Lumpectomy Lounge....let's talk!

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  • LovesToFly
    LovesToFly Member Posts: 1,133
    edited April 2016

    Thanks Molly, it is certainly something for me to research more. It's definitely not a given, as I said even if I do do it, I definitely want it to be well separated from my active treatment, so it can just be it's own surgery with a hopefully easy recovery.

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  • Katzpjays
    Katzpjays Member Posts: 237
    edited April 2016

    ChiSandy-I do love it here! My DH and I lived here when we were first married and then moved to Barrington, IL for his job. One year later we were living in NJ and both working in NYC. Spent 17 years there and moved back to Woodinville in 2009. I'm definitely a WA fan even though I was born and raised in CA

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  • Jclc83
    Jclc83 Member Posts: 246
    edited April 2016

    Hi Katz, welcome. I used to live in Barrington. It's an awesome, charming place.

    Peachy, Popeye's chicken sounds a lot better than the Pringles.

    Welcome Nancy/Institches and all the other newbies. Good luck to those with upcoming surgeries

    It's finally beginning to feel like spring here. I spent the past few days picking up branches from the storms we've had. All in preparation to mow. And now, of course, my tractor won't start (2.5 years old). I don't have a ranch but I sure wish I had a ranch hand !

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  • Grazy
    Grazy Member Posts: 373
    edited April 2016

    Back now from my appointment and the overwhelming recommendation was no chemo. My MO consulted with two colleagues this morning and they all agreed the risk reduction of about 2% was just not worth it. It's crazy that in total seven oncologists weighed in within the last three days and only one thought I could go the chemo route just to be "conservative", but even he said I could do it or not. So, it'll be radiation, preparations for which should begin next week, the Arimidex for ten years and, the bisphosphonate Zometa which will begin in a couple of months. My MO said that a large study has found that bisphosphonates reduce the risk of recurrence, but only in postmenopausal women, which I am, so perhaps another layer of protection. I am very happy with the decision and relieved that one has finally been made. Thanks to those who have chimed in with their support knowing I had my appointment today - I appreciate the support. Now I'll need to take some time to read all the posts I've missed to get caught up with everybody else's updates and experiences. I hope those who've just had their surgeries are recuperating well.

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  • Moondust
    Moondust Member Posts: 510
    edited April 2016

    Grazy, that's excellent! I'm happy for you and along with you! That probably would have been my decision with your tumor biology. Thanks for mentioning the biphosphonate - I had read that it helps prevent bone mets. I'll ask my MO about it too. Of course, it presents its own set of SE's.

    Welcome to Katzpjays and InStitches!

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  • Heathet
    Heathet Member Posts: 257
    edited April 2016

    Grazy - that is great news! So happy for you!

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited April 2016

    Woot woot, Grazy!

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  • Grazy
    Grazy Member Posts: 373
    edited April 2016

    Thanks Moondust and Heathet - just picked up my prescription so I'm ready to get started and the radiation folks have been advised that I'm ready to get going on that front as well.

    Moondust, here's a link for you on the bisphosphonates http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/20140128


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  • Grazy
    Grazy Member Posts: 373
    edited April 2016

    Thanks Molly :)

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  • MaeveK
    MaeveK Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2016

    Great news Grazy. Delighted for you :)

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  • iammags
    iammags Member Posts: 216
    edited April 2016

    Good news Grazy!

    Anything that would make me live without chocolate is just not worth doing...just saying!

    I guess I'm young-ish, 52 on the 20th. I'm ready to be in menopause so having my ovaries removed is sounding good. It's interesting to hear all of your opinions and experiences, thanks. I guess I'll wait for a couple of more weeks to see what the genetics have to say.


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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited April 2016

    I think the confusion about chocolate & wine being contraindicated specifically for AIs springs from the fact that both caffeine and alcohol can leach calcium from bones. By extension, since estrogen deprivation weakens bones, some may implicate them in bone loss in women taking AIs. But those properties of caffeine & alcohol are wholly independent of taking AIs. Years ago, while still premenopausal, my then PCP said all I had to do regarding caffeine was to increase calcium intake (she said, “make that coffee a grande skim latte”) and moderate alcohol. Chocolate has less caffeine than either coffee or black tea, and is consumed in smaller quantities anyway. And most of us taking AIs will be supplementing calcium/D3/magnesium and going on bone-strengthening drugs anyway. No need to give up that daily square of Ghirardelli.

