MIDDLE-AGED WOMEN 40-60ish

Options
1…10161017101910211022…1064

Comments

  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2016

    Barbe, Not that there would ever be any good timing as far as finding out about being Stage IV, but after the biopsy B9 determination you really got blind sided!

    Dianarose, Well, the scans will tell you if you need to change meds or not. The markers really cannot do that. The longer you can keep the cancer at bay with one med. the better so you would not want them to switch you off of one prematurely. Just think of your scan as the most precise way of gathering information. I think it will be a good thing, in that sense.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    No markers and no scans without a symptom so it's less stressful. I can't get an MRI due to my pacemaker so a CT would be my next tool and the cancer has to be bigger to be caught so I know it will be more advanced when found. I am going to a cancer centre that the hospital does have a PET scan at, but don't know if I'd qualify. I've been getting some pretty bad head pain and vision problems but have had 2 CT scans already this year. A couple years ago they wanted to take my pacemaker out, do the MRI and then put it back in!! I said no. Now that I'm stage IV I'm not as worried about anything as the other shoe has already dropped. Weird that I'm calmer now than before the recurrence, eh?


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    Oh! And in Elimar's honour, I had a colonoscopy last week and thought about her the whole time! hehehehehhe

    No biopsies taken - there was some issues found on CT - a thickening/fold thingy, but wouldn't they have done a biopsy? Results July 14th or so. I'm not worried.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2016

    Barbe, so you must have had "virtual colonoscopy" then, since you mention CT. Pretty sure that gets done by terrestrials. Aliens are all about the probe. Did not realize that you would have to wait for the results with that method. Does it take a whole month to get results, or you are just waiting til next time you see your doc to go over it?

    It has been a while since my last probing but I will get one done in Fall and, if clear, I will graduate to the 5-year plan.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Barbe-I totally get that about waiting for the other shoe to drop. You have so much anxiety because you know it's going to drop sooner or later. It's all crazy😜.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    I had a "real" colonoscopy, but the reason for it was findings on a CT from February and they wanted me to finish rads first. They thought to stretch out the abuse to my system over many more months than necessary.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Had the PET scan today. Results on Monday. Stressed 😖

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited June 2016

    {{{Dianarose}}}}

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{ Diana Rose }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    I get frighteningly calm after a test/scan knowing I did what I had to do and it was all in the hands of the radiologist now. It's waiting for the test where I stress. We get it, though. Trust me!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Barbe- they always give me a disk of the scan. I don't know how to read it so I don't look at it. It would probably scare me. I know have until Monday to stay in denial.

    Native Mainer- hope things are going well for you! Where the heck is Etna?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited June 2016

    Etna is a bit south of Bangor. If you find Bangor on a map, and then follow I-95 south, when you get to Newport you are right next to Etna. Tiny place, doesn't show on most maps.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    I have a niece who has been living in Bucksport. Been there once. She just sold her house and moving my way😍. She sold her 3 bedroom house for 74k. You can't buy anything for that around here.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Now kidney stones. This sucks. So painful

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2016

    Dianarose, Have you had kidney stones before? What is causing that? Don't they bust up kidney stones with lasers now?

    So sorry you are in for a weekend of stones and suspense.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Elimar- had them once before but not as painful as this time. It is breaking up on its own. Passing little pieces. Could have been there from chemo. Zometa can cause it too. Before it broke up my urine looked like mud. Was full of blood. Now it is clear. On an antibiotic for a week too. Praying this is what made my markers go up.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited June 2016

    Dianarose--Bucksport is a beautiful area.Now you've got kidney stones? No fair!


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Native Mainer- I have a high pain tolerance. Had all my surgeries with not one pain Med. Kidney stones are a whole new pain. My dear hubby wanted to hold my hand or rub my back. Don't touch me 😖. Poor guy. My doctor said inflammation could have made my markers go up. I pray she is right. I am so stressed to find out the scan results on Monday. Everyone says don't worry. Hard not too even though I know it does not one bit of good. Picked a lot of strawberries and going to have dinner with the grandkids and strawberry shortcake for dessert 🤗. My daughter is visiting from California in 2 weeks. Can't wait to see her. For years she has had a lot of weird medical issues. Was told she had MS and other things. She finally went to a different doctor. Was diagnosed with Lyme disease. Probably had it since she was a kid growing up in Maine.

