Any "fuller figure (or former) " warrior survivors out there?

Sable43

TMarina and ToriGirl! Thanks for welcoming me to this thread and nice to "meet" you!

Barbe1958-You belong on stage! I haven't laughed like that in a while!

Glad2BHere-OMG! When I read about your Tamoxifen experience I was floored. I had to come off of Tamoxifen due to the severe leg pain it was giving me. I'd been on it for several months and was rushed to the hospital twice with what was believed to be blood clots. The tests were negative but the pain was awful; felt like someone literally amputated my limbs! My radiation oncologist told me that although Tamoxifen is the drug of choice for breast cancer pts., only about 60% of women can actually tolerate it. I'm on Fareston right now and this drug gives me bad headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

Which is why working out hasn't been on my list of priorities! But I've got to do something! I don't want to spend my middle aged years wishing I was thinner when I need to be doing something about it. My rec room is the place where exercise equipment comes to die! I have a Total Gym, a treadmill, a stair climber, free weights, an Urban Rebounder, a kettlebell, the Shake Weight, and several exercise DVD's and old VHS's. There's no excuse for me not to exercise!  Just need the freakin' motivation!

janicemarie3

Barbe thanks for that I haven't laughed that ard in a long time.  I was thinking about starting to work with a personal trainer.  I think that this would be exactly what would be going around in my head.  Thanks for the laugh.

barbe1958

Glad ya'll enjoyed it, but I can't take credit for it...my bro emailed me it this morning from the internet somewhere....but thought it perfect for this thread! heheehehhehe

TMarina

Great new picture Barbe!

janicemarie3

Going to try and do my pilates DVD today.  I haven't used it in a couple of years.  Wish me luck.LOL

mumito

Heading out to the gym ladies will surely chuckle when I see the ladies with their personal trainers.Barbe I have sent that one out to all my girlfriends. I love the New Avatar.

barbe1958

 thanks ladies! It's a low maintenance "do" for sure!

SeasideMemories

Barbe,

That e-mail from your brother was the funniest thing I have read in a long time!!! Thanks for posting it...

Edited to add:  You look so pretty in your new photo!

ToriGirl

Great new photo Barbe!  

Well,number 4 of rads is done.  Getting on the scale was brutal....but, I know that it is going to start to change...I found out that I can't lose more than 10% of my body weight during rads...so.... that means I can at least start to lose...but very slowly...That is very encouraging for me...I need to feel that I'm at least doing something...

Sable43-- I know what you mean about the exercise equipment...I don't really have any big equipment, but the things I do have at home have started to collect dust...so, I started to bring them out and and least try to remember how to use them so that I can slowly get on to where I need to be again....I'm hoping that I have "muscle memory" and that it will be easier this go around to get it going again...

Weather is BEAUTIFUL today...gonna get out and at least go for a walk and breathe in the wonderful air...

Hope you are all motivated!

Tori 

MissBianca

Hi y'all! Hope everyone is doing good. I wanted to pass along a basic recipe that I make variations of a lot. It is a great way to get cooked tomatoes, as well as onions and garlic (also cancer fighters) into your diet.

Basic ingredients:

olive oil

a med onion

3 or 4 cloves garlic

Large can (or 2 -3 smaller cans) of diced tomatoes. Can cut fresh (this will usually cost more).

(They sell cans of diced tomatoes with Italian seasonings already in it, like with basil and oregano. )

Italian seasoning, like oregano and basil, if not already in tomatoes.

whole grain pasta, like penne, ziti, or rigatoni

lean protein source (optional) : ground turkey, lean ground beef, shrimp, cubed grilled chicken, or clams

Okay....

The backbone of this recipe are the veggies.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil (low med heat) in large pan.

Sautee onions until they are near translucent.

Add fresh minced garlic (can use jarred minced garlic also).

It's important to wait to add garlic because onions take longer to saute than garlic.

Add tomatoes. Cook all together about another 10 minutes.

(If it's too liquidy, you can spoon a little off, and this makes a delicious broth.)

Can add a small scoop of cream cheese if you crave a creamier texture.

If adding protein source, add cooked and simmer a little longer. Pour over pasta.

Voila! This is a basic recipe that you can have fun changing up. I had it tonight with mushrooms added (another cancer fighter) and shrimp. DH raved about it.

Hope you all have a good night!

VickiSam

I adore this thread ...  thank you all so much for sharing your life with me!

Vicki Sam

Laugh-addict

Hi ladies!

I came across this thread and just feel like it was meant for me!  This is what I love about this website.  I tend to hang with a few favorite threads but decided to venture off again and here I am.

