December 2009 Rads Group

somanywomen

Veggy, yeah that makes more sense, we are cancer victims.....Victims of this Evil Life Sucking Monster....Your garden sounds nice, I love fresh green beans and love garden tomatos...

mimi1964

Wow Veggy can't believe you only have one more appt this year!  I still have to see my Med Onc next week on the 9th and then in November I have to see my Rad Onc and my breast surgeon and go back for anothert follow up with my Plastic Surgeon.  And if we decide to go ahead an do my recon before the end of December I will have several more visits with my Plastic surgeon this year.  LOL!! It seems like the doctors are forever in your life.  I was told I would see my breast surgeon for the next 10 yrs so I am assuming that I will see him every 6 months or at least once a yr after Nov.  I see my Rad Onc every 6 months and my Med Onc every 6 months right now and I see them on alternating months so right now I am seeing one of them every 3 months.  I don't know if tha twill change after next week or not.  I guess we will find out.  It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Renee

Anonymous

My breast surgeon only wants to see me once a year after the yearly mammogram. I htought it would be every 6 months. Nope! I see the radiologist every four months and the oncologist every 4 months. I thought that being TN and not taking any maintenance drugs that they would want to see me more often. I think I would feel better if I had a mammogram more often since my cancer came on so fast and strong.

I haven't even thought of having a little reconstructive surgery on my breast as of yet. I had a lumpectomy and then a seroma formed under the scar. The doctor opened it up to drain it and left it open to heal from the inside out. Now its indented and about the size of a silver dollar. They told me to wait about a year. It looks bad but it is hidden under my clothing. 

mimi1964

Veggy the plastic surgeon I have seen started out by telling me that he could lift and straighten out my "bad breast", it points a good deal to the right side of my body and not straight ahead (matter of fact he has told me that every time I've seen him up until 2 weeks ago).  Now he is saying that it is too risky and he really wishes he could fix that for me but it would set up a field for infection and etc... You know I like him and he is honest but why couldn't he have told me that to start with.  So now he is just waiting really for it to shrink up as much as he thinks it may and reduce and lift the other  breast to match it.  That is going to be a lot!! Of course I have still contemplated getting a second opinion but living in a backwoods state like Alabama where all the surgeons are "chicken" to cross the road without the o.k. of the medical board for fear of being sued, there probably isn't much use in it.  I would just be told the same thing.  If I lived in a big metropolis like Chicago or New York it would be a different story. O.k. that is my rant for the day!

Hugs to you all!!

Roll Tide Roll!!

mimi1964

Saw my med Onco today received a GREAT report and all blood work is normal.  no more visits till March.  yeah!! He increased the Tamoxifen dosage to 20mg daily but otherwise all is the same.  Hope everything is going good with all of you. 

Renee

somanywomen

Renee, my blood work was all good too!!..I guess I will be having mine done every 3 or 4 months and then I have a full mammo next month sometime...I guess we will always be holding our breath waiting for these results now that we were blindsided....Sounds like everyone is doing good and that is great!!...Let's all keep up the good work!!

veggy, I don't see the radiologist at all, not since last zap in January!!! Just onco, every 3/4 months and bs every 6 month after mammo/us...I'm still sore, I think it is the surgery clips..After my surgery, I had small seroma, I wonder if it is still there....Maybe, I will find out next month at mammo...How is yours doing??

Anonymous

somanywomen- My BS drained mine by cutting into it and leaving it open. I had to have my husband stuff guaze in until it healed from the inside out. That was not pleasant. I haven't had any more problems with it since, just a nasty looking scar and a pothole (indentation). I'm still debating if I want to have a little plastic surgery to make it look a little more natural. I get a mammo once a year. I really thought it would every 6 months. The surgeon said yearly. I think it would give me piece of mind going every 6 month in the first two years. So I keep checking.

mimi1964

Veggy I'm with you I would feel a whole lot better if I had a mammo every 6 mos, but breast surgeon said yearly.  I don't really get it, but go figure out medical science??? I know I can't of course I guess every time I go to a doctor which is about every 3 mos I'm seeing someone, they do a breast exam, so I am getting checked.  Although, the first lump wasn't able to be felt by me or the surgeon so I am not confident about breast exams. 

mimi1964

O.k. Ladies where are you at?!! Jewly, Jules, Bonnie, Veggy??  It's been 2 weeks and no one has posted on here but me.  I know life is busy but I thought that us 5 would stay in touch even though all the others have left. 