    Have S great weekend and enjoy the beautiful weather 😎
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Loral
    Loral Member Posts: 932
    edited June 2016

    Dianarose...wishing you only good results tomorrow...

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NativeMainer
    NativeMainer Member Posts: 10,462
    edited June 2016

    Dianarose--there are things other than cancer that can make the markers rise, hopefully the kidney stones were the cause. A painful cause, but at least one that will go away.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Will be a Xanax day tomorrow for sure😖. Had strawberry shortcake with the grand kids with our own berries, so yummy

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    Praying for you sweetie, please let us know ASAP.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    I am so stressed I am shaking . Don't know how to calm down. Sure is a crazy way to live

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2016

    Even on Xanax, Dianarose? Thinking of you and hope the news comes quick today. Can you call to get it?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Elimar- just took a half of Xanax. The MO likes to see you in person 😖. I have done a little research on this whole kidney stone issue. What I am straining are soft not hard like a stone. Says it is called Struvite stones caused by chronic urinary infections. I had this 2 years ago and took sulfur for 17 days. The weird part is sex was painful prior to that and after was not for many months then became painful again. I told my doctor and ever described where and she said it was a muscle. It is a burning pain not s muscle pain. I think this has been there a long time. Even when we traveled I saw theses little white pieces and just thought it was from cheap toilet paper at rest stops. My daughter told me to stop going on Google or the next thing that it will tell me is I am pregnant lol.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2016

    Don't pay any attention to me while I scoff about it being a muscle. That does not seem likely. When you get answers like that, what else can you do but turn to Google? Google is how I deduced that I had an allergic reaction to quinoa, because not a single "medical professional" picked up on it even tho' I listed everything I had eaten. Google is how I learned enough to pursue my parathyroid disease. All the pieces were there and my docs were not putting them together. What I am saying is: I am a big fan of Google, or any other search engine that provides information.(*) When your daughter goes thru' more experiences that leave her without answers, let's see where she turns. Sorry, if I am being too opinionated about that. (Of course, if you Google for symptoms and it indicates pregnancy, you probably should stop; but Google a few baby names first before you do.)

    (*) Mainly sticking to the more legitimate sites out there.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Dianarose
    Dianarose Member Posts: 2,407
    edited June 2016

    Elimar- Google is a great tool. My first MO sent me to a surgeon for my mastectomy who I really dislike. So while searching other surgeons I learned about skin sparing ones. When I asked him he said he did not do them. The MO never told me because they did not have a surgeon in there network who did them. I was so pissed! Went and got my files and moved on

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LibbyD
    LibbyD Member Posts: 25
    edited June 2016

    Hello, Almost left the whole discussion board because the posts showing as newest are dated from 2009? Glad I went to the end :)

    I am 52 and was diagnosed on June 3rd. Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited June 2016

    This thread IS weird. It always shows as "NEW" but it's not. Even when I post, it'll come up in my Favourites as a "new" post and the post was mine! Hard to tell when something is really newly posted unless the name of the poster changes. Hoping to hear from Dianarose.....

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • elimar86861
    elimar86861 Member Posts: 7,416
    edited June 2016

    Barbe, It's been like that for a few months. Back then I think I asked if it was happening to other people, but no one replied that it was. I don't know if it is the only thread that is affected, but it is the only one in my favorites like that. No, I did not appeal to the BCO Mods or techs because I thought it was something that would get worked out over time. Now, I'm just living with it like it is my new normal. (Snort!)

    I, too, checked in to see if Dianarose had her results. If the news was good, I would think she would rush to tell us, so I am even more worried not hearing from her yet.

    Where are you D?

    Also, welcome, LibbyD. Between talking with your docs and getting some good first hand accounts here on BCO, I hope you will come to have a good understanding of this disease. Best to go in with your eyes wide open. Remember, YOU are an integral part of your healthcare team and knowledge will give you power to make wise choices along the way. When I was new, I was surprised at just how big this community was. Feel free to reach out, if we can help at all.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories