For Older People with Sense
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Welcome SBP! Usually there is a rads group by the month. Or sometimes a longer period such as winter. Some people have some hair loss on AIs, but that could be because it's like menopause and many people have hair loss then also. I've heard that biotin is helpful if you do notice hair loss. I've been on Arimidex (anastrasole) for almost 2 years and I haven't noticed a problem with my hair. Side effects vary so much with the individual. Some people have serious SEs and some have almost none. So far I'm in the latter group. I didn't have rads, but advice on here has been to stay well greased. They'll tell you what you can use. A man's T shirt is good to keep the grease off everything else. Please come back anytime with questions or just to chat.
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Welcome, SBP! Sorry you have to be here, but at least we're all in the same boat.
I had 6 weeks of rads too, and honestly the worst thing I experienced was having to be there every day. I was given aquafor, a very greasy ointment, to apply after rads, and Wren's so right about the T-shirt. It does stain. A nurse told me I could just use Eucerin lotion, so I got the non-petroleum based one and used it instead. It worked very well and did not stain. Whatever you use, do apply it right after the treatment and before bed, plus any other time you can. It does help.
I'm on Arimidex generic, anastrozole, and I have thinning hair. But, I already had this due to side effects of blood pressure meds, plus a good dose of heredity. (My dad was bald before I was born, as were all the other males in his family. My mother's hair also was quite thin.) The thinning may have increased a bit, but it's hard to tell from what.
Anyhow, we're all here for you and will be cheering you on!
Kathy
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Hi SBP and welcome! Nice to see you here although needing to be here is not so good but you have found a great group of women to give you support and friendship through your journey.
I am the same age as you although my journey started ten years ago. I am on Femara (brand Letrozole) and have had from time to time the odd SE which came and went including hair loss. My hair at one point got very thin but I started taking Biotin which helped tremendously and it's back to normal now and has been for a long time. I got the 'dizziness' for a couple of weeks and then they disappeared. As for the joint pain, well, I have arthritis in just about every joint so it's hard to tell if the stiffness is that or the medication. There are women on these boards that have a lot more SE but the consensus seems to be that if you keep moving they are a lot easier on you..........but you will also find that women who post are the ones that get SEs but for everyone that posts there are probably ten who don't as they have no SEs.
Take your Letrozole with confidence as you never know until you give it a go.
Rads. The most important thing here is to stay well moisturised and your rads onc or nurse will tell you what is good to use and when to use. Rads dries the skin and so it breaks down, keeping the moisture up is just so important I can't stress it enough. One of the other SEs of rads is tiredness so be prepared to feel it and give yourself permission to rest when and as you need it.
Keep coming back here if you have any questions or you just want to chat and do check out the other threads dealing with the treatments that you are getting as the ladies there are great and will give you a huge amount of knowledge about each.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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We're such a quiet bunch lately! Where is everybody?
DH is at choir practice so it's quiet here too. I'll get to watch my Carolina basketball game without any comments for about an hour before the Duke fan gets home, so that's good.
Weather here has been miserable today with a cold rain all day long. Yesterday it was 73F and spring-like, and I'm so ready for warmer weather! At least we're not due any snow from this massive storm that's supposed to hit the northeast this weekend. For anybody who's in its path, stay in and stay safe.
We did go to a superbowl party at some friends' house Sunday night. Most of the women sit around the table and just watch the commercials (that's me). I do think the rendition of the national anthem was the best I've ever heard at a game, no embellishment, no personal flourishes, just sung straight and accurately, and sung live rather that lip-synced.
Hope all are well and just busy!
Kathy
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Hi Kathy, yes, just busy here as always......lol. I was only thinking last night that we are very quiet here, you must have read my mind.
The weather has turned hot again and will continue to get hotter until Sunday when another cool change is expected........have I told you I hate the heat? Well I'm telling you again, I hate the heat!.......roll on Autumn.......lol.
