Aa
reconstruction pain
What is the normal time frame for pain reduction after bi=lateral mastectamies with expanders? I am still having considerable pain after 3 weeks. Thanks
Labhusky, your mini novel is very stimulating, I don't have words to say to you, only that you are one tough lady, you are also very smart, because you like to be informed and are pro-active, which is very, very good. I don't know much about tamoxifen, but I know a couple of ladies that are taking it, and they don't have any complain about it, I always make sure to ask them if they are taking it, I don't know why, but that medicine (tamoxifen) is always in my mind, one lady has been on it for 1 year exactly, another for two and another for 5 years, she was cleared from cancer on October of this year, she is my brother-in-law's sister, she is 52 and looks like she is 40, she said that she took the news very bad in the beginning, but that now she is strong and happy, full of life, and I mean it, she looks better now than before. Labhusky, you have a great spirit, I know that you are going to come out of this triumphantly, I know that for sure you are going to have better, happier days, all these will be behind and you will be able to marry, or be single and enjoy life to the fullest, because God knows all you have gone through. Even though I didn't have cancer I've had my troubles with this disease, my surgeon called me a couple of days ago, (not her, but the appointment lady that works for her) and told me that my surgeon wanted me to have another mammo on March 3, she actually told me on the first week of February, and I said WHAAAAAAAT???? I can't believe it, you messed up my day (I told her), it was the day before Christmas, on the 24th, and I got a little bit annoyed and told her, ok, just give me the appt. for the beginning of March instead, well the thing is that we are all on this boat, and we know that we know that there is sufficient sadness and stress along with all these, so hopefully this coming year will be a great one and healthy one for us all, and like you said before, may God bless us all. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Carme got a couple questions of Tamoxifen for you, hope you dont mind. Did your hair thin alot? I kind of have fine hair and that makes me nervous. Also, your mom didnt take it after her 1st breast cancer? And did she have the ER/PR positive on the first one too? Hope I dont seem nosey. I kind of wonder about my friend that had what Im going thru now. Her surgeon didnt even recommend it and she asked him. She wasnt assigned an Oncologist either. She has Kaiser health care and Ive always been leeary of Kaiser because Ive heard alot of bad things and getting in and out of there sounds horrid too. I guess they move them around like cattle. I tot want to do more things in life carme, I want to get married. No one YET but Im hoping that their is LIFE after this and I dont want to hibernate in fear waiting for the "other shoe to drop". Im thinking that maybe with tamixifen, it would make me feel a little more confident and a little less worry.
Have a continuing story here from the call from the people saying that the machine wasnt working. I did call them around noon from work because of course I was looking of an excuse to leave early on Friday. It was working so I got there around 3. Some people that are normally scheduled there in the afternoon were there too.
One of the techs comes out and says to everybody that they are having computer problems and that it could take 10 minutes to see if they can continue treatments. Ok fine. He came out again not long after that and said that they will be able to do some treatments depending on what field they need to use for that person and/or how long the persons treatment is. One man there has 10 minutes for a treatment.
They called everybody that was scheduled in the afternoon first which was fine with me. Finally, my turn. I got on the table, and they arranged everything according to the calculations for my treatment. They left the room and I heard the machine humming on one side of my breast. Then the machine moved over to the far left side to do the treatment on the other side of my breast. It didnt do anything.
A tech walks in, and I said, "I broke it." She said, no that it seems that the machine doesnt work on the far left because she had a patient that also needed it on the left and the same thing happened. They said that they will mention to the Dr about my half a treatment and see if I should get an extra zap (my wording), or continue on with the schedule since the Dr will be there Monday. So I have had 23.5 treatments so far. Thought that was funny.
t-belle, maa, tam, snowtree, carme love you all!!! God bless you all!!! Thank you for being here!!!
Carol
Have a continuing story here from the call from the people saying that the machine wasnt working. I did call them around noon from work because of course I was looking of an excuse to leave early on Friday. It was working so I got there around 3. Some people that are normally scheduled there in the afternoon were there too.
One of the techs comes out and says to everybody that they are having computer problems and that it could take 10 minutes to see if they can continue treatments. Ok fine. He came out again not long after that and said that they will be able to do some treatments depending on what field they need to use for that person and/or how long the persons treatment is. One man there has 10 minutes for a treatment.
