MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

elimar86861

I had the big blood work appointment appt. this past Monday.  Wanna know the results?  Too bad, I'm telling you anyway.

CBC = All NORMAL range. (Finally, after seeing numbers in the red for over a year.)

CMP = All NORMAL range.  (Liver finally recovered from chemo damage.  Yay!)

CEA = <0.5  NORMAL range.  (This checks for CRC mets, but sometimes BC mets will jack up this antigen too.  I never had an elevation, so it is questionable whether this can even be a  monitoring tool for me going forward.  About 30% don't make the antigen, even with raging cancer.)

Vit. D = 43 NORMAL range.  (Definitely not low, although some charts now consider 50-70 to be "optimal."  I was only supplementing sporadically lately and it is not a bad number to have after a long winter.  Going to be better about taking 2,000 IU on top of my Citracal and multi-vit. til I start getting outdoors more.  I'd like to be up around 60.  Those into Vit. D, you might like this chart:  Vit. D Supplement Chart.)

I'm a good healer.  I can just tell my body really WANTS to be normal again.  If I can SLEEP, I can stay healthy.

barbe1958

Good news all around elimar, and YES, we DO want to know!!

SnS, I think the fact she's been okay for 20 years shows the strength of her existing kidney and bodes well, though a stent on the "bad" kidney could only do well, wouldn't it? I'm presently going through kidney issues as well so I feel her angst. My daughter had a breast reduction in her early 20's and it's SO HARD to say "goodbye" as they head into surgery. I was numb for the whole time and wouldn't let my mind think of anything. Keep us posted!

Momine

That is pretty amazing, Eli. Good for you. My doc also runs the CEA on me.

Notbuyingit

me too! all you ladies rock! i have just completed 1/2 my rads! woo hoo! my onc told me he wanted to start me on the hormonal pill in 6 wks...i said oh, no i have HEARD about that! he said i was his most difficult patient (with a laugh) WHAT!! me???? just cuz i was brought up not to do things just cuz everybody else does ha!! I will always question...

but as my daughter constantly tells me - this is what they have to offer right now - better than years ago - and it is your best line of defense against a terrible disease. so chemo we must, F-Nut, rough it is but doable. Why i am talking like Yoda I know not.

ps - i think it was Andrew McCarthy in Manniquin

elimar86861

Hahaha, NBI!  Tamoxifen is not better than years ago, it is the exact same as years ago because they have been using it for about thirty years now.  On one hand, better would be nice; on the other hand, Tamox. does have a proven track record.   If you want new hormonals, you'll just have to wait for menopause to strike and then they might offer you something more recent although just a smidgeon more effective.

Congrats on being half way thru' rads.  May the force be with you the rest of the way. 

Footballnut

what are side effects of tamoxifen?

lovewins

  Good for you Elimar!!! 

Congrats on being halfway NBI....I just finished about two weeks ago.  I picked up my prescription for Tami tonight after work and will start on Sat.  I sure hope it doesn't bring may periods back it has been since Jan 2013!

Hello to everyone....sleep well.

elimar86861

F-nut,  Read thru' BCO's primer about Tamoxifen (SEs listed near the end.)  Very few escape the hot flashes.

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/serms/tamoxifen

Eph3_12

And best of all-page 902!!

NBI-IMDb says Spader player "Richards" in Mannequin, but Andrew was the main dude.  It's been so long since I've seen it (says it was released in'87 which is probably when I saw it)  I couldn't have told you about either one being in it without a little help from the www.

staynsane

FNut, Eli, Barbe- thanks for your thoughts/wishes for my daughter.  My mind has been going into battle mode, (kind of like it did with my BC diagnosis- thinking worst case scenario) but we're praying that the surgery works and that her kidneys, however imperfect, will function enough to provide for a long life (without transplant or dialysis).  I need to take one step at a time.

LOVE good test results!  I too had blood testing this week, and my ALT and AST are back in the normal range (wondering if my lab work in December through my company was somehow faulty).  Estradiol level checked (234), but I don't know what that means, and have asked my onc.  I think it will show that I'm slipping into menopause, but not sure.

Celebrating positive results for all going into the weekend!

Notbuyingit

Elimar, i am 2 years into meno already so the hot flashes don't worry me - I am worried about the joint pain since i already have arthritis just about everywhere...lovewins - bring the periods back?? let's hope not! geez!

thanks for the congrats on the 1/2 way point in Rads - i seriously felt like I should have gotten a balloon or something!! so far just a little redness & a bunch of freckles!

Eph, have 3 girls & that was one of their fav movies - that's right, he played the "bad" guy...at least i wasn't completely off ha!

