Winter rads 2014-2015

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  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited December 2015

    Just popping in to wish Happy New Year to members of WinterRads 2014/2015.

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited December 2015

    Same to you and to all here. Love, Jean

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  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited January 2016

    Happy New Year and Good Health to all!

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited January 2016

    By the way, how are all of you doing. I would love to hear an update. Like most of you I have finished all treatment including Herceptin and Perjeta. I have still got neuropathy in my feet and fingertips and my radiated breast is sore. Hopefully this will go away in time. I am also on an AI for the next 10 yrs. Otherwise I'm doing well. I am scheduled for hip replacement in mid February. I am grateful that in this country I am able to have this surgery and have it paid for by Medicare. Love, Jean

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  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited January 2016

    Hi CWP,

    I had same thing, other joints too so I stopped. Taking a month off, if symptoms go away, I am not going back on.

    My onc said the tx adds an estimated 5 years of life but if that time is spent in pain and unable to even grasp a glass, it's not a choice for me.

    Good luck and I'm hoping it goes well for you.

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  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited January 2016

    Hi Jean, glad to hear from you.

    Surgery in Feb. .. good luck my friend. I too am grateful we live in a country and a time that these things are possible and available to us.

    Hoping 2016 is a healthy and wonderful year for all.

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited January 2016

    quiggy, great to hear from you! How are you healing?

    Happy New Year to all of you, hard to believe that one year ago we were all in the thick of it. I am well. No armpit hair where I had the rads. Still see the "tan lines" from the boost. Breast is slowly returning to normal. I am toleratingthe tamoxifen well. I continue to pray that I don't have a recurrence.

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  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited January 2016

    Hi sjacobs146, glad you're doing well. I know, a year ago we were not in a good place, today the future is much better. I had a number of issues with infection etc., last surgery was 6 months ago. Happy that I finally healed, wasn't sure if I would! My tolerance to aromasin failed, on a break from it then I'll decide what to do. Minor compared to the last 13 months!

    Looking forward to a much better year!

    Stay well and I hope 2016 is an awesome year for you.

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  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited February 2016

    Quiggy, So glad to have your update. Just sorry that you have had pain. Wonderful that you have finally healed. That was a long haul. I had been fairly good on anastrozole for over a year, but a few weeks ago I developed a trigger finger. We'll see what happens next. Interrupted sleep seems to be an issue for me.

    Jean - Good luck with the hip replacement. You will be moving and grooving by summer.

    Sjacobs146 - I too have an area in my armpit where hair doesn't seem to grow. Otherwise radiation effects have subsided with color and consistency pretty normal (well as normal as any of us will be after all this). Anxiety hits me some days, but I have adopted a new mantra from the movie Bridge of Spies. The lawyer asks the captured spy 3 different times if he is worried about what will happen. He answers, "Would that help?" So now I say worry - would that help.

    Fondly, Melody

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  • farmerma
    farmerma Member Posts: 83
    edited February 2016

    Ended up in the ER last weekend and had to have my gallbladder removed. WTF??? It's only AFTER the surgery and doing some research online that I read about Tamoxifen being linked to fatty liver disease and gallstones. GREAT! Guess I glossed over that item in the possible side effect listing. I had a full abdominal CT in late 2013, looked back at the report and gallbladder was absolutely normal. I just find it quite a coincidence that I started Tamoxifen in April and in November started having some gallstone symptoms (though I didn't realize until now that's what they were). I was off the Tamoxifen for 4 days while in the hospital, now I am finding it very hard to start it back up. I have my next 3-month appointment with the MO next week and I will discuss it with her. Just wondering if anybody else out there has encountered any problems like this?

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  • quiggy
    quiggy Member Posts: 315
    edited February 2016

    farmerma, sorry about the med issues. I hope you're on the mend!

    I didn't have same issues but on aromasin my joints swelled, pain, puffy and hair loss. I decided to stop. Quality vs quantity.

    Off for 30 days now.

    Tumor on my kidney, waiting for catscan. What comes comes.

    I don't intend to start the drug again. The math doesn't pencil out, maybe adds 5 years. I see it as 5 years of potential hell.

    Ok to challenge the treatment. Research, question and alternatives.

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited February 2016

    Quiggy, you have certainly have had a long difficult journey. Please don't write off all estrogen surpressants yet. There are many out there and a different one may have less side effects for you. Praying the kidney issue may be nothing. Love, Jean

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  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited February 2016

    Wow, farmerma, that was quite a shock. Hope you will recover quickly from that surgery.

    Quiggy, let us know what they find out about your kidney. Thinking of you.

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited February 2016

    farmerma, I am also just learning of the liver issues. When I had my CT scan for rads the doc mentioned fatty liver (unfortunately I'm about 70 lbs over weight). I had a physical with my regular doc a few weeks ago, and my liver number were up. Doc says likely due to Tamoxifen. I'm going back this week for a Pap smear, and to have my blood drawn again. Doc says if the liver number continue us to go up, I'll need a liver ultrasound.