They called everybody that was scheduled in the afternoon first which was fine with me. Finally, my turn. I got on the table, and they arranged everything according to the calculations for my treatment. They left the room and I heard the machine humming on one side of my breast. Then the machine moved over to the far left side to do the treatment on the other side of my breast. It didnt do anything.
A tech walks in, and I said, "I broke it." She said, no that it seems that the machine doesnt work on the far left because she had a patient that also needed it on the left and the same thing happened. They said that they will mention to the Dr about my half a treatment and see if I should get an extra zap (my wording), or continue on with the schedule since the Dr will be there Monday. So I have had 23.5 treatments so far. Thought that was funny.
t-belle, maa, tam, snowtree, carme love you all!!! God bless you all!!! Thank you for being here!!!
Carol
Glad to read you are doing well. Happy to read what you were informed about Tamoxifen.
My mom had her first breast cancer at 56 and then again at 69. She took Tamoxifen for 5 years, starting when she was 69. She had gone thru menopause in her 40s, but still suffered from hot flashes. She suffered from them until she died at 80.She died of Ovarian cancer,but we have the BRCA2 mutation, so ovarian cancer is/was a greater possibility (yesterday's news verified that with the fact the Hispanics are more suceptible too and we are Hispanic).
When I took Tamoxifen in the City of Hope Trials for 4 years, I had occasional night sweats. I was also nearing menopause, so who knows.
Try it. It might not affect you the way you fear. For now, it is one of the only drugs we have to fight off a reoccurence.
If a doctor gave me good evidence that cutting off my leg would help me from having a reoccurence, I'd let him do it, that's why I had bilateral mastectomies.
I want to see my grandchildren...heck, I still have 18 and 20 year girls to marry off.
Choose life, God has given you the knowledge to do so.
My mom had her first breast cancer at 56 and then again at 69. She took Tamoxifen for 5 years, starting when she was 69. She had gone thru menopause in her 40s, but still suffered from hot flashes. She suffered from them until she died at 80.She died of Ovarian cancer,but we have the BRCA2 mutation, so ovarian cancer is/was a greater possibility (yesterday's news verified that with the fact the Hispanics are more suceptible too and we are Hispanic).
When I took Tamoxifen in the City of Hope Trials for 4 years, I had occasional night sweats. I was also nearing menopause, so who knows.
Try it. It might not affect you the way you fear. For now, it is one of the only drugs we have to fight off a reoccurence.
If a doctor gave me good evidence that cutting off my leg would help me from having a reoccurence, I'd let him do it, that's why I had bilateral mastectomies.
I want to see my grandchildren...heck, I still have 18 and 20 year girls to marry off.
Choose life, God has given you the knowledge to do so.
Hi Dear t-belle, maa, and others too,
I will tell you that I am glad that Christmas is over!!! I have been in a funky mood and I kind of relate it to post traumatic stress disorder from the cancer. Though, we are all blessed with the types and stages we had but still, its alot to digest. Lets have alot of happy years now, enough of this stuff.
I went for zap 21 today, and on New Years Eve they will do a prep for the boosts after administering my normal zap. I will actually begin the boosts on the 7th and that will be my final week. I am a little burnt in that its more of a reddish pink but Im not peeling, and as far as being sore? Eh, somehwat a little but its not like I cant tolerate a bra or anything so Im doing ok there.
Today, I saw my Oncologist regarding the tamoxifen talk. Maa, he said the same thing your onc said-50% chance. He also said that when I take it (and he thinks I will and said so like, I know you will), I will have a better chance of not having cancer than the AVERAGE woman on the street that hasnt had it.
When he first came in the examining room, He said, "hello sunshine." and asked me how I was doing. Oh nervous me said something like kind of Ok. He said just kind of? Then we started on the Tamoxifen. He sat down in a chair and told me to tell him what concerns me about it. I brought up strokes and the fact that my father had one, and the clots and thrombosis stuff I talked of. I talked of the thinning hair but said that was the least of my worries (I forgot to mention the bleeding and thickening of the uterus or whatever and uterine cancer-YIKES).
