I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange
Comments
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Perhaps if I took time off from taking Arimidex, I would notice a big difference. I am just one of the lucky ones that don't have too many issues with the drug.
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From the Columbus, Ohio Dispatch:The president is ahead among independent voters by 3 points and is attracting slightly more GOP support than Romney is getting from Democrats.
That shows up in voters such as poll participant Wayne Butterfass, 70, a retired store owner from Cincinnati who said he has voted Republican for most of his life.
But not this year.
“Obama was handed an economy on the skids, after eight years of Bush,” Butterfass said in an email. “All he ever did was think about war. I’m afraid Romney will do the same, especially the trickle-down theory.
“I don’t know why any woman or gay would ever vote for Romney. All you have to do is look at the Republican platform. I’ve never seen such HATE this year in the Republican Party, national or state.” -
Does anyone even know for sure how long ( 5 yrs. or more ) any of these drugs will be taken. My Oncologist, at the time I started taking Anastrozole -- that is generic Arimidex, -- said 5 yrs. but was not willing to say that more would not be recommended. Guess the idea is......what more might be known later on. I continue on this my yr. 4 to do all right on Anastrozole, but at my age.....I'm not totally sure, just due to age and the fact that one could expect some creaks and groans to come along.
Un-fortunately.....where I work I am pretty inactive and have not managed to work in a good exercise plan here at home.....something I need to remedy. I'm holding steady but concerned.....especially for recommendations that may come up in late 2013. I had managed to lose a lot of wt. 55 pounds, but this inactiviness is letting some return....no matter how slowly and is something that bugs me daily.
Jackie
edited to add: lindasa -- thanks for that. That R. voter put it so succinctly. Been reading something of the same ilk for some time.....but that guy says it so well.
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Re prednisone - it isn't always bad. My mother was on it (and some other things) for a couple of decades because her pituitary gland was destroyed by a cyst in the days when diagnostic tools were much less effective than they are now. That gave her 25 years more to see her many of her grandchildren born and to grow memories with them.
Re Ryan saying there wasn't enough time to explain his plan: I recall a quack chiropractor/homeopathic guy tell me that he couldn't explain his technique because it was too complicated. I told him I was quite intelligent and he should try. He didn't, and we didn't go back to him. I figure "it's too complicated" is the answer when there really isn't an answer.
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Illinois Lady - my oncologist said the same thing - 5 years, but we'll see at the end of that, as there are some studies currently in the works in regards to longer time. I told her that I would do 5 years, but not a moment more. (And since she told me that most of her patients chuck it at 3.5 years - figure she should be happy with that.) Five years of letrozole will take me to 66+. I figure that if I get cancer again after that, it will still take a few years to kill me, and I'll at least have a couple years of improved QOL without the drug.
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lassie - maybe we went to the same quack... for one visit.... What the guy told me was that it would be like trying to explain the taste of chocolate.
I said to him that chocolate didn't cost as much as what he wanted, and I could try a little bite and spit it out if I didn't like it - but you want a signed and sealed commitment for a lot of money - how about giving me a taste of what you will do??? I was so angry when I left that if there weren't laws I probably would have burned the place down! (which is much the way I feel about Romney/Ryan and their "plans".) -
Jackie -- When my onc Rx'd Femara iN Sept. '08, she said current studies only covered 5 years, but that by the time my 5 years were up (next Sept. - hurray!) further studies could indicate staying on, stopping, or trying something else! Over the past couple of years, my SEs have diminished to the non-existent stage, except that my hair is VERY thin (I used to have tons of hair). So I'm hoping that I am able to go off Femara and that my hair will all grow back (how vain is that?!).
As for corticosteroid (as in prednisone) use, the Mayo Clinic has a very good article on in. I had a very dear friend dx'd with lupus in her late 30's. She was on all kinds of medication, including methotrexate, gold, you-name-it. The only thing that kept her going was prednisone, but it also caused glaucoma, diabetes, incredible weight gain, intense insomnia and a host of other illnesses. Her hospital became her second home for periods of time. Her rheumatologist was beside himself every time he renewed her Rx, but knew that she would lose her battle with lupus without it. She died at 55.
