MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

DragonGirl

Dianarose,



An answer to your question succinctly put at this NIH webpage



http://m.cancer.gov/topics/factsheets/BRCA



Apparently there is no specific criteria for being "eligible" for BRACA testing...read the link...family history pertinent of course....



If you have time, this NIH website also has a really good, simple tutorial with pictures about targeted therapies for Breast Cancer (how they work) which encompasses some of that information I was babbling about. Use the options on the top bar of the webpage to find that.



DG

heartnsoul76

Hi ladies! Been overwhelmed with the little stuff lately.

Had to take care of my neighbors three poodles for 5 days - that was crazy.  It's the cutest thing to walk around with three small, fuzzy dogs.  Brewster is 18 years old and very active.  Then they have the cutest little white toy female named Trixie, and an abused chocolate male that he rescued named Rusty (whose trust I had to win over).  It was fun, but similar to herding cats.  He paid me $500 - woo!

My nipple on my good breast is still itching - my BS told me to come back on Friday if it is still itching by then.  Remember the good ol' days when we just ignored every little thing?

Does anybody taking Tamoxifen have severe fatigue?  I'm not sure if it's the Tamoxifen or this cough that has been hanging on for 5 weeks now - of course it's not bad, just tiresome to have to cough every 10 minutes for-evah!

barsco1963

DG - thanks for the link. It provides detailed info that is easy to understand. I knew that there were likely other gene mutations that might contribute to bc, but was unaware that testing for them was available. Perhaps my head has been stuck in the sand a little more than I like to admit. Do you know if the testing is available world wide?

HNS - that was quite a task for you to take on 3 dogs. Would be an interesting 5 days that's for sure. Not a bad paycheck though. Cha-ching! Have you had your cough checked out? 5 weeks is a long time - yikes! That may be part of your fatigue for sure. I am on tamo and do get fatigued every now and then, but usually can get through a few days before it reallly hits me. Here's hoping that the itch disappears or turns out to be just an itchy boob.

Happy Hump Day to all!

Sherryc

Marlegal have fun at the shores.  I'll be laying around the deck at my son's place hoping to get a little sun on my very white legs.

Dragongirl thanks for the info.  I did not realize there were other mutations out there.

HNS 3 poodles that was an interesting task.

Sherryc

I have been doing boot camp since the first of April.  We meet 5:30 to 6 am M-F.  Ages range from 23 to 56.  It is kinda funny because we have the young group that does everything fast, the middle group, and then the three old ladies ( I am in that group).  We are the slowest but get it done.  Our training changes things up every day do it is never boring. Here is a sample of one of our workouts

run 1/4 mile for warm up

100 jump rope

100 squats

100 mountain climbers

100 crunches

100 high knees

100 push ups

100 bridge pulses

100 walking lunges

100 triceps dips

100 jumping jacks

Sometimes I think I have lost my mind, but I actually look forward to going every morning and I really push myself because I want to keep up with the young ones. LOL  but at least I can still wear my bikini and my grand-kids are not embarrassed to be seen with me.

elimar86861

HnS, Your persistant cough is worrying me.  Radiation and some chemo scars the lungs.  While is usually shows up sooner than over two years out from treatment, have you actually had a chest xray to rule out something like that?

DragonGirl, Thanks for the link to the fact sheet.  By the way, I am in the camp of always wanting to know HOW and WHY my doctors come to their decisions for me, and if they get too wrinkled up about explaining that, they don't stay my doctors.  Don't worry about getting too scientific, either.  We've all learned a lot more big scientific words because we were made to by this freakin' disease.

Geez Sherryc, I am tired just reading your Boot Camp Workout!   I don't think I could have done 100 walking lunges even on my best day 20 years ago.

barsco1963

Sherryc - bravo for you for doing that workout! Even more kudos for putting on that bikini. I don't think I have actually worn a bathing suit for probably 10yrs at least. Keep up the good work!

Momine

Barsco, 21 years for me (my daughter turns 21 in a few months).

luvmygoats

Barsco and Sherry - I don't even own a bathing suit. I only dip toes in friends' pool. Gosh Sherry I'm with Eli - I couldn't have done that 30 years ago. I managed to sweep off part of patio and move house plants back out to normal position now storms passed and I'm pooped.

HNS - Eli and I are both concerned about your cough. Allergies? Acid reflux? If you can't find an acceptable answer - no cheating LOL - I would check with you MO or PCP. Don't know about anyone else but my RO dismissed me after 2 week post rads check since I was recovering nicely. My DMIL raised poodles when DH was a boy. Apricot. The one dog DH says I can't have. LOL. I want a boxer but don't have yard space for one. My actual backyard is tiny, just right for my rat terrier.

