Starting Chemo March 2015

So sorry Theresa about the wait...ugh! Call them!

Thinking of you too Eileen and hoping good news on the way for both of you.

Been doing well with keeping moving and exercising. Anyone else finding themselves more injury prone? I feel like when pushing myself I'm more prone to bone/muscle aches...maybe it's me being thrown into menopause or I'm getting old? This is frustrating me cuz every little ache/pain sends my mind wandering...

PB

Ok, I called and breast MRI report said no signs of any disease in either breast. So relieved! DEXA scan did show very slight osteopenia, so oncologist wants me to do a Prolia shot every six months. Anybody had that shot and if so, any effects?

Italy - I have been on Prolia for about 3 years - no issues whatsoever, and it reversed me from the brink of osteoporosis (I had pre-existing osteopenia that was stable due to an early hyst/ooph, but worsened markedly after chemo and 6 months of AI drugs) back to a normal density. I had an excellent pre-treatment baseline as I had a DEXA same day as mammo/US that led to diagnosis. Edited to add: Yay for the good news!

Great news Theresa!

Great news, T!!!!

Hi ladies! If any of you are interested in joining our party in Glacier at the end of July, PM me for details! Xoxoxo Jen

Italy - yes, I receive a Prolia injection every six months. It is a quick sub-q shot, like Neulasta. This is the same drug as Xgeva, usually given monthly to those with bone mets. Both are denosumab, a targeted monoclonal antibody drug like Herceptin, Prolia is just a lower dosage and given at a longer interval. Keep in mind that it usually takes up to two years to see marked improvement - this is a somewhat slow process. What I like about Prolia - and particularly for you as someone who is so athletic - is that it slows the old bone removal process and allows new bone creation to catch up and improve density. This process seems a bit more holistic to me. Bisphosphanates - oral drugs like Fosamax, Actonel and Boniva, and the IV drug Reclast, coat the bones to strengthen them and this can make them less elastic. If you have a fall, or an accident, you may be more susceptible to a fracture if your bones can't bend. You are also correct, recent studies are showing that denser bones are a less hospitable environment for cancer to set up shop - this is one time it is good to be dense!

The whole squeaky wheel thing.....call them.

Theresa, that's great news!


I've not been in the boards much lately. I'm a bit down - I am impatient to have better energy levels, and to feel better. This is SLOW. I am working out regularly, and I continue to lose weight. About 15 pounds to go, but I'm wearing my smaller clothes, which is very gratifying. My feet are much worse this week - I am so done with this.

My friend had her lumpectomy just about 2 weeks ago, and she will have a chemo plan in early April. She is a worrier, and we talk most days. It is nice to be able to give her some support.

Glad to hear that Sharon is hanging in, and hope to hear from her here soon.

Best to all - I'm not caught up on reading all of the posts.

Pboi, I have no clue lol. I'm meeting with oncologist on April 7 and I will follow this discussion and note questions and I will grill the crap out of her.

I'm hormone negative, so I'm not sure if Prolia helps me like it does hormone positive cancers, but I am definitely going to be asking that question as well. My results are very borderline, only -.1 below the normal range, but I plan on doing whatever I need to do. But I will be doing a lot of grilling on April 7th!

I will definitely report back. Right now I am in the reading and getting a question list put together phase. So far everything I have seen talks about success with hormone positive cancers, but I plan on continuing to look.

Yes, I am post menopausal, I hit menopause about 4 and 1/2 years ago.

Hi gals. I've been lurking but haven't posted in a while. Theresa, I'm so happy for your clear mammogram! AVmom, I'm happy your weight is down but sorry your feet are worse

I'm on the ledge big time right now. I went to see my PCP yesterday and I found out a few things. Most of them no big deal but combined...I'm feeling pretty anxious.

1) My potassium is low - probably due to the diuretic I take for HTN and the chronic diarrhea. Not a huge deal - just need to supplement with potassium. Hoping to bring it up by Friday so they don't cancel my Monday surgery.

2) My ovaries are definitely fried. Estradiol and FSH levels were extremely low so I am truly in menopause at the age of 44. Not a big deal because I'm not having any more kiddos but just kind of made me sad to hear. I guess it gives me the option of changing from Tamoxifen to an AI but all the docs say the SEs are worse on the AIs so I'll probably just continue on the Tamoxifen for now (and keep complaining about it LoL)

3) PCP listens to my heart and lungs and then asks if I've had a cough or shortness of breath. Yes, I told her I've had a cough for about a month but I figured it was allergies so I didn't think it was noteworthy. She said she heard some abnormal lung sounds on the left and wants a chest x-ray. I reminded her my baseline chest CT showed a 4 mm incidentaloma on the left lung and she said to forget the chest x-ray, we need a chest CT. She agrees it 'could' be allergies, but we need to know for sure.

4) My alkaline phosphatase and one of my liver enzymes were slightly elevated. Probably not a big deal but it still has me on edge.

5) Iron studies look great so the iron infusion I had 8 weeks ago did what it was supposed to do...yay!

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So...I am taking double doses of potassium for the next 3 days and will repeat labs on Friday. Hopefully they don't cancel surgery due to low potassium. Surgery is planned for Monday to fix the marked rippling with a 'cut and tuck' to make the breast capsules tighter, some fat grafting to add fullness, and they are going to remove my port.

Have appointment scheduled with MO tomorrow for routine follow up and...drum roll please...MY LAST HERCEPTIN! So happy to be done with that crappy stuff. I know it wasn't as bad as chemo but it still gives me annoying SEs and I'll be very happy to be done with it.

So, that's my 'worry of the week'. Cancer sucks.

Bekah- it does suck. So glad you are coming up on last Herceptin, though! Yay

I hope all these nagging and cumulatively worrying issues clear up for you soon.

And FWIW, I think SEs on AIs vs Tamox vary individually. I actually feel I'm tolerating the AI better, and so far my liver enzymes are coming back down since I switched.

I'm sorry, Bekah, that is a lot to deal with. Hooray for last Herceptin!

My mammogram was fine yesterday and I had a followup with my radiation doctor today that was good also. She did a really complete breast exam, which I find more reassuring than the mammogram. I don't have any appointments until June now - I think that's my longest stretch since this all started.

Bekah: Thanks for the update. That's a lot to deal with. Hopefully, you will be able to have your surgery.

I don't know if I have mentioned this to you all or not but I found a therapist who specializes in ADD and I started seeing her to help with my daughter's issues. She also had BC and she is very young, probably mid 40's. We have had a few sessions and today we talked about BC and she has similar issues to me with the cancer and everything and I feel like I am so incredibly lucky to have found her. She is amazing. Just wanted to share.