I'm heading to the city tomorrow for my follow up appointment with the ENT so I'll be in for another hearing test but I can tell her already that I have definitely lost hearing and particularly in a crown, unless you are in my face I can't hear a thing. Dang I hate virus's!! Anyway, the upside of going to the city is I get to see and cuddle my new grand fur baby!.......yay!!........she is a nine week old Belgian Sherherd, she is pitch black and a fur ball........my daughter and SIL have named her Raven and I can't wait to see her.........lol........anyone would think she's a baby of the human variety but this is the closest I will get from those two.......lol.
Today is nail day and I'm off to the manicurist very shortly for my pampering..........if the rest of me can't look gorgeous at least my hands can.......hahahaha!
Kath glad you got to enjoy the basketball before hubby got home........sure hope you team won.
Take care. Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Kathy, I'm so glad you mentioned the national anthem. I didn't get the TV on in time to hear it, but was hoping that an opera singer could actually hit the notes. I wish we'd change the anthem to America The Beautiful, which can be sung by most people. Or keep the words and change the tune to make it easier to sing.
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Chrissy, my team did win (!), DH was not allowed to change the channel to his team until my game was over either! Hope your visit with the ENT goes well and you find that the hearing loss is a temporary thing due to the virus. And, enjoy that mani and cuddling your new granddog! How big does a Belgian Shepherd get? I'll look that up. At least now she's prime for the cuddling!
Wren, you're right in that the national anthem is notoriously hard to sing, but I'd be surprised if it were ever changed. I remember when DD was a high school senior she was asked to sing it acapella (sp?) for an awards ceremony prior to graduation. She wrote the words on her hands in green ink, fortunately not visible from the audience. Now, DD's operatically trained and I'd love to hear her do it again!
Good night, everybody.
Kathy
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The best rendition of the National anthem I ever heard was a single trumpet playing beautifully
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The best rendition of the National anthem I ever heard was a single trumpet playing beautifully
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Kathy, Raven will grow to about 25 - 30 kg so that's about 55 - 66 pounds so she will be a biiiiig dog! You are right though, right now is the perfect cuddle time.....lol.
Mani all done and nails once again look gorgeous!
Time for dinner as the belly is staring to grumble....catch you all later!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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My sister has lived in the USA for over 30 years now and we used to all gather in the summers at a lodge in Canada (before my Dad died). One night at dinner we asked her four (teenaged and older) kids if they knew the words to "Oh Canada". They said no, and why would they??? The rest of us began to sing the US anthem and blew them away with us knowing all the words and keeping the tune!! Like we only hear it thousands of times during sports games! I know more of the US anthem than I do of Canadas' as I think they changed some of our words years ago. We had the younger nieces sing Canada's theme to showcase them and to not have to admit we didn't know all the words.
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Speaking of other anthems..they played both USA and GB ones at the Davis cup this weekend..
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Great Britain was fortunate to have Andy Murray playing for them...the US was whipped..
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well girls, I just arrived home from the city, it is 12.30pm..........I'm bushed but I need to relax a little after the long drive and solid concentration as the kangaroos are very active at night and for some reason like to jump in front of cars so you have to keep a keen eye out..........guess it's like the deer over there.
The ENTs report says I am officially deaf........yes I need a hearing aide particularly for social functions if there is background noise as it is far worse then.........I literally cannot hear a thing. I totally flunked the hearing test........never was any good when it came to tests........lol.......so now begins the process of getting the aide.
I used to know all the words to our National Anthem but it's so long since I've sung it that I have forgotten all but the first verse. I do know a lot of the words to the American Anthem but not all although I do know the tune note for note.
Time for a hot shower, cup of tea and then bed. Take care all!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Chrissy, I failed my hearing test this year, too. I hated how the doc covered her lips and talked to me and expected me to hear her instead of reading her lips. lol I love having hearing aids, It took a little while to get use to them, but now I don't want to be without them.
My dog is now up to almost 65lbs, but she still wants to snuggle sometimes. But puppies are wonderful.
I'm watching the pre Olympics show.
I am going to post some pics of my house remodeling I hope you gals don't mind. I had started talking to barbe about this on a different thread which is now not active.
The roof was cut off last weekend in between snow storms.
