Starting Chemo in JAN 2007

This is going to sound a bit strange. Yes, when you take Tamoxifin, your hot flashes might get worse. The strange sounding part is that this is a very good thing!

We, as girls with hormone receptor tumors, got extremely lucky. Our type cancer is the easiest to treat. No, having cancer isn't lucky, but if we had to have it, a hormone receptor type is the best kind to have.

Every time we have a hot flash, it means that the Tamoxifin or AI is doing it's job. It is zapping that estrogen/progesterone floating around in our bodies trying to give us a recurrence.

So, if hot flashes increase, this is a very good sign. The drug is doing it's job. We need to be thinking that we are afraid NOT to take the hormone zappers, because they give us the best chance of living a long life. I know taking a new drug is scary, but not nearly as scary as a recurrence.

I'm taking Femara and having a lot of hot flashes. This indicates to me that I need this drug badly.

Nancy, I've been on tamoxifen for about 2 months. My hot flashes have increased in quantity and are a bit stronger. More annoying than anything, it's bearable considering the benefit I am getting from it. The only other thing is the joints in my feet are a bit sore first thing in the morning, but that goes away pretty quickly.

My dr said to start tamox after rads so I would only be going through one thing at a time and would know what side effect was from what but I plan on taking the tamox as soon as it gets here. However I only have 5 rads left, 5 boosts to the scar. I am slightly pinker today but feel real blessed.

My cement came today! How happy am I ! Soon I can sit on my patio in the shade. I'll post a picture as soon as I get it together.

Skye, you would really like my son's mother-in-law to be. She is an art history major (started out as a nursing major but switched) and then got a masters in library science. She is a research librarian for GM. Her job is to stay up on all of the topics of the economy, esp. topics that affect automotive. She is one interesting person. Her husband is an ex-race car driver and now a union carpenter...what a match. I'm hoping they make it to Chicago so she can give us the tour of the museums. My DH can give us the tour of the aquarium. Congrats on finishing rads. Here's to your good health!

Hi all,
I got a letter from Blue Cross today telling me that I am approved for my Diep surgery on August 13. I didn’t know that I needed an approval. My PS sent in the forms. Time is ticking. I have been putting my Diep surgery in the back burner, but the letter put it back on the table. I have an appointment with the PS next Friday, and I decided that I will not think about it until then.

I have not told my 90 year old mother yet. My sister and SIL think I should tell her, but I do not want to worry her. They think she can handle it, and she would want to know. I didn’t tell her about my lumpectomy until after my surgery, and she was not upset at all that I did not tell her. I asked her the other day if she would have wanted to know beforehand, and she said that it was fine that I told her later. She always told me that she does not want to hear bad or upsetting news. She is very anxious, and does not sleep well at night if she is worried about something, so I thought I would spare her a month of anxiety and sleepless nights. I was thinking of telling her after the fact. Any thoughts on this?
Skye,
Congratulations on finishing rads!!! One more giant step closer to the finish line. I remember when you started with Dr. Clapper- seems like yesterday. That's easy for me to say- six weeks IS a long time to be zapped. Yippee you're done!!
Nancy,
I won’t be starting tamoxifen or another AI until September, after my surgery. My oncologist also wants me to do only one thing at a time.
Goldnmom,
Why did your oncologist pick Femara? Just curious why oncs choose different ai’s. My oncologist has not decided yet what I am going to take. I have osteoporosis, and I have heard that arimidex is hard on your bones. Thanks for sharing the information about why hot flashes are a good sign.
RobbinJaye,
My oncologist will not give me a tumor marker test because she says they are often either a false positive or a false negative, thus making them an ineffective diagnosis tool.
Tina,
I hope you are having a great time in Chicago.
Viddie

My Oncologist told me that all of the A1's are equal as far as fighting estrogen and protecting us. He actually started me on Arimidex, but it was causing some arthralgias that were hard to deal with. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and it seemed to make it worse. He changed me to Femara because of that and I don't notice any side effects on Femara. I suppose I could call hot flashes a side effect, but they actually are a response to treatment.

After reading a bit in the thread on hormone therapy, it seems that the three AI drugs are tolerated differently by different people. I'm happy to settle on one that is tolerable and works for me.

Congratulations on your DIEP date!