He said that I am active and he doesnt see me having problems with clots and strokes, that my father was probably not active (I wish I knew since all I did was read his death certificate). The Dr said that he has all my info and really feels I will do fine. That this is a preventive measure rather than using it in conjunction with other treatments like with stage 3 or stage 4 disease in giving them one more year to live. He said that I will be monitered closely every 3-4 months for 2 or 3 years (I forgot which), then every 6 months, then once a year. He said that me being 51 that I have 30-35years left (and I chimed in, "at least"). That if someone came in his office that was 78, he wouldnt prescribe it because of the age (then I thought or felt like I would try it at that age). He said tamoxifen was used for something else too but I forgot what. I asked him whether it thins or thickens the blood and he said it does neither. I thought I read that it did. Im on HBP meds and interference with tamox? He didnt think so. He says he has all my history and he really didnt think I should be really worried about it. I asked hot flashed and he said thats a possibility. I asked quality of life in general and he doesnt think it will affect it to the degree I think it will. I said Joint pain? He said thats those aromabase inhibitors or whatever the ones armidex and those are.
He wrote the Rx and I am to start them after the rads, and see him in 4 months which is in April. Then this is sweet I think, I would have never expected it. I was sitting on the table, said happy new year to me and gave me a little hug and a small peck on the cheek and I also returned it, it was sweet thats all. Im sure he sees alot of patients that dont make it and I believe he cares alot for his patients.
He is a very nice Dr and before I was called in I heard an older man not yelling but just kind of sounding stubborn. I didnt know or understand what it was about, then I saw my Dr come into the nurses area saying something like he is refusing my advice and or treatment. The man was with someone. The woman was at the front counter while the older man just walked out. I watched that man and thought to myself about him, "dont you want to live?" The woman seemed neither here or there about it.
I'll tell you, that would be a hard profession to be in, and I couldnt do it. That dr has seen alot Im sure including alot of those stubborn patients. As far as my health goes, Im fearful and I read alot on the net. I told the Dr that I read alot about side effects on medications on the net and he said I should.
Just got a call from the rads people that their machine quit working this afternoon. They have to fly a part in and it should get here tomorrow morning sometime but to call them at noon to see if I could get zapped in the afternoon. That would work for me getting out early at work.
I did make an appt with my gynecologist for early Jan (16th) and talk Tamoxifen with him regarding the endometrial build up and Uterine stuff. Im not like dead set against it now but I still want more info on that. That Dr today made me feel a little better then when I got home, I went for a mile walk because Im ready to be active again. Ive been dead weight long enough. I walked 2.5 miles yesterday because I was off which was nice. I see my primary Dr Jan 8th. I told someone at work today that Im tired of Drs appts and she said, "Ill bet you are." But after that talk with this dr, I feel more like taking a preventive measure than bury my head in the sand. Most people dont see their dr enough anyway even when they are younger and on their own. I would only see mine when I got a cold. Hardly ever for a check up. Guess I should be glad that I had a wake up call (he and my surgeon both call it that).
Anyone doing anything special for New Years Eve? Im no revelar, I think I will walk New Years Day instead. I like to do that. I used to party somewhat although at home and be sick the next day. Then I thought, this isnt any way to start a year feeling like this.
May God bless us ALL!!! WE deserve some WONDERFUL TIMES now!!! Talk to you soon, this is a mini novel.
I will tell you that I am glad that Christmas is over!!! I have been in a funky mood and I kind of relate it to post traumatic stress disorder from the cancer. Though, we are all blessed with the types and stages we had but still, its alot to digest. Lets have alot of happy years now, enough of this stuff.
I went for zap 21 today, and on New Years Eve they will do a prep for the boosts after administering my normal zap. I will actually begin the boosts on the 7th and that will be my final week. I am a little burnt in that its more of a reddish pink but Im not peeling, and as far as being sore? Eh, somehwat a little but its not like I cant tolerate a bra or anything so Im doing ok there.
Today, I saw my Oncologist regarding the tamoxifen talk. Maa, he said the same thing your onc said-50% chance. He also said that when I take it (and he thinks I will and said so like, I know you will), I will have a better chance of not having cancer than the AVERAGE woman on the street that hasnt had it.
When he first came in the examining room, He said, "hello sunshine." and asked me how I was doing. Oh nervous me said something like kind of Ok. He said just kind of? Then we started on the Tamoxifen. He sat down in a chair and told me to tell him what concerns me about it. I brought up strokes and the fact that my father had one, and the clots and thrombosis stuff I talked of. I talked of the thinning hair but said that was the least of my worries (I forgot to mention the bleeding and thickening of the uterus or whatever and uterine cancer-YIKES).
