December 2017 Radiation Group

Gigibee .... thank you for the info, it really a great help. I love tofu, so it is safe to have it now. I also like soy milk, I don’t want to miss some of this food. I’m also ER/PR + high also, I have to watch my estrogen.

Amy, I’m on Anastrozole also, I’m on my second day, and I took my pill in he morning, when do you take your pill?

Happy Valentine’s Day... here is some flowers for you all.

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY WARRIORS!!!!

gigibee - Thank you so much for the dietician info. I'm going to be meeting with one soon and am going to use your list to create my own list. I like dark chocolate and bought a few dark Dove bars that are 210 cals each. I keep them waaaaaay up on the top shelf in my kitchen and need to get on a chair to get one (they are up that high on purpose). I've been reading alot about herbs and spices. I've never had tumeric but read that's it good in killing off cancer cells. I've been roasting veggies like crazy. Who knew that roasted onions get sweet .... I did not know that!!! I roast cauliflower, carrots, green peppers, sweet potatoes, butternut squach, acorn squash, zucchini and brussel sprouts. Yes, brussel sprouts. I could never eat them before, but roasted, they are yummy. I make about 2 very full cookie pan/trays full of veggies every few days and just load up.

lifechoices - Try baby kale, it's softer and sweeter.

Have my one month on anastrozole followup with MO next week and will see how things are going (from blood work I'm doing this week). I take mine at night and have "warm" flashes every now and then - morning, noon and night. I try to dress in layers. Very rarely get a headache from it (I never got headaches before). Been eating better, exercising and lost a few pounds. New year, new me. HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!!!

Ellyn I made smashed Brussels sprouts tonight. Boil for 10mins, put on a pan , add olive oil, garlic , salt , pepper and thyme . Toss everything , smash the sprouts with a glass, sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheese bake at 425 for 25 mins, yum!

I think dark choc is fine. Everything in moderation. The dietician expressed that very clearly

I bake a lot of veggies too.

Lifechoices , there’s a salad mix at the store which is kale , broccoli, Brussels sprouts ...sliced and diced so it’s like lettuce , try that as a way to sneak in the cruciferous veggies. It comes with a dressing and seeds/crasins

gigibee- we're in Fort Myers, FL; from Albany NY...long drive. I put a can of 50 SPF on the sink edge so every morning I'm spraying the rads area. I still haven't peeled, I might be one of the lucky ones but I keep waiting for that shoe to drop.

I hardly eat veggies, so I'll have to look for the mix in the store. If I don't focus on what's in it, I just might like it. LOL

Have a great week ladies!

LOL Lotions and Potions! I love it! That really is the stage we are gradually all reaching!

I'm a week and half into Tamoxifen, and I can still live with myself, so that is really encouraging. Hot flashes actually seem fewer than they were post Taxol. Having a little harder time falling asleep, so I feel more dragged out during the day. Today, I am really achy, and wonder. I can tell I have a new drug on board and it will take a few weeks for my body to get used to it, but I expected that.

My MO has been pretty sure I am pre- or perimenopausal since I still have my ovaries. (I had a hysterectomy in childbirth 21 years ago.) I stopped feeling like a cyclical being at least a decade ago, but there is no way to be sure, obviously. Since I have problems with migraines and nausea which are hormonally-linked, I begged my MO to go ahead and check my hormone levels now, even though we are starting the Tamoxifen. I got a phone call from her personally, about 90 minutes after I left the lab. Surprise! My numbers are solidly post-menopausal. So we are still starting Tamoxifen for now, but she seems to be starting to rethink strategy and will recheck in 6 months. We may switch to an AI sooner than she expected. I have to say that I was secretly pleased that I my hunch wasn't crazy.

Hi Ladies... great that you’re all making progress! I also love the “lotions and potions” :-)

I’ve been on AIs (Femara) for two months now with only minimal SEs... hot flashes at night mainly and feeling a bit “creaky” especially after I’ve been sitting for a while and then stand up. It’s worse if I don’t go to the gym which I do 4-5 days a week.