We have no particular plans for weekend. DH actually off so I know our behinds planted on couch on Sunday watching Indy and NASCAR. I may get something to BBQ. I think he has plans to finish the decorative shutter replacement. I've been asking for lessons on using the edger. I know stupid taking on another task but he doesn't do it and our driveway and walk are disappearing. Our yard smells divine today. He cut back my rosemary bush that was out of control. More like baby tree. I would think it would not survive winters but must be just sheltered enough. I need to make something with rosemary and I grind up bits in garbage disposal. Most of my goats will not eat it unfortunately. I have one that will eat anything I bring out. And she has taught others to at least try something. She was the only one that would eat celery and now I have several that will.

Thanks Dragongirl. I, too, bookmarked the site. My gyno. asked me about BRCA testing but my family hx is pretty straightforward. Both DF and DM were heavy smokers, he passed from bladder CA. DM they think was either stomach or pancreatic but never ID'd source as it was sooo quick - a few days. Not BC - had a mammo in hosp. which was her usual source and where I go. So with my age of 59, previous HRT and no family hx he was OK with it. No other relatives with CA. GM lived to 92, GF did pass in 1964 from non-Hodgkins lymphoma but that WAS 1964. Prob. would have lived many more years today. Father's side much more positive for heart disease. I actually have a pretty small family and have lost touch with most of them. Now my #2 stepfather was a diff. story. I think most every family member (though I think it might be lessening 4 step-siblings without at present so only 1 out of 5) has had cancer. All his brothers/sisters/mother and many cousins. Don't know if any studies ever done. There is sure something there.

Diana - When is your daughter getting her testing? Prayers here for her and for you. Working all weekend is the pits. How are the bakery plans coming?

I ramble, typing and trying to cool off. TTFN.

Eph3_12

luvmygoats: so the old myth that goats will eat anything is just that, a myth?

luvmygoats

They most definitely will not eat everything. Some weeds they bypass altogether. I have some kind of weird thorny tree coming up in fence line that "miss eat anything" sniffs but won't touch when I walk her outside her pen. Love trees - elms, hackberries, oaks. They love dandelions, the giant ones and thistles thorns and all. Won't eat stinging nettle which is a bummer. Told they LOVE poison ivy but don't have any where they are. Mostly they have just a little grass. We have been waiting for hay baling season as DH bought a utility trailer to store it on. He's willing to buy it out of the field which is major work but won't have to off load into my tiny storage shed or garage (which did not go over well with him). Hoping to get a better price. I do worry they will eat a plastic bag that blows it. They will knock you down for Doritos, potato chips, bread or bananas peel and all. When I get the chance I get them a bread "fix" at the day old bread store. A $3.00 bag - inflation has taken a toll; used to be a $1 bag. But many times the hog farmers beat me to the spoils - its bags with tears, squashed.

Sooo - now we've had our agri lesson for today. Know nothing about any other species. I was a city girl until 15 years ago. Thought I wanted a mini donkey until I went to the State Fair and saw how really hard they are to handle. Even my little bucky boy is tame but then by goat herd standards mine is small potatoes.

Dianarose

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-200612/Fathers-pass-breast-cancer-gene.html

This article explains so much that none of my doctors ever have. I may be wrong, but I strongly feel that is the same amount of men were affected by the bc beast things would be a lot different.

My daughter is waiting for them to schedule her appointment for testing.

I went to Poland Maine today to look at a commercial convection oven. New they cost between 4-5 grand. I scored and got it for a thousand. It is only 3 yrs old and looks like new. I got my 6 burner gas stove, commercial mixer and sink at a good price too. Just called Coca Cola and waiting for the rep to call me back. They will pay for your sign and supply a cooler if you sell their products. Works for me.

The whole surgery thing on the 5th is going to push back opening up a bit, but I am trying to do as much as I can prior too and I am still working my regular job until I can open.

I very rarely read any of the paperwork from my appointments since reading my path reports. I happened to read one I got the other day from the cancer center and started to cry. It said, NED!!!!!! That is the best word ever.

Luvmygoats- do you make goat cheese? It is a big seller around here. We use a ton of it a work.

Sherryc- that workout looks mighty painful. I know I couldn't get past the push ups. WoW!!!

Dragongirl- I am going to have to do some more research on the other mutations. Thanks for the info.

