MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited November 2012

    And if anybody believes Barbe I have a bridge to sell ya!  

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited November 2012

    I got 8 tats, but they just look like freckles, and they are really tiny, I could never figure out how they found them during radiation to line things up with. 

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited November 2012

    Ohhh, she is hoping for a free tramp stamp!

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  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2012

    I'm 51 I was diagnosed with Stage 1 invasive estrogen positive breast cancer. I had sentinel node biopsy all nodes free of cancer and surgery removed 1.7cm tumor with clear margins. I know the doctors suggest chemo, radiation, and tamoxifen but I was wondering what would be my risk of just doing Tamoxifen for 5 years only. I'm very healthy except for the cancer being found on a mammogram in September. I want to live long, but have concerns about the treatment plan suggested. If anyone wants to reply I would appreciate all opinions.

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  • patriciahurtado
    patriciahurtado Member Posts: 489
    edited November 2012

    Good morning!!! Just wanted to stop by and say hi..,,, I come here on and off and just read everyone's words of wisdom.... I was diagnostic on August ... I had FEC and my last chemo was on Thanksgiving Day I will starry Taxol 3 weeks from here ... I'm loosing appetite ... Cause I don't know what to eat anymore... .... I have an 18 year old daughter and my DH......that are always so loving ... I hope minimal SE for everyone!!!

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited November 2012

    Lorall - the MO should be able to break down the benefits for each treatment for you, ask! It doesn't sound like you're HER2 + right?

    patriciah - find healthy things that taste good, eat a little several times a day, but don't stop eating.

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  • Momine
    Momine Member Posts: 7,859
    edited November 2012

    LorAll, you can check on cancermath http://www.lifemath.net/cancer/index.html

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2012

    LorAll, welcome!  A woman with your Dx is precisely the candidate to get the OncotypeDx testing.  Google it.  Ask your doctor about getting it.  This test is a tool for early stage women, like yourself, to determine whether chemo would benefit you.  There is a good chance that you will be able to skip the chemo.  I did.  (See my Dx line below.)  The OncoDx test also gives you some individualized stats on how likely you would be to have a local recurrence and distant recurrence.  Radiation is nasty.  The reason I said yes to that was even tho' I had clean margins, I felt that the whole tumor area had been disturbed by the biopsy and the surgery and I could not know if any cells had broken loose and remained in the area so I let the rads blast whatever might have been left behind.  Did I need it?  I will never know.  Tamox. is nasty too, but it is a far gentler way to protect your whole system from any random cells that might currently be circulating thru' your body than chemo is.  Can you know if you have any circulating cells?  No.  So, I took the Tamox. just in case.  I am only trying to give my perspective on how and why I made my choices.  It is important for you to gather all the info. you can, so that you can feel good about the decision you finally make.  There is not always a "right" or "wrong," but more like what you yourself are comfortable with.

    Hello, patriciahurtado!  You've made it halfway with the chemo, and I know you can go the distance.  Without trying to sound like a piece of commercial advertising, I am going to suggest to you that you check out those nurtitional drinks (Ensure, Boost; or Glucerna if you are diabetic.)  These drinks have easily digestible protein and you need that to build up the healthy cells in your body back up during and after this period where chemo is breaking them down.  Check at your cancer center (with a nutritionist, or just anyone in your oncologists office) if you can get some for FREE.  They don't always volunteer the info., so do ask about it.  A lot of places will provide you with a case of it at a time at no charge.

    Momine, I will get a tramp stamp, as long as it is the Meece-micro-version.

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  • iatigger
    iatigger Member Posts: 447
    edited November 2012

    LorAll, I agree with Elimar, get the OncotypeDX test done. I did and mine was only 8 so my MO said no way would she suggest chemo. The risks way outweigh the benefits for me.   I started my Tamoxifen 10/31 and so far the only SE's minor flashes and skipped period so I am very happy with my choice.