So much better than expected / feared. Good luck to everyone

Hi Ladies,

It looks like most of you have moved on to hormonal therapy, which may be where I headed next. 5 Boosts left and looking forward to saying goodbye to that end of this battle. My sister has propositioned me to participate in a Cancer Walk that is less than 2 miles, so I have registered for that and thank God the skin has held up. Inspite of the swelling, stiffness and tenderness, I think I can do it. Hubby and Sons are doing it with me and I excited that I have something to look forward to, especially since I had never participated in a walk or run, but talked about doing one right before DX. I'm also hoping that it will push me to get back to my healthy pre-DX lifestyle. Cindy -enjoy your trip. I know you needed it! :-) Beautiful Flowers Paulette.

Have a peaceful Sunday evening -

Hugs and Kisses Ladies

Skookum and Neanie, good morning and happy president's day! You are so close to finishing and we are definitely all here rooting for you. Sounds like you are holding up ok so thank goodness for that.

Does your facility have a bell to ring when you are done? I'm not sure Skookum can do that while eating cherry pie but I'd love to see a picture of that!

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OCDAmy, oh wow - she says that you will continue to get tight? My radiated breast/expander is so tight and I keep thinking that any day it's going to feel better (I'm 3 weeks post-rads). But no? Overall my skin is better, but the worst spots are still really red. I'm still lotioning up 3 times a day.

I'm like you and want to expand my TEs a little more before my exchange surgery. I would be scared to try now though with the skin being so tight. I'm also dying to do some upper-body weight lifting but yeah, worried about using the pec muscle right now. My left arm's range of motion is limited. I see my PS tomorrow, interested to hear how he thinks the expander is doing.

Congrats on getting to take a long break from the treatment facility!

I had the strangest thing happen today. I was so tired when my alarm went off I hit the snooze button a few times. Really, from 8:45 until 9:23...then I realized I needed to be ready in 7 minutes. To say I looked a sorry mess this morning would be a great big understatement ! But I had time to brush my teeth, wash my face and slather some moisturizer on my face. No hair brushing, just pulled on clothes. When I got to the RO office I was getting ready for my treatment when I saw 2 of the pads used to protect the really sore radiated area looked like they were dirty, I looked closer and I thought, how did melted chocolate get on the pad? After treatment I saw my RO and my nurse and I looked in the dumb full length mirror again and I realized the brown melted chocolate on the pad was me. I've started peeling an the section under my arm was really burnt, that's what looked like melted chocolate! Oh my, I had a nice little laugh at myself and my nurse gave me clean pads! Like I've said before I can laugh or cry, I've cried enough since October, so today I laughed. Only 2 treatments left!

Monday I start on Anastrozele, my MO said no tamoxifen because my body is post-menopausal. Hopefully this won't turn my skin green!

I guess I’m ready for tomorrow...I’ll probably cry. I really didn’t think I had it in me to get through 33 rad treatments!


Got gold chocolate bars for my technician team and golden nugget oranges for the crazy people who don’t want chocolate! I’m sure glad for my RO, her head nurse and all of the technicians who helped me through this time in my life. They saw me cry often and would give me a pat on the shoulder. This radiology clinic has a great group of people who will go out of their way to assure me that the treatments are going well.
But I’m so tired I just want to sleep for a month!
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Skookum - I've been taking Anestrozole since early January and I take it before bed. The only SE for me is the warm flashes, which I never had during menopause. I find I have to dress in layers and peel clothes off at times because I really get warm, just briefly, then I have to get dressed again!!! I haven't had any aches or soreness at all. But, I started exercising and watching what I'm eating and I think that helps. I met with my MO this week and my blood work was all good so I guess the meds are working. I'm happy to report that since January 18, when I started this "weightloss for wellness" program at the survivor center my hospital has, I have lost .... 10 pounds!!!!!  I may have to bring my flask bracelet to the next meeting to celebrate haha. Have a great weekend everyone.