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I was originally told 5 years too. However, because I am doing so well considering the stats for my prognosis, they decided to offer it to me for another year. ("they" being a board of oncs who review each case) As I have no real issues with the drug, I was quite content to continue on with it. If I did have problems, it probably would not have been offered.
My understanding is that the 5 year mark is mainly because most studies that are done last for 5 years. So the bottom line is that they don't really know the effects, good and bad, that occur after the 5 years. There are several studies underway now that prolong that time period but it will take a while to have the results.
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An interesting piece by J.D. Kleinke a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former health care executive:
Edited to add: Sorry to interrupt the discussion of the hormonals. I was fortunate to not have to take them.
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I've got great oncologists, and I can give you all I know, which is :"We don't have any data after 5 years."
BUT - there is a Clinical Trial going on now, think it's closed, but the basis is: a woman who has been on an AI for at least 4 years ( think Femara, but know it would apply to Arimidex cuz I was offered a "place" on the Trial, declined, will explain why) - so, there are TWO options ( selected by computer)
1 - Woman continues to take the AI ( Femara on this trial) for another 5 years.
2 - Woman continues to take AI ( Femara) for another 5 years, BUT takes it for 9 months on, 3 months off per year.
Will be years until there is "data" - can't remember name of trial, believe it's Global. SO until the results or any data are available SOC seems to be 5 years on an AI. And, as we know, the reality is the treatment is all over the place.
I have my 4th bone density test in November, and have been given "permission" by my docs to continue on AI, but it's at my discretion, my choice. Haven't made the choice, yet, but honestly, stopping, "cold turkey" feels like playing Russian Roulette with about 5 bullets. Sorry to be so "graphic" but keep remembering the tag line of someone at BCO who wrote the lyrics from Hotel California ( you can check out, but you can never leave) and that's how BC feels.
I opted for a Clinical Trial for Chemptherapy, as an act of appreciation for the WONDERFUL oncologists I was blessed to be trated by, and the computer was smiling on me, picked a "good" arm/wing, whatever. Just don't have it in me to committ to another 5 years on an AI if I was selected for that option....
SO....bottom line for me, is, what we know is that we don't know re: AI's for longer than 5 years.
Expect my food choices are keeping cholesterol in line, acupuncture has eliminated ALL joint pain, feel great ( tired, often, but good) and bone density IMPROVED in 3rd year of Arimidex ( go figure!) Will report anything I learn on my November visit to Dana Farber!
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Morning all! I've only taken prednisone for severe allergic reactions (evergreens for me)widespread swelling and blisters ... and it was my miracle cure. Never had to be on it for long though.
Mr. Butterfass is paying attention. I hope there are a lot more of him out there.
As for the 'maths' of their plan it is obvious that the only way they can maintain the historically low rates of income tax for the highest income population is to increase income tax receipts from those with much lower incomes. There is no 'magic money to be pulled out of a hat'. They won't increase the rates but will take away the exemptions, deductions and credits that lower taxes instead. It's not that they can't tell you that quickly and concisely. They are just operating like the vulture capitalists they are ... promise you the moon and then sneak in quickly and quietly, raid your assets and walk away with your money.
The AIs ... we really are the guinea pigs for them since they are new. I do believe they work but for how long and at what cost in bad side effects is still an open question.
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Pip
Sounds like our docs are "on the same page." It's the "heart" issues that concern me, personally, but that's a BIG if, cuz, I still get to laugh, that was the "justification" for my docs years ago giving me ESTROGEN hormonals after a oomph ...as there was "heart disease" in my family, but NO bc. Ah, well, might have "guessed" wrong on that one...but there aren't any redo's on some choices...or as a friend says, when I'm beating myself up for those choices, "Some trains leave the station & they don't come back."
Which is why, I think I'll be with Pip on this choice - another year for "insurance."
