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permanent side effects from chemo - anyone else?
I am still struggling emotionally to deal with the side effect chemo gave me: my female pattern baldness which would not have showed up until I was an old lady, yet was exposed or accelerated by the chemo. I am trying to take the right steps: I found a beautiful human hair wig and lightened my hair and styled it…
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Chemo is not for me...
I don't know what or how to feel right now. All I do is cry. I don't want to go through anymore treatments and I'm really at the point where I might be at work instead of my next treatment. I'm on day 4 after chemo and I do know that it's not as bad as it could be. I have not puked...I had a queazy stomach since the…
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Femara effects????????
Does anyone take this drug? What are the side effects most people experience?
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when is it ok to cry
I have a caregiver that will not let me cry.....I tell her that crying is a way for me to release my grief. I am recuperation from bilateral mastectomy and I have my good days and bad days.... How can I make her see my side?
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SPELL CHECK
Occasionally I have seen folks here note how spell check would be nice, below is a useful site that will spell-check your blogs or whatever you write here. Just copy and paste it, it will also check your grammar and it has a thesaurus. I use it quite often and have even bookmarked it.…
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Oncotype score
I just read in someone's post: "My Oncotype score was a 14 so I don't have to go through Chemo" What is an oncotype score? Lisa
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Dry itchy skin
I have very dry itchy skin. I'm not having radiation yet ... so it can't be that. I've had two taxol/herceptin infusions ... but I don't know if it's that ... or what. Maybe it's just the weather ... I'm trying to drink a lot of water ... and slapping on the lotions and creams ... but my skin still feels creepy-crawly. Any…
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Still me
Good morning friends, I am going to work today, for a few hours maybe 5. I used to work 12 hour shifts..all day on my feet and still come home and make supper etc. Now i feel 5 is enough and hubbie makes supper. I look forward to going to work but one thing has been bothering me. I live in a very small town and there is…
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ASCO guidelines on BC surveillance
While reading the post on psychosocial issues of BC, I had more questions. I went to the American Society of Clinical Oncology to look up the guidelines on BC surveillance. My onc never told me anything more than I needed a mam twice a year for the next 2 years. This is what I found: American Society of Clinical Oncology…
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Losing hair
I am losing some of my hair on my head but why is it the hair that is covered with clothes the first to go--yes that hair plus arm and leg hair. Maybe the only reason why my hair hasn't fallen out more is from the gel/wax I put in my hair. I have also started to lose my eyebrows and eye lashes already. I had my first chemo…
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happy about wig
So: my hair did not grow back properly because I have underlying female pattern baldness. I am realizing this is not the end of the world, and want to share my good news with you: I am going around to different wig/hairpiece shops before I make my decision, but I am going to get a really, expensive nice wig or hairpiece.…
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Psychosocial Issues of Breast Cancer Survivorship
I thought this was a good article and hope it helps those of us struggling with the multi-headed beast of bc and all the problems that can come with it like financial, sexual, emotional and more. love jan From Medscape Hematology-Oncology Talking With Your Patients About Cancer Psychosocial Issues of Breast Cancer…
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Who did it????????????
Cumon, 'fess up, Who actually gave up Smoking/ Drinking/ Eating Red Meat/ Drinking bottled water/ Fiddling about with car engines without the protection of arse-feeling gloves/........ Did anyone start on a vegan diet, drink 300 gallons of pure spring water or walk 250 miles a day? I'm just being nosy.......but DOOOOO…
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Can Anyone Relate
I was dx with breast cancer and during a CT Scan, it showed that I had a spot on my liver also, about 3.7 diameters. They did another CT Scan about 5 months later, in which it showed no change. I am scheduled to take another one on Friday, March 27th. I have experienced pain below my left rib cage. My doctor says that it…
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Just joined - lots of questions
I got my diagnosis of mucinous breast cancer on January 30th while I was recuperating from ankle ligament reconstruction surgery (Jan. 29th). I was expecting it because of all the tests they had been running after my mammogram. (ultrasound, cone mammogram, biopsy - that took a week for the results!). I had a lumpectomy on…
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Constantly Catching the Common Cold
I've been out of treatment for nine months. I never got a cold or other annoying bug once during chemo. I am currently enduring my fifth cold since September. Where, oh where did my immune system go? Has anyone else had this experience? I've been taking all the proper precautions I took during chemo. - hand-washing being…
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so close yet so far
Yesterday I turned 49 years old. Last year at this time I didn't know I was going to be diagnosed with cancer in May. I made it through that news, I made it through the double mastectomy in June, I made it through the radiation that ended in October and I'm getting ready for the implants on April 9. Yesterday I also had…
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Haven't written in a while
I haven't written in a while. Been on the pity pot (quite a lot) and spending my time being a workaholic and sleeping. But I do read what you all have to say and respond to your messages with thoughts and prayers and oftentimes smiles- you are all so special to me! I want to congratulate Chen and root for RE and hug so…
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devastated by dermatology appt.
