INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours

Holeinone

tang, 

Glad you reported in, we all want to know when someone is getting tx, & are home, safe and getting comfy. Rest, water, & eat whatever sounds yummy. 

ONE DOWN !   ))

Enerva

Oh ya it was the same for me, red pee and Newlasta shot the next 24 hours. Hang in there you may have SE even tonight i ll have you in my thoughts. Wish times pass fast. 

big hug 

camillegal

Tang we've been waiting for u---drink is right loads of water, loads and rest whenever u feel like it, just take it easy.

LOVE THE WINE

tangandchris

I'm going to rest now...while the 4 year old is at pop and nana's house! I'll check in with ya'll later

Teka

*Hug*

Smaarty

the arm and back are better. I put a heating pad on my back this morning.  Maybe it just reached a peak. 

Tang, glad the first one done, hoping you have little or no SE. Did any of you have bright emerald green pee after bmx or lmx?

You guys see the newspaper article about mammograms and stopping them? Says no benefits or reduced death rates.

sas-schatzi

Tang Hugs, trying to drink enough water can be tough, but keep it up. As H-I-1 said one down. Oh yeah, long time ago you asked about iron infusion. Don't recollect ever doing it--therefore, clueless. Did you get the answers you need. If not I'll research it. Should be a short search

sas-schatzi

Smarrty, Haven't seen it . YAY.        Hope they substitute MRI. 

Teka

I didn't feel a lump, only pain!

I dread, but will continue to have yearly mammogram ;o)

Smaarty

It sounds more like they want to eliminate any type. This is a little bit of it if you want to research: 

The study, published Tuesday in The British Medical Journal, is one of the few rigorous evaluations of mammograms conducted in the modern era of more effective breast cancer treatments. It randomly assigned Canadian women to have regular mammograms and breast exams by trained nurses or to have breast exams alone.

Researchers sought to determine whether there was any advantage to finding breast cancers when they were too small to feel. The answer was no, the researchers report.

Teka

I only had mammogram, ultrasound, and biopsy!

Enerva

I agree, Mammo was not of used in my case, and so brutal and painful 

camillegal

Mine was stupid I thought, my tumor was on the bottom (one of them) and it was so big it had to be lifted up on the mammo thingy--oh of course I was laughing cuz I knew I needed more than a mamo so why bother.

Teka

The last 2 years when having yearly mammogram, I felt like Techs treated me like a woman just having a routine mammogram.   

Hospital did a survey about the Radiation Department and called to have me explain my feelings.

Head Radiologist wanted to better understand what I was thinking.

Techs seeing so many women for mammograms, act bored & would rather be someplace else than listening to a BC patient.

I think probably a shake-up in how BC patients are now treated.

I'll find out come, May!

Wren44

Mine was found by mammo and would have been in my chest wall before a lump could have been felt. Of course, even the mammo missed the 2nd one. Someone here brought up quality of life. BC found early needs much less drastic treatment and that affects QOL. I'm tired of all the 'we're treating cancers that wouldn't have become a problem' which they're saying about both BC and prostate cancer. Until they can reliably tell the difference, they should shut up.

Teka

I was 60 when Dx , but more & more MUCH younger women are being Dx.   

The doctors are finding this to be very troubling!

*Prevention* 

*Treatment* 

****CURE****

camillegal

Teka u are so right.

Jazzygirl

Hi Insomniacs- my bc was found my annual mammo. Close to the chest wall to and no symptoms. It seems it had been hanging out there a couple years as DCIS on earlier films, and there was never any follow up for additional views or ultrasound. I changed insurance in 2012 which had me going to a different (and more state of the art) breast imaging center. It was there I was told "this has been there since 2009 but no changes, until now." It was right then I knew.

The MRIs done found some DCIS on the other side. No invasive behavior though. The radiologist said "we were surprised to find that there." An important reminder mammos don't find everything. 

I think the year I got diagnosed was the year they started saying there was not a benefit to begin screening at 40. Maybe start later or do less often. There is a lot of debate about when to start and the frequency of mammos  still.

I read the same study that just got published. I think the researchers are learning more about cancer with the advanced genetic testing they are doing now. But no one really knows if it will come back and for whom. They just try to quantify your risk based on your pathology and genetics test. My onctype score was 15, cut in half by talking the AI drugs. 

I was one of those where it was found super early and had less treatment. Double lumpectomy and internal rad on both sides. I will take arimidex for five years. I now go for 6 month follow ups (next one begins tomorrow) that include the bilateral mammo. I will follow that protocol and hope for the best.