And then when we all get together, we can have a Toss the Little White Pill into the CampFire, after we've cooked our S'Mores. -
From where I sit, it appears that Romney/Ryan and the entire GOP/TP need to go back to school and study economic theory. It seems they know nothing about the law of supply and demand. They want to eliminate the minimum wage and forbid unions their bargaining rights, and then they talk about "creating jobs". Problem is, when the jobs are so low-paying, people can't purchase goods. When there's not enough money in their pockets, then "demand" for products is low, and thus there's no need to "supply" those products, and thus no jobs.
The vast reduction in public sector jobs over the last 4-5 years has had much to do with the 8+% unemployment rate. Again, those 600,000+ former employees don't have the money to purchase products, so there's no need to supply those products.
It's a vicious circle, which makes me wonder why these GOPers don't recognize it -- or perhaps they do.......
But on the good news front -- U.S. demand for Canadian softwood lumber is going up, up, up, which means lots of housing starts south of the border! Woohoo!
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Jackie, my MO said I should be on Aromasin for 7 years, maybe longer. I think a lot of new treatments (dare I say "cure") are on the horizon, so what we'll be doing that far in the future is anybody's guess.
On a political note, I think it is really pathetic that Romney's stated best hope of winning the debates is throwing "zingers" at Obama. This is what somebody does who has no hope of winning on the issues. For this, I give him a big thumbs down.
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Linda
I was interested in Willard's position on "minimum wage" - so I googled, and there are so many contradictory statements, I still don't know where he is? Ryan must be against it.
Question, ok, rhetorical, how can we increase consumption ( strangely on which our economy is based) without increasing wages?
What did Willard DO to create an income of about $17,000,000.00 last year as reported on his USA Federal Tax Return. We know he didn't take the full deduction for his "charitable contributions" ( which all seem to go to the same place, so I kinda have a winge when calling it charity, but, but, but) his not taking the full amount kept his tax rate from being below 10% - does anyone remember when he said he just was following "the law" and only took what dedutions were "legal" and "anyone who paid more taxes than they needed to wasn't smart enough to be President." I'll find it if you haven't read that one...kinda one of my favorite Willard Words - so, could someone figure out what Willard did to earn that $17,000,000.00 last YEAR, and figure out what the hourly rate would be? Might be what we want to see as the minimum wage? Yes?
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About the hormone blockers. My ooph surgeon, who is an OB/Gyn, Oncologist, Phd and runs the largest Ovarian cancer registry west of the Mississippi and is at a teaching hospital...an acamedician type...she has a lot of knowledge, presumably, told me this while I was on chemo (she is not my breast surgeon or oncologist). First, she confirmed with me that I would be Rx'd hormone blockers. I said "Yes, that was the plan." Then she said "Good" and she raised one hand and put two fingers apart about 3 inches and said "because chemo will give you about this much help" and then she raised both hands and moved them about 2 feet apart and said "and hormone blockers will help you this much."
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Kam
EXACTLY what my oncologists said - didn't use the "hand" measurements - but were definite about the ADDITIONAL benefit of AI's - and that was after I finished chemptherapy - it's clear they are invaluable in keeping the "beast" at bay.
Also know it's those 5 to 10 years after finishing treatment ( assuming the AI's for 5 years) are a very, very big concern for all the oncs studying this kind of bc.
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Kam - that's why I didn't have chemo - I had the oncotype test done, and my score was low (14), so chemo was contra-indicated.
BTW - i think you asked if we were going to stay in the Seattle area after the house sells. Right now it's a great big unknown. I've been a person who plans wwwwaaaayyyyyy ahead my whole life, so this is really weird for me. We'd like to move to Hawaii (we think) and in fact are going for a month in December to see if we can figure it out a little more about how it would be to live there full time. Both hubby and I have a real tendency to claustrophobia, so we're not sure if living on a speck of rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean is really our style - but we like the islands, love the water and enjoy the warmth, so maybe it'll work.....
