Has anyone started a Dec 2011 group?

Mardibra

Had my port removed today. Taking my daily tamoxifen and trying to forget about cancer!

markat

Awesome Mardibra!!



I have my exchange surgery Monday. I'm just a little nervous.



Other than that, just trying to get rid of this ridiculous belly fat. I think it's worse with the tamoxifen. I just seem bloated.

Kelloggs

Mardibra - congrats on being de-ported!

Markat - good luck on your surgery Monday!  I know what you mean about the belly fat....I have the same problem.  It is so frustrating!

Tskaiser75

I bet you are liking the new onc. Congrats!

rachelvk

Julie - Well I'm glad they cleared that up. It's a shame you had to face all that confusion. Sorry you have to go through rads, but I've heard it's not nearly as bad as chemo. You can do it.

Mardibra - Yeah for losing the port! That does make a huge difference in being able to move beyond cancer-world.

Markat - Good luck with your exchange. I'm sure you'll breeze through it. Have you had a good talk with your PS about size? Really make sure you tell him/her exactly what you want. I'm sure you've found some of the other threads (exchange city, implant sizing 101). There's a lot of great info on those. And make sure to get guidelines about movement, lifting, etc. Everyone seemed to have different rules.

Yes, the belly fat is annoying. I really need to exercise.

Feeling good overall. I moved into a new apartment this past weekend and love it. It's a great way to get a new start! Had my MO follow-up and all seems well. I had an u/s as part of my ovarian surveillance and need another scan to check up on what seems to be a polyp (we found it in December), but hopefully it's nothing. Seems like it never ends. Hope everyone is having a great summer. It does feel good to be past all of this.

I met up last weekend with women from the December T/C thread, and we were all reassured when we saw that we all got out of our chairs like senior citizens - slowly, with the first few steps very tentatively. That still is a lingering effect. Just in case any of you still noticed that - it's not just you! 

seacretgardn

Hi Ladies, it's been a while since I've visited but you are all always in my thoughts and prayers. 

I finished radiation almost 2 weeks ago and started tamoxifen last week.  Still pretty tired from radiation and I guess that feeling of being done with treatment other than the tamox, while happy about it, leaves me also feeling on my own. 

Does anyone have any advice about what time they take the tamoxifen?  I suddenly don't sleep at night and wonder whether it's the timing of the drug? 

I was also going to ask the onc about splitting the dose. 

I was also wondering what to do about the port.  I most likely won't have exchange surgery for 6 months, and don't know if I should leave it in or not for that length of time. 

Still wearing hats with hair or just hats and waiting for the top of my head to fill in. 

Otherwise doing better with working and balancing life in general. 

I hope you are all doing well, and enjoying the summer and family, friends and life. 

Love to you all, Laura

I hope everyone is

Whatashocker3

Laura, I take my tamoxifen in the morning. Figured the side effects should be almost over by the time I go to bed. I don't get many se's just hot flashes and night sweats. Also if I was totally honest it kinda effects your day to day mood changes.



Nice to hear from you and congrats on finishing rads.

Kelloggs

Laura - congrats on finishing.  It is a scary feeling but try to embrace it!  I have been on tamoxifen since May 1st.  I started taking it at night but had terrible hot flashes at night that kept me up.  I now take it before noon each day and that has helped with the flashes, but I still don't sleep well.  I hope you have a different experience.  Other than that I have no se's.

Mardibra

I started taking it in the morning but the night hot flashes were horrible....couldn't sleep. Since I switched to taking it at night, I'm sleeping like a baby.

markat

Laura, great to hear from you! I take one in the morning and one at night.



My exchange went great. So much better than I thought. Thanks for the tips Rachel. I had to go with the biggest implants because of my frame and weight.

Whatashocker3

Markat, glad to hear your exchange went well. Another item you can cross of your list. With some of these things done an over with perhaps one could look ahead to brighter things.



I went with a mastectomy without reconstruction as I don't think immediate reconstruction happens to often in Canada. Not sure what I will do in the future. I know I hate putting on that damn bra with the prosthesis but once I have it on I soon forget it.

Mardibra

Im with you whata, I am not having reconstruction until January and putting on that prosthesis every day sucks.  I want my old self back (minus the BC)!  Of course the prosthesis isnt an exact match to my right side so I have to be clever with what I wear.  Lots of prints and nothing fitted.  sigh.

rachelvk

Laura - Glad to hear you're finally through all that. We are all in that scary place, with treatment being over. But you've got the Tamoxifen on your side, as well. I hope you have minimal SEs. As for the port, unless your MO has anything else in mind, I'd ask to get it out. I can't say I've been happy with the way my port site is healing; I feel like there's a lot of scar tissue. The sooner it's removed, the quicker you can get back to healing. And it's a huge step mentally - you no longer have that physical reminder of what you've dealt with and you can start getting back to your life.

Market - Glad the exchange went well. I hope the size is working out well for you. How are you feeling otherwise? 