Jewly I remember that you have said several times that your breast that was operated on still had some pain.  I have noticed of late that I have some ongoing soreness on the underneath side of that breast.  The plastice surgeon said the radiation formed some kind of ridge (he called it by a specific name) under the breast and that whatever it's called would probably keep that breast from ever being saggy.  So, I wonder if that is what is causing my pain??  I have no idea, I also have wondered if it was from the clips or the first biopsy I had since most of the soreness/pain is on the bottom side of the breast where the biopsy was done... guess we'll never know.  I did see on the news the other day that they may (being the operative word here) have a shot for prevention of breast cancer in 10 yrs.  wouldn't that be awesome!!  If they could immunize our childrens, children so they never had to worry about getting breast cancer again.  Dreams may really become reality some day.

Missing my rads friends... Renee

Anonymous

I'm here. I have been around on some other boards. Nothing much new here except I got my hair cut really short because I wanted it short. It started to come in curly and then I lost the curl. I thought if I got it cut in layers the curl would be back. That didn't happen and I cried and cried... more than when I went bald from chemo. Now I am stuck with short straight hair. It's my hair.

Does anyone who had a lumpectomy get a hard spot on their breast after wearing a bra?  I think its from a lack of lymph nodes to push the fluid out. After a few minutes without the bra it softens. I brough it to the doctor's attention and they aren't alarmed. 

Got myself a therapist to get through this adventure and some new antidepressants. I've gone through anxiety,crying spells and now dealing with severe anger. I've started to scream in the car when alone to vent.

My mom has diabetes and last week she passed out when she went shopping. My father tried to get her to go tot he hospital and she wouldn't go. He called me and my sister and we went. It is an hour trip for us. I ended up screaming at her and I threatened  her that I was going to take her car home or have my father put the battery in my trunk until she saw the doctor. She finally went. She doesn't eat right and now she knows the consequences. I think that started my anger.

Anyway i am still around (on this site) just nothing to post. I check to see if anyone posts here and then get sidetracted on other topics.

Miss everyone!

mimi1964

Oh wow veggy!  I understand the anger i've been there done that.  I don't think I yelled at any family member but I do know from being a nurse that we tend to take our hostilities out on the ones we love the most and the ones that are there for us and will understand and forgive us the most quickly.  So don't feel bad about it especially if thats what it took for your mom to go be seen about.  Diabetes is not something that she wants to play around with.  Hopeshe is doing better now.

big hugs

Renee

somanywomen

Hi Guys, still here, also been on other boards lately (arimidex se's, and others that catch my attention)...Yes, Renee I'm still a little sore and I have ridge-lift also under breast, it's very hard...I believe a lot of the soreness and aches have been caused by lymphatic back-up from the sentinel nodes removal..I have noticed that my lump underarm odor is a lot stronger than my other side and believe it is bacteria that is all jammed up under there..I have been trying to drink more water with lemon and doing some simple arm exercise, like lifting my arm above my head and pumping my hand or a small ball..

Veggy, my mom also a diabetic who will not eat right...Very frustrating when all they have to do is take control of their diet to have a better life, but they just don't get it!!!

I am coming up on my one year mammo next month, hard to believe it's been a year since DX...so far tests are good and hoping they stay that way.....As I hope the best for all of us that found our way here.....I still check the boards almost daily, but am much better mentally, not letting BC consume me, yet trying to learn as much as I can not to get blindsided....Hugs to all, I'll be back...

BonnieSF

Hi Renee and Veggy!

