Starting Chemo March 2015

Jackbirdie

Shaz- right backatcha. I don't know of a single thing in the world that can feel so good far 8 cents : for a minute to hear the voice ofa good friend.

pboi

Thanks for the support everyone, it really helps!

Hugs to you too Amy! It must be so hard to be away from DD now. Hoping the break is not too serious and she heals and recovers quickly.

PB

Meme117

Thanks Katy for your pre- surgery thoughts. I just showered with the special soap - what is in this soap anyway??? I'm not packing a bag, positive thinking I'll be home later tomorrow, 9:30 surgery. My mom is dropping off food and my husband is taking me. Nervous about the nodes and then will have anxiety for a week waiting for results. Fingers crossed.

Amy sorry to hear about your daughter, glad she has family to spoil her. How did she break it? Have yet to have to deal with that and my son is 14, knock n wood.

PB so sorry about the situation,totally sucks - hugs to you💓

E- great to have buddies to check in with. I've been researching gyms, looking forward to getting in a routine.

Wouldn't it be great if we all could walk, bike, hike together?

shaz101

thinking of you maryellen. Xxx

avmom

Good morning, all. I'm back after a month away at the lake. Here's a pic taken out the window of the cottage:

I've been reading posts from the last month or so, since we got home. Lots going on here. I'm so glad for those doing well, but my heart aches for those struggling. I'm looking forward to reconnecting to everyone here.

Like Katy, I'm being "deported" today. My port removal surgery is scheduled for 12:30, and my DS will be driving me. I haven't had a lot of trouble with my my port, but it's never been really comfortable, and I'll be glad to see it gone. Be well, everyone

Trvler

Nice to 'see' you, Avmom! Happy deportation to you and Katy!

BTW, does it take time to recover from deportation like it does installation? We are thinking of taking a little road trip right after and I don't have any idea what to expect.

avmom

Hi Allison. The lake was lovely, but it is nice to get back. After getting my port out today, I meet with my reconstructive surgeon next week, to schedule surgery (probably in early September).

From what I understand, taking the port out is a very minor procedure that takes only a few minutes. However, since they do use sedation, you shouldn't drive for 24 hours. I'll let you know, but my guess is that it will be a bit uncomfortable for a day or two.

ksusan

Depends how the port is removed. Mine was out with a local in the surgeon's office--no sedation. However, you don't want to drive with fresh stitches or glue.

Trvler

I wouldn't be driving. But I don't want to be in a lot of pain.

Jackbirdie

Allison, I'll let you know. It's tomorrow for me. I begged the surgeon to knock me out, jonesing for anasthesia, haha. But he said they don't do it that way, (" oh, you'll be fine") <a-hole>, so I'm going the route of ksusan. I am really sick of hurting. But I want it out. I expect it won't be too bad after they shoot me with lidocaine. It's after the lidocaine wears off that I'm worried about.

avmom

I'll let you know about pain levels after my port is gone later today, but as I remember, it wasn't too bad even when it went in. I was lucky in that I had some discomfort, and a weird feeling at my throat for a while, but it wasn't that painful. I think the pain was managed with OTC meds

Jackbirdie

nice to have you back Avmom! The cabin trip sounded lovely and restful. Good luck today!

slothabouttown

Maryellen, thinking of you today, be strong through surgery and everyone here will help get you through the anxious waiting game next week!

eheinrich

Good luck being deported, Katy & av! Who thought that would ever be a thing to say?

Maryellen - we will all be sending you so much love and energy tomorrow

pboi

Thinking positive thoughts for you today Maryellen! Hoping surgery is uneventful and you have a quick recovery.

Good luck with the deportation today Avmom!

PB

ninjamary

Katy, I'm the same as you. Port taken out at BS office. No meds and drive yourself home. I asked if I could take the damn thing home and burn it, but alas that's a no-no.

I am getting Latissee prescription while I'm there if possible. My MO nurse said I didn't need that as my eyelashes will grow back in time. Well I don't feel like waiting for them to grow back and for just a bit I'd like thick eyelashes. I don't know why MO have to be such a pain. Anytime I want something or have a complaint I get a "suck it up" attitude and we know better. It's weird how my BS is so awesome and the MO is so blah.

slothabouttown

my BS was awesome too! My MO, same as yours....a bad listener and general attitude of "meh" and I am not a complainer or difficult patient! RO wins the prize though since on more than one occasion during my weekly check in appointment he said (out loud) that he had me confused with another patient. When you've just come up from RADIATION BEING SHOT INTO YOUR BODY the last thing you want to hear is that your doctor doesn't know which patient you are. Thankfully the techs are the ones behind the Ray gun and they seemed to have pretty good facial recognition skills.

