SEPTEMBER 2009 RADS

Glad this thread is alive again!  I missed you guys!   Yes..we are coming upon our one year annivesary from rads..though I have to admit that after chemo rads was a welcome relief..though I remember when I was getting "set up" for rads..just laying on the table crying a little..with all the big machines and disco lights it was kind of scary....!  I know some of you (Betsy..our Oregon Duck) had issues but I think for the most of us it was easy...

 Kawee..you commented on the "what ifs"..it hit home to me..because I had a lumpectomy rather than a masectomy..sometimes reading on here I wonder if I should have had one but whatever...I still have to trust in my doctors that told me that a lump was just as good...

Hope everyone is doing well..we have really come a long way from one year ago!

MTG - My sister just had the same scare.  They were very concerned considering her family history.  She had a biopsy.  Just a cyst.  I'll pray your sister will be fine.  Keep us posted.

 Titan - Good to hear from you.  I'm doing good.  Just still really tired.  Think it's taking me off Estrogen so fast like they did, so I'm doing major menopause, sweatin up a storm, fatigue a little depression.  Just dealing, knowing it will pass. 

MTG - What's going on with your sister?  Hope everything was okay. 

kawee, eliminar - as it turned out, that appt was just a consult, Onc didn't feel the need for her to do a biospy immediately (which is a good thing; for me, he told me to wait and they'd fit me in that day) so sister's actual biopsies are at the end of this month.

All - Do you believe it, the Sept 2010 Rads thread is well under way. We're class of 2009! Almost a whole year under our belts.

JUst checking in--nice to see all the familiar names--almost a year out of Rads for me too-- doing ok-- working etc.  do have joint pain from the Arimedex but try to keep exercising otherwise I get too stiff--my husband says by the way you are getting older too!! ( thanks dear) but guess at 62 I have to say some of the joint pain can be due to that- just thought I would blame Cancer for everything-- found out my insurance wont cover the arimedex now that there is a generic-- I dont like generic and saw it was made in India so I am not willing to change tothe generic-- will talk to my onc about it but just dont like the whole idea of generic-- anyone on the generic?? hope everyone is doing ok--just needed to check in with you all-- hugs Laura  

Hey, everyone, it's like a reunion.  I got attached to you guys. 

Anyone's breast still sore from RADs?  Every single dr. I go to, checks my breasts everytime, I don't care if the appt is one week since my last.  It really hurts on that side when they dig there fingers into me.

Sorry about your ribs, Mary,  those really hurt.

 I am having so many hot flashes that my face is broken out from rosacea.  I've always had it a little, just redness, but now I have the redness and pimples.  The dermatologist is doing everything she can to clear it up, but it looks bad and my reunion is Oct. 23.  

Everyone sounds like they're doing pretty well (nothing serious), that's a great thing!  Nice to hear how you're all doing.

Peg - what lovely gestures by your loving family. How wonderful.

I know that I finished rads right around this time last year but i forget what day exactly.  Haven't given it much of a thought.

I gained 20 lbs VERY quickly when i started Tamox last Oct.  It was like I could actually feel the weight growing on me but I couldn't stop it. The onc gave me a BAD time about it.  But I felt too overwhelmed to really attack it until herceptin was done in May.  So in June I started with a trainer and work out VERY HARD 6 days/week and eat very very carefully (and very little!).  So I have lost around 15 lbs. I have burned a lot more fat and gained some muscle, so I am a lot smaller than back then, but still don't feel 'done' and happy where I am.  But i have to say it was THE ABSOLUTE HARDEST I have ever worked to lose weight and the results have been slow, which I attribute to the Tamox.

If I had known how easy the weight gain would be, I would have (tried to) monitored my intake back last fall. But I had no idea. It was really crazy and before I knew it, I was left with the damage. My goal in June was to be where I wanted to be by the end of October (this month) but I think it is going to take a bit longer.  That's ok. I am sort of gym-addicted now and am (mostly) used to my new way of eating. Sometimes it gets discouraging but mostly I'm ok.

But all in all, it is SO GOOD for it to be THIS year in stead of LAST YEAR. I am absolutely LOVING being healthy.

Amy

MTG - what an awful story of how life has been for you lately. I hope all the bad stuff is behind you now. You deserve some peace and calm!  Re your sister - please invite her to the TCH  thread (taxotere, carboplatin & herceptin) if that is what her tx will be.  It is a very active board with women in all stages of treatment (as opposed to this one, where we all went through it at the same time). There are women who have been done and stick around to help, and lots of new women starting treatment all the time. Yes, it will be more than you had to go through, BUT it is definitely doable (hey, if I could do it....). And the ONLY important thing is to get better and stay better- whatever it takes.  If you have any specific questions, or if she does, feel free to PM me. But that board will really help also - please check it out.

MTG, had no idea about your sister.  Last I heard, they were just watching, didn't feel need for biopsy right away.  So sorry.  My gosh, and all the other "stuff".

 Hang in there, and remember we're all with you and here for you.

BETSY, glad to know you're coping well with the fibrosis.  You're a tough lady with a great attitude!

TITAN, not going to rad onco anymore either.  Enough is enough!!

peg19

I can relate, started rads in Sept and finished in Nov '09. I get the same shooting pains at the side, and in the armpit, however my tumor was way out to the side and top of the breast tissue.

I just went to see my surgeon for breast exam on tuesday and she orders the diagnostic mammo too,

I asked about the pains, she said varies from patient to patient, but it seems to be normal, even up to 2 years, on rare occasion it never stops. Told me to keep stretching and excersise the arm. My surgery was end of July '09, the lymphnodes were removed via the same incision as  the tumor. My Radiologist says the pains are from breast from surgery, and my surgeon blames it on Rads, so I think your rad/onc hit it right on the nail. I no longer see the Radiologist. Just the surgeon and the onc. The surgeon said she will see me for 5 years, she's very thorough with her exams, I like her alot, am treated like a friend. All she does is breast surgery, so she has alot of experience. By Dec. 09 the rad onc said that since I was so well taken care of, no need for him to see me too, unless a rad related problem popped up. One less doctor visit.I was happy with that.

Here's wishing your shooting pains will soon be a thing of the past..

dsgirl

PEG - Not only do I have shooting pains, but my breast is still really sore.  Have trouble sleeping on it sometimes, and when I wake up in the morning it's sore.  When they (every single dr. I go to) examine it, it hurts like H@#$.  They all say it's normal, and it's from the Rad and lots of women have it and like dsgirl says it can last for years.

MTG - Glad to hear the good news!!

My Onco wanted me to see an endocrinologist.  The endo, after one tests says my adrenals aren't working correctly.  Have another test on Dec. 13 to be sure.  I've just been tired, shaky, irritable, achy, blood sugar falls, etc.  He took me off the prednisone and put me on hydrocortisone to replace the cortisol I'm lacking and I'm feeling better.  Says it could be from taking prednisone for Lupus for a long time has shut my adrenals down, plus all the stress from bc and yanking me off estrogren with no weaning.

Anyway, me too, BETSY.  Grateful for all I have, BUT I NEED ESTROGEN!!!!!!!!