MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Eli, if you posted it before, I missed it - who/what is the page topper ? (The normal looking women)



Amr,I can't wait to hear firsthand info on the caps. We're all pulling for you. No pun intended!!

Jo - I just read your story which reminded me of my own. I also was told it was only scar tissue from removing a cyst from my breast the prior year 2008.



So for one year I live like nothing is wrong - then their were two. I called and schedule and appointment - again - no worry I will be back from vacation in two weeks your annual we will take a look. Surprise he was wrong - that would be the breast surgeon.



When the biopsy was given to me and my husband - I left the planet, couldn't listen, talk or rationalize how this could have happen when I had the best breast surgeon in the city. My husband and I were lied to 4 times - telling us there is nothing to worry about. I still get sad and angry that he could be so careless with my life.



After surgery, treatment he called to let me know I could call him when ever I needed to talk. I told him never to call me ever!!!!



A friend of mine is the head surgical nurse of a very large hospital -'her advise to me was manage your care with diligence for your future health because the docs are not going to make decisions the always benefit you.



I am, also, tired of hearing be positive. fear, sadness, anxiety, anger are all part of the tumbling emotions I felt. I try to stay out of that part of the dark attic and spend more time restructuring my life through my business and exercise. But there are days when nothing beats back the anxiety.



I am a master swimmer and swim to keep my immune system awake and working at full capacity. Many studies, including the nurses study, propose a very strong argument that exercise may help to prevent recurrence. You can read the study while sitting so long to have your treatment.



Hugs to you. AMP

I agree, momine.  I consider myself pretty intelligent, but nine years ago I wasn't as active on the internet, and just trusted what my doctors told me.  I have learned so much over the years.  What I like about BCO is that you aren't just getting "facts" from others here, but you are getting real life experiences as well as direction of where to go for further info.  There are so many variences of this disease and it's tx.

We are not all cut from the same pattern.

Good luck with your tx once again Eli! Hoping that it will be more gentle on you than in the past. It's a good day to kill some cancer - right?

I also have lost quite a bit of weight over the past yr. Doctors getting very concerned. Last appt a feeding tube was mentioned and on the clinic notes was the word anorexia. Yikes. I promised that I would start to eat more/better. It is not an easy task when you don't feel like eating. I have since started ciprilex and dexilant. One of them is doing the trick as my appetite has definitely increased. I can't believe how hungry I am these days.

Here's hoping your new Hobbit diet will help you regain some of that weight.

I wish I could send you too thin ladies a little fat and appitite donation.  For a while I didn't have much of an appitite and lost some weight.  Now I'm so hungry I could eat anything, and the weight loss is stalled.  And I still have 20 lbs to lose before I drop below obese to merely overweight.  This whole process is so unfair.  Eat something yummy for me!

When I last posted we were on page 703 now it is 763.  Wow I have been gone awhile.

I am two and half years out from surgery on the tumor side and I am still experiencing spasms and aches.  Is that still normal.  I see my BS today (6mo checkup) and I will ask her about.  Is it the muscles still being wonky.

Hope all is well, catch up later as I am off to the Dr.

Eli - I see that my dx is not going to post so here it is: IDC and DCIS, size 1.9 cm, mostly IDC with small amount of DCIS, stage 1, grade 1, NO, MO, ER+(90%), PR+(40%), Her2 - no vascular involvement; ONCO Score 11 percent chance of recurrence - low risk for recurrence;  Lumpectomy, radiation, Aromatase Inhibitor. That sums it up. AMP

Kaza, I have been taking Arimidex since Sept. 20 and besides all the common S/E, such as pains, aches, stiffness, hair thinning, insomnia, etc....the one that is really bothering me and being of much concern is how I feel both mentally and emotionally!

Memory loss, mood swings get me so crazy.  I cry at the drop of a hat!  I feel so down, depressed. I don't want to see anyone, I rather be alone, and my anxiety level is sometimes at its max!

Monday, I see my Oncologist and this issue is the first we are going to address.

So you see you are not alone....

Mena

Hello all,

My next appt with my Onco will be this month. I've now been on Arimidex for a year. Same SE as everyone else. Only thing the NP had suggested earlier was to try Femera. I asked if the make-up differed between the two AI and she said no.....so, has anyone felt better switching to a different med? BTW, I was post menopausal.



Lorraine

Kaza - to answer your question directly - Yes.  All the Aromatase Inhibitors have affected me emotionally.  I have been on all three Aromatase Inhibitors which depression and sadness were one of the side effects of  many side effects.  

You might do better on another drug.  But, the only way to know is to try the drug.  Hope this helps.  AMP

Carollynn--next time you see your doc, remind him that statistics like 5% only apply to groups of people.  The only statistics that apply to an individual person are 0% and 100%.  You do or do not get cancer.  You do or do not get a side effect from treatment.  All other numbers are irreleivant to you, personally and he needs to remember that. 

Ugg.  A pet peeve of mine.

Eli, appointment went great, I am now seeing the BS once a year.  I did ask her about the pains, well acctually it was an ache that radiated around the infected breast area not just a localized place.  Since I backed out of the recon in 2011 she said this is normal but to let them if it happens more often.  Because I had BMX with expanders for a while there could have been rubbing of the musle area.  So I am ok with it.  I will probably have a revision later in the year as I have excess skin that the PS did not remove at my last surgery. 

I see my MO on Friday and will have my bone infusion for my bone density loss from 2011.  I had my annual bone scan done in Dec. so should know if it got better or worse.  I am on Femera and have been since Oct of 2010.  MY PTSD really did not hit me until last year with mood swings and such.  I have been thinking about taking a sabitical from work and what I am doing can be real stressfull "collections".  Then take some partime work through a temp agency.  Through it all I do not think I gave my "mind, body and soul" to heal completely.  I hate the new normal.

Eli, be praying for you.