Footballnut

hi all! Got my appt with the MO for next tues at 2:30. This will be the consultation. I'm really want to get this going but hope to also be able to schedule a small getaway the week after just to have a break before the next step

Also going wig shopping next tues. Woo hoo!

So many of you and others have told me that the waiting is the hardest part. So true. Once I got my test results I started to relax. I am also relaxed about my appt next tues.

Someone so mentioned to me that I would eventually cry when looking at my boobless chest. Nope. Not me. Again maybe it's because of how I was born with 1 boob.

I don't miss what I've lost and don't see it as such a terrible thing. It doesn't impacts ability to walk or run or eat or breathe.

As for the cancer. I don't see it as a negative. I see it as a positive. Cancer has forced me to reflect upon life to think about what I want to do in the future. Cancer has led me to new acquaintances and friends. Cancer has made me more aware of others and what they might be going through

If a child can deal with cancer I guess that I can too

I value and appreciate your friendship and will continue to keep you posted. Strength to all!!

Have a great weekend!!  I'm gonna party for the first time since this started!!

Ang

lovewins

FBN...You have a great attitude!  The biggest surprise to me was all the positives I found when dx with BC.  I am glad you are feeling releived and have a get a way planned.

NBI....My MO said it is possible it could cause me period to come back...I so pray NOT!

Blessings to everyone...M

elimar86861

SnS,  Glad you got good results too.  Your liver (ALT & AST) is very well-behaved these days.  Guess what?  Your ovaries are too.  That number is too high for a menopausal woman.  Menopause is when it is under 50 or 60, if I remember correctly; but even if I don't remember perfectly, I know menopause is not in the triple digits.  You're going to have to keep buying the maxi pads for a while.

NBI,  Let me ask why Tamoxifen has been chosen for you, then?  Most menopausal women seem to get an Aromatase inhibitor (AI) to keep the estrogen in check.  Both can give you joint pain, but I don't know if you are more likely to get joint pain because of pre-existing arthritis.  Maybe not.  If you do get it, I don't think it will be very pleasant on top of having arthritis.  But let's not put the worry cart before the reality horse on that.  You have a whole weekend to do or get something nice for yourself as a reward for coming this far thru' rads.  Don't be such a woman and neglect yourself.  If you were a guy, you'd already have your shoes up on the couch ordering PPV and a pizza and unwrapping the miter saw that UPS delivered this afternoon.

F-nut,  I'm using acronyms in everyone's replies today, so I will say it is good to see that you are TCB.  (That's not in the BCO abbreviations for newbies, I'm going straight to Elvis for that one.)  You have a practical nature and you are stepping up to take care of business.  Whatever it takes.  Not everyone deals in the same way and the day may come when you hit a brick wall (because cancer does, indeed, suck) but we don't think any less of those that need to get their whine on now and then.  Just file that away for future reference.  I had a similar reaction, but instead of child, I thought, "Look at all the women who have had to go through this!!!  If they could do it, so can I."   Remember, it's not superwomen doing this, it's average women.  Lots of them.  Now one more.  (A getaway sounds great.  You and I really do think along the same lines.  I made sure to take a little vacay before my surgery last March.  That wasn't for BC, but same difference.)

----------------------------

Want to hear something funny?  I momentarily forgot the word acronym and the word anagram came into my head.  Well, when you Google "anagram" it says:

"Did you mean nag a ram?"

I kid you not.  Try it.

cakes

FBN - When I went for my follow-up mammo which turned into an ultrasound which turned into a biopsy in one felled swoop, the doctor said good luck. Then the nurse who stayed with me to make sure I was OK asked me how I was doing. I replied…….I feel lucky. She was very surprised by my answer until I explained why. First off, it was me and not one of my 3 sisters whom I love sooooo much. Secondly, I knew I would be alright. I just needed to get the show on the road so I could get better. I guess you would call both of us results oriented. 

The results haven't always been what I had prayed and wished for but once I had the facts it was game on. Do I cry once in a while? You bet I do but, I never ask why me. That would be giving in.

You are in great company on this site.

Keep your chin up girlfriend,

Cakes

Footballnut

elimar u r do right!  So many women!  Too many women!  Believe me I have had my down times. I was on an emotional roller coaster waiting to see my dr waiting for the mammo and u/s waiting for results etc etc. I cried I feared instant death my hubby held me and I cried some more

Then I was told

Then I thought of a his friend of mine and fellow musician tom who died of cancer last year. And the 3 women that I know who have survived bc. And that led me to the children. 

