I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

pupmom

Interesting. I read VR's post and got the feeling that ER+ was not a great indicator for Zometa. I am 100% ER+. 99% PR+. I also have had normal bone density tests, including one right after my lumpectomy. I had the impression that this was also not a common situation for those getting Zometa.

But those medical findings are difficult for me to interpret. Color me confused, per usual.

pip57

White Rabbit...your rabbit in the hat is my favourite one yet.

riley702

Athena, there were some random letters at the end of the link; try this.

 http://prospect.org/article/how-obama-beats-romney

WR, that sign was so challenged, I have no idea what he was trying to say! "Descent is patriotic"? Still doesn't make sense. 

Enjoyful

Dissent, I think. But who knows what the hell they mean?

IllinoisLady

I appreciate that Athena, thanks.  Read an article as well about how the Rasmussen Poll works and always makes the Republican candidate come out ahead  --- just figured you would all know that by now for sure,as they are not the only ones who like to get Faux Foxy.

 Also wanted to mention --- I didn't hear anyone talk about osteopenia as in bone loss....but did read a long while back ( and I'd think most of you did too ) that if you haven't been checked for this on a regular basis for well before your BC diagnosis -- you could well have had osteopenia for some time.  And with or without your current diagnosis.....you can stay JUST osteopenic for many years before much of any change at all.  This type of change can start....mainly due to age   My PCP wanted to insist that I take Fosamax but I refused as this came from a dx of osteopenia from my first bone density test.  I did say however, that I would be willing to revist the subject if there were enough change on having a second bone scan. 

Coming up is my normal oncology check-up.  The V.A. does these every four months.....until you have passed the five yr. mark and so I have that plus having a hole repaired in my ear and then getting fitted for a hearing aid.....and then maybe onto figuring out what is up with my knee/leg afterwards. 

Feel some concern about the knee....don't know what I did...but there is some swelling one side of the kneecap...I don't think it is cartilage as there is no pain, but do have a knee brace on as there is some discomfort along side the knee...sigh....getting a tad older is not for sissies I guess.  I miss the good old days of walking 3 miles or so a day just to get warmed up. 

Jackie

suzieq60

notself - I don't know which measurement it was - the doc said it was fine - 50 being the starting measurement for OK.

ananda8

Your level is in nmol/L  The starting measurement that is most often used in the US is 30 ng/ml. 

Momine

Illinois, I had a dexa as prep for staring the femara. It showed that my spine already has osteopenia. My doc did not seem overly concerned, which fits with what you wrote. He ordered a daily, low, calcium and D supplent and we will monitor the bones with dexa scans (have another coming up this week, 6 months into femara).

I am quite curious to see if there is any change. I have been taking the supplement like a good girl and I have started doing some weight work 3-4 times a week, including some strengthening on my back.

suzieq60

Thanks notself - I forgot to ask the doc what measurement it was

Anonymous

Happy 5am EDT - just love what ragweed allergy does to my "sleeping patterns" - will take another "non drowsy" pill and sleep for a few hours...eagerly awaiting First Frost

Riley - true confessions, I don't even know what Zometa is, or is for, or for what?  I had a bone density "base line" after chemotherapy & b4 beginning Arimidex - then every other year - and "good bones" is definitely a GENETIC influence. From what my docs tell me, and the little I can "decipher" ( to decipher is to dissent, whatever, my brain is fried in the middle of the night) my bones have gotten stronger, better, while on Arimidex.

I got my Vitamin D up to 48 ( from about 17) taking 6,000ius a day - btw, I'm dairy free, not even yogurt. So farewell to my beloved very aged cheddar cheese, and hello to 1,200/600 calcium/magnesium pills a day.  Lots of almonds, fish oil, and PRUNES.  Hoping I get good marks on the bone density test 11/15.

alexandria58

Hi all,  

   Jackie, sympathize with the knee problems.  I'vve been having them for years, and it's gotten worse.  Every now and then. my knee locks up so that I'can't even put weight on it.  Very frustrating.The best thing seems to be exercise.  I hae knee strengthening things I do all the time.

   Also, Fosamax has had some bad press lately.  

    Since I had DCIS and opted for a BMX ( got good margins), I didn't take any of the meds that so many of you describe.  I count myself as lucky. 

    Anyone see the Newsweek article on how many deaths per year are due to medical errors?  I read it yesterday.  Terrifying.

Enjoyful

Good morning, all!



