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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited December 2010

    Thank you girls soooo much.I did tx #3 today.so far so good.30 more to go.ha.my last tx is feb 2,2011.it seems so far away. im using the aquafor as my dr.said.just like everyone here told me.i wear a t shirt not to ruin any clothes (again the sistas told me that) but i didnt know CVS has a store brand.thank you.and thanks for caring.

    still prayin for all my sistas.God bless.ill keep you posted.

    huggggggggggggs

    k

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  • Resting
    Resting Member Posts: 215
    edited December 2010
    You'll breeze through your rads grannydukes, I just know it. The pain of going daily will fade to nothing more than a leisurely trip out to run errands.  Wink  Really, it's not bad. Glad your doing them. I went braless as much as possible at home.
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  • thegoodfight
    thegoodfight Member Posts: 560
    edited December 2010

    An sports bra is also a good alternative.  Also what I was suggesting at CVS is a 100% aloe.  I used that and the aquafor.  I don't think either of them stained anything, but I don't really remember, because the memory does fade.........................lol.  I am so glad you decided to do the rads...................you will sleep better having done this.

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  • GoodCellsGoneWild
    GoodCellsGoneWild Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2010

    My Fellow Warriors,

     I am new to this site and new to bc. After much ado, I am currently dx as Stage IIb, SN+ (3 of 4 sampled with macrometastases assessment).  I was initially DCIS but post dbl mastectomy the pathologist found a 2 cm IDCIS embedded in the DCIS.  Tissue expanders were placed at the time of the mastectomy. 

    Now that I will be having radiation, does anyone have any advice/experience on having this done with the expanders in?  They currently are filled with 200cc of saline that was done at the time of surgery.  I have had no further injections at this time as 1 month post-mastectomy I had to have an Axial Node Dissection given the what the path found.

    Some research says not to expand before radiation, some research says go ahead and expand (even overexpand) before radiation.  It is confusing :(

     Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

     You are all rock stars!!

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  • bambi380
    bambi380 Member Posts: 44
    edited December 2010

    ECT I received the same graphic presentation as you did. It was enough charts and graphs with trends and patterns to make this ole' teacher perk up and take notice. Chemo seems to be the common protocol for those BC patients who test "node positive".

    Smile I start tomorrow!

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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited December 2010

    HELLO MY SISTAS

    WELL I DID 7 TX...its still a walk in the park.and yes the daily tx.is just like goin to work.pain in the butt.i retired 3 yrs.ago.brings back crappy memories.BUT...it is really so far so good.thanks for all the kind words.

    WISHING ALL MY SISTAS A HAPPY HOLIDAY

    my Christmas wish is a cure for cancer.God bless all of us fighting this monster

    hugggggggggggs

    k

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  • Rocket
    Rocket Member Posts: 1,197
    edited December 2010

    Good for you Grannydukes!  It will be over before you know it.  Hang tough Girl!

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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited December 2010

    im hangin tough alright.stuck out of town and gonna miss tx #8.lol.and just when i was actually lookin forward to getting one more tx.done.oh well remembering that its the gift that keeps on giving.as my sista jo saz can we return this gift?????/

    hugggggggggggs

    k 

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited December 2010

    Join the club, Granny, I called and rescheduled my appointment for today, too.  Not that lupron is in the same league as chemo--

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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited December 2010

    im doin rads. i dont think ill be back by tomorrow either.

    it has to wait.i dont like your club Native Mainer...how can i drop out??????

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited December 2010

    Lupron isn't in the same league as rads, either, I've got a  5 day window for my every 4 month shot.If you find a way to drop out of the club please let me know! 

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  • Resting
    Resting Member Posts: 215
    edited December 2010

    Hey - doing the BCO catching up thing today.

        Glad to hear it's going well Grannydukes -- yep the gift that keeps on giving -- that it is!

       Babbi380 - how's it going with the Chemo?

      GoodCellsGoneWild - sorry I can't help with any infor. I have no experience with TE's and rads.

       Yesterday I saw the reconstruction BS. He said I need to wait till spring to do the nipple reconstruction, that I needed to heal as much as possible before he does the surgery. Apparently you can look really good from the outside but have real tissue damage underneath. I may have to check out some of the reconstruction threads to find someone who has had a lumpectomy w/ rads, then had reconstruction. Anyone here fit that category?

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited December 2010

    ECT--I had lumpectomy + rads, then mastectomy due to the damage caused by the rads, then recon. The mastectomy was a bit more than a year after rads, during which I had constant pain, recurrent abcesses, surgery, IV antibiotics, hyperbaric treatments all without any healing.  I was one of the 5% who get a "pain syndrome" from rads (along with truncal lymphedema) that can only be treated by mastectomy.  I had recon a year after the mastectomy.

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  • toomuch
    toomuch Member Posts: 901
    edited December 2010

    NativeMainer I developed truncal lymphedema after my lumpectomy and I am currently getting radiation. I plan to have a bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction in 6-12 months. Did your truncal lymphedema get better or worse after your mastectomy? . I've had 5 radiation treatments so far and everything is stable. But, I'm worried that my lymphedema will worsen during radiation. Thanks for sharing your story.

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  • Resting
    Resting Member Posts: 215
    edited December 2010

    Oh wow Native, I'm sooooooooo sorry to hear that. You sure have been through it. How is it now - are you happy with the final results?