Teka

mdnghtdeb3

Tang - Big Warm Hugs! xo

Enerva

lol love that pup 

Chevyboy

luvmygoats

Sassy - I read several reviews that said the study on mammos was seriously flawed. I am always suspicious of a study that would cut back on screenings just when our insurance now mandates they must be paid for (even though it was a Canadian study). Just sounds fishy. I for one would not trade for my screenings and you know how I LOVE my radiologist. If she leaves I may have to follow her (she alternates days in another part of town for another totally diff. employer). Mammo found mine on routine screening - not there the year b4. There is a serious discussion going on on another thread of the lifetime radiation risks of all Xrays and how much lower digital ones are in radiation.

Teka - do you go to a general xray unit (badly worded but hope you get my drift) or specialized breast center? I have had the same tech at least 2x in a row (6 mo apart) and maybe 3 times so I feel well treated. I go to a specialized breast center. She - tech was not pleased with one view "I know you have more axillary clips that this did not catch". Very gentle and I commented had they changed something in 6 months and she said yes. I expected that 3rd one to be the worst and it wasn't. I've smashed lefty worse doing stuff. Hah - try lying on your stomach for a dermatology appt.

Wren - Amen sister. Not till you can prove which ones are lethal. I was terrible, inconsistent with self exams. Who knows when I would have found it. I reread the recall letter not long ago and remember just bebopping on in there that day stupidly assuming it was a cyst they'd recalled me for b4.

Tang - Big hugs. Yay - one down. Hope you are resting well and then get to enjoy some of this warm weather we're having, at least some patio sitting time. I raked old hay out of the goat yard today. Sore and you won't believe this - hot. I've not been hot in months. Actually having a soda which I never have.

camillegal

Teka so cute---

Well Chevy I see u wrote everything that totally in u brain that u know--I'm glad u shared all of that with us.

sas-schatzi

I wrote the below in May 2013:

In 2008, I started through the Elective PMX process because of family history. First visit to the Mo, I gave him a cancer tree. The numbers of cancers on paternal side are staggering. 12 of 21 women: 3 aunts/7first cousins/1 twin/me; 9 BC, 1 uterine, 1 rare ca of lung found on thumb but not in lung, 1 liver; 5 of 12 have died; BC 3 premenopausal and 6post menopausal. Only three tested for Braca-neg. Most were pre-braca test available. If you caught that i was part of the stats, good catch.

After the diagnostic Mammo, I received a NED report, and still have the letter. Next step was a diagnostic MRI. There was a delay from Aug till Dec between the two. There was no imperative b/c of clean mammo. BINGO MRI picked up an IDC. BX Jan 23rd 2009 Grade 2(6), BMX Feb18th Grade 3(8). No sampling error at relook of BX slides. Not even a month and i went from a 6-8. Very aggressive. So, I became a statistic in the family cancer tree. Presumptive, but I maintain I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been on the PMX track.

-----------------------

New: I had studied MRI as opposed to mammo in 2006. It was found to be superior. I asked for a MRI that year and was refused. Only add it here b/c the superiority of MRI plus the reduction in exposure to radiation has been known since 2004 when the National Radiology something or other published their new practice guidlines. But little was done to let the public know there was a two reasons that MRI was better than a mammo.

sas-schatzi

LMG we posted essentially at the same time. The research on radiation exposure is starting to build up.  One statement in the new Clinical practice Guidelines of 2004 was that one CT scan was the equivalent of 200 chest xrays. It encouraged that reconsideration be given to how often CT were done.

Forget Mammo recommendations other than the statement that MRI was superior and there was a reduction in radiation.

I have finally seen a move to reduce radiation exposure in the last two years. that would be about 2012. Guidelines were published in 2004. It took 8 years.

I'm with you, hate it when bad studies get national press.

To all: Whenever a test involving radiation is suggested, ask if a test that doesn't use radiation is available that will accomplish the same purpose. Been doing that for 2-3 years, it's worked, not always, but got some changes.

Smaarty

when I read these reports it just makes me mad! Have I gone through all this crap for nothing? If I was to wait, which is what some are recommending now, then how long? Until I'm a lot older, until it becomes invasive? Not good choices.  Oh, it's done now but it still pisses me off! I wish they could get the story right but that's still years away.

Enerva

I am with you Smarty  

Chevy this is what i made today  

camillegal

Enerva just today? OMG all the presents u can make, they are so pretty.

sas-schatzi

Enerva---sweetie start your selling, you need money LOL They're beautiful