I just knew my hair wasn't growing in normally, with the thin spots and all. Today I went to a dermatologist specializing in hair disorders who told me the following: I have female pattern balding which might not have appeared until I was 80, but it was 'unmasked' by the chemo (became apparent earlier because of it). This…
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This has NOTHING to do with Cancer!!!!!
Oh wow~ how could I have forgotten to share with you all that I got engaged last Saturday????? Reggie had something to "ask me"..but he decided to wait until he saw me ( I was out of town visiting my brother...you remember, my "date" with Joyce happened that week!) Turns out, what he wanted to ask me was if I knew my ring…
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After 1st Treatment
Ok, yesterday was treatment number 1...I don't know if it was my anticipation of being sick or maybe I ate something wrong. My stomach was queazy(?) after eating homemade chicken and noodles. And I also drunk over 32 ounces of water the first hour of me being home. One of the two probably was too much. So, I tried to think…
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1st Chemo on Monday
This is really hard for me. 1st one Monday. It really hit me yesterday. Sickness. Today feel like I have been ran over by a truck. Will this be like this everytime? The taste in my mouth is horrible. Any suggestions on getting this taste out of mouth? I'm sorry to vent today. Thank you Darlene
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SPA day.....mmmmmmm!
Today my daughter and I went back to the spa in P.S. where I went after my treatment was over. We try to do this at least once a year. While we were there, I chatted with a gal who worked there and told her my story of planning the getaway for after treatment. And how it helped me get thru some rough patches to visualize…
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Spring is in the Air!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey... Doesn't this make us all feel better about ourselves, about life and in general????????? It does me. Rebirth of stuff like daffodil bulbs, Tulips, Colchicums, Crocuses, Snowdrops..........all seemed dead then ... suddenly alive again. I'm sorry , I'm not very religious or spiritual but this awakening, I can really…
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Moving on
Well, seven days from now I will leave Florida for Illinois. Due to the financial devastation from the cancer and being laid off from my job, my niece has kindly offered me a refuge in her home in exchange for helping with children. You would think that Florida would have wonderful programs for people without…
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Prayer for us all
I received one of those e-mail "chain letters" where you are asked to send it on to 12 people, or whatever. I never do. But this one touched my heart and I want to share it with all of you: 'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite…
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looking for experienced opinions
My mom was diagnosed this week and the heartless doctor who threw this at her during a whole 10 minute visit says she is to have a complete right breast removal. We live in the Hudson Valley in New York. My question is: has anyone dealt with the Cancer Centers of America? If so, what are you're thoughts and/or experiences…
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JUST DIAGNOSED
I am writing this not for myself but for a lady out in north carolina who was diagnosed with breast cancer. tumor is 5.5 to 6 cm and the oncologist told her they were going to do chemo 1x a month for 6 months then do a mascetamy. She is really scared. Does someone out there have similar experience and willing to email this…
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CONFESSIONS OF A GOOF
Hello Ladies and Gents, Well let me tell you that I have been a bit distressed over a recent weight gain that just keeps inching its way up the scale and I cannot figure out what I have done to gain this extra 4 lbs. (now I am betting a few of you are snickering because you know where the extra pounds have come from) I…
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did you hair ever get back to its pre-chemo state, and how long did that take?
I am feeling better about my hair because somehow I have convinced myself that it is going to grow back thicker the way it was, that it is only a question of time. However, I want to poll the board: did you hair ever get back to its pre-chemo state, and how long did that take if it did? Thanks. Ohilly