Katy, I had flu like aches and joint pain my first week on tamoxifen. I was worried it might be a new normal but those SEs went away and now I feel pretty good. I have had trouble sleeping since this whole thing started so I'm not sure what to attribute that to. The exercise has been the best thing I've tried for helping to calm body and mind. My fitbit tells me I have about 15 "periods of restlessness" during my sleep hours. I'd say about half of those are head sweat episodes, the other half more like anxiety stuff.

Jackbirdie

Sloth- good to know.... In an article here on bco

http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/hormonal/ser...

It seemed to indicate that women with more hot flashes or sweats had better rates of (non) recurrence? Did I read that right? If so, first sign of a positive SE, har.

ksusan

Katy, it hurt much more after going in than after coming out. I popped a preemptive Tramadol on the way home (I wasn't driving) but pretty sure I didn't need it!

ninjamary

Katy - omg...that means I will never get cancer again. I had my daughter touch my head yesterday when a head sweat happened and she said "that's HOT and you have sweat all over your forehead". I'll take sweating over cancer any day of the week!

molly1976

I've read that it's 50/50 as far as studies that show worse side effects lead to better results with Tamoxifen. It doesn't seem like there's a clear answer either way. I'm going on 3 weeks now and so far haven't noticed much at all. I do seem to have stronger emotional reactions to things, but it's manageable.

greenae

ninja

I got my eye doc, (who had head and neck ca at age 34) to give me Latisse. My MO wouldn't. I used it on my brows and lashes, and brows back in 3 weeks and lashes on the way. They both fell out out 6 weeks PFC, the week of my recon surgery. The nerve! Lol

Good luck with the rx, and use a thin eyeliner brush and wash after each use. The brushes that come with Latisse are useless.

Hugs!

Arlene

ninjamary

Arlene

Thanks! I was going to use on my eyebrows too. I'm still perplexed why MO's have to be so stingy when it comes to things like this. After all we've been through to deny a simple prescription that can make you feel better/prettier/more your old self...it makes no sense. I'm willing to pay for the stuff out of pocket too. My biggest fear is that my BS is going to tell me to go to my MO for that...which I have a sneaky suspicion is going to happen. I used to wear contacts and now I don't because of the lack of eyelashes (dirt) I guess I'll have to make an eye appt now if my MO is a jerk.

Trvler

I know. I was thinking of asking my MO for it, too, but I figured she would be a pain about it, too.

SpecialK

Keep in mind that Latisse is out of the wheelhouse for most oncologists - it is not a med they prescribe because it is a glaucoma (thus the eye doc) and cosmetic (plastic surgery) drug. Some med-spas will sell it also. It is also thought to inhibit healing in some patients so oncologists may not prescribe because some may feel reservations so close to chemo.

Trvler

Got it, Special. I might wait. Do you have any idea how long after chemo is done it is good to wait? You are always so informative.

Wait, healing from chemo?

SpecialK

trvler - yes, healing from chemo and/or surgery - my PS won't let anyone use Latisse before or after surgery. I have not used Latisse myself because I have very light blue eyes and don't want to risk any eye darkening. You might approach the docs at NOLA for some Latisse since they are plastic surgeons and ask them about the timing - they might not want you on it close to the time of surgery, or they may have no problem with it at all.

wpmoon

My MO gave me an rx for Lumigan (another drug that works the same way Latisse does, it just doesn't come with the brushes), without any hesitation. But he's younger, so maybe more understanding about the desire to look like 'me' again? I dunno. Brows and lashes are coming back in, and for the most part I'm brave enough to go outside without filling in my brows anymore.

Trvler

My brows are easy to draw since they are light but it is bugging me that my lashes are gone. I might get some fakes.

neverthought

Avmom - that lake looks beautiful. Don't know if I could tear myself away!

Took me a while till it finally dawned on me what deportation meant. Sometimes I'm just dumb as dirt.

Two months after last treatment and finally went to the eye doctor for blurred vision. Outcome is that my prescription changed a great deal and need new glasses. Is it too soon, should I wait longer to see if changes resolve on their own?

And need cataract surgery sometimes in next year or so, but I knew that was coming. Always in denial about things I don't want to do: crowns, root canals, eye surgery, colonoscopy, MRIs. Surprising that I ever went to get a mammogram at all.

Thinking of everyone who has way bigger problems than needing new glasses and praying for everyone every day.