MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Hi elimar,

"Hotsie", yes, that would be a good one with the heat the AI has returned to my body after already 'menopausing' for five years (and which has awoken me now at 3:30 a.m. to peel off drenched, cold pjs), and now I'm here posting before I, hopefully, go back to sleep for a couple more hours; Snazzy - I am, occasionally, hahaa; but Grazy rhymes with Crazy - yep, that's the truth! Play on my maiden name.

In answer to your question, my MO recommended the Oncotype test - I had expected around a 15 (not sure why, exactly) and was surprised to roll in at 21. I had the number 25 in my head as a cue to do chemo, but 21 worried my husband and me a little bit so I consulted several oncologists who all felt the risks weren't worth the benefit. One said I could do chemo if I wanted for peace of mind, but he didn't feel it was necessary, all the other said they wouldn't recommend it. (My husband works in the oncology world so his connections finally came in handy.) My own MO also did not want to recommend chemo and consulted with two of her colleagues who concurred. I felt pretty good about my decision to pass on chemo - the med oncs all feel I'm getting great protection with rads, the AI and (upcoming) Zometa.

My ER+/PR+ percentages were, 98 and 60, respectively. My MO felt the 98% ER+ would be a good match for the AI.

I see you were diagnosed back in 2009. I started Arimidex two weeks before rads, which I'm happy to say are all done tomorrow, and I've had a very easy go of it!

Hi elimar - I got the 3 weeks of whole breast treatments (so the typical [Canadian] 16 trmts) plus 5 boosts, which I'm doing this week, so ended up with four weeks total. It went so fast. I'm just now this week showing some mild skin effects - lucky that I get to finish up tomorrow!

Grazy, I'm glad for you that your done with radiation. I didn't do so bad besides a little fatigue and a suntan. All I had to do was go skinny dipping and I would've had a beautiful matching pair. But I'm to much of a prude to do that so I just waited for it to fade on its own.

You ladies are to much with all the new figures that we are blessed with. I'm more of the big stomach, knee knocking, losing sleep and no butt, but I still have my hearing, and sometimes my eyesight. All I want to do is to be able to zumba again; if nothing else I can dream about it, and I guess in the long run it's easier on the knees.

Happy thoughts.

barbe, I'm in KW. What a terrible experience you had with rads, I'm so sorry you went through that. Experiences run the gamut on here, I have sure learned while visiting various boards...

Elimar - I was warned that I would lose my hair with Taxotere, but never told that it might be permanent. Thank heavens it wasn't. I do know a member who has permanent hair loss so I'll forward that there appears to be a suit.

I'm with you about the neuropathy. I was never told that could be permanent either, and here I am 2-1/2 years PFC and my feet are still like blocks of ice.

And while we're at it - I was never warned about lymphadema either. And that got me also. Sigh.

But I'm not litigatious. And a law suit wouldn't make anything better anyway.

I'm angry that I wasn't warned about all these things, but that's mainly because I'm a control freak and always want to know everything about what might happen. Before round 5 when I had "just a little numbness" my MO did give me the choice to go ahead or quit. I didn't have a lot of choices with ER/PR negative and even then, the chemo didn't destroy the tumor.

I take Arimidex and it causes hair thinning, but if I don't take it, it causes death. Hmmm, what to do?

Haven't been here in a long time. Was trying to do as much living as possible. Staying in denial and actually feeling good. Well we all know how one dam trip to our MO can change that😩. Over the past year my ca 27-29 went up to 41. The 15 was fine. Six months later the same. Last week 68 and 70. I have no symptoms. Having a PET scan next week. Not sure what they will find as my cancer never showed on the scan when my breast was full of cancer. I know benign breast issues can cause a rise in markers but I don't have any breasts. When I find any posts about tumor markers they seem to be several years old. If the scan finds something how to they determine if it's mets or a new cancer? Any input would be appreciated. Hope everyone is enjoying summer🌞

El--great article, thanks for sharing!

Elimar - you got me sidetracked looking at shadow poems & quotes. What fun!! I'm going to be looking for my shadow this week.

Dianarose, I'm stage IV now. Like you say, why check with markers if they aren't going to make a difference? My new onc says we just have to watch to see where my cancer lands next. He hopes to get a year out of Arimidex before I'll have to change.

Prayers being sent your way, sweetie. Please keep us posted.

I had a lump that was first biopsied as benign so I bought a car and changed my job. I asked for the lump to come out anyway, just for peace of mind, and two days after starting my new job I found out I was stage IV!!!