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It looks really sad here, but it will be great! I hope the weather clears up some so they can get on with the reconstruction. -
OMG Nancy! That looks like a complete wreck! I would love to see more pics of the remodel as it progresses so please feel free to share! It's great when you see things coming together and things turning from a thought into reality.........very exciting!
Oh I'm not worried about the hearing aides if fact I'm excited to actually be able to hear properly again as find it really annoying to only get part of the conversation..........doing that and answering can get me into trouble if I'm not careful so unless it's a written conversation I'm afraid I've been a little quiet as I'm never sure...........lol........and as I'm never lost for words, that has been the hardest thing of all!
I rang the place where I was recommended to go to get the aide to make an appointment and was told that seeing as I am on disability I should qualify for the governments hearing program which means that the aide will cost me nothing........my only cost will be its maintenance. I rang that department and requested an application form to be sent so now it's just waiting till it arrives so I can fill it out. I must admit, I'm very happy about that as I know the newer aides are very expensive.
Well I need to go put a load of washing on........it's a shame we have to wear cloths,just think of the water we'd save if all we had to wash was our bodies.........hahahahaha!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Mac please post your remodeling photos, I will love to follow along. It is good to hear you all talking about hearing, I miss a lot of conversations and use the closed captions on the television. The measles left me hearing damaged in one ear and my friend blew up a firecracker between our two heads. Coupled with loud music I will someday need to go ahead and get aides. It sounds much less scary hearing you talk about them.
Hugs Ginger
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Ginger don't be afraid of them, the hearing test is a breeze and all you have to do is listen and press a button........no pain, no sticks and the end result is being able to catch all of the conversation. The newer aides are really so small that they are really not noticeable when being worn. I remember the one my Gran used to wear as she was deaf as a post. She had a humungous bussom and the box that controlled the volume she used to put between them. It was so funny as in order to talk to her you first had to make sure the volume was turned up! That was over fifty years ago and technology has gone ahead so much that the latest aides sit so well in the ear it's almost impossible to see them at all!
It's so important to take care of all aspects of our health and that includes hearing.........never bee afraid to ask questions or insist on tests that could improve the quality of our lives. Ageing does not mean that we deserve anything less.
Take care all!
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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I'm going to need them very soon. They are hideously expensive here. New sofa? Hearing aides? The sofa would be cheaper. Medicare does not help with them, so I may have the ear trumpet after all. My silly father would not have his ears checked and he was quite deaf. It was probably just wax; he used to have lots of wax.
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Wren they are really expensive here as well but there are scales........the really tiny ones are the most expensive, about $3000 scaling back in cost and rising in size from there. I should qualify for the governments program, I'm hoping........lol.
Yes, sometimes it's hard to decide between a new chuck and things like hearing aides........lol........it much more comfortable sitting on a couch than a hearing aide.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Thanks I will ask questions. My Dad got a hearing aid and then wouldnt wear it. He lost a lot of hearing from metals hitting metals over his years of work as an iron worker and things related to that.
Do they work if there is bbackground noise? I might as well be stone deaf if I am out in a noisy place as I can't make out hardly any of the conversations.
I will try to look up the costs here since medical products cost the earth here.
Laters
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Well, Chrissy, I hate to do laundry and maybe clothes-free would be okay in the summer like you're having now (said she who only puts on a bathing suit reluctantly) but not lately here! You have a great positive attitude about hearing aides and I know you'll do fine. I'm excited for you. How wonderful it will be when you can participate in conversations with confidence again!
Nancy, yes, please do post pictures of the remodel as you go along. I can't wait to see what it looks like along the way.
GS#2 is having his 1st birthday party Saturday so I need to shop a bit tomorrow. We took his birthday present (a toy chest) on his actual birthday (Dec. 23) but there was no party then since DGS#1 was sick, it was 2 days prior to Christmas, etc. I'm personally looking forward to the pizza! DH and I've been on a diet and pizza is a no-no, but it certainly wouldn't be polite to refuse it at my grandson's birthday party!