Thanks everyone for the rads congrats. It feels like I won a marathon or something although every day all I did was lie there.
Robbin thanks for updating us on that marker reading. 15 is WAYYYY below that 200 or 300 mark. I wonder how it got marked high? As for scar tissue from lumpectomy, yes! Lumpectomies are actually quite complex, they are more accurately called "wide tissue excisions" and any time things are cut, there is scar tissue which is just tissue that has hardened as it healed. I also have it in my abdomen from 2 c-sections.
Viddie I agree, don't tell your mom til after. Sounds like she'd rather it be that way.
Caya I'm glad they took your infusion slower this time and it helped the nausea. It made such a big diff for me. Hope the left knee thing goes away.
Jan, thanks for the Nessie, I knew it right away. I'm working on a sea monster book right now so that was so perfect, made me laugh!
Mary your future in-law sounds like an amazing woman. She has quite a librarian job, too. Probably much less stressful than trying to coax 8th-graders into reading something other than Teen People or Motocross Monster Bikes. I do hope we can meet up in Chicago. Anyone else who could make it to Chicago the weekend after Labor Day?
I'm going topless with my tri-colored hair (I think in guinea pigs it's called parti-colored) to my picnic tomorrow. Already made brownies, and had to eat one to test them. :-) Sleep well, me hearties. - Skye

Melia, thanks for the congrats. You have me steaming at your indifferent doc. But you have a terrific attitude and I'm glad you are going out and having fun anyway.
Also forgot to mention Caya, my skin is better than it was too. I was so afflicted with rosacea and now it is very little problem, even in my eyes. At least there's SOME compensation for the hair. :-) Skye

Robbin,

Whew...on your tumor marker. When I read your original message about tumor markers I freaked, because I know what they mean. I was afraid to post anything. But little 'ol teeny tiny 15, that's practically nothing!!!!

Robbin, when are you going to stop worrying about menopause and get yourself on tamoxifen!!!! Every woman gets menopause sooner or later, OK, so you'll lose a few years but your life is more important. Really!!!

Mizsissy

Hi all;

Well I got my Harry Potter book last nite at 12:01 AM. It was so much fun at the bookstore. There were lots of kids dressed up as a lot of different characters from the book. One girl was dressed as "Tonks" with the Pink hair. They had a big countdown, and then they started selling. The one girl had me wait at the cash register, and she gave me the first book....lots to be said about going topless. I was out of the store at 12:05, and my hubby & Thor were waiting in the car...he figured he would be waiting for a couple of hours,and had pushed the seat back for a snooze. Anyways stayed up til 3 reading, and today I'm just sitting on my porch til I'm done.

Going tomorrow to a place called the "Hidden Hideaway". It's where the Sheep & the Highwood river cross, and it's idealic for swimming, so going with my niece & her hubby, Thor & Dan, we're going to have a picnic...should be fun. The weather here is just beautiful, and it's back to cooling off at night so it helps you sleep.

Skye...congrats on finishing!!

Melia, I think all the emergency room would do is give you Lasix intervenously. Hopefully your 80mg will clear it up.

Viddie, I don't think I would tell your Mom either. Why worry her. You'll always be her baby girl, and all this would do is upset her. Tell her after, and then you can both feel better together.

MizSissy, nice to hear from you again.

RobbinJaye, my onc says tumour markers are not to be trusted, and does not use them. He feels that the way you feel is the best indicator of how things are going. Your body has ways of telling you that somethings up.

Mary, didn't get my airline ticket to Iowa, so can't help you with your garden. If you send me the shape and size of it, and what Zone you're in, I could send you some ideas that might look good...just PM me, and I'll go thru my books.

Lynn, how are you doing? Hope the ibuprofen is working on clearing up your problem.

Hugs to all!!

Joni, Chestermere, Alberta, Canada

Robbin,

When I first found out I had breast cancer and starting doing research on all the treatment options, I was horrified when I found out that would need to take anti-hormonals. That terrified me more than anything else; I didn't want *anything* to interfere with my relationship with my husband. We are quite close.

So I started doing a lot of research on the hormonals, searching posts here trying to find out how they affected women. There was lots of good stuff, but probably the best advice was the advice from all the health websites. And guess what, it didn't wreck my marriage OR my sex life. It doesn't have to.

