Starting Chemo September 2015; join us!

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  • tkemp67
    tkemp67 Member Posts: 75
    edited February 2021

    Tessu

    That is the best news.

    God is Great!!

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  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,804
    edited March 2021

    I just saw your post Tessu! Yay!!!!!!!! Such good news!

    Octogirl

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  • DLcygnet
    DLcygnet Member Posts: 155
    edited April 2021

    Hi everybody!

    It's been so long since I logged in. So much has happened. I love reading all the updates from my ladies; glad you're in the clear, Tessu!

    For everybody else getting their ovaries removed - how did you get around to pulling the trigger? I've been given the option of removing 1 ovary, both sets of tubes and the uterus, but leaving one ovary behind to avoid a hard menopause start. I'm not sure if I should take it.

    My beautiful boys are now nearly 7 and the second will be 3 in October. They keep me busy along with the husband - we're still semi trapped at home thanks to the pandemic. I get my 2nd Moderna shot on 17 April. My eldest son resumes full time school at the end of the month. I feel like the chemo brain and mommy brain are finally lifting. I've continued nursing as long as possible in order to defer tamoxifen as long as possible - hate that mind fog! And now I hope I can help somebody else through the same roller coaster we've already been through.

    Here's an 8 month old picture of me with the cuties! I would love to see updated pics of everybody!

    image




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  • tessu
    tessu Member Posts: 1,564
    edited May 2021

    Hi again! Still waiting on my COVID vax, Finland is rather slow, but I might get my first dose mid-May - yay!

    DLcygnet At the end of January, I had my tubes and ovaries removed by laparoscopic day-surgery, because of a scary (but luckily benign) growth on one ovary. The procedure was done under general anesthesia, starting around noon; I was able to go home just after 7PM the same day (they don't let you go until you pee :) ). I came home with 4 incisions - two very tiny ones on either side of my lower abdomen (one stitch each); a vertical one-inch at my naval which would have also been itsy bitst except they found the start of a hernia there and kindly fixed it because they had to make the hole anyway for one of the instruments. The largest incision was made in my old C-section scar, just left of the midline. That one is an inch and a half, because the growth was large and that's where they took it (and tubes and other ovary) out. I had the option said no, because it wasn't giving me any trouble. Recovery was easy, tylenol/codeine for the first 3 nights, otherwise just tylenol. No lifting heavier than 1kg = a full quart milk carton for one week, no pilates or other sit-ups exercise for 2 weeks. Stitches were self-dissolving.

    Overall, the surgery and recovery were much less stressful/uncomfortable than I expected. I had already gone through menopause about a year before my breast cancer, and am taking AIs (letrozole), so no change in those symptoms, which for me have been mild anyway.

    If you are considering getting your ovaries out to prevent ovarian cancer, I'd suggest getting both plus tubes out. Leaving one ovary in wouldn't change cancer risk (to my knowledge). And leaving your uterus in would prevent possible urinary incontinence later (not very common but still a side effect of uterin removal).

    I hope this helps, and I hope if you decide to get the surgery, that all goes well <3

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  • tessu
    tessu Member Posts: 1,564
    edited September 2021

    My yearly controlss were switched last year from the hospital cancer clinic to the community health center, I guess because at 5 yrs everything was ok. Had trouble getting an appointment, so I got the usual bloodwork done privately (this lab doesn't require a doctor's order slip). Aaaaand: my AFOS is up, almost three times what it used to be all through treatment controls, and definitely out of the normal range. I'm scared. Luckily I finally succeeded in getting a health center doctor appointment for next week; repeated the bloodwork this morning. Crossing fingers this is just a false alarm...

    update Sept. 15:

    My AFOS was repeated through the public health center, and although not as low as it used to be, it is just within normal limits. The doctor was not concerned, so I'm going to try to stop worrying, since I feel ok (except for tired). She wanted me to restart Fosavance for as long as I take letrozole. I have to go in for mamm/ultrasound, but am not worried, no lumps :)

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  • Jojo0529
    Jojo0529 Member Posts: 193
    edited September 2021

    hope you are found well. I miss my ovaries but reducing risk is so important.

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  • tessu
    tessu Member Posts: 1,564
    edited September 2021

    Thanks, Jojo0529 :) I had my ovaries out in January and don't miss them - the left one was growing a scary cysty-thingy that hurt and that luckily was benign :) I hope you are well too.

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  • Jojo0529
    Jojo0529 Member Posts: 193
    edited September 2021

    i love your advice ig be gentile with yourself. it is hard sometimes

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  • tessu
    tessu Member Posts: 1,564
    edited October 2021

    Dodged another bullet. The radiologist who did my mammogram and ultrasound took six needle biopsies of the lump the (new to me) health center doc found at my 6-yr checkup. Took awhile, but got the pathology results today: NO evidence of cancer. Yay! And double yay! because I got my lymphedema arm remeasured ,and will get two new sleeves and two gauntlets (last new sleeves were two years ago).

    Friday I was a volunteer "fashion model" for our local cancer society's Pink Ribbon Fashion Show, featuring clothes from their second-hand shop :) My second time; last time (before COVID) the clothes were from local stores/boutiques; this time with the pre-owned clothes we all had much more fun.

    I hope everybody in this group is doing well.

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  • octogirl
    octogirl Member Posts: 2,804
    edited October 2021

    yay tessu, great news!!

    I am doing well....busy, but well.

    Octogirl

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  • Flower68
    Flower68 Member Posts: 147
    edited November 2021

    Hello September 2015 ladies,

    It has been forever since posting. Still doing great, going to yearly mammograms/visits and so forth. 6 yrs in August 2021 since my diagnosis.

    Hope you are all well

    Flower68

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