Calling all TNs

Anonymous

Titan- 50 is nifty, so d*mn right.

Oh yeah... self help books do the same to me. Are you sure we weren't separated at birth?

Anonymous

With all this talk about age and photos I thought it time I included mine. How do I look? (My apologies to the late Watson... I always loved her avatar).

 

Lynn18

Well all this talk about the "Secret" made me pull it off my bookshelf to look at it.  There is a heartwarming story on pg. 128 about a lady who, after being dx with breast cancer, healed herself by watching funny movies.  After laughing for 3 months, she was healed.  Without any radiation or chemo.  Dang, I have been in chemo for 6 months and I could have just gotten Netflix.

MBJ

((((Sugar)))))):  I had another friend on these boards from another thread and I hope that it is just nothing, like hers (cyst only).  It is one of my biggest fears, since I opted to keep my other breast and I wish for you only the best.  You have all become closer to me then my own family and I only want good things for all of you.

Laurajane:  I think if you're under 50 your still a panther, but I will let you join my ranks, since I married my cougar bait!!!!   8 years ago LOL!

Someone gave me The Secret as a gift and it is a Crock full of sh*t!!  Why would anyone believe in it is beyond me.  Oh, and if you think really, really hard and click your heels together three times you can have anything you want!  right!

MBJ

hhfheidi!  Now you are making fun of my chemo pictures from months ago!! I thought I burned them!!!

MBJ

Michelle:  Cancer is sooooo aging!  It isn't fair.  I was still getting carded until I started getting sick about a year before my diagnosis.  Cancer sucks!!!!  

Anonymous

Not to make anyone feel bad but, I have been told I look better *after* cancer. Seriously. In fact, it's almost embarrassing. Here I am, supposed to be all "sick" and stuff, and I look better than I have in years. It's my hair. Everyone comments on how much more stylish and becoming it is. Go figure

However, cancer made me *really* concentrate on my dress and make-up. As a "horsey" type I usually hung out in barn duds and stuffed my hair under a helmet or ball cap. So, definitely not a fashion aficionado.

It helped that we had a fantastic boutique in town and I was practicing Retail Therapy.

MBJ

hhfheidi:  Ahhhh, retail therapy!!!

Meece

((((((Sugar))))))

I went through the calcification finding on my "good boob"  one year ago.  I had the STCNB, and at this point everything is okay.  I am having follow-ups and go in for my follow up mamo in February.  I understand how scary that can be.  I will be keeping you in my prayers.

kittycat

Someone gave me "The Secret" too.  It was a BC survivor who gave it to me.  I started to read it, but really didn't get it.  Like a lot of books that don't interest me right away, I stopped reading it.  I guess I didn't miss a lot.  I think the theme was to stay positive (I can do that on my own).  I read another book that I liked, but my chemo brain won't let me remember it. 

So, those of you who take (or took) Glutamine, how much did you take a day?  Did you take it every day or so many days after chemo???

MBJ

Kittycat:  1000 mg 2-3 x a day in pill or powder form! 

riley702

Hey, MBJ - since you really know a lot about supplements, how much alpha-lipoic acid should you take? 

kittycat

Thanks MBJ - I am taking about 4 tsp in powder form a day (I think that's about 20 grams).

MBJ

Kittycat:  You are welcome!!

Riley:  I go to an integrative dr. so I have lots of help plus he is very good friends with my Onc who is also pro-integrative care.  My Onc has me take 600 mg of Alpha Lipoic Acid 2 x a day with food.  Don't take it too late at night though, or you won't sleep!

Sugar77

My GP just called. She got a verbal from the radiologist that everything is fine. It was some calcifications and the pattern favours benign. However, given my history they wanted to be extra careful. I will be having a mammogram in six months to recheck. Whew!!! Thanks so much for all your support.

LRM216

Great news, Sugar.  So happy for you and the relief you got from hearing it!  Celebrate!!!!

Anonymous

Sugar- so happy for you! I know how relieved you feel. Go eat some chocolate...

Summer38

So happy for you Sugar!!! Breathe...............................

tnbcRuth

WONDERFUL !!!  I'll bet each of us will be in your shoes at one point, so remember Ladies, its nothing until its something. 

NavyMom

Great news Sugar.

Add me to the list of "The Secret" haters.

Navy

mitymuffin

Great news Sugar!

Luah

Oh Sugar, I am thrilled for you.  What a relief!!!  How great of your GP to be proactive and get you some answers.

Titan

Whew!!! Sugar!   Love your good news!  But I hate the anxiety you had to go through!  I guess it is to be expected since we are so special..but yay for you! 

On another note..was watching the news tonight and they had a segment on Vitamin D3...not sure where they were filming from but this doctor said that 70% of his breast cancer patients had low vitamin D..so I know we have discussed this before but if your oncs aren't having you tested..ASK them to for you to be tested..and start taking the D3 anyway...I started taking it b-4 the onc told me to..b-4 I was even tested..the first time I was 40 something..now I'm 60 something...I'm taking 2000 IU's per day..I'm hoping that is enough to maintain my 60 something..or even raise it..plus if you can sit outside in the sun with 80 percent of your body exposed..no lotion..for 20 minutes.My onc even agreed to this and sometimes I have a hard time getting him to agree with things outside the box!  

Oh.and again..great news Sugar!  You have 6 months b-4 you have to freak out again!  Enjoy! 

MonikaV

Great news Sugar!!!!!!

MonikaV

Going for my last chemo tomorrow. I am excited! Thank God!

Sugar77

Titan, trust me I've already told my husband I'll be having the mammogram on or around his birthday (March 20th) and I'll likely be anxious once again!

Regarding Vitamin D, I asked both my medical and radiation oncologists and my surgeon to test my levels and they all said they don't do that! So, I got my GP to test and it came back 53 (low normal).  This was with supplementing 2,000 - 3,0000 IU in the previous few months. And, I'd been taking 1,000 for a few years prior to that.  I saw a naturopath and increased my daily dosage and made an effort to get 15-20 minutes of sunshine every day during the summer since I was off work (...even managed to get a bit of a tan without even trying). There is a good active thread here on bc.org called "help with vit D levels." 

Monika - congrats a day in advance for finishing chemo!!!! 

retrievermom

My rad onc said he wouldn't do the vit D testing because insurance wouldn't pay if he ordered it; he had me go to my GP, because he did want me to have it done.  Low, so I'm taking 4,000 ICU / day. 

Long time on the phone with BCBS today getting paperwork figured out.  They have been pleasant, helpful, and informative every time I call.  We're almost caught up, and it's about time for my 6mos onc visit

Good news, Sugar.  Glad to hear it.

And way to go Monika!

riley702

That's fantastic, Sugar!

laurajane

I am so happy everything is o.k. Sugar. We were all sending positive thoughts your way. I'm so sorry you had to worry but what a celebration now!

Monika- Congratulations! How thrilling to be done. Yeahhhhh! 

Interesting about the Vit. D. I've spent my whole life in the sun from landscaping. Not a good thing I know, I never wore sun screen in my earlier years. I am still curious about my levels. My daughter was telling me the best way to intake Vit. D is by raw milk and organic butter. I'll ask tomorrow when I get my 6th taxol. 1/2 way there.

TiffanyF4

My oncologist is a huge believer in low vitamin D contributing to breast cancer. I was tested and I have a extremly low vitamin D level.  I was put on 50,000UI 1 a week for eight weeks I have done this twice and each time I still test low.  I am on my third round and if I test low at my next blood work he is sending my to specialist.  He even commented that a very high percentage of his breast cancer patients are vit D deficient and he tests as many as he can.