    I should also mention that I do not take Tylenol, and I am not a drinker. I'm 100% on the wagon now though

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  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited February 2016

    Hello My Friends ~ It sounds as if you are catching up to me! Gallbladder is gone, growths on kidneys (benign), fatty liver, aches and pains all the time (100%) ...I do take aspirin and forego alcohol also. My chemo-brain sort of stuck around and I'm not quite the witty individual I once was. My hair didn't return to its previous thickness (I have yet to need a haircut) And... I admit...I'm kind of chunky. Most of that I did not have before bc. But most importantly, I am alive and no one has told me that I'm not okay in the BIG sense of "okay" that we all understand too well. I feel blessed and grateful to have my friends and have had my expiration date extended beyond where it could have been. I'm not going to try to decide now what decisions I would make if...

    Love and hugs to you all, my sisters.

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited February 2016

    good to hear from you Coyote! I did my follow up blood test, and my liver enzymes fell back to normal range. I will be limiting myself to 3 drinks per week from now on.

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  • CoyoteNV
    CoyoteNV Member Posts: 575
    edited February 2016

    sj146 - That's great. I guess what I'm sort of saying when I wrote all that, is that we have to live life as best we can, day-to-day.

    I had my four month check-up today with my oncologist. All appears well, but we did talk about those extra pounds ...Scared. Apparently the fed government now cares about my weight and it must be reported on. New government health mandate. Now that is annoying!

    Stay well and enjoy life. Spring is coming (its here already for me). Remember how excited we all were about that last year?

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  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited February 2016

    Pretty soon we'll need ID to buy donuts!

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  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited February 2016

    Funny you said that about the donuts. We have a super local donut shop called Allie's. As part of my attempts to lose weight, I have put a donut day on the calendar, one in October and one in April. That way I don't feel I can never have a donut again. My weight loss has stalled over the winter but I expect to do well starting in the spring just as I did last year.

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  • ladyb1234
    ladyb1234 Member Posts: 1,426
    edited March 2016

    Just stopping by to say Hi to the Winter Rads 2015 gang. Can't believe it has been almost a year.

    Quiggy how are you doing?

    Beachbum, I think of you often.

    Hugs to all

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited March 2016

    I send my greetings as well to all my rad sisters. I am recovering well from a hip replacement in mid February. I'm very grateful to be out of pain. God is good. Love, Jean

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited March 2016

    Lol, I was just thinking that my last rads was on March 17 of last year. I'll never think of St. Patrick's day the same way ever again. Sending my love to all of my winter Rads 14/15 friends

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  • WndrWoman
    WndrWoman Member Posts: 333
    edited March 2016

    How nice to hear from some of our gang. Glad to know we are moving forward. Here is a new "side effect" of radiation. I had a letter that 21st Century Oncology that runs my radiation treatment center had a data breach. Fortunately, this is one "side effect" that has not hit me - yet!

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  • Sjacobs146
    Sjacobs146 Member Posts: 770
    edited May 2016

    I wasn't sure where to share this, so I thought I'd try my friends here on our rads thread.

    I was at an event the other night where the speaker was a bc survivor who is working on reducing chemicals from her home. After she spoke, there was a book signing, so when I went to her to sign my copy, I mentioned that I was a bc survivor as well, and one of the other women standing near by said: "Good for you!", as if I'd just said that I lost 50 pounds, or ran a marathon, or wrote a book.

    I just can't get it out of my mind. Does she think getting Breast cancer is something to strive for? Does she wish that she had more drama in her life? I just thought that it was the oddest reaction

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited May 2016

    I agree that is an odd comment! That would have left me speechless.

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited May 2016

    She might have just meant that she is glad you survived. Love, Jean

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  • Nomatterwhat
    Nomatterwhat Member Posts: 587
    edited May 2016

    I agree with Jean. I just passed my second year diagnosis date and people were congratulating me and "good for you" all day. I feel like I have done something special by living two years longer than I thought I would.

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  • PoppyK
    PoppyK Member Posts: 1,805
    edited June 2016

    Making it through treatment, kicking cancer in the ass is a good thing.

    Whenever someone says something that can be taken two different ways, I take it in the most positive light. Most people are trying to be kind, even thought the words they chose are awkward. I know I have said (and written) things that didn't come across quite right, but the words came from a good place and my intentions were good.

    I miss talking to you all.... but am so glad rads are over!

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  • zjrosenthal
    zjrosenthal Member Posts: 2,026
    edited June 2016

    Hey gals, we are over a year out from rads. I hope you are all doing well. Love, Jean

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  • ThinkingPositive
    ThinkingPositive Member Posts: 834
    edited June 2016

    Hey Jean. I remember seeing your posts. I didn't do radiation. Was told that that they weren't saying that I needed to have it. So I started on Fermara around when you started. How are you doing on it??

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