Anyone in Portland, OR area?

chita

I was just wondering if there is a group in the Portland area that would like to compare notes, maybe together sometime?  I noticed there is a Seattle group that meets regularly.

Lindy137

Hello

I live about 25 minutes north of Vancouver, WA and I did my rads at Kaiser on Interstate Avenue in Portland.  How about you?  Are you taking Tamoxifen now?  I've been taking it for two weeks.  My SE's haven't been too significant, just nausea and my legs from the knees down feel really weird when I first get out of bed in the morning.  Sometimes my legs or lower back ache or feel weird, but it hasn't been bad.  I'm not sure if I'm going to experience the hot flashes.  Sometimes I feel a little warmer than normal, especially my face and upper body, but that's about it. 

  

chita

I've been taking Tamoxifen since August 1.  I didn't start getting hot flashes until three weeks into it.  I find that daily exercise helps with those.  I really am trying to avoid the antidepressants.  Some weeks I have a hard time sleeping.  I try and eat a banana a day for the leg cramps.  I finally got my energy back, I gained 8 pounds during treatment and am trying to get that off.  I had a lumpectomy and radiation.  My insurance is through Providence.  I went to the Clackamas Radiation Oncology Center, it has been open for one year.  It was nice because it is only a couple of miles from work.  I didn't have a period this month, so am thinking maybe Tamoxifen has sent me into menopause.  I'm doing the Komen walk tomorrow, I hope this rain stops!

Lindy137

Dang, I was hoping since I hadn't experienced hot flashes yet that maybe I was good to go on that one.  I'm 50 and haven't experienced any crummy menopausal symptoms so I'm hoping my body is being nice to me and that will continue.

I also had a lumpectomy followed by rads.  I felt really energized during rads.  Isn't that weird?  I worked out more than ever (which wasn't anything impressive) and felt fantastic even at the very end.  I was also one of those with a lump in my throat as I said good bye to all the wonderful staff at the radiation clinic.    

I know what you mean about the antidepressants.  I did some reading on a couple and learned not everyone has good experiences (especially a ways down the road) plus adding another drug to the mix doesn't sound ideal.  One the other hand, if you are having some problems, it may be just the ticket to help you out. 

I hope you get dry weather for tomorrow!  I'm afraid I would spend my day sobbing but hey, I got chocked up on the last day of rads.  I'd love to hear how things go tomorrow. 

Linda 

  

     

     

BonnieK

I live in Portland and tomorrow is my 2 year cancerversary since dx.  Had left mx with TE, chemo, rads, implant (twice) and was on Arimidex for a year before the onc switched me to Femara recently because of SEs.  SEs from Femara are just as bad, but I'm dealing.  Also have second capsular contracture and trying to decide what to do about that.  My surgeries and most of my appointments have been at Legacy Good Sam.

Hope the rain goes away for the Race for the Cure tomorrow.  --bonnie

chita

I was so tired during Radiation, especially the last week.  I didn't do anything but work and come home and veg.  The hot flashes are not like a normal way of being hot.  I feel really prickly and my wrists get really hot.  I don't sweat, but tend to take off clothes.  I feel like I'll never be cold again.  I don't know if I"ll ever wear a sweater again!  When I run, I get way more hot than I used to.  My surgeon said those side effect may taper off in 6 months. At least I still have a healthy sex drive, I was worried about that! 

Bonnie, who is your surgeon?  I had Kate Morris from Legacy, love her, but she's moving away.

BonnieK

Chita -- my breast surgeon was Nathalie Johnson -- she's wonderful.  I have horrible hot flashes/sweats and can't keep my clothes or my hair dry half the time.  I take Effexor for the hot flashes, and can't imagine how it would be without that -- I'd be like a wet rag -- yuck...  No wonder sex is practically the LAST thing on my mind if I think about it at all.  My poor husband is very, very patient and understanding.

chita

Bonnie,

I hear Nathalie is amazing.  Hopefully I won't need to see another breast surgeon .   I did the Komen walk today, the weather was great!  My friend started crying at the finish line, but I held it together. Next year we're going to try to get a bigger team and do the run instead.  There were so many people there!

Lindy137

Bonnie - I bet it seems like it has been a LONG two years for you with all your additional, painful procedures.  It sucks that the AI's are giving you such bad hot flashes.  Having a year down is a big stride but not being able to go back to a at least somewhat normal life has got to be very difficult. 

Chita - I know what you mean by prickly and my forearms arms, chest and face are the first places to feel warm and weird but nothing overwhelming yet so I just keep my fingers crossed.  I'm still wearing my short sleeve tops to work and I keep hearing, aren't you cold?  Only my boss knows about my bc so I just let them think it is menopause.  I'm glad you ladies got a beautiful day for the race.  We went to The Barn for produce.  Too bad they aren't open on Sundays!  Oh well, we had a nice lunch and hit the grocery store.  We are entering everything we eat into "my plate" on the livestrong site so we bought pretty healthy.  I'm pretty sure I need to finish my Dave's Killer Bread Sin Dawg (don't try one if you haven't already) before I get too serious about my percentage of fat on the pie chart.  My fat number is red everyday.            

chita

Lindy,

I've never been on the livestrong site, is it good?  I already spend way too much time online with facebook, BC.org, weight watchers.com.  I'm eating much healthier than I used to, but every once in a while I just want a burger and fries!

Bonnie: I don't know what a capsular contracture is, but it doesn't sound good.  I bet you're tired of surgery.  Will the doc put you on Tamoxifen or are those side effects just as bad as Femara?  My doc has me on T for two years then may switch me to something else.  My med onc is Devon Webster.

BonnieK

Devon Webster is amazing -- she did a lecture at Good Sam last year and it was totally inspiring.  My ex-son-in-law's wife is a nurse at the clinic on N.E. Broadway where Dr. Webster practices -- her name is Caitlin. 

Capsular contracture is common after the skin has been radiated -- it is basically when a capsule of scar tissue forms around the implant and it eventually squeezes/distorts the implant.  My current implant is uncomfortable, firm, flat on top and really ugly. The treatment plan going into surgery for Mx was that I would have chemo after surgery/placement of the tissue expander, but then one node was positive and radiation was added.  The first implant exchange was in April of '09 just before radiation and it developed contracture and was removed/ exchanged for a smaller implant in December.  Now the second one is contracted and I'm trying to decide whether to have it removed and wear a prosthetic or have a flap surgery. 

I took Arimidex for just over a year, but the side effects (mostly aches and pains) were terrible so Dr. Karamlou switched me to Femara in May of this year and also sent me to a rheumatologist who diagnosed osteoarthritis and degenerative disc disease (this wasn't news to me, but it seemed to make the oncologist feel better).  Because I'm post menopausal, I will stay on the Femara for up to 5 years unless the side effects get too bad.  If that happens, he will switch me to Tamoxifen.

Weight gain is one of Femara's side effects that I really don't like.  I crave chocolate and sweets every single day and usually give into those cravings at least once a day.  My husband is a produce salesman -- wish I would get cravings for lettuce and tomatoes or even apples and peaches... LOL.  We actually eat pretty healthy, except for those little Dove dark chocolate pieces....  

Lindy137

Chita - My Plate on Livestrong is kind of neat but if you are already entering your food into Weight Watchers then you probably wouldn't be interested.  I worried off a few lbs this spring (just after being diagnosed) and I want so much to keep it off.  

Bonnie - Another really big decision and then more surgery - I don't know how you keep such a wonderful attitude about it all.

chita

Bonnie,

I'm sorry you have to go through so much!  It never ends, does it?