Right now we're thinking that once the house sells (depending upon when it sells) we'll probably rent for a little bit, if I can manage to make myself continue working once we don't have these house payments any longer. Once I retire the plan is to get in our truck and drive around the country for anywhere from 6 months to 2 years while deciding what to do. I don't know if either I or my husband will be able to stand to be "unplanned" for that length of time, so we'll see what we see. Our big expense will be keeping up our health insurance until medicare kicks in. Cobra only lasts 18 months, so if we want to do Cobra until medicare, then I'll have to work one more year (from today, actually.... ) if we figure that we can pick up a few months of medical on our own between the end of Cobra and the beginning of Medicare (assuming that Ryan doesn't get his way....) then I may just kick loose whenever the house actually sells.
My life hasn't been this much of a mystery since I had my first child - it's an amazingly freeing feeling at the moment...
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I pray for more personalized treatment for breast cancer. I think there are probably so many more receptors that are important - we have only just begun to scratch the surface. Estrogen is the staff of life. There has to be a better way to do hormone therapy.
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"Censorship is the enemy of truth -- even more than a lie. A lie can be exposed; censorship can prevent us knowing the difference. "
Some timely words from Bill Moyers on the occasion of Banned Books week.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/10/01/1138429/-The-Bane-of-Banned-Books
L -
Garden - my oncoscore was a bone-chilling 39...and that's with her2 negative. Even with that chemo only gets me from 27% recurrence to 18%. Lot of crap for 9% and seemingly permanent neuropathy. It's just a given that hormone therapy will be used. I'm more upset about this recent revelation that with my subtype, neither chemo or hormone blockers work well. Ugh.
When I lived in Seattle for that one year, I so wanted to go back. I was in my 30's. I don't think I could take the lack of sunshine now, but still love Seattle. Portland is slightly better, but as I drive south from there and get into the Medford area, boy does the sun shine and it feels better. SADD is a huge factor as we age. Hawaii would be a much easier place to live as one gets older, that is for sure. Expensive though. I grew up in the Bay Area and never knew how I good I had it...weather, close to mountains, ocean, etc. Been priced out of Nirvana
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It is expensive in Hawaii, that's for sure - but I figure that we probably wouldn't spend as much money on some stuff (like wine....
) because there are simply no good wineries there... The beaches are free, my husband would fish year round, so we'd always have our protein, and the farmers markets are fairly reasonable. We don't do a lot of expensive things, but we both want to spend some time traveling, and traveling from there is fairly pricey too. The big thing will be whether or not we can sell our house - and we just don't know. The real estate lady, though, seems to think we will as she has been nagging us incessantly to get it on the market. We do like the Medford area. We had always kind of figured we'd end up in California as we both love it there, but the taxes are so high that I don't think we can swing it on a fixed income.
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I have some wonderful news to share! I just met up with our own Glenna_E for lunch and a brief horsey visit. We had a great time and Glenna is a hoot!
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That is wonderful E! How I'd love to meet Glenna too.
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She's great. We plotted the overthrow of the free world through accessible healthcare and temporary assistance for people who need it. And a ban on assault weapons. Radical, un-American stuff.
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Glenna got to meet your horse too? I am soooo jealous Glad you had a good time!
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She did! And she fed him treats!
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I can tell you housing is hideously expensive in Hawaii. Our friends that live there have to work 3 jobs between the two of them(and these are professionals) to afford a house.
Mary
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Kam - an oncotype of 39??? That's awfully high, and terribly depressing.
Mary - housing prices vary greatly from island to island. Oahu is definitely not affordable (though my son and his family live there with occasional help from us). But we wouldn't be interested in living on that island. The only island I would be able to live on would be the big one - and even that is questionable. My MIL lives there 8 months out of the year and love it, but is decidedly uninterested in making it her permanent residence. She likes coming "home" to Seattle for the other four months.
I just saw the business week "best" 50 cities and see that Seattle ranked #2...
http://images.businessweek.com/slideshows/2012-09-26/americas-50-best-cities#slide51
It is a great place to live with so many things to do. But I HATE the cold rainy winters. I get so confused.....
bummer - I see that CNN's latest poll has only a three point spread between Romney and Obama. I sure hope Obama does well in the debates.
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Enjoyful, talk of your meeting today made me pull out the pics from the NOTL get together. Looking at your mischievious grin in the photo leaves me no doubt that you did indeed make plans to take over the world!
Miss all of you ladies. Thinking of Dream.
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