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  • Rocket
    Rocket Member Posts: 1,197
    edited December 2010

    I developed truncal lymphedema after my bi-lateral mastectomy.  I have it only on the right side where 13 lymph nodes were removed.  I do the manual lymph drainage massage and go to PT every week.  I wear a sleeve on my right arm every day and a compression vest with a swell pad at night.  I had a hard time accepting the lymphedema diagnosis. It's just another thing with this disease that no one told me about prior to surgery.

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited December 2010

    I am fortunate that the mastectomy ended the infections, pain and swelling.  And I am thrilled with the recon results! 

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  • Dawn46
    Dawn46 Member Posts: 80
    edited December 2010
    Hello everyone. I am new to this forum and wanted to see if any of you ladies could give me some input. I am 46, Stage IIa, Grade 2, ILC 3 cm, strong ER+ PR+ HER-. I had a lumpectomy w/SNB (nodes negative). 4 rounds TC, 35 RADS, was supposed to start Tamoxifen in November but my enzyme test showed I was an intermediate metabolizer. (my estrogen level at this time was 8, i guess due to chemopause) I made an appointment to go back in to see my Onc 4 weeks later and he discussed going on an AI (Anastrazole) He drew blood 1st to check the estrogen level and that fast I am back to a level of 32. He said I stand a chance of getting my period back. Frown Right now I am not taking anything preventative and he would like to check levels again in February and then decide on next game plan. Is anyone here taking Tamoxifen even though they are intermediate metabolizers? I would like to at least have a little protection then none at all.  
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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited January 2011
    HAPPY NEW YEAR MY SISTAS/FRIENDS.STILL LOOKIN FOR A WAY OUT OF THIS BC CLUB.MY WISH FOR THE NEW YEAR IS FOR EVERYONE TO BE NED FOREVER.
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  • D4Hope
    D4Hope Member Posts: 352
    edited January 2011

    I was diagnosed a stage 2A in Feb 2009. I am having a mammo on the eleventh because I found a lump on my reconstructed breast. I am having an ultrasound done too. Hopefully it's nothing but I hate to have to worry about this beast coming back for the rest of my life.

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  • toomuch
    toomuch Member Posts: 901
    edited January 2011
    D4Hope I hate that you have the stress of waiting for test results. You don't say what kind of reconstruction you had but I know that many women find fat necrosis in their reconstructed breasts. I will be hoping that you have this or another benign lesion. Sending you a cyber hug.
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  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited January 2011

    Dawn:  I am ER+PR+/Her2nu- too.  I asked my onco about the the test and he said it is very controversial and not always accurate.  Did you have OncoDx testing?  He said that is a more reliable test.  I did not do chemo because of that test.  I am on Tamoxifen and have been for almost a year now.

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited January 2011

    D4hope-- I have several lumps in my reconstructred breasts, all are scar tissue, thank the Good Lord.  But I remember how freaked I was when I found them until I found out for sure what they were!  I'm hoping that's what you will find out today, too.  Fat necrosis is another probability, which I understand can be painful, but still is better than a return of the beast!

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  • D4Hope
    D4Hope Member Posts: 352
    edited January 2011

    Thanks too much I had BMX with immediate diep reconstruction. I am praying it's just a fat ball.

    Anybody know where I can get a comfortable bra for these foobies?

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  • bcincolorado
    bcincolorado Member Posts: 5,758
    edited January 2011

    I am a uni and went to Nordstroms after  a recommendation from one of the women on the reconstruction board.  They have people trained to fit bc patients.  I chose a Wachol bra that is lightly padded (hiding the lumps) and lifts the 50 year old side that I did no surgery on and so I look "normal" in a bra.

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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited February 2011

    WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS THREAD??????????????

    IM HAVIN MY LAST RAD TX ON mONDAY.YA. i FINALLY DID IT.

    HUGGGGGGGGGGGGGS k

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited February 2011

    YEAH, GRANNY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited February 2011

    thanks native maine...yes after all that back and forth i finally did it.you know i didnt want to but the family and drs.won...im just soooo glad monday ill be finished....

    how is everyone???????

    why is this thread soooo quiet????????

    miss my sistas.hugggggggggggggggs K

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  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited February 2011

    Hard choices to make, Granny.  Glad it's almost over for you.  How are you feeling?

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  • thegoodfight
    thegoodfight Member Posts: 560
    edited February 2011

    grannydukes,

    I just typed a long post and then hit some dang button and lost it.  So I will try again.  I was one of your cheerleaders when you were trying to decide and I was so glad when you decided to go forward and here you are done tomorrow.....................WOO HOO!!!  Hopefully you are going to say that it was not nearly as tough as you had thought.  But no matter what, it is done and I think it will give you peace.

    I go for my annual MRI this week up at Moffitt in Tampa so I am getting a little stressed.  My point is I am glad I can keep telling myself I did all I could do to keep the beast away or I would be more stressed.  I know none of us ever want to go through this again, but I find it strange how my mind is working right now.  My youngest daughter is getting married in June so my goal is very short term right now and I hope I am dancing with NED after this MRI.  I keep thinking I couldn't possibly deal with any of it now.  So I am hoping and praying for b9 results this time (and always) so that I know I am good through the wedding.   Crazy huh?

    I think many of my sisters will know just how I am feeling.

    More hugs and high fives to you Granny.............................great job!

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