October 2011 Chemo group
Comments
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Hi everyone,
Hows everyone doing. I have eyebrows!
I have 9 more rads!
How many of youll are on metformin? I cant get into see my MO until 3 weeks after rads. Does this seem kind, of long after rads to start tamoxifin? I guess my body has to heal. And I'm also afraid he won't give me script for metformin. I've been asembling all my docs up at johns hopkins. I'm very hesitant to do any scans at home since weren't aggressive enough when something showed up on a mammo couple of years before I found the lump.
What I guess I'm trying to work out with myself to feel comfortable to keep my current MO he will have to accept my terms -
Hi Fran. You're in the home stretch - yay! I started arimidex generic almost a month after rads. I don't think it's a big deal to wait that long.
My MO offered me a clinical trial for Metformin. Do some MO's just prescribe it, and why? I was told it is a med for diabetes that may reduce BC recurrence. I don't know that much about it, but when I read the side effects, I decided I didn't want to add another drug to my list!
Not too many posts on this thread lately, I guess we are moving on!
Barb
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Fran, I take metformin for diabetes and have for 10 years. Congrats on your eyebrows!
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On the one hand auntienance it didnt prevent your cancer, but maybe otw slowed it
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Fran, it's an interesting thought. My BS thought my tumor could have been there as long as 10 years.
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What is the metformin taken for ?
I have been having trouble getting my triglycirides and sugars under control and I have never had that before.
Got the mediport out in the doctors office rather than out paitent, it was easy peasy..had a day or two of soresness...easier coming out than going in for sure,
Tamox and I are getting along well except for hot flashes....
Hubby and I booked a wonder 25 anniversary trip for May.... hard to look at the past 9 months and not want to celebrate something !
I have lots of eyebrows and eye lashes and hair is coming in fast - so that is good.
Hope all you Oct ladies are doing well
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Metformin/glucaphage has been around forever to treat type 2 diabetes. From what ive heard on here. I havnt read research yet, but they first noticed that type 2 diabetics on metformin had lower incidence of bc. There isnt a lot of money for drug companies to make off metformin, since its been around so long. Its very cheap.
But im no expert on it. Plan on reading some research papers on it.
DH going to surprise me with new used t bird. Just have to pick out color. Selling the mom car.
Eyebrows in. Hair coming in. My hairdressor said at least another month, maybe two before i can dye again. Find myself getting so jealous of people with hair -
It's so good to hear from everybody!
I started Metformin shortly after beginning tx to get my sugars under control. I haven't noticed any side effects but my numbers sure are better. Tamox is not so bad. My hot flashes are not as frequent as they were at the start. Port's out and fills are done. If my May wasn't so busy I wouldn't have to wait for June to get the exchange.
I have eyebrows also. Yay! Hair is coming in just fine. Haven't went topless in public yet but I don't think that's so far off.
We made it girls!!
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Happy Mother's Day everyone! It has been a while since I checked in, but I wanted you to know that I think of you often and really appreciate your support through those very difficult days of chemo!
My flowers that my husband and I planted last fall came up and they were beautiful-well worth the wait! My hair is coming in great and right now I am sporting a slight Elvis look as I definitely did not get chemo curls! I hope that very soon it will be long enough to start falling over a bit.
I am back at work full time, but still get frustrated because I do not have the stamina I had prior to all of this. I am taking tamoxifen and doing well with it.
Life is going on and I am trying to make it a better one than before.
Sending hugs your way and hoping your lives are moving on too. Mary
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Just a quick check in.
My hair is coming in, very dark and curly - oh my...this from a former blonde with straight hair !
We went to Mexico for our Anniversary / Survivor trip - it was great. The heat kicked me pretty bad.
Meeting with the plastic surgeon this month to talk about recon !
Hope every one is doing well....the changed up the forum a bit..and I had a hard time finding this thread.
Keep in touch !
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My hair has come back in curly as well. Also thicker...and whiter. I was hoping it would come back red!