Eph3_12

Thanks for the goat lesson, luv... Fascinating.

luvmygoats

Diana - I am a real slug. I thought about milking one of my mama's this year but just could not make myself. Not sure if DH would even drink goat milk but could prob. cook with it. No, never made goat cheese but sure do like it. In Texas requires Grade A milk license with separate water/elec/milk room to sell or even give away even for pet use illegal. Only personal home use. Soo - no milk, no cheese. And though this doe is a major snot she has nice teats/udder. Now did you ever think you'd hear that on a BC site???

Sounds like bakery is coming together nicely. Let us know when DD gets her appt. Will be praying for her.

Eph - We aim to please! Now you may have the answer to some trivia questions if the need arises.

Sherryc

The goats sound fun and interesting.

Diana good luck on the bakery

Beatmon

Wish we could all come and support you in your new bakery. Yummy. Brenda

Eph3_12

Brenda, Did Edmond fair OK?

barsco1963

Luv - I remember going to the bakery with my uncle (during summer holidays) to get the day old breads etc for his pigs. I used to love it when he got some hotcross buns or raisin bread. We would always sneak a bite or two.

HNS - count me in as one of those who are concerned about your cough. 5 weeks is much too long to be still bothered with it. Get it checked out girl!

Diana - what a bargain hunter you are. Great price on the oven! How exciting that things are coming together for you. Just remember that you will need to rest in order to heal after your surgery. We'll be watching........ By the way - hang onto that NED fellow! He's a great life-partner. Great article on gene mutations being passed on by fathers as well as mothers. Both sides of the family definitely need to be looked at.

Dianarose

Barsco- I thought it was interesting that women who were born with the gene prior to 1940 rarely got BC and then it increased after that. Could be crap in our food and in the air.

NED is the best eye candy I ever saw. He's a keeper.

marlegal

Barsco, just to clarify, New Jersey has a few different locations which we refer to as "the shore". I'm happy to say that the one on tv show Jersey Shore is nowhere near where I go!



Diana, cool score on your appliances, can't wait to follow your progress.



Luv, always enjoy learning about the goats. Don't know why, but I've always loved them.



Okay, important question here...anyone interested in going to Vegas last weekend of Sept? The women I know from chat room brought it up. TheTaTa group from the boards are going and it's an all-invited event. I am very clse to booking a room and wondering about a roommate. PM me if interested and I'll send link with room info, etc

barsco1963

Oh darn marlegal - was thinking that maybe you and Snookie were besties - lol. You will no doubt have a much better holiday being nowhere near that gang.

Diana - yeah, that point really caught my attention also. Things that make you go hmmmmmmm.

Dianarose

Well my day just got shot to HELL. My primary doctor just called and said there was something elevated to do with my liver from the blood tests she had done. She said she went back through all my labs and this is something new and was not there in any of my blood work even during chemo. She told me to stop the Metformin and to come in and have the test again a week or so after my surgery on the 5th. Well, I checked and I didn't start taking the Metformin until the day after the blood work was done, so that's not it. I asked her if it could be a sign of liver mets and didn't really get an answer other than we will do the test over. I was so stressed I can't even remember was she said was elevated. I just keep thinking she said something to do with liver acid or something. WTF I can't take anymore.

Does anyone know if liver mets syptoms can show in blood work or are there other symptoms? Yesterday I was all excited because the cancer center said I was NED and then my primary doctor calls with this. She monitors me much closer than the MO does, but now I am scared to death.

jocanuck1951

Hi Dianarose, the blood test would be the Alt, Ast and Bilirubin. Here's a link I find very useful: http://www.bloodindex.org/blood_chemistry_tests.php



Did you have an irradiated CT scan done, liver is behind rib cage so the scan would show liver mets if they were big enough. In hindsight, my symptoms were bile/nausea and intermittent little pinching pains on my left side, thought it was my lung but it was liver. My blood work was medium high but many other factors can raise the above levels as well. Jo

Dianarose

Jo, thanks for the link. I had a CT and PET a yr ago just prior to my BMX. I haven't really had any symptoms. I have been taking 1 Xanax a day for about a yr now. Not sure if that could do it. Did they say why you had pains on your left side when the liver is on the right side? Nothing makes sense some times. How are they treating your mets and is possible to be completely get rid of liver mets? I was reading a bit about liver cancer and weight loss was a symptom. I have gained about 12 lbs or so since chemo so I don't have that symptom. Had you noticed any weight loss prior to? If this is my new normal (being afraid all the time) I am not liking it much. I had 17 positive nodes so I have been trying to live in denial. It is how I deal with it I guess. I just noticed you didn't have positive nodes yet you had mets from the get go. That whole node thing pisses me off. Too many are lead to believe that because they didn't have positive nodes they are out of the woods. Are you finished with your chemo?

barsco1963

Dianarose - so sorry that this has come down today, especially after welcoming NED into your life just recently. I am sure there are many other things that could cause whatever change your dr saw in the bloodwork. I know my onc checks bloodwork at each visit, but I have no idea what, other than enzyme levels.