I had a BMX with TE's on Dec. 1 and am half way done with TC X4 and have been struggling with my weight for many years.  This whole journey has made me really put my health as a number one priority but I am finding my habits aren't changing to meet what I know in my mind.  I am 5'4" and weigh 227.  It seems like such a large number of pounds to lose that I feel overwhelmed by it all.  I have lost weight in the past and know I have it in me to do it.  I find I tend to use my surgery and chemo to eat what I want, which is comfort food.  I do have healthy meals in between and know the direction I need to head.  Now with your support, I hope to put aside the excuses and focus on the task at hand.

Thanks ladies!

Tina :-) 

Glad2BHere

Hi girls. Haven"t been on for awhile because my son came home with a small virus which because I have mono, I am now fighting pnemonia.  Not having trouble loosing weight at the moment, but it is just dehydration.  Welcome to the new people!

 Barb- loved your joke and it brightened my day

Tori-I am so glad you finally got to start your rads. 

Going back to bed now. Talk to you soon.

Lisa

MissBianca

Hi Tina! I love your moniker name. There is nothing like a good laugh to release those feel good endorphins. Congrats on your half way point with chemo. TC is the kind I did, too. The way I think about taking steps towards a healthy lifestyle is like the steps of a mountain climber. The mountain looms  large, but all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other, with each good daily decision you make with body movement and food choices. With each small step, you will get to where you want to be. Success is in persistence, and not looking up at the mountain. (Just look at your small steps!)

Lisa, I wish I could bring you some chicken soup! I'm sorry you feel so bad. Have a good rest.

Torigirl, hope your rads are not too draining on you, and are going well. It is so nice spring is around the corner for beautiful days ahead!

janicemarie3

Hi everyone

Ijust got home from the gym.  I did an hour water aerobics, half an hour on the treadmill,  A hour yoga class and some ab work.  We were there a total of 3 and a half hours.  I think that I will be hurting tomorrow.  Hope that everyone is having a good week.

MissBianca

Oh my goodness, Janicemarie! I feel tired just reading all you did! That is really awesome. It sounds like you're ready for a nice soak in the tub or jacuzzi!

VickiSam

Janicemarie ..  I thought I was reading a blog, from 'the great American work out'.   Yikes,  I am sore, tired and want to cry out in pain ....

Good for you.

Vicki Sam

ToriGirl

Laugh-Addict---WELCOME!! So glad that you found us! Please come back often! It's a learning curve for us all, but we are learning!! We've got some great ladies here that have already been so wonderful as to give us good advice, websites, recipes and keep cheering us on! We can do this!



Number 6 of rads today. All seems to be going well so far. Just making sure to cream up as much as possible to stay ahead of the burn. (hopefully)



Janicemarie---awesome on the workout! Make sure to keep stretching!



Hope you are all staying motivated!!



Tori

Glad2BHere

Hi everyone.  I am back finally.I  have a new antibiotic and a lovely breathing machine.  I have turned into my grandmother.  But it turns out breathing solves a lot of problems and I didn't even know I wasn't.  I feel so much better.  It is like every cell in my body is doing jumping jacks.  The one upside to being so sick all week is I have lost more weight,  I am 20 pounds down now.  It was even more, but that was just dehydration.  I lost a big sack of potatoes. 

Tori-glad you are making it thru your rads well.  I ended up making friends with a lady scheduled at the same time as me.  They were always behind, but we didn't care we chatted like crazy.  The techs started calling us Lucy and Ethel.haha  We  still keep in tounch.  Keep globbing on the aloe even if you don't feel you need it each night.

Sable43- welcome. I had no idea that I had a blood clot in August..   My foot and leg kept swelling up. I had a canckle.  I had an apointment with my plastic surgeon to schedule my reconstruction surgery and just happened to mention it to him.  Next thing you know he was sending me to one of his Dr, friends who found the clot behind my knee w an in office ultrasound.. So no reconstruction for awhile.  I am now continuing with the Tamoxifen accompanied by cumiden (blood thinner) for the rest of the time.

Barb-where are you?

barbe1958

I'm here! Chewing gum. Then when I can't get any flavour I dump it and get another one.....beats eating, I suppose....

TMarina

Glad--Wow--Hope you get better quickly!!  Mono and pneumonia--what a combo!  have you read about Tamox and blood clots?  Some gals on another thread were talking about it, and some are refusing Tamox because of their history with blood clots.  Make sure you do some research.  Sounds like the oncs aren't always telling the whole story.

Barbe--yay for gum chewing!!  In the eve. when I want to munch sometimes I just go brush my teeth.  The minty taste takes away my cravings!

DesignerMom

Glad-  Like Tina said, I think Tamoxifen is contraindicated in people who are prone to blood clots.  My Onc didn't want me taking them as I have a clotting disorder.  I never even had a full blown clot.  What's up with these doctors?  I know you are on blood thinners, but I would still ask a lot of questions about it.  As you know, blood clots can be very serious.

