Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

PontiacPeggy

Molly, hope your Christmas was filled with love and joy. I did miss you. Look forward and stay as positive as you can!

Octogirl, hope you had a great Christmas, too.!

HUGS to all my ladies!

Molly50

Marijen, I have at least two more surgeries to go. One for recon on the left and my prophy mx on the right and then later for recon on the right. Right now all I am doing for tx is taking Anastrozole.

PontiacPeggy

Molly, you are one tough cookie!

HUGS!

marijen

And Molly, That's the Truth! : )

octogirl

Definitely need to get to LA area and meet for coffee, Molly! But this holiday the kids and grandkids all came to me! Daughter and SIL and grands are coming back into town today, as a matter of fact, after spending a few days skiing at Tahoe. (breaks up their drive home, and I get to see them!). I really love it when they come to me,(DS has been here also, visiting from the East Coast) even though it feels like I've spent most of the past few weeks cooking :-)

Hugs

Octogirl

keepwalking

MJP - Hooray that you are at your last chemo!!! Sorry that you still have to endure the last one, and the sleeplessness from the steroids sounds brutal, but you are at the finish line so you can do it! I'm glad that you will have help.

Peggy - Thanks. I do feel a bit out of place having tamoxifen post-menopausal, but I have osteoporosis so the thought is to do it for 2 - 2.5 years to increase bone density and then switch to AI. We will see what is up with this bump in the road and what needs to be done. It has been so long since I have had to deal with anything gynecological - what a pain (literally!).

Molly - Thanks. I understand about having to take those breaks from anything BC. I hope yours was restorative. Ugh on the upcoming surgeries. I concur with Peggy and Marijen - you are steel!

Octogirl - That sounds wonderful that you had your family visiting! What a joy!

Brightsocks

After my lumpectomy I am not sure what is the next step will be for me if I am doing chemo or not? If I go into radiation next I am wondering what is that like? I have two young kids and we are busy. How tired does one feel? What kind of radiation treatment did everyone have?

LoveMyVizsla

Oh so jealous of those who are finishing chemo! Congrats to you!

I get my port installed next week and dreading it. My treatments will be extended due to existing neutropenia. *sigh

mustlovepoodles

Ugh. I had an allergic reaction to the anti-nausea drug, Emend. They had to give me a second dose of steroids, more benedryl, and an antihistamine IV. Good lord, I'll be awake until New Years. Hopefully I can be productive in my work, though.

mustlovepoodles

Vizla, I thought that of all the things I've gone through, the port placement was the least of them. Mine was done with propofol sedation so I didn't feel a thing. And I think they gave me something for anxiety prior. Anyway, it was sore for about a week, probably because it was used the very next day, so it didn't have time to really heal. But I don't even notice now and I've had it for 3 months. Hope yours goes well, too.

PontiacPeggy

BrightSocks, I found radiation virtually a breeze. I had 33 total treatments, 7 of which were boosts (targeted right to where my tumor was). Most of us experience fatigue. I went into everything BC totally exhausted since I was caring for DH 24/7 without break and had been for 4 years. My first break was when my sons came in and stayed while I had surgery. I actually got to sleep all night. DH had Parkinson's and was up 5, 6 and even 7 times during the night to go to the bathroom. And that meant I had to help him get out of bed, walk to the bathroom, help him sit down and then do it all to get him back in bed. He had surgery 10 days after I started my rads and got pneumonia. It was touch and go and he spent 3 weeks in the hospital. My radiation facility was right on the hospital grounds so I'd be up with DH at the hospital, drive over (since it was a long walk and I was still exhausted), have my treatment (which generally took 15 minutes except the days when I'd see the RO, then it was longer), and go back to the hospital. I actually didn't notice any increase in fatigue but I was so tired anyway that a bit more wouldn't have made any difference. Most women have no trouble working and doing rads. You might tire more easily but you usually aren't wiped out. BC does that all on its own.