I'm here!  I have been SUPER busy at work and at home too - just on the run all day into the evening. It's a bad rut to be in and it reminds me of the pre-cancer days. I suspect that this sort of stress had a part to play in me getting cancer in the first place. I need to find a way to stop this!!!

I saw a plastic surgeon a few weeks ago to investigate my options. I just wanted the nipple moved, but he said that would not really have a good result. Essentially the breast was removed horizontally from right below the nipple, and he said to have Lat Flap surgery to fill in the area below the nipple. That's pretty big surgery, and I'm probably not going to do that. Another idea is to have a lift on the other side to make them look more even in clothes. I'm thinking about doing that because it is a lot easier surgery and kind of like a consolation prize. He also said that that wold be the first step anyway if I wanted to do the lat flap, because they would want to match the two. So maybe I'll do that. quick recovery.

On the other hand, I had my annual female exame, and the doctor was "very concerned" and said my breasts were very lumpy and did my oncologist think he'd be able to monitor my breast health going forward? She wanted me to make sure I told the oncologist that she was "very concerned." She went on and on and said I might really think about getting a mastectomy or double mastectomy! She talked me into getting genetic counseling. So maybe I'll hold off on breast lifts until that's over. Sheesh.

Veggy: I don't have any hard lumps from wearing a bra or anything that changes no matter what I wear. I have noticed that when it's really hot, I get a discharge from the nipple. Ick. Luckily in San Francisco it is hot about twice a year, so no biggie. 

Sorry you're having emotional hassles, Veggy. Sounds like you're doing what you can to stay on top of it. Keep it up! I find I'm kind of depressed now that the ordeal is pretty much over. I had read abotu that happening, and I wondered about it, and I think that's what I'm having now. After all that fuss and intensity, you get left kind of high and dry, and blah.  

Renee: I used to get pain at one end of the long horizontal scar, and I still do, but much less than previously.  The plastic surgeon talked to me about the ridge thing, but I don't rememer the name either. 

I have noticed that it's harder to get physically fit, harder to get moving, to recover from overdoing it, more achy. Like I got 10 years older in one year. I HATE THAT!  I went horse camping over Labor Day weekend, and I am still taking three advil three times a day due to pain. That's WEEKS ago!  

AFter all that complaining, I feel I need to say that I'm really not doing too bad. Yes, I feel old and achy, yes I'm stressed at work, and have a little post-treatment depression. Poor me, right? Could be a whole lot worse and so sometimes I feel a little silly feeling sorry for myself. A friend's mother died of breast cancer a few weeks ago. This is serious stuff!

Thanks for getting us going again, Renee! Good to hear from you and Veggy,

Bonnie

mimi1964

Jewly glad that life is back to normal for you and you aren't letting "BC" consume your life.  I think that all of us have made that turn in our lives now.  Good Luck with your yearly exam.  I hope you get a clear report!! Please let us know!!!

Bonnie, I totally get where you are coming from with staying so busy with work and stressing over it.  Even the possibility that work could have contributed to your getting breast cancer.  I couldn't even begin to tell you how many long hours I put in at the Assisted Living I work at over the last 3 yrs before I was diagnosed and then in the last 6 +months since I have completed my treatments I have been there day and night.  There was a time about 9 months after I started there that the activity director, the marketing director and the administrator all had quit, I was the only person working in administration and I had one other nurse working besides myself and she had a sick mother.  I was literally working day and night!! I was in that building from 6 a.m. till 11 p.m. every day, 7 days a week for 3 months straight without a day off.  It about killed me!!  I hope we never have a repeat of anything like that again.  I know that I physically can't hold up to it.  No one can it's not humanly possible.  Well, not and survive and stay healthy for any period of time.  LOL!  So Bonnie, take care of yourself!  Be well...

Veggy, take care of yourself as well.  I know that you have been going through a stressful time but you will come out on the other side a winner... you are a survivor!!  Remember your family needs you, but most importantly you need yourself.  You have to put yourself first and your health.  Lower your stress levels.  Explosive levels of anger are not good for us but neither are pent up angers.  I know I so wish I could tell my daughter I can't stand your husband, but that would only cause problems so that is one thing I will always have to deal with. 

