MARCH 2010 Rads Group

Thanks for the info, Linda!

Mine was also found on my annual mammogram. I was 49 and had been having mammograms every year since I was 40. It did not show up on my previous year's mammogram, and even after I knew where my cancer was located, I could not feel a lump. 

Thank goodness for my annual mammogram. I don't regret having them every year at all.

Mary 

Just back from the oncologist.  More Tamoxifen delays.  She wants to make sure that the funky breathing is asthma and not Zap related.  So tomorrow I get another CAT scan and Monday I get a pulmonary function test [after I meet with the Zap doctor for my 1 month check-up] and the next week I meet with the pulmonary specialist and THEN I go back to the oncologist.  It was going to be a chest xray but because I was supposed to get a CAT scan to check out the spot in my lung that they found in the December CAT scan when they were trying to decide if I was a 3-fer [breast cancer, liver cancer & thyroid cancer], she decided to do both now.  She said they would get more info off the CAT scan and since I needed it anyway, why not ditch one load of zapping.

All of which sounds great except then the pulmonary doctors office called back to say I needed a chest xray before I see him.  Even the oncologist's assistant thought that was stupid since they would have so much info from the CAT scan so she said she would get the oncologist to call and straighten them out.

Okay then in other words what we are saying is that after a brief delightful [delightful other than the 2d degree boobie burns] 3 week period of No Doctors and No Appointments, the appointments and doctors are back in spades.  I am going to hold off telling my husband as best I can not because he is unsupportive but because I just don't want him to worry when he is so far away.  I know in the end it will all be nothing--allergies and plain bronchitis--so why stress him more?   Stressing him will only stress me and that I have an ample supply of already.

In the meanwhile, I am going to get back to my cushion and meditation and next Saturday I am going to a one day mom's retreat and my mother-in-law arrives to help out with kids and house tomorrow.  yippee!

I will update tomorrow--sorry for the venting but this is really my best place to vent as much of my facebook "friends" don't even know about the breast cancer and my husband has access to the blog. .  ..

Sugar's right, monstmama. We have to vent somewhere. I've found that I have a hard time telling people about my diagnosis. My close friends know the ins and outs, and a bunch of people in our community found out, but I remain pretty tight lipped (and stoic!) about it in general.  So, please, vent away!  We all understand here. It's all about life, and the quality of the life we're living, really... I don't say a WORD on FB. It's way too personal for me to put out there to the entire community of people I know on that site.

Congrats, Mary!!

Hi all you Raddies! I was diagnosed with Triple Neg. (TN) stage 3 8/25/09.   I started my radiation therapy on April  after I had finished my Chemo and Mastectomy..  I just finished my 5th  week, 2 more to go.  My chest is a nice deep red, my Radiologist LOVES the color of it, says it means it is working.  Very itchy.  Skin starting to peel off.  The first 5 weeks, they concentrated on the drain area, and the area of the cancer.  Now, in addition, they will concentrate on the scar.  I was lucky with chemo, tolerated it extremely well according to my oncologist, didn't throw up once!!!  Rad. is OK also, consideraing the alternative.  I will do everything I can to be around when my G-kids graduate Highschool.  Of course, I have the strength of God along side of me.

I'm finally back home after 4 weeks of back-to-back trips!  Yippee!  And have my first post-rad checkup today.  I'm a little nervous even though I know that all the dr will do is look at my skin and tell me I'm doing great (which was pretty much all she did when I was going through rads).  Now that I'm home, I'm so worn down.. is it mental? is it just too much work? is it that cursed cottonwood that I am also allergic to (rain & long days in seattle are the perfect mix for way too much pollen in the air)? or is it long-term effects from the rads?  

And I've completely stopped exercising.. so if I tell you all that I'm going to go to a yoga class today and will try to run tomorrow will you all hold me to it?

Congrats Mary & Marianna on the all-clear exams!  And Jenn, I am hoping that your lungs have reacted to allergies since your immune system is probably a little low at this point -- this is one of the worst years for pollen.  And although I'll probably keep getting mamograms, I agree with you about too much radiation, Raili -- I have a dentist appointment next month, and there's no way I'm going to get my teeth x-rayed.  And someone mentioned having to get a new perscription for glasses.. my eyesight has gone to crap over the last few months -- maybe this is reaching a little far, but could radiation or stress impact (already slowly) aging eyesight?  Drats, I need to make yet another appointment for that. 