Hugs,
Kathy
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Ginger the background noise is my major problem, if it's just one on one or there is no interference from music, loud conversation of other, dishes banging together, traffic noise, you know all those other distractions I do fine. My ENT assures me that the aide will definitely allow me to hear properly in noisy situations. They do, by all accounts, take a bit of getting used to so it will take perseverance but it's like everything else, if you want the benefits you just have to keep on keeping on.
Kathy, wow! Your daughter (DIL ?) didn't time that very well........lol........I thought my GS was close at just seven days before Christmas! Enjoy the Pizza and the GS's! Diet or no sometimes we need to have a treat.
Love n hugs all! Chrissy
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I got hearing aidS years ago. Yep 2. Cried when I first listened with them. Made the tech cry, too. My DH stood behind me and told me he loved me and I HEARD him!!!! Very emotional for me, but too much stimuli. I had programmable ones for different situations car, movie, phone, crowd, etc. It would cut out the background noise to allow me to hear the louder voice I needed to hear. I loved them at first, but when the battery died there was a BIG vertigo issue as one ear could hear and one couldn't! Nauseated me a lot and I had to keep extra batteries on me at all times. Also, mine went INTO my ears and I sweated a lot and had to take them out and dry them off!!! Gross!!!! I also hated at night when I took them out and the world was so silent....now I use ear plugs to replicate that lack of sound - go figure!!
Mac, why does the building look like it's made out of cement??? Was wondering how you were doing on it. Can't WAIT to see it as it goes along! I will live my reno-experience vicariously through you.
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barbe, the building is made of concrete. Most of it anyway. It was an old carriage, stable house.hence the big garage type doors. There were two in the neighborhood. I think they were part of an old, old estate. The other one has been renovated all ready. It now looks like a normal shingled house. We are going to keep the bottom part stucco like it is with shingles on the top. We've had two good days in a row. I'll get over there today or tomorrow to take pictures.
My DS just called and caught me down in the shop. It is so hard to stay out of it. I am having some veggy soup now and will get out in the fresh air for a walk with the dog before an afternoon nap!
I put my hearing aids on when I put my jewelry on. I love them, they actually stop the ringing in my ears. I hear the real sounds instead of the tinnitus sounds. Yes, I now have to carry the batteries with me constantly because they beep when they need to be changed. I can only turn mine up or down so far. She is breaking me into the hearing aid world slowly.
Here is another pic!
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The aides take some training to use properly. We avoid some restaurants because they're so noisy. It helps to sit in a corner or against a wall with the restaurant at your back. DH and I can't hear each other if there's background noise or we're not facing each other. The audiologist said "you could get hearing aides if you're motivated". I have no idea what she meant.
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Nancy, you naughty girl! You know you are not supposed to be in the shop!.........lol........but I do understand the need to be there.......lol. As long as you were 'just looking around' than that's okay.
I can't wait to see what you are doing with that building, I used to love to do renovations but I can barely hold a hammer now let along any other tool...........it still doesn't stop my imagination from going wild when I see so etching that needs work. Give us a description of what your plans are please........I for one would love to know.
Wren she probably meant that if it bothers you and want to make the effort, aides would probably be a good thing but like all things we need to have a reason, hence 'motivated', to get the ball rolling. I hear you on the can't hear DH unless you are facing........lol........my DDs both cracked up laughing when I told them I was deaf they both commented that the would like to be a fly on the wall watching our non conversation.......hahahahaha! I guess yours is the same if you can't hear each other.
The heat has returned with a vengeance.......ugh!!! We are due one day of relief in the next week so roll on Autumn......please!!!!
Take care! Love n hugs. Chrissy
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Just stopping in to say hi to everyone. I love the pictures of the baby giraffes. I wish I could get pictures to turn out even half that good. Had a rough couple of weeks with a lot of changes to meds and new issues that have really scared the silly out of me. I have added another doc an this one is a shrink! Just someone else that will soon know how crazy I really am.
Hope everyone has a great weekend.
Hugs, AJ
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Oh AJ I'm really sorry that you are having a really hard time right now, I know there are loads of things that are hard to get your head around so a shrink could really help you with that. Know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.
Love n hugs. Chrissy
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