-
Heart damage from radiation
I have read a lot in these posts about heart damage and radiation. Can someone elaborate? I am in my fourth week of radiation and all I was told was that the heart would be receiving some of the radiation. Sounds more serious than that from what you all have written. Thanks, Jayne
-
Questions about smoking & reconstuction
Just a quick question. I was a smoker until I was diagnosed and stopped immediately when the plastic surgeon told me how horrible things would turn out if I didn't ( healing with the tissue expanders, etc.) That was in Nov.2000. For some reason, in the past month or two, I have lit up a few times , nothing in excess. I…
-
lets live it up!!
Hi all, I was reading the posts about hair coloring. my take on the whole thing is do what you want. I have been semi conscious about what I have been doing for the past 18 months, but I still go shopping while on chemo, sit in the sun for more than five minutes, blah blah blah. I do not smoke, never have, never did drugs…
-
fibrocystic cyst
could someone help me, I was diagnosis with breast cancer in Feb. Since then i've had a lumpectomy and radiation treatments. Now i'm getting fibrocystic cyst on my other breast. I've had a biopsy done about 3 weeks ago, and it came back beign. But now i'm getting alot more lumps in my breast. So my question is that what I…
-
pain & muscle aches following surgery/radiation
Since my double mastectomy on June 1st I have been experiencing pains in my pelvis, buttocks, and upper thighs - it is not extremely painful but ever present aching. Advil, etc. do not seem to help - my scans prior to surgery were okay so I tend to believe this is something related to the surgery or post-radiation…
-
Colouring Hair
We habe been told that it is not wise to put a rinse or any hair dye in your hair untill at least 6 months to a year after treatment. Anyone have any info on this
-
What about regular Full Body Cancer Screening instead of more drugs, i.e. tamoxifen, etc
Have any of you talked to you Doctors about this possibility? If we have regular screenings, why do we need more drugs now? It seems that 1 drug requires another drug to offset side effects and on and on.
-
Tamoxifen-to Take it or Not to take it?
I had a lumpectomy in May. Small lump-less than 1/2" and the cancer had not spread to the any lymph nodes. I am now down to the last 12 of 33 radiation treatments. My surgeon, the radiation oncologist and medical oncologist have all recommended that I take Tamoxifen after the radiation is over. HOWEVER, I have some serious…
-
Questions about ovarian cyst
Last week had my follow up scans after 6 mos. of chemo (bilateral mast. in Dec) and was told they were clear but that they did find a cyst on my right ovary. My onco recommennded a gyno and I visited him yesterday. Turns out this cyst is a "complex mass associated with the right ovary" and is 5cmm in size ( size of a…
-
Starting the follow ups
Hello everyone, I am finished with treatment and will start all the follow up visits next week. A mugga to check my heart, and a visit with my radiation oncologist and my cancer oncologist for the tumor marker. I feel very strong and very positive that all is well. To those of you that had lumpectomys, do you get a pulling…
-
Statistics-not for me!
Hello everyone! I found this report recently and wanted to share it with all on this site--especially those of you whose doctors have told you that you only have 'x' number of months to live. Mr. Gould, who wrote the report,is a scientist and some of his language was just too technical--so I picked out the most relative…
-
A n urgent plea for information - To reconstruct or not?
I am 49years old, have had a large tumour in my breast and just completing my fourth chemotherapy. In a few weeks I will have a mastectomy. I deeply enjoy yoga and meditation practice and need support to make a good decission about whether to do reconstruction or not. I would appreciate hearing from any women like me who…
-
how do you get in a chat room
i would like to know how to join into a chat room discussion.
-
Praise in the midst of trouble!
my pastor asked me to share in church last Sunday because alot of members are having troubles of one kind of another and he knows I have a different slant on things. This is something that really blessed me when God showed it to me and maybe it will bless others too........ In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were thrown in prison…
-
GOOD SCANS!!!!!