I worry about you not getting started on your hormonals. I was told by Dr. Blaney at U of M that the anti-hormonals, after surgery, are the best way to protect yourself from recurrence if you are ER+, better than chemo or radiation.

I'm glad to hear that you are thinking about this.

((((((Robbin)))))

xxxooo Mizsissy

I wouldn't want you to fall off the bike and loose that nice hair. I hope you had a nifty bandanna or Biker Chic do-rag to wear under the helmet.

I look forward to hearing how it went.

hello gals reading up on all the happenins, I am on my last 7 rads.... the boosts .... one last week in downtown TO and then I am back home for good .
My poor boobie its all red and the nipple is very tender , my skin is peeling on my back . BUT its nothing I cannot handle , slopping on the cream and doing saline soaks . The light at the end of the tunnel is in sight ..... The rads are making me real tired though .
Caya great pic you look great !
Joni i bought my kids the Harry potter book yesterday what a frenzy !
Robin do not worry about getting old man .... menopause no problem dudette .... enjoy your bike ride hope you have fun enjoy your new found freedom wish I could go ..... I just turned 50 and have no intentions of letting some hormones get me Tumour markers I do not know about as I am triple neg and do not get hormone treatments .
So when my rads are done my cancer treatment is done !
Its getting there !
And the one big thing is have met soo many new people , gals like yu here , love ya all !
Hey misissy i cannot stop drawing i have a little sketchbook that fits in my bag and i doodle in it all the time . When I get home next weekend will post some of my meanderings and chicken stratches .
Have a great week ..... check in with ya'll next weekend !

I won't pretend to be at all caught up here, but I have been checking in from time to time and have some idea of what's going on.

Caya, your pictures are beautiful. That's you with the bangs, right?! I like you in shorter hair.

My hair is growing just enough to start to be a pain. It's too short to wear, but too thick to be comfortable under a wig or scarf. I normally part my hair on the left, but my hair wants to grow in the opposite direction! Every day is a BAD HAIR day!

Sharon, I am so excited to hear about your drawing. I was thinking about starting an art forum for women artists where were could talk seriously about art and critique each other. I still haven't gotten back. I just seem to be too involved in sewing.

I completely confused about chat. Are there any official hours any more?

Mizsissy

Just catching up on posts…I have been very busy with my class. Teaching an entire semester in 3 weeks is pretty hard on students and teacher alike. I made it through the first week of classes, and my lessons went fairly well. MUCH better I think than last semester (for obvious reasons I was rather off my game in the spring semester). It is a good, intelligent group of students, which is good…particularly in the condensed session. My classroom has a computer hooked up to a projector, so I had fun with technology on Wed night, and integrated the “toy” into the lesson with great success. I am going to use it again tonight.

I had my pre-op appointment with my plastic surgeon last week, and I have spent the last few days struggling with the question….saline or silicone. UGH. After a lot of thought, and some research in the medical databases (NOT the internet) I think I am going to get silicone. The medical research appears to indicate that they are safe, and that the anecdotal cases of autoimmune disease were unrelated to the implants. I am also thinking that I might ONLY do the silicone on the reconstructed side (because it will look and feel more “real”) and get a saline on the augmented side because that is the side where I would more likely get a ruptured implant (the thing that makes rupture the most likely is mammography!). PS said that this is a possibility and that for an augmentation implant type does not make as much of a difference. Any thoughts ladies? Mel…opinions from the nursing community?

Robbin.- taking the tamoxifen is the right thing. I have been taking it now for almost two months, and I have not seen any major side effects. I have hot flashes, but my libido is not affected. My skin does not appear to be any dryer than before, but I am being proactive and using heavy duty moisturizer at night. All I have to say is better menopause at 35 (or 42) than the alternative! I am sooooooo excited that you are going on that date! DETAILS PLEASE!

Caya I am glad that you are not feeling as queasy, keep us posted on your knee.

So glad to hear from you Sharon! The end is in sight!

Nancy, I would call your family doctor and give the list of meds that you are taking so that they can be checked out. I also think that you can ask your pharmacist…they may be able to tell you if there are any adverse interactions.

Fellow Harry Potter fans….I got my book on Saturday, and it has been a torment because I want nothing more than to bury myself in it, but of course I have other work to do…kids to care for…..so slowly but surely. I am at about page 250 now. Enjoying it