I am also a liver metster from the get go. I don't recall much pain at all, but when I do think back I remember having quite a bit of nausea prior to dx.

Thinking on the positive side, perhaps there was something that threw a glitch into the blood test and a retest will show all is a-ok. Living with the "what ifs" everyday is not an easy. As a matter of fact it SUCKS! Hang in there. We are all here for you and will wait with you for the retest.

In the meantime - focus on getting that bakery up and running. We are all getting anxious to hear about opening day and seeing pics of the new digs.

((hugs)) to you dear friend.

jocanuck1951

Hi D, I'm happy that your doc is on the ball with your bloodwork. She will book a CT scan for sure to rule out liver mets. It's not good to have symptoms as that's an indicator of progression. The liver is quiet, almost till it's too late. Keep taking your Xanax!



Fear is a killer...most likely IF you have liver mets they are BC mets which is different than regular liver cancer, we live longer. There are many treatments for BC liver cancer. Please don't read Dr. Google, he will stress you to death...those stats are very out of date and don't relate to today's liver mets especially if caught early. Better info right here.



The liver goes right across the front and up the left side. Pain in your upper back, left side is a symptom as well. I had that as well but thought it was my regular back pain (I have 3 herniated discs). I had a bunch of symptoms...felt like hell around March 2012 and got worse till I was diagnosed in Sept. i was exhausted, no energy, my BP went out of control, blood sugars through the roof, every joint down to my toes hurt like hell, was nauseated/bile most days, very emotional and my armpits stank....my body odor changed, I switched deodorants several times thinking it was deodorant gone wrong but it dawned on me about 6 months ago that it was my liver malfunctioning.



THEY said it was only 7mm IDC - nothing to worry about, I knew how physically unwell I was and just knew it wasn't going to turn out good. I knew nothing about BC then....and I still cry every day but more resigned now, sad and sometimes there's stark terror. I do better with more info as I'm/was a control freak, some people think less is best.



There are ladies on the stage IV forum who are NED or at least stable. Treatment is relative to your path report, I'm HER2+++ so chemo and herceton for life or as long as I can tolerate it. Yep, the pink stuff is crap, I'm proof, didn't really get that BC kills....nobody talks about mets...the public doesn't get it, they all think they're running for a cure...less than 10% of all money raised goes to actually researching for a cure. I believe it's more lucrative to provide treatments for us than a cure.



Don't let this stop you! Open that bakery, find a place in your brain where you can stash the worry and keep very busy till you get scan results. I do better when there's a plan I can focus on and there's not a damn thing I can do about my mets except work around them and take good drugs like Ativan lol! I'm sooooo angry that this crap is killing us! One foot in front of another and we'll be here to help you anytime!....xoxoxox Jo

elimar86861

Dianarose, While it is true that when things are not right in those very basic blood tests it can be an indication of cancer activity, BUT the levels can fluctuate for other benign reasons also.  We will all hope that it is just an insignificant little blip and that the retest shows everything back in normal range.  You and NED made such a cute couple.  You need to stay together a long time without any trifling little tests coming along trying to break you two up!!!

You can't help but wonder over this mysterious elevation, but try not to get ahead of yourself with worry.  I'm not saying stick your head in the sand, but for now just try and psych up for the surgery (and you know we'll be there) and shove the rest into a quite corner of your mind for now.  ((Hugs)) and please have a fun holiday weekend before it's time to go under the knife. 

elimar86861

That's funny!  I didn't see Jo's post and we both said to tuck the worry away for now.  I didn't copy her, I swear.

Eph3_12

Dianarose, I have nothing to add to what has been said already.  I DO know that I want a pastry from your bakery, even if I have to pay air freight.

Dianarose

Thanks everyone !!! I have read up on the long term use of the Xanax and it can cause liver changes. I have been taking one every night for a yr now. I am going to stop taking them and see if things go back to normal. Need to rule it out so I know. I read that Xanax can also cause weight gain. Maybe that is the cause of the xtra pounds that I can't get rid of. How ironic it would be that something I am taking to calm me down has stressed me out so much. Here's to hoping it is the Xanax and not mets.

Eph- Once I am up and running I will sent you a nice treat package.

The bakery is going to be called Queen of Tarts Bakery and Cafe'. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I went to college for accounting so I keep redoing the numbers right down to how much I need to make each day to break even and then hopefully profit after that. I have figured out what each cookie and muffin costs to make so I know what to charge.