Prior to actually starting to radiation, you will have a simulation. They will make sure you can lay down with your arms above your head, map the best position for you. I had 3 teeny tattoos done at that time. My tats are just below the bottom of where my bra hits. One in the middle of my chest, and one on each side, so spanning about 180°. They don't hurt. But I got to brag to my son who has several tattoos that now I matched him. Some women are apprehensive about rads, I wasn't. It was another thing I could do to make sure the cancer doesn't come back.

If you haven't read Dr Susan Love's Breast Book, you should. It explains everything you need to know about breast cancer and treatments. It is honest and is a big help when you are trying to understand all the treatments, what you REALLY have, etc. Hopefully, you'll be able to read it - worthwhile.

HUGS!!

ChiSandy

Brit, I noticed in your profile that you’re starting chemo today. You are in my thoughts and prayers--you are definitely sufficiently “badass” to kick chemo’s butt. May you sail through it with a minimum of side effects.

Poodles, I hear you about the anti-emetic allergy. I had bronchitis that evolved into pneumonia once, and because I am penicillin-allergic was given sulfa. Woke in the middle of the night spiking a 104F fever, red as a lobster, itching like crazy. DH rushed me to the HMO’s center (which was already open), where I spent the better part of the next day hooked up to a Benadryl drip. Since then I’ve also developed a Cipro (actually, all the quinolones, aka “floxins”) allergy. Between those three and incipient LE, I now sport a charm bracelet that isn’t exactly a fashion statement.

Speaking of LE, my surgeon’s office still isn’t convinced the Super-Boob is anything more than radiation aggravating the surgical seroma, but they’re taking the forearm soreness seriously. As a result, I have an appt. next Tues. with the city’s top LE specialist. Still waiting on the dermo for the flareup of my facial sebo-psoriasis (too scaly to be rosacea). As to my cold, it’s now gone to my chest and larynx (as all my colds seem to do). I still have a bit over 2 octaves, but it’s weak with register-flips (and seems to be starting way down in the tenor range). And if you put a keyboard on my arm, you could play “Lady of Spain” on my lungs. Fortunately, I rarely get a cold more than once every year and a half or so.

PontiacPeggy

Poodles, damn! Had you had Emend before with no problems? Just think how productive you can be since you won't be sleeping for several days Of course, you will be a tad tired when you finally do manage to sleep. Just glad you are DONE!!! Take care of yourself. HUGS!!! And more HUGS!!!

HUGS!

PontiacPeggy

ChiSandy, like you I carry a boatload of antibiotic allergies. Before surgery on my ureter 25 years ago, I was given a prescription for Cipro. I asked the pharmacist about it since I'm so very allergic. No problem. No one is allergic to it. Right. It burned me from the inside out and I peeled layers of skin off for 3 weeks, living on an antihistamine they no longer make. Cute. Of course, the antibiotics that I can take, tetracycline (no longer made) and doxycycline are really expensive. In less than 2 years the latter went from being free to $50 for a 2 week course. Reminds me of that hedge jerk who raised prices on the HIV drug 5000%. End rant.

I'm sorry you're sick. I hope you get better soon. Has to be frustrating for you to have your voice affected.

HUGS!

ChiSandy

Thanks, Peggy. At least my fever has turned a corner and I have no gigs coming up till Feb. (though I had been planning to sit in with a houseguest from NOLA a week from Sat.).

Penicillin and Cipro gave me micropapular rashes (like prickly heat) on the insides of my forearms by about day 7-10 the last couple of days I was given a re-trial of it (under close medical supervision, Epi-Pen in hand). I can still take Keflex, Zithromax (although my heart does get a bit fluttery on it), Clindamycin, Cleocin, Erythromycin, Gentamycin, Vancomycin, and (ugh) Flagyl. I’m trying to ride this chest cold out without antibiotics, hoping that even if it’s bacterial it’ll be self-limiting. Don’t want to contribute to the proliferation of superbugs, nor do I want to chance developing yet another allergy.

PontiacPeggy

ChiSandy, that's always a worry that you won't be able to take a drug if you get a superbug. You do have quite a few antibiotics you can take - that's good. Glad that your fever is abating and that you are gig-free for a couple months - you can get really well. Have fun with your friend from NOLA!

