Starting Chemo March 2015

Options
1377378380382383390

Comments

  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited March 2016

    Allison - yay vacation!!! So glad you are having fun :)

  • pboi
    pboi Member Posts: 663
    edited March 2016

    Allison...how fun! I remember Sedona as such a beautiful place. Enjoy the rest of your vacation with your family!

    PB

  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited March 2016

    Sedona's gorgeous. The food is good, too.

  • IndyGal35
    IndyGal35 Member Posts: 340
    edited March 2016

    My phone always changes "mastectomy" to "mistake to me" when I use talk-to-text. It's like even Siri knows how much this has sucked.

    :

  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2016

    Lee- I hope you meant to make me laugh. That struck my funny bone. Hard. Dark humor, but ROFLMAO.

  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited March 2016

    Lee, that is funny. Thanks for the chuckle.

  • jumbledbamboo
    jumbledbamboo Member Posts: 158
    edited March 2016

    Lee that is funny!

    Allison Sedona sounds beautiful. I have never been but so happy you are on vacation. That's the best.

    Let's see. I was told I was getting a follow up x ray of my hip but he wants to wait. However, based on my pain he says it is in good spots. If the pain was on the inner part that would be bad. ..I did get an x-ray of my left knee because I have significant "blushing" on the bone scan. I did the bad thing and Googled it when I saw how much it was darkened. First thing was bone Mets. I know I hav e ptsd and issues from the stroke, but i need to know why my knee looks so bad. He said I could wait but since I have had ongoing significant pain I said I wanted it. So positive vibes,prayer are appreciated:) I did find out they are starting my wheelchair ramp this weekend! I'm so happy and grateful. It's really awesome. My depth perception sucks and with all this the ramp literally is a godsend. Pretty amazing

    . I hope everyone is doing well tonight!

  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2016

    Amber- sending good thoughts your way.

    Allison- really glad you got away for a nice vaca. I love that red dirt and rocksin Sedona!

  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited March 2016

    Amber, oh Amber, I hope it turns out to be okay. Your shit sandwich seems like it is 2 feet high.

    Hang in there sister, love to you!

  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited March 2016

    Amber - Stuff us in your pocket. We are here for you.

    That Siri is a riot.....

    I'm in a funk. Blech. Partly money stuff, partly idk. Been weirdly emotional. Started crying on my way to work today - trying to do money math. Almost started crying at work yesterday (before the kids got there - and not because they were coming) for no reason. Ugh. Haven't felt like this in a while. Don't care for it.

  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 331
    edited March 2016

    Yea for vacation Allison!!

    Prayers for you Amber! I'm so glad the wheelchair ramp is coming to make things hopefully a little easier for you.

    Eileen, I hear you on the werid emotions. I had my taxes done today. Talk about depressing. That and then thinking of how much we spent on medical expenses and I just about lost it. It's okay though...my hubby is smart with money and already has a plan to get us through.

    Anyone on tamoxifen having uterine ultrasounds to monitor any changes? Someone else I know is having them so I'm curious why my doc didn't order that. Not that I am looking for more testing.

  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 331
    edited March 2016

    Another interesting difference I noticed. My GYN ran some tests and declared me "in menopause." But then my MO is kind of like "maybe" but she doesn't really think I am so she will retest me 18 months PFC and then decide if I should switch to the other drug for post menopausal women who are ER/PR +. I'm pretty sure my period won't be coming back. Maybe I already posted about this here. Idk. Haha. Sorry if I'm a repeat.

  • ksusan
    ksusan Member Posts: 4,505
    edited March 2016

    Menopause is defined by decreased or low levels on 3 hormone tests, even if you've stopped menstruating. A good question to ask may be, on what basis is this determination being made?

  • BBwithBC45
    BBwithBC45 Member Posts: 727
    edited March 2016

    Carrie37, I have an ultrasound every 3 months or so. My Gyn is keeping an eye on my uterus lining and ovarian cysts.


  • jumbledbamboo
    jumbledbamboo Member Posts: 158
    edited March 2016

    eileen I'm sorry you're in a funk.. Money is important. Our health is more so. But We go through all this hell and at the end is a big ass pile of bills. People don't realize that we don't get,t a free pass for cancer. The world keeps spinning. Know that I am thinking of you and hope you get some good financial news soon.