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited November 2012

    LorAll, My stats are below.  I had the Onco test on the recommendation of both my MO & BS; both thought I would have a low score-I didn't so chemo was initiated followed by radition & now I'm on my 3rd year of Femara.  Had my onco score been low I'm pretty sure I was going to opt for chemo anyway because altho I didn't like the idea I wanted to blast away any possiblity of recurrence.  Of course there's no guarantee, but I would have felt like I had done everything I could.  As it is, most days I don't even think about it anymore.  I've kept my hair short cause I like it & I take the stinking pill daily (i pretend it's a sleeping aid).  Life during BC is very  do-able; ask questions here & of your providers.  

    E-I'm getting ready to do dose 4 of Miralax.  Doesn't taste bad, but I sure feel full of liquid!!!

      

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  • firework1068
    firework1068 Member Posts: 160
    edited November 2012

    Hello all!

    I'm 50 so I feel snug being the "middle child" here! Great to have this support page to come to for questions and mostly answers.

    I'm on my 2nd reconstruction. First one......implants too small....stayed lodged in my chest cavity. My skin began to hang off and droop down.....it was pitiful.

    I'm now at Moffitt (military move, change of insurance.....) this surgery was better. This holiday weekend, The right breast implant looks to have a Seroma. Plan on calling them in the am.

    Im having personal issues with the cancer center's "policies". For instance, I came in the day after having my tubes removed, the right b was slightly swollen, they'd had to do a lot of dissecting due to the previous implants, I was in excruciating pain. They did an ultrasound and saw some fluid but nothing stood out. Well, when I asked for muscle relaxer and pain meds, I was informed that they could not prescribe Rx pain meds two weeks after surgery.............cited plastic surgery centers "policy" I begged enough so

    they gave me torodol and skelaxin.

    4 days later....I'm on ice and still taking skelaxin. By this time the pain had subsided. I get a call from my employer informing me that my ps had cleared me for work!! Nothing was ever discussed with me! My company's medical department thought they'd just made a mistake and asked me to call them to correct it. My job is considerred in the "heavy" physical description. Which translates loosely, I'm required to push and pull a cart that weighs 250lbs when you add the incline or decline! Pretty heavy stuff. Anyway, the staff informed me that the clear date was correct.......here I was almost 4 weeks out of surgery, 5 days from having my tubes pulled and they were clearing me for work! That's when they told me plastic surgery "policy" is to return people to work after 4 weeks UNLESS the patient is having extreme issues. I finally convinced them to extend me to 6 weeks. If I'd had any other job with a lessor physical description I wouldn't be so shocked. Absolute Frustration.

    Wow, really needed to vent.....for those of you who stuck with my story, thanks for letting me write it all out. Anybody else have policy issues with their treatment center?

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2012

    Welcome, firework1068!  Hard to be an individual in the face of all that "policy," isn't it?  Good for you standing up for yourself!

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  • firework1068
    firework1068 Member Posts: 160
    edited November 2012

    Thank you elimar, I guess I just needed some validation:)

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  • LindaKR
    LindaKR Member Posts: 1,577
    edited November 2012

    Good job firework!  I hate that we have to be that pro-active in our own care - did you want to ask the PS, so if I was your wife, sister, mother, daughter would you be saying that I'm fine to go back to work?

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  • marlegal
    marlegal Member Posts: 2,264
    edited November 2012

    Welcome firework and lorall, glad you found this thread ... it will serve you well :) I was extremely lucky with my hospital and doctors and I never took it for granted. The only area where I felt I didn't get enough info - even though I asked for it - was about lymphedema. I developed that condition 2.5 yrs post-treatment and really feel that if I'd been better informed, it could have been avoided. If either of you would like more info about that, please send me a private message - there ARE things you can do to try and avoid LE.

    Joni, good luck tomorrow ... I have to get off my butt (no pun intended) and make that appointment too.

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  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited November 2012

    Hi, Thanks for the info. I did have the DX test and my score was 34, high I guess. The MO says he would recommend chemo. says my chance of getting liver and or bone cancer is 23% and chemo would bring my percentage down to 11%. I have a 77% chance of not getting it,right?  I just don't know what to do and it will be 7 weeks since my surgery this Tuesday.

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  • Cindyl
    Cindyl Member Posts: 1,194
    edited November 2012

    My number was very low, 7 I believe.  So chemo wasn't recommended but with your number and at your age, I think I'd do the chemo.  Good luck with whatever you decide.