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Today I am one year from my bc diagnosis. Wow, what a ride this year has been. I think I'm doing ok. After a few rough patches including a very uncharacteristic bout of depression after completing treatment and some stomach issues that appear to be resolved now, things are feeling more normal. I have hair (even though it doesn't appear to be mine -- weird hair!) and so far, the femara is bearable. I'm unhappy that my eyebrows and eyelashes have thinned again, which is a BIG disappointment because they came back after treatment thicker than before, but I suppose they'll come back again (at least I'm praying furiously that they will.) I'm 6 1/2 months PFC and have been reflecting on the whole experience. I actually came up with a list of chemo positives (aside from the biggest positive of it killing off those nasty wandering cancer cells.)
Good Things from Chemo: my eczema cleared up and my skin looked the best it has in many years; I learned I could eat smaller portions and not starve; I found out how much people in my life cared about me; I got a lot better at applying makeup; I found out that I'm tougher than I thought I was.
Bad Things from Chemo: everything else.
I don't know if or when I'll get past stressing over every new test (second mamm since tx coming up next month) or wondering if every new symptom is cancer, but I'm hoping I will. Right now, I'm thankful to be alive and don't have to wear a wig. I appreciate hearing from everyone from time to time. Hoping everyone is getting along well!
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auntienance--glad to see you are doing well a year out. I hope to say the same in August. I was put on Arimidex and have hated it so I am glad you are tolerating the Femara well. My hair is back also, but coming in with a definate wave that is a bit strange since my hair has been straight as a board all my life. The good part is I actually like the color even though I have MUCH more gray than I thought (20+ years of color kept my true hair color a secret).
Hope everyone else from this group is doing well!
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My hair has come back whiter, and corkscrew curly (it used to be salt-and-pepper and wavy). Still dealing with a LOT of fatigue, but just discovered I also have pernicious anemia, so I've started on B12 shots. No great energy boost yet, but hoping it will kick in with the second shot.
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I broke down and started taking Effexor - it made all the difference for me.
No more hot flashes and better moods !
Going in for recon in July....kinda scared about that...but looking forward to another milestone
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Me too! been on effexor over week and have really short grey/white hair. Just long enough that some people actually think i cut it that short on purpose:-)
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Good to hear from everyone. We all have made it thru the hard part! My hair was curly and is coming in straight. I've already colored it twice. I have my exchange and nipple recon scheduled for this Wed and it can't get here soon enough. Glad to hear that everyone is doing well. I often think of you Oct. gals and wonder how you all are doing. You were a blessing to have in my life when I needed it most. Thank you!
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Hi, Ladies, I just found out yesterday that I am NED! It was my 3 months post-rads mammo. My hair is the same. Effexor is my friend, but don't miss a dose, or else. I am healthy. Thanks for sharing and your support.
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Any notable side effects from the Effexor? I'm seriously considering it.
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I sometimes have dry mouth. But effexor has made a big difference
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It buzzed me the first few days....but I got used to it...take it the same time everyday (morning for me).
It took away the hot flashes by at least 90% and my moods are better as well.
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Had my exchange and nipple recon on Wed. Piece of cake compared to the mx. Feel as though this is the last leg of my journey...what a ride.
So good to hear from all of you!
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Good news lori, glad your surgery went so well. I jumped on the effexor wagon today. Looking forward to some relief from the hot flashes so I can get some sleep!
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auntienance, good luck w/the effexor. I'm not on that, I've been on Lexapro for a couple yrs now. I don't know if that helps w/hot flashes or my body's adjusting to the tammi, but there not so bad now. Here's hoping yours calms down!
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Hope everyone is doing well.
I got my first hair cut and color this weekend...love the new look. Short brown curly hair.
2 weeks post recon and love the results already, go in for my 2nd fill in two weeks !
Effexor is working well for me - no more hot flashes !
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Great tappy, sounds like life is moving along quite nicely. Congrats!
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No problems for me with Effexor, except don't miss a day! Really awful head-spinning 24 hours after a missed dose. Only happened once.
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Also, I am a year out from surgery and have only one more Herceptin infusion to go, and am NED, so I am so lucky.
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Nancyjill, congrats on finishing and NED!
Effexor is working great for me. I am quite paranoid though about missing or being late on a dose. Thanks for the warning. -
NANCY congratulations
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