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited April 2016

    Grazy, FANTASTIC NEWS!!! Now you can breathe! I take Fosamax, also a bisphosphonate - one weekly. I don't seem to have any problems with it. I, too, had heard that it provides another layer of protection. Are you supposed to start your Arimidex while doing rads? I was told to start it the day after I finished my rads. Relax and enjoy the rest of the week and weekend!

    HUGS!!

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  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 530
    edited April 2016

    Go Grazy, Go!!!!! Whoo Hoo!!!! Had my first radiation and SIM today, gynecologist is doing ultrasound and labs to check out uterus and ovaries! So glad to soon have SOME peace of mind!!!!

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited April 2016

    Great news, Grazy~! You must be so relieved.

    Greetings to all the new folks. Congrats to tbalding for braving the LX. Sometimes it's possible to have too much help.


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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited April 2016

    Wish I could take Fosamax, but I have GERD which is a dealbreaker. So it looks like it’ll be Zometa for me. (I’d prefer Prolia, but my Part D plan won’t cover it even as a “specialty drug” since it’s $5K per dose; and according to my Medicare supplement insurer, since it doesn’t require hospitalization to administer it isn’t covered under Part B either--your plan might differ).

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited April 2016

    Sandy, I also have GERD but somehow, some way, Fosamax doesn't seem to make it any worse. I am very religious about my regimen: Take pill upon rising, drink at least 8 oz of water, refrain from going back to bed and eating for 30 minutes. Then I've found that having oatmeal for breakfast, especially on Fosamax days, makes it just fine. I have water with breakfast then my coffee. I have oatmeal for breakfast most days anyway. I'm quite surprised that this works for me. I do take Prilosec in the morning and a Pepcid at dinner. I'm cutting back on the Prilosec so often take a Pepcid in the morning. But for right now, Prilosec on Fosamax days. Don't know if it would work for you or not.

    HUGS!

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited April 2016

    I take Dexilant at night--it’s a multi-release form of Prevacid that follows the initial dose with a second release about 4 hours later to make sure that effective levels circulate for the full 24 hours. I used to take Protonix BID (my ENT said that my bowed vocal fold might have been exacerbated by effectively pickling my vocal folds in stomach acid at night, so told me to switch the drug from morning to bedtime; and my gastroenterologist told me to take it in the morning as well). But I got less breakthrough with Dexilant. Unfortunately, taking PPIs makes it harder to absorb some forms of calcium that require stomach acid to be assimilated--hence my switch from Tums (carbonate) to calcium citrate. But my GERD went all the way to esophageal erosion and even a small stomach pre-ulcer (from taking NSAIDs for knee-surgery pain) that caused anemia, so my PCP says no oral bisphosphonates regardless of whatever precautions I take.

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  • tbalding
    tbalding Member Posts: 449
    edited April 2016

    Wonderful news Grazy!

    Day after surgery going well. No pain, just some twinges. Using Tylenol & ice. Kinda groggy, either from anesthesia or from laying around all day. If I still feel this way tomorrow, told my DH that I'll be ready to get out and enjoy some sunshine. Hugs to all :)

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  • Kokomo26
    Kokomo26 Member Posts: 64
    edited April 2016

    Grazy, that's great news! So happy you have your treatment plan in place now.

    Welcome, Katzpjays and In Stitches!.

    I will have to ask my MO about Zometa or Fosamax as I haven't been told of either one as yet.

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  • PontiacPeggy
    PontiacPeggy Member Posts: 6,778
    edited April 2016

    Sandy, you certainly have tried everything. I can see why Fosamax won't work for you. Bummer. I've no idea if my Medicare plan covers Prolia either.

    HUGS!

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  • Grazy
    Grazy Member Posts: 373
    edited April 2016

    Tbalding, glad to hear you're up and around. I felt a little worse the day after my surgery too - maybe a bit of a let down from the adrenaline rush? plus surgery has to be a shock to the body. I took the Tyronel for three days just to stay comfortable, especially at night, drank lots of water and napped. Pamper yourself.

