MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

cmbear

sorry eli--I tried to keep the weather segment brief. . . 

elimar86861

Full pardon, cmb.  I know the recovery never happens as fast as we think it should.  We don't recover like kids anymore, do we?  But we can still enjoy your rainbow cupcakes just like kids.  Too cute!

I am sorry you are trapped indoors, cmb, because if you were outside, maybe you could catch the beautiful scent of the tree I have pictured at the top now.  I don't know if they grow all over the country or not, so if you are not sure what kind of tree that is, I will give you a hint...

   <<<<-------That's the hint.

Momine

My CT scans are clear, which is making me happy today. My bloodwork also looks normal, so now I am wondering why the heck I can't seem to breathe right.



By the way, do any of you sage ladies know if all the junk they give you to drink and that they inject you with for the CT cause blood sugar to rise?

elimar86861

Momine,  I have not heard anything about the CT contrast elevating the blood sugar, myself.  If the drink you had was the barium one, I did read somewhere that it can cause shortness of breath (and you need to see a doc about it.)  If your breathing problem began right on the day of getting the contrast drink, definitely call your doc about it.

marlegal

Eli, I agree about the long lasting celebration ... I'm an original party girl   I'd like a mimosa while sitting under the scented tree please.

Diane, hope your anger gets a little better each day. I highly recommend having someone you love and trust shave your head for you now, so you can end the part where anything falls out. When I did that, at least I felt like I was controlling when I went bald. Hugs sweetie.

Floridians, I hope you came through that crappy storm within minimal serious damage.

Hugs to all

cmbear

Pass the mimosas!! Yumm!!

Momine

Elimar, thanks. No, the breathing trouble started about three weeks ago, and that is why we moved the scans up (otherwise scheduled for September).



But I also did a basic blood test the morning after the CT scan and my $&@ fasting glucose was high again, 99. I know it is still within normal, but too high for my comfort, especially given a low-carb diet and the fact that I am a stick at this point. I sort of wonder how it would be if I ate a normal diet.

NativeMainer

Momine--stress can cause the blood sugar to rise, and anticipating a scan and having trouble breathing are definately causes of stress.  If you have a way to check your blood sugars at home you can try adding a bit of carb right before bedtime.  I know it sounds kind of backwards, but there is a phenomenom known as the Dawn Effect where the fasting blood sugar is higher than expected as a result of a really low blood sugar during the night.  What happens is that the blood sugar drops during sleep. Once it goes below a certain level (individual to each person) the body starts producing glucose in the liver and sending it into the blood stream, causing a rebound rise of blood sugar, usually peaking right before breakfast.  In people with diabetes we sometimes have to decrease the amount of insulin taken before dinner or at bedtime so the 2 am low isn't so low that it triggers the rebound reflex.  With more and more interest in low carb diets and eating better more people without a diagnosis of diabetes are having low blood sugars at times and the Dawn Phenomenon is happening more often.  You describe  yourself as a stick--do you know what your BMI is?  You may be a bit too lean.   Did you have chemo?  Most chemo drugs damage the liver and the liver is the main organ besides the pancreas in regulating blood sugar.  It's good you're keeping tabs on things so closely!

Momine

Mainer, thanks. I had blood sugar in the high 90s at dx, when I was about 25 pounds heavier than now. It continued all through TX, which included chemo and rads. I am now on femara. The scans were to rule out lung mets or rad damage as the cause of the breathing problems, which have been going on for several weeks.



A couple of months ago the glucose seemed to have come down some, to mid-80s, so it bummed me to see it so high again.



I did wonder if being too low on weight or carbs could also do it, so thanks for the dawn effect explanation. I am definitely hovering around the underweight cut-off and trying to add a few more calories, but a bit stumped how to do it without dairy and meat or avocados.

elimar86861

Momine, What about chowing on nuts and nut butters?  You are probably eating too healthy to try this suggestion, but if it's calories you want and you don't think the the sugar wouldn't create a glucose problem...enjoy a big piece of halvah.  It put a few pounds on me (and I didn't need them either!)  I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I am well versed in caloric international treats.  