  • njnancy
    njnancy Member Posts: 45
    edited March 2016

    Question for the NJ folks -- Feedback on oncologists in the area (I live in Manalapan). Who would you recommend or not recommend and why. Found out today that i do need chemo and Nissenblatt who i planned to use isn't taking new patients. Im overwhelmed and not sure where to begin my search. I have a few names from the internet but would rather have real feedback.

  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 331
    edited March 2016

    Ksusan, my doc ran a test FSH and one other test and said my numbers were very low. Ovaries producing very little estrogen. But MO says could still be side effect of chemo which is why she isn't quite convincedI'm in menopause.

  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited March 2016

    I haven't been getting any additional care regarding ovaries etc. I need to ask about that at my next Onc appt. I also need to make a GYN appt. I've been just getting all that done w/ my reg doc but should probably step that up. My MO declared me in menopause due to the hormone levels. The night sweats would like to chime in to confirm.

  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2016

    E- sending a hug and a warm breeze to blow that funk away.

  • molly1976
    molly1976 Member Posts: 403
    edited March 2016

    Carrie, my MO is super research-oriented and he says I absolutely do not need uterine monitoring. He said the latest info is that there is basically no increased risk for uterine cancer in pre menopausal women. I am choosing to trust him over Dr. Google at this time.

  • rleepac
    rleepac Member Posts: 755
    edited March 2016

    My Onc Gyn said that FSH levels are useless on Tamoxifen. Estradiol is the only test needed. My estradiol was very low and it put me in the post-menopausal category but my MO still mentioned ovarian suppression. I don't know what he was talking about...I think he was confused LoL

  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited March 2016

    My gym said I was menopausal. Then my MO ran the estradiol and fsh, which were borderline a year ago, then came down further PFC.

    I had not had a period in 4 years when I was dxd. Even the hot flashes had subsided. (They are back now, but less severe in the AI than on Tamox). I had assumed (like my gym) I was post menopausal, but my MO went for evidence and therefore started me on T.

    One thing that became very obvious to me was that my gynecologist's definition and my MO's definition were quite different for these purposes.

  • slothabouttown
    slothabouttown Member Posts: 449
    edited April 2016

    Hey all,

    Can you remind me of the dates for the lake arrowhead trip? I need to get that vacation ON THE CALENDAR!!

  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2016

    I have it for weekend of June 10

  • eheinrich
    eheinrich Member Posts: 792
    edited April 2016
  • Italychick
    Italychick Member Posts: 2,343
    edited April 2016

    did anybody say June 10th? Lol


  • Carrie37
    Carrie37 Member Posts: 331
    edited April 2016

    All very interesting(?) different experiences with the hormonal therapy. I had Herceptin today so I talked with my MO and she basically said what your doc said Molly. No research says it makes a difference. Unless there is a concern during pap.

    My exchange surgery is June 10. Bummer for me to miss a get together but anxious to get these darn TE's out!! I hope there will be future meet ups

  • molly1976
    molly1976 Member Posts: 403
    edited April 2016

    I have to miss the lake too as we are traveling to Colorado for my father in law's 70th birthday that weekend. I feel confident I will meet you all someday, though!

  • TerryMarie
    TerryMarie Member Posts: 77
    edited April 2016

    Hi all, been a while since my last post (confession) . Today was my last Herceptin, I'm done. Hairs growing like a weed and I'm putting the last year in my rearview and looking confidently down the road. I had a mammogram and ultrasound a few weeks back and got the all clear. I was terrified to get the call back for a biopsy but I was ok. My next doc appmt is 3 mths away and next mammogram is in a year. I'm hoping to never go through this again. I wish nothing but the best for the ladies still battling this horrific scary disease.

    Since this was first diagnosed back in Nov 2014, I have to say that I've found that my family and friends are pretty awesome. Support is the most important thing, at least it was for me. This site provides a lot of support and I thank for your comments in the past whenever I had questions or just thoughts I wanted to share. I will continue to read how everyone is doing and if I can share my experience with anyone that has questions, I'll certainly do that.


  • Jackbirdie
    Jackbirdie Member Posts: 4,693
    edited April 2016

    Terre- congratulations on finishing Herceptin! I'm very happy and relieved for you and wish you a speedy return to a better life. It's been a long road. πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸΎπŸΎπŸΎπŸΎπŸŽˆπŸŽˆπŸŽˆπŸΎπŸΎπŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸŽ‰πŸ’ƒπŸ’ƒπŸ’ƒπŸ’ƒ

Categories