Sable43

I do wish I had known more about Tamoxifen before I started taking it. For the time I was on it, the drug was a nightmare for me. I'm taking Fareston now along with Aspirin 81 mg as my doc's blood thinner of choice. Hot flashes aren't as bad but the headaches, dizziness, and mild nausea that accompany it when I take Fareston at bedtime leaves me ill before I eventually succumb to sleep.

Glad2BHere-my prayers are with you! I'm wishing you a speedy recovery.

Glad2BHere

Thanks girls. My cancer journey has not been an easy one- it seems I can find every SE to everything. Blood clots are a rare SE for Tamoxifen. I am actually am the one who  wants to stay on both meds after my clot is clear.  I want every little percentage point I can get. Stupid sickness now is still due to my body taking a huge whack during treatment. I am trying to get back to whatever normal is for me now and it seems the most positive path is diet, and once I am well, exercise.

Hey Barb- great job chewing away the pounds.  Sounds like a new book title.  You could make millions..  Love your pic.  I need to figure out how to put on a pic.

imbell

There is a website that is free called Calorie Counters. It will keep track of your weight loss, tell you if you are eating healthy, offers ideas. All in all pretty good and like I said free.

DesignerMom

Glad-  Hoping your ride gets easier.  I don't know if you are pre or postmenopausal.  As my Onc didn't want me on Tamox because of clotting, she suggested shutting down my ovaries (I am perimenopausal) so I could take AIs as an alternative.  They have other SE, but blood clots are not one of them.  It might be something you can discuss with your Onc.

ToriGirl

DesignerMom-Looks like I will be going that route of shutting down my ovaries (premenopausal as well) and taking an AI.

Immarybell--Welcome!  Thanks for the website info!  That is something I could really use!  I've never been good at writing what I eat down...maybe if I have access to doing on a computer, it may help! 

Glad2BeHere-Hang in there girl..we are all rooting for you! 

Barbe1958--You still chewing on that gum??? 

Weather has been outstanding here..you would think I would get my big bootie out there and move some...but did I?  Quite the opposite!  Geez...is it me making it hard for me or is it everything else going on that makes me such a lazy ass??  

Hope everyone else is doing great!

Tori 

Glad2BHere

Tori- It is the rads.  Your body goes through a lot of energy to try and recover from each treatment.

I am feeling better finally, but just taking it easy so I can get back to work on Monday. My resting and my husband's cooking has caused me to gain back 2 pounds. Darn.  I have been on a search for recipes to help me have more variety when I can actually start cooking again.  Does anyone know about shellfish like shrimp in terms of enviornmental pollution stuff? I have a box of Quinoa sitting in my pantry egging me on to use it.  Has anyone tried it?   I want to make sure I make it right the first time so my family won't black list it forever.  It  is like pulling teeth to get them to eat whole wheat stuff instead of the processed.  I'm trying to sneak it in a little at a time.  It is tiresome to have to make 2 different meals. I am so happy to be feeling better and can't wait to get on my WII.  I think I am going to buy the Zumba WII game and try it soon as a reward when I get down to the 240's.  I hope everyone is having a good week.

VickiSam

Weight Watchers knows all ..finds all.   WW is like AARP, I don't know where these folks come up with address?

Weight Watchers is 1 of the few programs that has worked for me .. counting points is no big deal .. I need a good swift kick in the butt, about 2 times a week ...

Vicki Sam

I did not see that I've on page 5 of 6 .. sorry, ladies

MissBianca

Torigirl, hang in there! My energy levels slowly went down as the weeks went on for rads, and I would take serious power naps. Even if you just sat outside on days with beautiful weather, you would get your dose of vit D and fresh air. I hope I didn't make walking sound like too much by posting that walking info post. I think you asked about vit d once and I didn't get around to it.

Dr. Oz says 15 minutes with no face sunscreen, no sunglasses, and sleeves pushed up will get what we need, with up to 30 minutes for darker skin because there is more melanin that blocks the rays. Also, our hypothalamus is stimulated by light, and this part of the brain regulates wake/sleep cycles and hormone production. It also regulates hunger and thirst.So, thank goodness for our upcoming beautiful weather!

Remember that any small spurts of even mild exercise keeps our muscles prepped for more vigorous movements down the road.

Gladtobehere, I'm so glad you are feeling better. Thank you for reminding me about Wii zumba. It is on my wish list!

 I was curious about the shrimp question. I found some info on

http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_faq.aspx

It says:

Seafood Watch recommends consumers avoid imported farmed and trawl-caught shrimp. Trap-caught shrimp is a best choice while farmed or trawl-caught shrimp from the United States are good alternatives.

BTW, if anyone visits Northern Ca, Monterey Bay Aquarium is spectacular.