He said that I am active and he doesnt see me having problems with clots and strokes, that my father was probably not active (I wish I knew since all I did was read his death certificate). The Dr said that he has all my info and really feels I will do fine. That this is a preventive measure rather than using it in conjunction with other treatments like with stage 3 or stage 4 disease in giving them one more year to live. He said that I will be monitered closely every 3-4 months for 2 or 3 years (I forgot which), then every 6 months, then once a year. He said that me being 51 that I have 30-35years left (and I chimed in, "at least"). That if someone came in his office that was 78, he wouldnt prescribe it because of the age (then I thought or felt like I would try it at that age). He said tamoxifen was used for something else too but I forgot what. I asked him whether it thins or thickens the blood and he said it does neither. I thought I read that it did. Im on HBP meds and interference with tamox? He didnt think so. He says he has all my history and he really didnt think I should be really worried about it. I asked hot flashed and he said thats a possibility. I asked quality of life in general and he doesnt think it will affect it to the degree I think it will. I said Joint pain? He said thats those aromabase inhibitors or whatever the ones armidex and those are.
He wrote the Rx and I am to start them after the rads, and see him in 4 months which is in April. Then this is sweet I think, I would have never expected it. I was sitting on the table, said happy new year to me and gave me a little hug and a small peck on the cheek and I also returned it, it was sweet thats all. Im sure he sees alot of patients that dont make it and I believe he cares alot for his patients.
He is a very nice Dr and before I was called in I heard an older man not yelling but just kind of sounding stubborn. I didnt know or understand what it was about, then I saw my Dr come into the nurses area saying something like he is refusing my advice and or treatment. The man was with someone. The woman was at the front counter while the older man just walked out. I watched that man and thought to myself about him, "dont you want to live?" The woman seemed neither here or there about it.
I'll tell you, that would be a hard profession to be in, and I couldnt do it. That dr has seen alot Im sure including alot of those stubborn patients. As far as my health goes, Im fearful and I read alot on the net. I told the Dr that I read alot about side effects on medications on the net and he said I should.
Just got a call from the rads people that their machine quit working this afternoon. They have to fly a part in and it should get here tomorrow morning sometime but to call them at noon to see if I could get zapped in the afternoon. That would work for me getting out early at work.
I did make an appt with my gynecologist for early Jan (16th) and talk Tamoxifen with him regarding the endometrial build up and Uterine stuff. Im not like dead set against it now but I still want more info on that. That Dr today made me feel a little better then when I got home, I went for a mile walk because Im ready to be active again. Ive been dead weight long enough. I walked 2.5 miles yesterday because I was off which was nice. I see my primary Dr Jan 8th. I told someone at work today that Im tired of Drs appts and she said, "Ill bet you are." But after that talk with this dr, I feel more like taking a preventive measure than bury my head in the sand. Most people dont see their dr enough anyway even when they are younger and on their own. I would only see mine when I got a cold. Hardly ever for a check up. Guess I should be glad that I had a wake up call (he and my surgeon both call it that).
Anyone doing anything special for New Years Eve? Im no revelar, I think I will walk New Years Day instead. I like to do that. I used to party somewhat although at home and be sick the next day. Then I thought, this isnt any way to start a year feeling like this.
May God bless us ALL!!! WE deserve some WONDERFUL TIMES now!!! Talk to you soon, this is a mini novel.
Snowtree,Wow! What a gift of encouragement and exhortation through the Holy Spirit you have. Thanks for your words of encouragement, I had a bad day yesterday, so waking up to your prayer for us was really uplifting.
All-Blessings on each of you during this Christmas season. May you all be aware of Jesus presence and love pouring over you...and may you keep your eyes on Him who is the author and perfector of our faith. Surviving this thing makes me appreciate life so much more, and Christmas with my family is a wonderful gift.
All-Blessings on each of you during this Christmas season. May you all be aware of Jesus presence and love pouring over you...and may you keep your eyes on Him who is the author and perfector of our faith. Surviving this thing makes me appreciate life so much more, and Christmas with my family is a wonderful gift.
Your faith in Christ is healing you, He is protecting you at all times, He is listening, all you have to do is pray, because He is not requiring for you to do nothing at this time of your life, only to seat by His feet and tell Him your worries and fears, you are precious in His sight, you are like a jewel full of diamonds, you are unique, wonderfully made, His pride and joy. Precious maa... YOU ARE BLESSED!!!!
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