    Peggy, Yes, my MO told me start the Arimidex immediately. Hmmm. I was actually planning to start tomorrow morning.

    I love all the cheerleaders on this board - what a fantastic bunch of women.

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  • ChiSandy
    ChiSandy Member Posts: 12,133
    edited April 2016

    My MO let me wait a month after finishing rads to start letrozole, so I wouldn’t get side effects while on our Mediterranean cruise.

    Meanwhile, good on ya, Tbalding, for getting through surgery with minimal discomfort. Don’t panic if you start to feel extremely sore in your upper body--it’s “scoline syndrome,: a side effect of a drug called succinylcholine (“scoline”) they sometimes give after you’ve been anesthesized to relax you (preventing laryngeal spasms, which are an involuntary reflex) for easier intubation. Just before the relaxation kicks in, your muscles contract violently for an instant, and starting on the second post-op day you might feel like you’re severely charley-horsed (like after doing Nautilus for the first time but at full-resistance). Don’t worry--it’ll go away within 2 or 3 days.

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  • Fleecelady
    Fleecelady Member Posts: 9
    edited April 2016

    wow what a nice welcome. I live in Bristol, CT and my surgery is next Thursday. The 21st. Can wait to get this thing out of me. Been seriously tired

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  • Molly50
    Molly50 Member Posts: 3,773
    edited April 2016

    I started anastrozole a week before rads.

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  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 530
    edited April 2016

    fleece, good luck with surgery and prayer for negative margins!

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited April 2016

    Here's wishing MLP and LTFly positive energy and bearable SE's on their last chemo today, right?

    Am curious about the Zometa or Fosamax...I am on Arimidex- by itself. My dexa scan was good but are you gals taking one of these other drugs as another layer of protection of recurrence or as part of a way to help your body with the AI SE's?

    ALSO, just a reminder that our very own ChiSandy will be performing a benefit concert in Hickory, NC on Mayy 22, at American Honor Alehouse to benefit Healing Touch- a non profit group who gives breast cancer patients 6 visits to their medical spa for a facial or massage to help them feel as well as possible during treatment. I will be attending and we will try together as many BC.org gals as possible to meet face to face and have time together. We can get a group rom rate if we have enough folks so please look at your calendars and let's make a plan. Would just love to meet you all and have time together!

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited April 2016

    Just wanted to report in--

    I have been taking Femara (letrazole) for about 6 weeks and I'm having NO side effects, as far as I can tell. Sure, I have fatigue, but that's been going on since Oct when I started chemo. I suspect my hemoglobin is still low, which would cause fatigue. I was warned about joint pain, but the only joints that really bother me are my knees and my feet. Of course, I have severe arthritis in my knees and feet, so how would I know if I was having SEs?

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  • mustlovepoodles
    mustlovepoodles Member Posts: 2,825
    edited April 2016

    Happy Hammer, I have that weekend blocked out for the gathering. Do you have any ideas about hotels? I know nothing about Hickory, NC. I am debating whether to come up the on Sat night, or just drive up on Sun and spend the night. Hmmm, 'tis a puzzlement...

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  • HappyHammer
    HappyHammer Member Posts: 1,247
    edited April 2016

    Hey, Poodles...SO EXCITED that you are able to come!!! Where will you be coming from that weekend? My sister lives there so I am planning on going whenever others can gather. We are thinking the Crowne Plaza (not associated with the one in NYC :) but nice nonetheless. They are usually really good about doing a group rate and are right down the road from the venue.

    Now that folks are letting me know they will be coming-will check on rates and such and post soon. Again- so happy you are able to join us. Sandy is arriving after her songwriter's conference ends on Sunday-midday...I can be there Saturday for sure.

    Please look up Highland Avenue Restaurant- they have been honored by Southern Living and their chef, Kyle McKnight has many recent local and regional honors...headed to the James Beard Kitchen in NYC next week for a huge event. That is my sister's restaurant...it could be LOTS of fun to meet and have dinner (and drinks, etc) there Sat. night. They aren't open on Sundays- BUT- Chef Kyle is also the chef for the American Honor Alehouse where Sandy is playing on Sunday so the food will be delish!

    SO looking forward to seeing you and others!

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