Stage II Forum

CoolBreeze

Yay for you ladies with clean mammograms  - such releif. 

 Nancy, sorry about your mom but anybody who lives to be 98 is one strong person!  I used to think I was going to make it to 100, now I'm not so sure.

  hope the little one with the esophagus problem just has acid reflux or something. Will be thinking healing thoughts for him.  No matter what happens to us adults it's always more scary when it's a baby.

dogsaver

yes please have fun in mexico and do a virtual tequila shot for the rest of us i had a mammo in feb 09 and it was clear but they said my tissue was dense. i found my lump doing self exam in June 09, strange it just seemed to be there one day. i tell all my friends to do exams and if they are told they have dense tissue to make sure to ask for ultrasound. in one of the posts it was mentioned that their mammo assisted biopsy was the most painful. I agree!! still have a darn hemotoma! its amazing how much we learn in our own experiences and can pass on to newly diagnosed. lots on these boards too for whatever phase in treatment you are in. best wishes!

nene2059

Hey dogsaver love the picture of the doggies as your avatar.  I have two little kittie princesses in my house but I am a huge animal lover and I kid all of my friends that I watch more dog shows than any dog owner (dog whisperer, dogs with jobs..just about anything doggie).  I have had many dog loves of my life and miss them terribly.  My hubby had one of our cat babies when we me met and we got another together.  I could never have made it through chemo or recovery from surgery without them,  I never napped alone!:) I am in the process of trying to get a hold of two strays in my neighborhood and have enlisted friends to help.  I am now carrying dog food and treats in the car at all times to make sure that they eat everytime I see them.  I am hoping to get them to the humane society this weekend if they will let me close enough. Their thinness and sad eyes kill me.  Anyone know who you can call to get help with this? I don't think the ASPCA is in my area and don't know what animal control does. I don't want to save them only to have them put down by animal control.  Anyway I am rambling about non BC stuff but your picture is precious.

cookiegal

AZ diva, did you name your foobs Venus and Serena????

That's freaking fabulous!

azdiva

Hi from Mexico!

SuzNY - I took a ridiculous facebook quiz one time "What nickname should my boobs have?"  I got Venus and Serena.  The names seem to have stuck.  My friend got Autobot and Decepticon.  My kids think THAT is hilarious!  Just gotta get some fun wherever I can find it these days!

hrf - I asked about the mammo thing because I had a bi-lat mx.  She said they still do them on the foobs even though it is pretty useless.  Evidently some insurances require it first.  What they will want to do is an MRI.  Let the hoop jumping begin.

Having a great time here, but I am a little hesitant about drinking.  (Which is something I was never hesitant about before HAHA)  All of the warnings about alcohol increasing the risk  of bc has me a little spooked.  Now don't get me wrong, I have had a few drinks, but when everyone else is getting their crazy on, I am just sitting back in the corner wondering if I'm zapping myself with another round of cancer.  I read somewhere that folic acid helps alleviate that risk (Dr. Susan Love).  What do I have to do to get some broccoli around here?  Oh well, ONE WEEKEND can't hurt, right?  Justify Justify Justify

Will check in later.  Have a good one!

L 

Moderators

The forum is up for Stage I and Stage II!! 

Let me know if you approve 

London-Virginia

Leah - many congratulations!!!

xxxxxx

sheila888

We have another stage II Thread started already. I really don't understand this.

Should I open a new Thread on Stage 1 Forum?

Kindergarten

Dear Nene2059, You are so sweet to say that I am your role model. right back at you, dear!!!! Kathy

MAMAQ

Congrats to the women who had the clear Mammograms.  You deserve that happy dance. 

Question for everyone.  I had wrote earlier about the dentist finding something on an xray below on of my teeth.  I saw the Oral Surgeon and he told me that he didn't think it was anything to worry about.  However, he couldn't tell unless he did a biopsy.  I emailed my Onc about this, and he said that I could be certain that it had nothing to do with my bc.  Which gives me the impression that he does not feel that a biopsy would not be necessary.  What would you guys do?  Could you live with this?