I love you all and I am always here for any of you.  If you every want to call me just PM me and I will send you my number.  Bonnie I'm gonna come to San Francisco and visit you ... lt will give me a reason to come to Cali!  LOL!  I went once when I was 12 yrs old and have always wanted to come back.  hehehe

Renee

Anonymous

I'm in the process of weaning off effexor. I have to be careful. I know what is triggering the angedr and my next thing is to confront the person who is behind it. Someone had told my frends and familywhile I was going through the treatments not to contact me because I didn't want it. That was a downright lie. I just have to get to the bottom of this.

Other than that life is pretty good. A friend came up from NC and we had a girl's night out. Went to Red Lobster and had all the shrimp you can eat. We shopped and caught up on old times. 

Yesterday I picked over 10 pounds of green beans from my garden and today I'm going to freeze them. 

Hope everyone is okay!

somanywomen

 Hey all, I found this info below on this site under "Treatments and Side Effects"...talking about stress...Are any of you taking any beta-blockers?...I had my doc prescribe my a low dose (25mg) for my moderate high blood pressure.....Just thought I would share info....Hope all is well...My yearly mammo is on 10th Oct....seems I just had the 6 mo bi-mamm.....wow it's been a year as of 2 days ago when I was sitting getting last year's bad-news mammo....

EBCC: Beta-Blocker Role in Breast Cancer Examined

The study reviewed here found that women diagnosed with breast cancer who also were taking a beta-blocker high blood pressure medicine were much less likely to develop metastatic breast cancer (cancer that has spread to parts of the body away from the breast) or to die from breast cancer compared to women who weren't taking a beta-blocker. These results were presented at the 2010 European Breast Cancer Conference.

Beta-blockers treat high blood pressure by blocking beta receptors. Blocking beta receptors blocks the effect of the hormone epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, on the body. Beta receptors are in many tissues, including blood vessels, the heart, and the lungsPatients taking beta blockers had a 57% reduction in the risk of distant metastasis and a 71% reduction in the risk of breast cancer-specific death, as compared with patients on other antihypertensive agents or no antihypertensive therapy, Des Powe, PhD, reported here at the European Breast Cancer Conference.

mimi1964

Jewly I wonder if you should be on a beta blocker though if you don't have high blood pressure?  The article doesn't really say.  I don't have high blood pressure.  Just curious... I know my blood pressure goes up a little bit when I get a migraine headache but high for me is like 140/78 most of the time my b/p is 100/65 or something like that.  It's usually very low and wouldn't think they would want to give me anything to lower it anymore.  I know many questions with probably no answers.  But if you have any ideas I would like to know.  O.k. thanks a mill.  Talk to you later

Veggy so gald you had a great time out with your girlfriends.  Sounds like a wonderful time. 

Renee

somanywomen

Renee, wow your normal is 100/65, I've never seen that range...Mine shot up to 165 while at my doc and he took it again and it was 170, when I take it at home it seems to be high 140's, I'm taking the least dosage and now staying in the 120's......

Can you believe it's been about a year everyone that we have found this site and still learning as much as we can....Best to all...Jewly

mimi1964

I just passed my date that I had my yearly mammo a year ago Oct. 2, and this Monday will a year ago that I got the call to come back and have a repeat mammo on Wednesday.    my how time does fly... Happy Breast Cancer Awareness Month to all my Sistas!!!!   We are all lucky to be here!!!!! I am thankful to call you my friends!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Renee

Anonymous

Renee- Thank you friend!

mimi1964

Veggy how nice to finally see a picture of you other than a clown!!! how beautiful you are my friend!!! If you should ever decide to tell us your name other than veggy that would be o.k. too.  If not that is fine as well.  It doesn't matter here it's all good.

Renee

Anonymous

My hair has been cut again... short. For some strange reason now I lost the chemo curl and the thickness. Its straight and thin and I colored it too. I want it to go back to gray again and have it done in a pure white color. It make take some time to acheive.

