CALLING ALL STAGE I SISTERS

Valjean

Welcome Karen ~ One of the lotions I used, besides a prescription near the end of Rads for the burn, was 100% Pure Aloe Vera. I got a very large bottle at Meijer, Wal-Mart has it in a smaller tube. Very cool, very soothing & healing. I still use it today on the affected breast. Check with your Rads onc for their recommendation as was already suggested. Good luck!

Welcome tabby! The road is wide on this journey, we are happy to share.

{{hugs}} to all my sisters!

sheila888

tabby welcome to our little corner. Here we cry together we laugh together. We do everything with each others support and wisdom.

Hopefully this summer will be different. You'll have time to enjoy your days.

Its emotionally draining what we go through with surgeries scans, SE's etc.

Sheila

Oma261

As you might know I am new to this whole experience and am reading all these comments and thinking ‘God bless all these wonderful women' . I thank you all for the support that you give each other, but it also gives me a chance to forget my situation and think of everyone else out there. So blessed that I found this site.

fotopet

Hey Redbarb 

Looks like we have a similar diagnosis and plan.  I will be starting chemo (T/C) beginning of May, as soon as my PS clears me.  Then radiation and Tamoxafen.

I am trying to be hopeful about the SE's although it really gets me down when I read the info the docs gave me.

Meece

Welcome, fotopet.  I don't think I've seen you here before.  Sorry you have to be here.  Hope you find oodles of support from this wonderful group of ladies.

Sugar77

Welcome fotopet - I just finished TC on Feb. 8th. There is a thread called "Anyone on Taxotere and Cytoxan" that I found really helpful.  Also, feel free to send me a private message and I can provide some tips that helped me reduce side effects.  I tolerated the regimen just fine. Good luck!

Sherri 

carolinachick

Welcome to all the newbies.  Sorry that you had to join us, but you'll find a wealth of wisdom and support on this board. 

Fotopet - I also had the TC regime.  It's not fun, but definitely doable.  I'll be thinking of you as you start your chemo.

Happy Monday, everyone!

cakeisgreat

Hello, all!  Just checking in.

n50Karen--I take Tamoxifen...I had some cramping which I was worried about but it didnt seem to last long.  It feels a little more like mild bloating or fullness now, if that makes sense.  I havent had any hot flashes, night sweats or any other SEs...hopefully you wont either.

Edited because I JUST HAVE TO add that since dx last June, I lost almost 30 pounds!  That is a miracle!  

Meece

Whoohoo, Cake! What wonderful numbers!

Redbarb804

 Fotopet: I haven't gotten any info from my ono yet.  I meet with him on April 28th.  I am just ready at this point to get started with treatment and get this all behind me.

Sugar77: What types of SE did you have.  did you have 4 cycles of the TC?  How many weeks apart did they do your treatments? 

Welcome to all the newbies.  The ladies on this thread are wonderful!! 

Sugar77

Redbarb804 - I had  four cycles of TC every three weeks and didn't really have any side effects that were too bad.  My eye were twitchy near the end and for a number of weeks after I was done but that was the worst for me. If you want some tips to manage side effects, please feel free to send me a private message.

Sherri 

fotopet

redbarb - I am ready to get going to,.  Unfortunately, my body isn't quite ready yet.  Meeting with the onco today for a follow-up Q&A session before chemo.  Hopefully will get dates today!

 Cake - CONGRATS!! It's hard enough to lose weight without all the stress of this thing.

sheila888

Welcome fotopet

I had different chemo regimen, I cant help you in that area. But I wish you minimal SE's with your treatment.

We are all here for you.

Sheila

sheila888

cakeisgreat, thats great

What is your goal?

cakeisgreat

Thanks!  I'd like to be at LEAST 140...but 127 would be my ideal.  WW says I'm supposed to be between 116-140...I want to be in the middle, cuz I'm a little shorter than 5'4.  So....43 more pounds to go!  (But at least I have a flat tummy, LOL!)

Jaimieh

Cake~ Congratulations on the weight loss. 