Thanks for the help.

sheila888

Ladies I thank you for letting me post at stage II.

Since Moderators announced about having Stage I and Stage II Forum I just started a new thread.

Thanks to everyone you gave me a place when I didn't have one.

Best Wishes to all my sisters

 Sheila

jazziD

... I did not see the forum listed for Stage II ... is it on the pull down list?  ~ Dee ~

sheila888

Am I the first one to say Hello. Thats the thread was opened about 2 hours ago.

Warrior517

I opened a new thread on there...Stage II w/Lymph Node Involvement!! Come on Down...you're the next contestant on the Stage II Forums...lol

KEW

Coolbreeze--I used to live in Orangevale.  As far a measuring it varies depending on pathologists. I had two tumors near each other and the pathologist measured them as one, which took me out of Stage I and into Stage II because combined they were over 2cm.  Some pathologists would have measured them individually.  Sometimes staining will show that there is connection so they get measured together.  I've had my BS and 3 oncs explain this to me.

hrf--I think after blm and reconstruction an MRI is supposed to be done every couple of years to make sure the implants are in good shape. 

 KarenW

hrf

Karen, thanks for the info. I won't be having implants though. What do they do with DIEP?

KEW

I don't know, but I bet Whippetmom on Exchange City can answer that. EC is under Reconstruction.

KarenW 

Warrior517

I had the DIEP done in New Orleans in Sept. They basically cut a flap from your lower ab area. They use this skin and fat (NO MUSCLE unlike the Tram etc) to rebuild the breast. I had both done. I used to have implants but they failed after rads so I had to "start over" I have NO regrets! This was the procedure for me..Feel free to PM w/any questions..anytime!

jazziD

... where are you posting?

Warrior517

Jazz..you mean ME?? lol

I have a thread going under Stage II w/Lymph Node Involvement..under the new Forum...Come join us there, too!!

Leah_S

When I had my mammo and U/S a few days ago, I asked the doc about screening if I do the prophy mast and diep flap surgery. He said they don't do mammos since there's no breast tissue in a foob but they do ultrasound.

And, no, he didn't actually use the word foob. Not sure what he would have said if I did!

Leah

Leah_S

When I had my mammo and U/S a few days ago, I asked the doc about screening if I do the prophy mast and diep flap surgery. He said they don't do mammos since there's no breast tissue in a foob but they do ultrasound.

And, no, he didn't actually use the word foob. Not sure what he would have said if I did!

Leah

Leah_S

Sorry about the double post. I think my computer has the hiccups.

Leah

nene2059

Hi all.  A forum all our own...yay!  I have a question that I was not sure where to post so I thought I would just throw it out on here.  I know many of the posters on BC.org used birth control pills but did anyone use fertility meds before BC diagnosis?  I ask because (as I have posted probably a hundred times) my hubby and I were trying to conceive for a few years before diagnosis.  I took Clomid which stimulates ovulation for about 8 months.  This was 2 more months than docs recommend but my hubby is from Ireland and two of the months I was on it we really did not give it a good try because we were spending the holidays with his family there. The doc allowed me to take it for a few more months. I suspect that this had something to do with my BC.  Not sure that it caused it but I think maybe it put it into overdrive.  I feel like the lump I felt got to a point that I could feel it quickly because I was doing checks, not every month, but fairly often and let's face it my hubby and I were having what we called "baby sex" which meant if the time was right it had to be done, and he would have felt something.  CT tech told me lots of lumps are felt by husbands, boyfriends, partners, not the woman, first.  Nurse at BS office told me that Clomid had nothing to do with it but it does not really make sense to me.  I had hot flashes on Clomid and it makes sure you ovulate.  Surely this does something to your hormones.  Anyone have a doctor tell them the same or have any info on having taken these type of meds before BC?  Maybe I should not even worry about it now.....I have already had the cancer but sometimes I feel like I want to know if I did something to cause this.  I hope everyone is able to chillax and enjoy the weekend!