HUGS!!

Molly50

MLP, huge hugs! ChiSandy, prayers for healing sans abx. Brit, best wishes and prayers for your chemo tx.

Sloan15

So, I start my Tamoxifen tonight -- once in the AM and once in the PM. The PA said to give it 6 weeks for my body to get used to it. I was already perimenopausal going into chemo with occasional hot flashes, but the chemo threw me into menopause. I get hot flashes at night (not really night sweats), and I"m not sleeping well. So, the PA recommended 5mg of melatonin 4 hourse before bedtime. I also REALLY want to stay out of the Bottle o' Tamoxifen thread for a while so I don't get extra grumpy about side effects and start to become a complainer... I have a feeling this is going to be hard enough on my DH. Haha, poor guy. He kept a straight face when the PA talked about mood swings. Some of you said your meds were not too bad, and that is soooo hopeful!!

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, I can't speak to tamoxifen, just Arimidex. I've had no problems. Of course, menopause was 25 years ago. Just keep in mind that most people don't have SEs (thus don't post much) and those that often post do have SEs and they need help. Same with Arimidex. Hopefully it will be smooth sailing for your moods and poor DH

HUGS!

Sloan15

Molly and Octogirl - we need to have a California get-together when we can see this segment of our lives in the rear-view mirror!

Happy Hammer - How are you feeling this afternoon? We're all sending hugs and good vibes your way.

Poodles - Oh no! But you're done now, right?

ChiSandy - I wanted to give you encouragement with the LE. I struggled with the pain in the arm and forearm, and was prescribed a sleeve and gauntlet. I was Stage O and then my arm did swell a little bit for a while. But, I was really good about going to the PT and wearing my sleeve. It's pretty much under control now, and I wear the sleeve only when I exercise or when my arm starts to hurt. Good luck to you. I hope it starts feeling better soon!

Sloan15

Thanks Peggy! You are our rock!

marijen

Surgeon says: macromets are any cancer area larger than 2mm, mine was 3mm so therefore, I had macromets as opposed to micromets, in my one lymph node. He says the good news is Femara/Letrozole working for me and that 3mm was small and that is the good news for future survival. Radiation next. I asked how to know if Femara stops working and he said recurrence - i.e. a new lump. What fun. But I think there is a new test to see if Femara still working.

queenmomcat

Marijen: hoping no more lumps!

Sloan: I promise nothing--we all metabolize drugs differently and react to drugs differently--but I didn't particularly notice any side effects. Just pre-treatment nerves like whoah.

PontiacPeggy

Sloan, you're welcome!

Marijen, that's what both my MO and RO said when I asked how I'd know if the rads and Arimidex were working. I really don't think about it. Head in sand? Could be. But there's not much use in worrying about what's going to happen down the road. We're doing all we can to prevent BC from coming back and that's all any of us can do. So think positive is my motto.

HUGS!!

Molly50

Marjien, I am so glad Femara is working for you. I think the key is "constant vigilance" (lol sorry for my Harry Potter reference) and avoiding complete paranoia while we are being vigilant. How's that for crazy making.

marijen

Peg, Don't worry, be happy! Yes I do think positive. But I still think there's a new test and I also read it's that stopping for six week about 8-10 months, helps keep it working. I see BS ordered a scan for a year from now, that's good, better than looking for lumps and other symptoms

PontiacPeggy

Marijen, trite but mostly I do see things on the positive side and try not to fret about things I can't control (of course, I don't always succeed). I hadn't heard about that test. If you find a link to it, please post it!

HUGS!

marijen

Here's the stopping one

http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/68/12/4518

going to look for the test one.....

marijen

Here's the test Peg, Nov 2015

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151111170739.htm

PontiacPeggy

Marijen, thanks for the articles. The one on the blood test is quite promising. Hope it pans out and can be used for all of us! Since I'm not taking Femara that doesn't really pertain to me right now but obviously it would to you.

HUGS!