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited November 2012

    LorAll, chemo would reduce your risk by more than 50%!!! From 23 to 11. That is HUGE. HUGE!!! That is when it is worth taking the chemo!! In my humble opinion IMHO.

    I read somewhere that the Oncotype rates from 1 to 100. Can you imagine being at 100%???? I haven't seen anyone over 40. Has anyone else?

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited November 2012

    Barbe, I was a 42!

    Alien probing done:  I'm good for another 10 years!  Altho I am sorry that it had to be E's situation that got me in there, I'm glad for the push!

    Now how are you doing E? 

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2012

    Barbe1958- there is a thread on this site called Oncotype DX roll and there is a list of everyones score and sadly it goes as high as 65. No matter what your score is it is still a dam hard decision. Mine was a 6 and because of 17 positive nodes I went ahead with the chemo.

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  • Dakota212
    Dakota212 Member Posts: 1,153
    edited November 2012

    My onco type was 32, no nodes. I am doing chemo. 2 down, 6 to go....

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  • Cindyl
    Cindyl Member Posts: 1,194
    edited November 2012

    Enough.  Enough already.  You know that statistic about 1 in 8 women?  Well our staff which just happens to have 8 women just got a 3rd dx of breast cancer.  One co-worker is several years out, (not past the magical 5 yet though) me in Feb and now the 3rd one.

    argh.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2012

    Dianarose, I am surprised they ran the OndoDx test for you, as you were neither early stage nor limited node involvement.  Low score of 6 notwithstanding, I don't know of anyone who would feel safe enough to have skipped the chemo.

    Hooray, Eph!  The probing and prepping are definitely worth the aggravation, 'cause now you know you are good to go for the next decade.  However, if you get any signs that something might be amiss, do not ignore it, and don't wait for the 10 years to be up.  (Your odds are good that you did not get implanted with an alien baby this time.  Sorry if that news disappoints you.)

    Well, my port is in.  Went in at 6 a.m., surgery around 10:45.  I got bumped from being first by a trauma surgery.  Got home around 1 p.m.  I'm on the Vicodin now. but the port really only bothers me if I try to use the arm on that side.  I found that out trying to put on my coat.  Going for radiation sim tomorrow, PET scan on Weds.  The wheels of treatment moving forward slowly.

    Cindlyl, So much for the stats.  Argh!

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  • Eph3_12
    Eph3_12 Member Posts: 4,781
    edited November 2012

    Just semi-disappointed about the alien baby---my 18 yr is alien enough I think.

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2012

    Elimar- the onco test was done in March after my lumpectomy with only 4 nodes and a lower stage. In April I had the BMX which revealed all the ugly stuff along with 14 more positive nodes. Things seem to be moving very quickly for you. It's a good thing. Less time to think about it all. I hope all goes well for you.

    I am having my radiation sim on Thursday. I want to get things going and over. Foob deflation on Wednesday :(.

    Dam, it's like losing them all over again.

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2012

    Dianarose,  Of course!  Your story is so involved, you can't blame me for forgetting all the strange twists of it.  So we can be rads buddies now, kind of, if you don't mind me going at it bass-ackwards.

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2012

    Elimar-I do a lot of things bass-ackwards these days. We will get along just fine. I have to do 28 rounds. How many do you have to do? I think my first actual day for rads will be on Monday. What about you?

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  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited November 2012

    I have to do 25 rounds, and supposedly will start on Dec. 3rd also.  Ya know, we will get a couple of the holiday days off along the way.  Take it from me, once we start feeling the effects, having an extra off day thrown in there will be a real blessing.  When I had my breast rads, that 3-day Labor Day weekend was like heaven.

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  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited November 2012

    I don't have to have any boost this time. I had 3 last round and they knocked me on my butt. I just want it behind me. I sure hope it doesn't make my hair kink anymore than it is right now Yell.

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  • firework1068
    firework1068 Member Posts: 160
    edited November 2012

    .......changing the subject......my 15 year old stepson is moving in with us next month! It's time for him to live with his Daddy! And me! I'm so excited, we've had him all summers, holidays and schools breaks but that was never enough.

    I need my health to rev up so I can stay engaged in his life, school and activities. Has anyone else had an unexpected Teen move into your life full time?

    Thanks,Lorraine

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