Thank you one and all for any thoughts or prayers you have sent my way! One of my nurse was so very sweet to fax me copies of scan results today so I would not have to wait until Tuesday--all three nurses are just angels. She told me they looked good, and "Thank God" they were. I will see the oncologist Tuesday. I know…
-
steriotactic biopsy
hi gang...my radiation is being held up because I need to have a steriotactc biopsy on a small spot on my mammo that can't be felt or seen on ultrasound. All my doctors expect it to be a cyst from the way it looks but because of the other cancer , they want to be sure before we proceed....my question to anyone who has had…
-
lymphodema
Hello everyone - I have been on a much needed vacation, feeling pretty good too. My radiation treatments just started and I have also noticed my arm feels so very heavy. I talked to my doctor about it today and she has me schedule to see a physical therapist. I haven't heard much about this here, is this common? Is there…
-
Any OK experiences with taxol?
After 2 difficult experiences with A/C (my white blood count went very low and I developed an infection) my doctor is switching me to taxol which she says isn't quite as hard on the blood count. But after reading all the messages here about the side effects of taxol, I'm now dreading this treatment coming up this Fri. Has…
-
Nutrition
I have been researching nutrition and someone gave me some info on Dr. Lorraine Day. I checked out her web site. But I was wondering if anyone knew anything else on her. She's a medical doctor but is really anti-everything that is medical. Comments? Thanks, Jayne
-
3rd round of chemo
Hello to all you wonderful ladies! I am going this Friday the 13th!! for my 3rd treatment. I read these boards with so much admiration for all of you. Your courage, faith and love continually lift my spirits. I keep all of you in my prayers daily. Remember "strength for today and hope for tomorrow." Love you good, Rosemary…
-
Making Decision on Radiation Treatment
hey folks, my wife (39 years old) had a lumpectomy (0.5 cm) with clear margins and no indication of lymph node involvement. She is scheduled for her first radiation treatment next week and we are having some difficulty sorting through all of the information on the radiation portion of the treatment. For example, the…
-
whereabouts of tekgal??????
Has anyone heard anything from tekgal lately? I had been in close contact with her, and all of a sudden, I have not heard a word from her. I am very concerned and hope everything is okay with her. I know she was having some discussions on having her ovaries removed and going off the tamoxifen. Any information you can give…
-
3 month check-up
Hi Everyone - Just wanted to let you all know that I see my oncologist for my 3 month check-up. I am now a one year survivor and feel real good about that. I like everyone else have those aches down my legs, but otherwise I am feeling really great. I do worry about the pains going down my leg, but after reading your posts,…
-
prayers
I'm sending a prayer request for all to pray for the little boy that got bit by shark.The boy is in critical condition, all his organs has been damage ,i want to do a prayer chain say 6:00pm tonight.It doesn't have to be my time when its 6:00 say a prayer for him & his famuily, that way we all are saying a prayer every…
-
What tests are standard after treatment?
I had a lumpectomy, finished chemo, finished radiation. Now what tests should the doctor order to verify that the cancer is gone? Last time I saw my Onc. I asked if I was cancer free. He said he would think yes and that once I finished radiation (6/26) he would order some tests. I read about people having bone scans and…
-
Scans tomorrow!
Hope all of you will keep me in mind tomorrow; and pray the CAT scan and bone scan will at least be as stable as they were last time!! As a friend recently said to me, 'stable sounds great now'. In the beginning you feel like you have to reach 'cure'; but when things just remain stable and no new recurrances; you are so…
-
What I learned through my breast cancer experience.
I am a breast cancer survivor (8 years!) I am also a writer working on a project about what women learned through their breast cancer experiences. If you would like to contribute to the article, please email me your comments, quotes, or humorous antedotes. Please keep in mind the topic is what I learned from the cancer…
-
Mother in law
My mother-in-law is having a mastectomy today. She is in Kansas and I am in Arkansas but my heart and thoughts are with her. We are expecting a grandson anytime so she wanted us to wait and not have to make two trips. I have four sister-in-laws, so she has plenty of support.It is still hard not to be there, though. She…
-
Aches and Pains after Chemotherapy
I had a lumpectomy last November. Because of the size and pathology of the tumor I took 8 sessions of chemotherapy (4 Adriamycin/Cytoxan and 4 Taxotere). After the third round of the A/C every joint in by body ached. My Oncologist assured me it wasn't cancer and that it was probably a joint virus of sorts (no real…
-
Resource info
I was wondering if anyone knows of a good book or web site for ways to make your body a better fighter against cancer. I've heard a lot about diet, but nothing definitive. More grains? Less red meat? Low fat? ANy information would be greatly appreciated. My thoughts are with you all. Love, Jayne