Mardibra and Whata - I'm sorry you have those daily reminders of what you've lost, at least for the time being. To be honest, even with reconstruction, I don't see myself ever completely forgetting or getting used to it. My right arm constantly feels like it's bumping into a grapefruit when I hold it next to my side, and I still occasionally feel like I have suction cups stuck on me. Not as bad as the TEs, but I expected things to be much less noticeable. And all I want to do is be able to sleep on my stomach without worrying that I'll squash something, and and not feel like I'm on two tennis balls. 

Having the new apartment at least gives me a real feeling of a new start. Still occasionally dealing with the 'dark places' of post-BC worries, but in little ways, I'm finding my life reaching some form of normalcy; different, but not always cancer-centric. 

markat

Rachel I'm feeling pretty good. My kids keep me busy and happy, adults make me cranky and tick me off. I'm so sick of people staring at my chest and commenting on my hair. I'm so sick of mastectomy and reconstruction being compared to a boob job. Some people in my life think they are funny or supportive, when really they are just rude and crass. I guess if I didn't want the comments then I should still wear my wig, but it's just been so hot. Maybe I'm just surrounded by jerks lol.



Sorry for the rant



I'm still getting herceptin so it feels like I'm still in active treatment. It makes me achey and tired. My muga numbers have gone down a little, but nothing alarming yet.



Thanks for the support through all this ladies! Don't know what I would have done without you!

Kelloggs

Hello ladies!  I hope everyone had a good weekend.  Mine started out good but ended with me getting my first chest and head cold since this whole thing started.  I guess I should be happy that it waited until I was no longer doing chemo.  I actually called off work yesterday, which I never do.  Feeling a little bit better today but could have used another day off.

markat

Hope you feel better Kelly!



Sorry about my rant above. Maybe I've finally hit that emotional wall:) Can I blame the Tamoxifen?

Kelloggs

markat - thank you and no apologies needed. Rants are welcome here!

naan1004

Had rads 3/36, only 33 more to go, whoopee! So far so good, just a little sore at the scar sight, otherwise no real SE's yet.

Mardibra

Strange....got my first head old this past weekend too! Nothing worse than a summer cold.

markat

Kelly, I live in southern Ohio and allergies have been horrible lately. Not sure if you guys up north have the same sinus/allergy issues, but my head feels like it's in a bubble.



Naan glad your rads are going good.



Mardibra hope your cold is better. Have you started your coffee ban yet for your DIEP? I would lose my mind! Or what's left of it

Kelloggs

Mardibra - I hope yours is short-lived like mine.  I feel much better, and yes...summer colds do suck!

Markat - my DD and stepkids have allergies and they have seemed much worse this year.  What part of southern Ohio?  I got accepted for the Casting for Recovery in September and it's in Walhonding...never heard of it!  I am looking forward to it though, should be alot of fun!

I had my follow up with my BS today.  My first mammogram post dx was good....just scar tissue and changes from radiation.  Got felt up pretty good during my exam and got the thumbs up.  What a relief!

Mardibra

My coffee ban starts after labor day. I needed to be able to enjoy my summer without thinking about cancer. Part of an enjoyable summer for me is drinking huge amounts of ice coffee! Love the stuff! Cold is much better. I've been at the Maryland shore for the past week so recuperating on the beach has been nice! PS appointment next week...I'm going to ask about the 6 month caffeine ban. Feels excessive.

markat

Kelly I'm near Cincinnati. I've never heard of Walhonding either! I googled and it looks central/east. That will be fun! Awesome about your mammo.



Mardi, it seems like other ladies only have to quit for a couple months. I could understand nicotine, but I'm no expert.

markat

How's everyone doing?

Mardibra

Doing good here. Just had my first mammo since this whole mess started and thankfully it was fine. Waiting for my hair to get to a length where I feel comfortable going to work without the wig. Just not there yet. I'm such a wimp!



How have you been Markat?

markat

I'm doing okay. Having some stupid pain issues that my MO is attributing to the Tamoxifen. We might have to start thinking about fibromyalgia after I'm finished with herceptin. It's too wide spread to be nervous about cancer...I hope: ) My hair is growing in wavy in the back.



I read on another thread that Rachel was having some problems with a cough...so I hope you're doing okay Rachel!



Mardibra glad to hear the mammo was good! I haven't worn my wig in months, but I don't work right now. If I did, I'd probably still have it on.

Mardibra

I'm having strange pain in my right foot which I'm attributing to tamoxifen. My hair is crazy curly in the back but only from the ears down (wtf?). But, I won't complain too much...at least it's hair.



Hope your ok Rachel.

rachelvk

Thanks, ladies. I had a chest xray and lower back xray this morning. Hoping for the best. The black space of my mind really s#cks. I've had this cough since May, and the doctors have said my chest sounds fine, but I'd rather check things out rather than wait, just in case. I'll let you know.

Otherwise, my hair is coming back really nice and thick, with those 'chemocurls' in the back. Always good to hear from everyone. If you're ever in the NY/PA region, please let me know. 

markat

Rachel let us know how it turns out. Hopefully it's just reflux or something like that!

naan1004

Doing good here too, having rads #20 on Mon, only 16 more to go after Mon, woohoo! Skin is holding up ok so far, just have a nice tanned look in my right pit area.