I hate needles. I cry at the thought of them. I cried when they put an IV into my arm for a CT scan. I whimpered when they injected dye into my vein for my bone scan

And then I thought of the children again

My friends son was 2 years old when he was diagnosed with leukaemia and had a port placed in his chest for chemo. Thankfully he's 10 now. She told me if he can do it so can I

I find strength in all of you and especially children who should never have to go through any of this.  None of us should no doubt

So all of you and all of the children are my inspiration. 

And I love the reference to Elvis. He was my burning love for years. I remember watching aloha from Hawaii with my sister. My band covered jailhouse rock!

Time flies!  I felt the lump in my boob in June 2013 and the lump in my armpit jan 27. Now it's April 4 2014. This will end and be over soon for all of us in a good way!

Time to rock n roll!!!!!!!

:-)

elimar86861

Right on, cakes!

Anonymous

FBN, thank you for the beautiful words!

Remember the children and ask for a J-pen before IV's (works wonders! The pop is loud, but no feeling. With my fear of IV's, it takes away the fear and feeling. Instantly)

barbe1958

What's a j-pen? Can't find anything on Google but did catch nag a ram!

Anonymous

It's called jet injection, but my nurses always called it a J-pen (my niece, a pediatric nurse also refers to them to as J-pens). NO needles. Loud  noise, no pain. 

http://www.jtip.com/

Eph3_12

 NAG A RAM 

MinusTwo

I just can not resist....  Rama Lama Ding Dong.  Although I expect many of you are too young to remember the Edsels.

Anonymous

Bless you, Minus Two! Long time since I was referred to as young!

Momine

Football, my reaction to the boobectomy was similar. I fully appreciate that it can be extremely difficult for some women, but I also think it is important to keep a wide-open mind to the possibility that XYZ is not all that difficult for a given person. Basically avoid falling into how you "should" feel, in the negative or the positive direction and go with how you actually feel, for better or worse.

I have serious needle phobia too, I mean really bad, but I got through 8 chemos and countless blood draws, dye injections etc. anyway. I didn't like the needle part much, but I got through it.

barbe1958

Momine, how very astute that comment about "how you feel" is!! I was actually LAMBASTED on several posts when my journey first started about how calm and accepting I was about my DBMX!! I was told I should be seeking the help of a psychiatrist and that I was in denial and all sorts of crap. This forum years ago had a lot of whining and complaining on it. A lot of posts were just "cut and paste" from Google with facts on certain topics. There wasn't the bountiful information of pages and pages of facts that are here now on bco. I would relate much better with the "true" stories of what women were really going through and got much more from that information. I would get PMs from some members asking why I felt it necessary to post about "my story" instead of just agreeing about the person who felt the need to post incorrect information! There was a lot of smoke being blown up a lot of asses in those days!!! I still remember the names of about 5 of the gals...some who have gone on to change their screen names....

lovewins

staynsane

Eli- thanks for continuing to make me laugh.  You have a way with words...

Yes, I checked in with Mr. Google and discovered that an estradiol reading of 234 is NOT EVEN CLOSE to menopausal.  I read that 30 or below is the indicator.  So apparently my one ovary (other removed years ago with a gigantic cyst) has really stepped up to the plate, Lone Survivor-like.  Tamoxifen has apparently stopped my periods for almost a year now, so my onc thought I would be about ready to switch to Arimidex.  Not yet.  Fifty-five and full of E-juice.

cakes

barbe1958 -

I am shocked that fellow sisters on this site would attack you for how you handled your "personal" journey with BC. There is no right or wrong way to react to getting smacked upside the head with a diagnosis of BC. It's ok to scream bloody murder and it's ok to be calm and plotting and it's ok to be somewhere in-between and it's ok to be all of the above. Sorry you had to go through PMs and posts that told you how you should act and react. You obviously have chosen to rise above it all.

Tomboy

i agree, barb, that is incredibly sad to hear that! i was temted to go back and read from yhe beginning, but that would be a daunting task! 900 pages! a book! glad you stuck around, anyway!

elimar86861

Barbe is so right.  Everyone has to deal with BC in their own way(s), one no more right than the other.  A person usually goes thru' something like the stages of grief too, at least in that the feelings can change over time as you move thru' the treatment and beyond.  We can't allow ourselves to be boxed in to narrow categories of what others think the right reactions are.

That being said, I do admit to attempting to calm down many of the ones who write in panic while waiting for biopsy results.  I know it is a fearful time, but half of them turn out to be B9, and they bring on a lot more anxiety onto themselves, mostly due to lack of information.  It doesn't do any good and sometimes they just need to be "talked off the ledge."

kathec,  I don't think Barbe was referring to posts on this thread, where the differences of opinion usually end in just agreeing to disagree.  We remain, after 900+ pages, to be what someone once called a "catfight-free zone."  Of course, you are still welcome to read from page one, next time you have a month to spare.