1955

Anandagram - I have no idea but mine was so bad I have told myself I will never, ever do rads again.  It is not worth it.  Way too stressful and hard to deal with emotionally.  It is not good when you go everyday and there is a big knot in the pit of your stomach then you feel like a number and herded in and out very quickly, no question/answer time and then get to the car and have a good cry before making the 30 minute trip home.  I still have nightmares about that and I finished rads on Dec 3rd, 2010. 

Reality

Oh my goodness, jo - so sorry you had the same experience! Your description is mine, exactly, except that I had an hour drive home. I especially hated Mondays, as that was RO visit day. I agree. I have vowed to never do rads again - But if I ever decide to break that vow, I will drive 2 hours to a center in VT! 

SAB

Anandagram I think it is because the RO knows they (probably) will not have a long term relationship with their patients.  They see so many of us revolve in and out every 6 or 7 weeks. I had a relatively good experience, but couldn't help feeling like one of a herd of women being shuffled in and out.

Sherry I am reading your posts and trying to decide how aggressively to look at my new pain...have been experiencing worsening back pain (have had it for years, but it is spreading and intensifying) and some pain in my thigh bones above the knees.  I should probably dip back into the tamoxifen thread to see if this is common.  I don't have an MO visit scheduled until March, so I will have to decide for myself. Oh, I am so tired of doctors and tests. 

Sherryc

I at least had a very nice good looking RO but I still hated rads all the same.  Ended up with nerve damage like JO.  I have vowed never to do rads again either.  Whole breast rads is way too harsh on the body.

prayrv

My MRI experience was uneventful, but the U/S was a nightmare.  As my left breast lit up like the proberbial christmas tree, the dr ordered the ultrasound and the rad doc exclaims "My that looks invasive!"  I was in tears during the subsequent u/s guided biopsy!

I had quit smoking 14 years prior and this was the only time I wanted a smoke!

Trish

Ceeztheday

I also hated rads. I had not felt sick during the entire journey until rads. Then, I felt like I'd never feel better. The two hour round trip each day didn't help, and my RO was very dismissive. Fortunately, almost three months out, I am getting my energy back and feeling much better. I know that it is the standard protocol, but I wish I had done more research on options before I agreed to rads. On the other hand, I hate BC worse than rads! I feel like a wimp as I was lucky enough to not need chemo (and I know some of the terrible experiences you ladies had with chemo), but I know this discussion group is ok with an occasional wimp rant. Thanks ladies.

Reality

Ceeztheday- Rant away - and no, you are NOT being whimpy. I absolutely hated rads - in some ways it was not as bad, physically, as chemo was. But, going everyday, feeling like I was part of an assembly line, being drawn on, allow my body to be irradiated, the noise from the damn machine, etc...it was so bad, emotionally!  I finished two wks ago and am still exhausted and have pain. I was fortunate that my skin held up well. I am supposed to go for a skin check tomorrow - I will leave a message on their machine that I am canceling. Rads are done for me - no more skin checks. I just cannot go there one more time. Now who's acting whimpy- lol

elimar86861

Forgot to say, Barbe, that tech was a moron and a ghoul!   Prayrv, same goes for yours, what a moron.   Isn't it ironic that we have to play such games to get our own health info. given to us, but then are confronted with blabbering idiots that just blurt out these distressing findings that hit patients like a ton of bricks?   It's insane!

jo1955

Anandagram - You are not whimpy.  The only reason the RO wants to do a so called skin check is so that he can bill your insurance for another visit.  I had to go back at one week and it was such a joke.  In my case, he was doing it to cover his ass.  I have vowed to never, ever do that again.

Reality

Thanks, jo - that's exactly what I stated on another thread yesterday - One more billing for my insurance company! One more $20 co-pay for me - no way. 

Reality

OMG Ceezetheday - I just reread my previous message to you - I meant to type that you ARE NOT being whimpy - so sorry - I should have proofread!  So sorry

Reality

Ceezetheday - whew! I just realized that I could edit my previous post, so I did. 

barbe1958

ATTENTION PLEASE: Y'ALL KNOW I'M A PAIN EXPERT SO LISTEN UP!!!!

My DH bought me Voltaren cream and IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!! It is expensive, but not as much as the narcotics I'm on!!! I'd think that if you get break through pain while on this, then you have a problem. GIVE IT A TRY!!!! This is only recent for me and you ladies are the first to hear the good news!!!!

marlegal

Barbe, where are you using the cream? Soooo glad something works - woo hoo!!!

Jo, if it's recommended that you have a breast MRI, if at all possible, ask to be walked through the procedure including seeing the machine. I had at least 4 for various reasons before I switched to the BSGI's and I never was offered earphones, there was no light inside, and no mirror for the breast MRI while you're lying on your stomach. When I had MRI's for my neck/back, and was lying on my back, there was a mirror above me. Like someone else said, I get back pain when I lay on my stomach, so that was the pain involved for me. I'm not claustrophobic at all...the reason I stopped was back pain and the incident with the dye leaking out and me being ignored until I actually did scream...that was the last straw!

Sherryc

Barbe is the cream an OTC med.  I would be interested for my arthristis in my neck

Ceeztheday

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I love this group!

elimar86861

Is the creme Barbe mentioned called something else in U.S.?  I don't think I've ever seen Voltaren.  Interested!

YaYa5

^^^ what elimar said.