I need to find some motivation to get moving again. I was doing so well and then I fell off the wagon   I go next week for stage 2 so I am hoping that it will give me a boost to get moving again.  I need to regain the muscle that i have lost in the last year and a half

C130sunshine

Cake----Congratulations!!!  you are my inspiration! 

mari65

HI To All,

The Onco DX test came back a 12.GREAT NEWS. no chemo.. Just 2 1/2 weeks left of rads if my boob doesn't fall off first. Sorry just whining.. One of the forums someone was upset because of the drive time to get to their rads apointments. Again I'm just whining.... It taking us 1 1/2 hour drive to get to my 10 minute rads treatment, then 1 1/2 hours home and to work...

fluflu23

Hi ladies.

My name is Lorraine and had lumpectomy which showed malignaney and am now  3rd Rx.of radiaiton. Then on to a med such as Tamoxifen or, Evista. Any thoughts on these 2 drugs?  Am new to the site , but, have been "tuning" in.

sheila888

mari....That is good news. I couldn't help myself LOL when I read your remark about  "If my boob doesn't fall off first" Just hang in there you and your boob

Welcome Lorraine....Most ladies are on them. Someone will tell you their own experience. But remember everybody's SE is different. You might not even get one.

I take Femara and I'm fine, I also had a lumpectomy.

Sheila

Meece

Mari, welcome, and just wear a good supportive bra, while you still can. Not to scare you, but when I blistered during boosts, it was n't easy to put one on.  I walked around with my left hand on my hip (Looking impatient) because I couldn't let it hang against the blistering skin.  At that point I wished it had fallen off.

FluFlu,welcome. Being TN I am not experienced with either of those drugs. But i am SURE there will be many here who can give you insight.

Redbarb804

Great news Mari! 

Welcome FluFlu! 

Had my surgery on Tuesday, evrything went well.  I will find out on Friday if they got everything this time or not. I am surprised how little pain I have.  One good thing in all of this.  Have a great night everyone!!!

Sugar77

I finished rads today.  Now I'm done treatment.

Sherri 

charmainejensenvoisine

Sherri: Congratulations on finishing radiation today.  So any special plans...

Charmaine

sheila888

To Sherri  

Eph3_12

Sherri: a toast ! Hip Hip Hooray, Sherri's done with the rays!!!

mimi1964

Glad to see you over here Sherri... and Congrats to you on finishing rads!!!!

Hi to all the new ladies!!! I've been MIA... my dad's better and he's home... yeah!!!  I'm having a busy week.  Working the old buns off!! It never seems to slow down.  

I have a follow up appt. with the rads onco on 5/4/10 I'm really dreading it, because I just never have really liked him and he charges 500.00 for each office visit.  EWWW!!  O.k. that's my rant today!  I really hope he will discharge me to my med onc and I don't have to go back and see him.  Am I wishing for to much?

Seyla888 - what did you think of American Idol tonight?  I was petrified that my man Casey James was going home!! Whew... it was to close for comfort, but glad to say he is safe another week and Teflon Tim is GONE!!!!

Some of you ladies asked about side effects from Tamoxifen.  I have been on it since Feb.  I'm about to start my 3rd bottle.  Two weeks into taking it I started getting the "creaky sounding knees".  I had never had any problems before with my knees.  They aren't painful but they sound terrible.  It's from the Tamox blocking the estrogen and the decreased lubrication to my knees.  However, I am 8 yrs menopausal.  I think normally Tamoxifen is given to perimenopausal women but my onco and I discussed the pros and cons of Arimidex and Femara for me and decided on the Tamoxifen.  I'm very glad we did... if Tamox if doing this to my knees I hate to think what the other 2 drugs would do.  I occassionally have a mild hot flash, but I can't blame that on the Tamox I had those anyway.  Most of the time I'm cold.  LOL!! I to am on a weight loss program and so far so good even on the medication.  Good Luck!!  

sheila888

Hi Renee Im glad your father is much better. I was thinking about you during AI when Casey was placed bottom 3. With this show you never know, the right person went home. I know West Coast just started to watch thats why Im not mentioning anything else until tomorrow.

I had few follow ups after radiation because my skin was in a very bad shape all blistered, but once it cleared up. I was done with him. (By the way I liked my radiation oncologist).

What is it he does that costs $500.00. They just look at it right/

mimi1964

seyla888 he just looked at my skin and charged my insurance 500.00 a visit.  To me that is completely ridiculous!  If he had done something besides look at the skin and listen to the lungs, but that was all he did.  I can't figure it out????  OH well!!!!

sheila888

Do you have to see him again?