(Having only an angelic icon, and not a devilish icon, is a real hardship for me.)

p.s.  cmb & mar,  Yes, that is a mimosa tree.  So beaulifully fragrant when the blooms are new, not so much as the blooms fade.

Momine

Elimar, lol, but no I can't see myself eating sweets really, not with glucose that high and cancer. Also, halva is made from sesame, which is a no-no in ER+ cancer (phyto-estrogen).



But someone had psited a quinoa recipe that I am currently eating for lunch.

elimar86861

Like soy, the jury is still out on sesame and flax seeds.  I have seen A LOT of articles which say they can have a protective effect, even for ER+ women (I believe it was post-menopausal, ER+ women to be more precise) so I don't take any pains to avoid them.  Typically I encounter sesame from crackers or however much tahini is in a hummus dip.  I can get halvah here (but not fresh,) so I am not so tempted. 

(Stepping up on a soapbox:)  I know there are oodles of women out there that take specific dietary precautions, but I generally play devil's advocate about it.  We all know there is no cure (by anything, eaten or otherwise) so any dietary decisions I make are strictly healthy choices overall, to feel and look good and maintain a healthy weight, not because I think I am ingesting something that has any anti-cancer properties.  I am open to allow that perhaps some foods have a minimal impact, but can any small minimization of risk from food ever outweigh the known major risk factors.  I don't think they can.  B/C is just so random, no matter what we eat.

Momine

Elimar, I do see your point, and very likely you are right.



On the other side though, it does seem like keeping blood sugar steady, for example, may actually make some sort of difference in recurrence. So it seems sensible to me to look for ways of doing that, although I am not being very successful so far it seems. Besides, it is healthier for other reasons as well.



Cutting way back on meat and dairy has more to do with the femara for me than the cancer. I do NOT want high cholesterol if I can help it.



Cutting back on alcohol to under 3 drinks a weeks is roundly recommended by doctors.



So although I think it is difficult to know where to draw the line, I also think that diet has to make some sort of difference, even if it is minor. Also, I would really like to keep the weight off, just for reasons of esthetics and general well-being. I was heavy for about ten years, and so, so sick of it.

elimar86861

Yeah, I know that Tamox. can elevate triglyceride levels, so I do try and watch my intake of saturated fats.  I can't tell you how many times I've gone back and forth on butter.  It falls in and out of favor in cycles.  Lots of the foods are only "as good as the latest study."  Woe is us trying to keep up with it all.

Momine

Yes, it is really hard to judge some of the endless info out there. Butter is, unfortunately, not supposed to be all that good for you, any which way you cut it That, of course, also nixes most of the sweets I really like.

mumito

Do not eat alot of it so I refuse to give up butter,cheese, and the odd glass of good red wine.Very seldom eat red meat,mostly chicken and fish and lots of vegies of every kind.Life is too short to not enjoy your food.As long as you are not gaining any more weight.Tamox messes with the metabolism.My med onc says if your weight stays the same and does not increase we shoud be happy.Oh yes don't forget the reular exercise ladies even if it just walking.

Momine

I do eat a little cheese, mostly low-fat feta and I allow myself 2-3 glasses a wine a week.

Dianarose

Momine- I had trouble breathing 8 yrs ago when I was 8-9 months out of rads. I had fluid trapped between the lung lining and scar tissue from rads. It was terrible. I woke up in the night and couldn't seem to catch a breath. It took about 2 months to go away. I had an inhaler, but it didn't do any good. I was told that it could possiby happen again with round 2 of rads coming up and it usually happens several months after you are done with them. When did you finish rads?

Momine

Thanks Diana, I finished rads 3 months ago and I thought it was from that. But the CT scan shows no rad damage,a dn the onc says they would see it there.



I have a "date" with a pulmonologist on Tuesday. We will see what he says. It is not severe, but bad enough to be annoying and making it hard to exercise.