valeriekd

nene2509 One thing I do know is that YOU did nothing to cause this- they have more hormones flying around on TV (birth control commercials aplenty)- it is shocking how aware I have become of this stuff- a period once a year? What kind of BCP does that and what does it do? It is not you, or any single woman, but it sure could be the medical community. It pisses me off actually ALOT. 1 of 8 american women get BC- my lord! How many of us unknowingly took TONS of hormones? Let alone in milk, meat etc. Whole thing needs an overhaul but we don't hear much about it. But it sure isn't you.....We did not know what we did not know. And who knows now? Don't know.

nene2059

Valeriekd-thanks girl. Totally agree on the wackiness of BCP's today.  Periods are natural.  Not fun but natural.  Also agree about the hormones in food.  I was already trying to watch that before BC but now I am really paying attention and the amount of crap in our food is criminal.  No wonder ten year old girls look eighteen. Scary stuff.  I do think the number of younger women getting BC is on the rise.  I know when I was diagnosed I was told it was still something like 5% but I know so many under 40's that are BC veterans.  Seems like there are plenty on these boards.  I know that there are no definitive links to lifestyle and BC like there are with lung cancer but it almost seems like that would make it easier, don't do this and you won't get BC.  That would make you feel like you had SOME control. Guess that is why I don't hate pink or any of the things sold that give profits to research.  Let's find out why our genes went crazy.  Wow I sound preachy......about to throw in politics and religion so we can all sit around and feel uncomfortable. After all the in-fighting on these boards recently I thought I was gonna have to start typing while wearing brass knuckles.  Just joking of course...I come here to support and be supported. Thanks again.

London-Virginia

I think you raise some really important points about hormones in food.  For myself, that's why I eat organic meat andf buy organic milk which is very easy for me to do as I live in central London and any and all foods are obtainable.  Obviously I still got cancer, but as an ER pos gal I would still prefer to choose exactly what I eat rather than some damn manufacturer that adds any old shite.

This is a very old disease, both the ancient Greeks and ancient Egyptians caried out their own type of mastectomy.        I think that things like food, polution etc certainly do cause some types of cancer.  But I am sure we alkl know gazillions of people who eat rubbish, never exercise, maybe smoke and drink to extreme etc etc, and they don't get ill with anything!!!

Here in England, I recently saw a website for a sort of health farm where you go to learn the benefits of juicing, raw food etc.   I was rather enraged to see them making a claim that cancer is "only 300 years old" by which I presume they mean no-one got it before then.  Absolutely not true.

Everyone has different thoughts, but myself, I think the genetic reseach seems to be the way forward.   There is good work in that regard going on worldwide so I hope we will all of us be able to share new treatments worldwide as things unfold. 

cookiegal

glad to see the thread that started it all in it's new home!

cmharris59

Hi

Just wanted to add my 2 cents regarding fertility and birth control pills. I never took fertility drugs and was only on birth control pills for three months in high school. My OB/GYN at the time hoped that the Pill would regulate my horribly irregular periods. They did, but I also developed blood clots, jaundice, and hepatitis.  Yes, I got all of the SEs from the Pill and never took them again.

I also got nearly every SE from my chemo tx. I was considered healthy and fit when I was dxed with no family history and only one risk factor (no kids). I still got dxed with breast cancer in spite of all of the "nonsense" regarding causes of cancer.  

Hugs to all and know that you did nothing to get your cancer. There are some things you can do to try and stay healthy, but as my oncologist told me, BC is insidious and no one really understands it completely. It is totally unpredictable.

C

tsotls

Stage II Sisters----feel free to join me on Facebook: Pat Inman Hilliard