I forgot - whose wonderful idea was it to donate when annoyed by The Others? Absolutely fantastic idea and one that's spread. I just read that a Jewish man "honored" Michelle Bachmann's synagogue visit by donating to her democratic opponent. He enclosed a letter urging her opponent to "take away this evil woman's soapbox."



Beautiful.

IllinoisLady

Listening to the news last night and seems Chris Christie is rah-rahing so hard he nearly falls over in his chair.  I guess you have to do something to try and convince yourself and inspire 'your' candidate.  Mr. Ed said that ( and he has my agreement )  it seems rather ridiculous with a candidate that has been not only masterful at almost every gaffe in the books but so unable to explain with any depth at all what he will do to "run" the country along with dis-connection and in-sincerity towards the people he wishes to lead. 

Something will have to be pulled out of the hat for sure.....if he makes a mistake  ---- it is done, but aha.....just in case, voter suppression tactics are being refined as we speak.

It appears that the Romney campaign has decided that it cannot win legitimately
at this point. The Romney campaign website now sports an "Election Day Task Force" training page, with the goal to train
people in the art of voter suppression through the time-honored tactic of racial profiling by poll challengers.

All
across the right-wing blogosphere, the call has gone out to suppress the vote of minorities, of labor
unions of anyone who does not believe in their candidate. One such call out has gone like so:

I
want to turn as many of you as possible on to a massive task force the Romney
campaign is putting together for election day. It's called project "Orca", where
at least 20,000 (they'd love to get 30-40,000) volunteers camp out at polling
places in swing states and feed real-time information to Boston using your smart
phone, tablet, or whatever. I've been trained on this already, and it's unreal
what the Romney campaign is doing. Extremely sophisticated stuff that has real
potential to make a sizable difference on election day. They are looking for
even more volunteers, so if you're interested, check out http://www.mittromney.com/orca.
I'm not giving anything
secret away. At this point, the Romney campaign figures it's too late for the
Obama campaign to match this program.
For any Obama supporters that may be
tempted to infiltrate the volunteer force, be aware that the Romney campaign
will do a background check to make sure you are who you say you are. If you've
"liked" anything supportive of Obama, for example, you'll be found
out.

//
//

The
use of poll challengers is well established. The Democratic party uses them to
prevent voter suppression in many states. The Republican party, however, has
thrown its lot in with True the Vote and their goal of eliminating millions of
eligible voters from the rolls through false claims of being dead, joining a long history of Republican voter suppression.

Of course, I'm totally disgusted.  Every time I am with my family I endure the glazed look they all seem to have from watching their "great news channel" nearly 24 hours a day while they complain about how bad their life is because of Obana. Naturally I want to tell them that maybe allowing themselves to be brain-washed to such a horrid degree ( they have watched the same news for yrs ) has much to do with their problem. As good Republicans --- they don't dare admit that anything is right with Obama....that might shake their faith. A few in my family are rather poor....but they never seem to question the reason for that. I feel certain that like me, the past couple of years have seen them getting some sort of return on income tax.....rather than the constant ( when Republicans have been in office ) paying in.  I'm sure they think the trickle down finally arrived.    

As my Dad used to say...."it's a great life if you don't weaken", and I have no intention of doing so.......my insurance for that is just looking around at my zombie-like Republican family.  Losers every one.

Jackie

RetiredLibby

I saw that article this morning, E! Didn't it also say that donations to Graves' campaign from Chicagoland were up 400% after her visit, although they didn't know if they could attribute it to her trip to Chicago or not.



I also saw that Ryan's challenger for his House seat is closing the gap -- he is only 8 pts down (which is a lot, truly, but a much smaller gap than he started with). I hope that revving sound I hear is the Karma Bus.



L

gardengumby

Oh that was the other thing - whoever it was who suggested we donate???  I did so as well, to Obama's campaign. 

In regard to the bones - I had a dexa scan after being on letrozole for a month, it was almost identical to one I'd had 6 years previous (both post menopausal) - I don't remember the numbers, but they were quite good - I don't know of anyone in my family ever that has had a broken bone - so good bone genes...

Thanks for the interesting links!! 

pupmom

Did you guys catch Sununu on the Daily Rundown today? What a idiot! Chuck Todd talked about the latest poll in New Hampshire, showing Obama ahead by 15 points. He said it was from a very reliable and reputable pollster. Sununu said it was total crap and he KNOWS Romney will win NH by 2 to 3 pts.!