Dianarose

Got my wig today. I really like it. I got one that is long and sexy. WTH If I have to wear it for a long time I want to look and feel good about it. It looks real. I was floored when the said my insurance wouldn't pay any towards it because I was told they would pay up to 350.00. I had to pay the whole 950.00. In the hole now. I use my mortgage money. I will be working long hours for weeks to come to make up for it.

Momine- I hope they figure it out for you. It is indeed scary.

I start regimen # 2 of chemo on Tuesday. I am not looking forward to the nausea again.

Hope everyone is doing fine. I don't have much time to be on my computer these days. Work is crazy busy this time of yr.

luvmygoats

Dianarose - That is just wrong!  Any chance of an appeal with your insurance?

elimar86861

D-rose,  I'll be curious to see what others have to day about the wig, if they got any ins. coverage.  What Ins. Co. do you have?

Nice to see you again, luvmygoats.  How did you do with your rads?  Your Dx and treatment is very similar to what I had, but I have been on Tamox.  I've been feeling very good lately, and I wish you the same with the Femara, and that you can really begin to put this behind you.

Momine, Let us know how it goes on Tues. 

luvmygoats

Elimar - Thanks so much.  Don't post too much.  Busy with work and should be doing computer reports now instead of being here.  Got released this week from RO.  Fared pretty well with rads; nip peeled and underneath but nothing like I have read others having.  Worked all the way through but 'course didn't have chemo.  Had 0745 tx time so didn't affect my work time.  Have mammo on LX side next week then off to BS for followup.  Achy fingers/shoulders kinda like starting a cold/flu.  But sure beats the alternative of recurrence.  Hoping (fingers crossed) to quit/retire (though will only be 60) in December.  DH says it will work.  May be beans/rice only.  Only time will tell.  Driving around all day and then too late home/too tired to cook.  And exercise, what is that??  Last time I walked for exercise (not that I don't stand/walk for work) was when I was on leave.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

chrisct

Hi ladies -lurker here.  Dianarose - did your doctor give you a prescription for a "cranial" or "hair" prosthesis?  That may be what the insurance company wants in order to reimburse you the $350.  I hope you can get reimbursed. 

Wishing minimal SE's for everyone in active treatment.

((((((Middies))))))

cmbear

Dianarose--I had to have my MO write a script for the wig and then file the claim myself with all the receipts to be reimbursed. My insurance didn't cover the whole thing either. Kind of a pain but it was worth it.

lostinmo

Just stopping back in, you guys are hard to keep up with.

Dainarose-hope you can get some of your money back from insurance

I was reading your post about the soy and other things. I give up I don't know what you are or aren't suppose to eat anymore.

luvmygoats-what kind of goats do you have. My BIL has 2 goats out here where we are staying, they are so much fun to watch.

Have a good weekend everyone 

elimar86861

luvmygoats,  Congrats on having done so well, skinwise, with rads.  I was about the same.  I had 6 boosts at the end, in an oval shape, and that is what had peeling but only one top layer came off just like it would with a sunburn.  All you will need in your retirement will be another rascal-y goat or two and you will get plenty of exercise chasing them and keeping them out of trouble.

chrisct, You joined this thread long ago, so it's always good to have you drop back in.  You are the Dx TWIN of luvmygoats.  (I'd be your triplet, but they only got two nodes outta me.)   Enjoy your summer.  Lurk on, or post as you please.

How is your aunt doing, Sherryc?  Hope she can rally and get back home. 

Have a good weekend Middies.  I have to get moving and do my chores...make hay while the sun shines but before it scorches me to a crisp.

barsco1963

elimar - now that I have this song in my head, thought I would share. Steven Lee Olsen "Make hay while the sunshines"

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DynRex5oKMc

Stay cool everyone!

cmbear

Eli--are you parched in the heat?? 

Anonymous

Eli....are you telling us something with the new thread photo??? And is it hot where you ate or just the Tamox? lol!