 - Andrea

Hello ladies hope all is well with everyone!  Summer is upon us and I am hoping it is going to be a great one for all of us as we all deserve it!

I had my mammo and after many stressful callbacks to do more films, supposedly I am all clear I don't feel the HIGH yet!  Will I?  I expected to go outta there so extremely happy and celebrate being "cancer free" but I am not sure if it was all the tension they created as they told me there was an area of concern but they believe it is from the many surgeries I had.  I think if they told me all was clear on the 1st time I might be happier.  Has anyone else felt like this?  After radiation was done I was on cloud nine forever and could not get the smile off my face.  Is it going to be like this every 6 months or every time I go in for these damn mammos.....I have been trying so hard to resume to normalcy as I tend to be a stress eater and I really need to get myself under control.  I have lost 9 lbs so far and I don't want to blow it with being stressed out again and worrying about every little thing!  Just hope that my feeling are normal and I just wanted to share my so called happy news with you lovely ladies.......well I hope you are all well and look forward to keeping in touch, take care June.

Hi All!

I saw my rad onc yesterday for a check up.  All is good with the radiated skin - he said I am lightly tanned and healing very well.  He mentioned that I have some excess fluid but that will eventually go away.  He said he could see the marks/indentation from my prosthesis and where the fluid is being pushed to the sides.  Nothing to worry about though.

He is very knowledgeable (works out of the Cancer Agency) and so I talked to him about my upcoming ooph.  He agreed that it might be unnecessary if my ovaries are not functioning and since I am already on Tamoxifen I should discuss this with my Ob/gyn when I have my pre-surgical appt on June 22.

I asked him what I could do to help make my decision and he said I needed to have blood work.  So he ordered some and I went this morning.  The lab is sending me the results as well as my OB/Gyn and Med Onc.

He told me that there is a study going on now where women who have been dx with BC and have an ooph within a year are being followed and compared to those that don't have the ooph to see if there is any benefit. But the results will not be in for 10 years.

He did tell me that most women who are PR + regardless of pre- or post-menopause are being prescribed Tamoxifen now.  And that if I had my ooph chances are I would end up back on Tamoxifen.

I know that this is a Radiation thread but I thought I would post this info here because if you are seeing your rad onc for a follow up and you have questions don't hesitate to ask him for his opinion/view point.

Happy healing to all!

Marie

hi Zap Sisters!

got blood work results back from oncologist and it would appear that I am post-menopausal.  News to me!  I wouldn't have noticed because i had this mega hysterectomy 5 years back so no particular signs of decline.  Anyrate, the question being are any of you in the same place and are you still doing tamox or were you given something else?

My appointment with the oncologist isn't until next wednesday and I hate the mystery!  I suppose I could call but I don't feel that I have an urgent enough question.

Other than that, my husband comes home July 6 and it looks like he won't need to leave again as his friend is being transferred to Sweden for the rest of the chemotherapy  Yipppeee!  Five weeks gone is a long time.

Raili:  I've seen those photos before--yeeeeeggggggggggghhhhh Its actually one of the few diseases that I find scary to think about.  So much for me being a jungle explorer in my next life, hmmm?

Other than that, hope all are well and getting on with their summer festivities. 

jenn

I had my blood levels checked as well and I'm < 100

Post Menopausal levels are up to 220 - mid range for a woman going through regular cycles would be 550-845

I too am post menopausal and haven't had a period since Oct

I cancelled my OOPH since 2 drs have now told me that the risk outweighs the benefit - actually for me there would be no benefit.

Rali - I too have swelling but my rad onc told me that it is fluid retention from radiation  Mine is pushed out to the sides from my prothesis but he did say that eventually it should go away.  He suggested that I take a break from wearing my prothesis a bit longer - couldn't wear it at all during radiation - I'm not ok with that so I take it off when I'm at home to give myself a break

I really didn't notice it until he pointed it out - it was good to have him check it out.

You should mention your swelling at your next drs visit.

It's hard to believe, but I am already 6 weeks out of rads.  Sick boobie is still darker and bigger than usual, but it is getting smaller and returning to normal color slowly.  But the nipple is...err...still standing at attention most of the time!  It seems like every time I look at it, it's looking back at me   Sorry for the TMI - just wondering if anyone else is  noticing this also with theirs? 

I hope everyone is doing well and healing nicely