Really, John? 

alexandria58

Yorkie: Comes from living in the bubble.

IllinoisLady

HL ---  ****Karma*****

Jackie

Alexandria --- ****Bubble****

River_Rat

Riley, I loved your link!  

gardengumby

I'm still worried about the R's "knowing" they are going to win specific states as cheating seems to be second nature to them.....

crazy4carrots

I know there's been lots (okay, mountains!) of discussion about VitD levels here at BCO, so of course I'm going to add some more!  From Dr. Google:

How is Vitamin D Measured in the Body?By Alan L. Rubin, MD

6 of 12 in Series: The Essentials of Vitamin D Basics and Dosage

If you want to know whether you have enough vitamin D in your body, you must have a blood test for 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Depending on where you live, you may have trouble convincing your doctor to order a vitamin D test for you. Because of the high demand over the past few years, the test is no longer covered in some parts of the U.S. and Canada because the cost was escalating enormously and the labs were getting overloaded.

If you can’t get the test done, you may have to take a vitamin D supplement just to be safe. On the other hand, if you do have the test done, your doctor will be able to tell you whether your serum 25-hydroxyvitmain D level falls within the “normal” range.

If your serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level isn’t high enough, your doctor will have you take a supplement to build up your level. Then your doctor should test you again in a few months to make sure your serum levels are high enough.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels can be reported either as nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) or as nmoles per liter (nmol/L). Don’t be confused if you see the value either way.

The current definitions of levels of vitamin D are:

• Deficient: Less than or equal to 10 ng/ml (25 nmol/L)

• Insufficient: Between 10 ng/ml and 20 ng/ml (25 to 50 nmol/L)

• Sufficient: More than 20 ng/ml (50 nmol/L)

There is some evidence that even higher serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels, more than 30 ng/ml (75 nmol/L), may help protect you from chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes. However, this issue is controversial.

Now, since we Cdns measure in nanomoles per litre, rather than nanograms per millilitre (no, I don't know why!) it's important to differentiate.  The numbers above seem extremely conservative.  My doc wasn't happy with my reading of 87 nmo/l and insisted that 115-125 would be far preferable.  With 4,000 IUs daily, I did manage to get it up to 115.

ETA:  Cancer patients, and those with MS and certain other disorders do not have to pay for the VitD test in Ontario, thanks to the research that is ongoing about VitD's value. 

 

QuinnCat

On the Vitamin D, Notself posted a nice video from a Nutritional Physiologist on another thread.  His research showed 2700 international units a day will bring all but a few above minimum threshold, but preventing an excess dose.  (For those that want to do something immediately.)

kayfh

Hey, we're looking for Chickadee in the Stage IV forum, Five Questions. Last heard from her on this forum from Louisiana. Would love to hear her response to the questions. /p>

Anonymous

Knees...

I do my "quad clenches" all the time, sitting, foot on a foot stool. Knees were SO bad I had to have a small towel rolled up under the knee at first.  KEY to my knees feeling good - besides losing weight ( with so much more to go, I sort of don't "go there") is: ACUPUNCTURE.  It is known to help reduce inflammation, and while the exercises may be helping to "slim" the area, basically it's the lack of inflammation!  JOY.  JOY.  JOY.  I've been going now for so long, once a month, I don't remember what it felt like to have joint pain ( into 6th year of Arimidex), just know I LOVE LOVE LOVE the treatment.

alexandria58

Breaking News!!!  Judge just ruled: the PA voter i.d. law is enjoined from going into effect until after the election!! 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/03/us/pennsylvania-judge-delays-implementation-of-voter-id-law.html?hp

pupmom

Alexandria, it's awesome! Now there's one less state they can potentially steal! WOOHOO!!

RetiredLibby

YESSSSS!!!!!



L

riley702

Sunflowers, Zometa is a drug for strengthening your bones. It's given as an infusion (15-20 min.) twice a year. My onc orders it with Arimidex. I had a DEXA test before I started the Arimidex and it showed very slight osteopenia in my lower spine and left hip. My Mom also has osteoporosis and takes a once a week pill (blanking on the name).

1Athena1

kayfh - I have been wondering about chickadee too...

Yey about PA!

Voter suppression is the last desperate shot of those with no ideas for the country. They should really go and form their own republic.

pupmom

My understanding is that Zometa can also prevent progression to the bones. It's an awesome drug. I have had 3 infusions, given every 3 months. I will get it for about another year and a half.