VEGGy are my intials except for the y. I have been known as veggy since junior high school. It feels like many lifetimes ago. 

Today I will be making potato soup and pumpkin pie as soon as I can pull myself away from the computer.

Take care everyone!

Valerie

somanywomen

Just checking in to say, I had one year mammo/us this morning...Wow, took 2 hours, everybody was going in and then going home, since I was doing US, it took so long...But the tech was very good and thorough and even explained some of the findings...She mentioned my small seroma, that is still the same size as it was a year ago...She mentioned a couple of complex cysts and thought that the radiologist would want to follow them in about 3 months again...I did ask to speak to him as usually the radiologist will come in but not this one...He just briefly looked over my scans and told her to tell me all was well....When I asked her if he was one of the more respected radiologist, she said she would "take the fifth"..So she mentioned that I might want to mention the cysts to my BS who I see next week and ask him to schedule a 3-month follow-up..I will take her advice for sure.....Next time I go, I will make sure that my prior radiologist (the one that has the total respect of his techs) will be there !!...........It's been a year for most of us, please check in and update when any of you have these nerve-racking scans...wishing you all the best, Jewly

 By the way, recently on Dr. Oz he mentioned that we all should ask for a thyroid protector when we get dental xrays and mammos, I asked and sure enough they had one that they wrapped it around my neck before the mammo....

mimi1964

Jewly I missed the Dr. Oz show about that, what was the purpose of the thyroid protector and what does it do exactly? 

Veggy glad to know your name is Valerie!   

As for scans I won't be having any until November when I go see my breast surgeon.  Even though October is BC awareness month I am willing to wait and do what my doctor says.

somanywomen

Hi Renee, I had never heard of it either, but I am really surprised that you didn't know about it...Why do they keep these things secret and not automatically offer us the extra protection with us having so many scans, esp., when we did the 30 or so in a row for BC....It is a heavy neck wrap that protects the thyroid from radiation during mammos and dental work or any xrays near your thyroid...Dr Oz mentioned that the women with the most dental xrays appeared to have the most thyroid cancer...Years ago, I was having a lot of dental work done and now wish I had at least been offered this protector....

I am going to get my copy of recent mammo/us today and I will be asking for a second opinion of the reading of the complex cyst I mentioned above...Our scans are only as reliable as the radiologist that reads them..I see too many women that are afraid to press docs for more info and later wish they had.....Take care all......

mimi1964

Jewly good luck with that second opinion!  I agree that it is often in our best interest to seek out a second and sometimes 3rd opinion for our on peace of mind even if it changes nothing with our treatment. 

As for the thyroid wrap I guess it wouldn't be beneficial to me as I only 1/2 of thyroid gland and already take synthroid and my dentist only xrays me once a yr or less. 

Take care my friend!

Renee

somanywomen

Renee, I am not one to give up following my gut to get an answer, I had called the Center to speak with the Supervisor and left messages since last Friday when I picked up my results and not even a mention of a complex cyst on them!!!...Finally yesterday I went to the Center and was lucky enough to speak with the Supervisor (I waited an hour, but it was worth it!)...She wasn't too happy with the tech speaking about a complex cyst in front of me, but I made sure that she knew that I had drilled her on info, esp, since my last year's dx...At this Center, one of their young mammo techs has just been dx with bc so this woman was very understanding as to my concerns.....She even had another rad doc talk with me and explain to me in his rad room with all my scans there in front on me, he showed me that the complex cyst was really two cyst side by side, he said that to be considered a complex cyst that the cyst needed be part solid and that mine were not...I feel a lot better, but still will make sure that the area will be inspected and compared at my next year's follow-up, I would feel better if I could have it looked at sooner, but they only look at my left breast 2x a year...I say to anyone, don't give up if you don't understand something........Take care all...

mimi1964

That's great news Jewly"!  I'm so glad you got some answers.  I've got to call and make my appt with my breast surgeon for next month and have them schedule my mammo.  How I dread it... especially since I have to wait for the results.  My hospital center does not read them while you wait and no rad tech comes out and talks to you about anything.  It will be about a week before I find out the results or at least a few days.  Take care... by the way tomorrow is officially 1 yr since I received that dreaded phone call and got my dx from the doctor.    So happy to be alive!!!

Renee

BonnieSF

It's been a long time since I posted. I have been reading, though!

Jewly - You get US as part of your normal followup? Why? I'm so glad that you stuck to your guns and got the explanations you needed. You're inspiring! And glad that you got a good explanation of the complex cysts. That's all you needed - something new to worry about. 

Renee:Tomorrow is your one year diagnosis milestone. What a year! Good luck with your followup! One year ago I was preparing for my second lumpectomy. I was so stressed out. Lost 20 lbs like THAT! (15 are back... oh well!)

Veggy - Have fun with your hair!  Good to know you're Valerie. 

Me: One year ago I in between two surgeries and conflicting recommendations regarding mastectomy vs. lumpectomy. STRESSFUL!  This summer, I was regretting it and wishing I'd had a mastectomy. The ugly radiated lump that was left was just as fake as a reconstructed breast, but uglier. Funny, though, lately I feel differently. It feels more like live flesh and even though it's funny looking, it's okay. I got through that tough period. I'm still undecided about reconstruction - hate the idea of having more surgery. I had a consult and they said they'd have to do a Lat Flap to make my breast look okay. That's major surgery. They'd also do a lift on the normal side. It would all be covered, but so much surgery!!! Can't decide.

But get this! I hurt my back! On Labor Day weekend, I went camping/hiking and wrenched my back. I was way out of shape because of the "Cancer Year," and figured i'd feel better in a couple of weeks, but now it's been 7 weeks and I'm still getting terrible stabbing pains in my back, hip and leg. I'm having an MRI this weekend and from what I've been reading, it's probably a ruptured disk. At this point, if surgery would help, I'm all for it because it's been SO PAINFUL. I hope it gets figured out soon because this is terrible.

Next month is my second 6-month followup with the oncologist.  I've had more medical care in the last year than all the other years in my life combined.  I am REALLY ready to be fit and healthy again!

Anybody have experience with Prednisone? The dr wants me to take a course of it for the back pain and the antiinflammatory effect. I'm afraid of the weight gain and the other side effects. 

But I AM glad that my cancer treatment is in the past, that my radiated breast feels more like me, that I'm here and healthy (except for my back, but that HAS to be temporary). I'm glad I did not have a mastectomy. Funny how your feelings and opinions can change over time.

Thanks for staying in touch!

Bonnie

somanywomen

Renee, It's been about a year for me also, today is my Birthday (sorry you got dx on my BD), let me tell you it will be so much better than last year....I was a Zombie last year, my mind was taking away my future birthdays...We have all made it through this year, let's hope it is mostly behind us....The center I go to is an extension of our local hospital  and when I go, they do diagnostic mammo/us and they always let me know immediately afterward of the results with a couple of the rad docs that will actually come in and explain, but not the one the other day...I will now make sure that one of the two that will talk with me will be there when I have future scans....I will be sending thank you cards to the supervisor and rad doc that took the time to explain all to me..I feel that the more they remember you, the more they might take the time to answer your concerns....I saw my surgeon yesterday to go over results, he took all of about 2 minutes with me.......I'm still sore and he blames the rad treatments...In mid November, I will be off to Vegas, Zion National Park, San Diego and back to Vegas...First real vacation in a couple of years...I am so worried about leaving my dog that I hope I can enjoy the trip....

Bonnie, so sorry about your back problem that is causing so much pain....Hopefully, they can figure out wht is the best way to help you without more harm......Yes, my mammo is always followed by a ultrasound.....It hurts because I am still sore and they press so hard into my breast and lymph nodes, so did my surgeon yesterday and now I hurt even worse...Oh well.....My lump breast is hard also, I have a dent in it, and as long as I have clear scans, I also am glad I chose lump over mast.......

Valerie, I am too vain with my hair and will be having high lights and low lights added soon...

Best to all, Jewly