Drinking
Comments
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cheers!CR1954 said:LOL Mimi.....
I think my brain is made of swiss cheese sometimes!
I took a small notebook with me to all appts. and then would set it down & forget to write anything anyway!
So I always asked my daughter to go with me, because I would suffer from information overload and then just forget half of what I was told. She would have to go over things with me later & remind me what had been said. And she would always ask the questions that I never thought of. Thank goodness I have her!
At any rate, I guess this means I can have an occasional glass of wine! LOL!!!!!
CR
Me, too. I will toast to you tonight when I go out for happy hour. Though with Susan's information about blood circulation during radiation, I will attempt to moderate myself.
Mimi0 -
I'll third that notionmimivac said:"don't go to an appt. alone!!"
I second that notion. I'm glad you found out, CR, and I completely understand the selective listening. I did plenty of that during my visits, too. Thankfully, my husband was there to translate later!
Mimi
CR and Mimi are absolutely right. Never go to an appointment alone.
I would also recommend that you keep pestering your surgeon or your oncologist (whoever is more convenient, or both) for the final pathology report after surgery is performed. The one we were given after Moopy's surgery in November 2008 was not the final, as we discovered once we began investigating clinical trials.
Since our hospital keeps its pathologists penned up in a workspace with nothing indicating "Pathology Department" (it isn't even in their phone directory) I had to stalk and track down someone who could interpret Moopy's HER2/Neu status. I lucked into an impromptu meeting with the pathologist who did Moopy's report. She very graciously had a copy of the Moopster's final pathology report printed up for me and then walked me through the HER2/Neu findings.
Nobody was trying to hide anything, but somehow the final pathology report got lost in the shuffle. Obviously, the final pathology report is not the cheeriest document in the world, but it contains important information that can prevent unpleasant surprises down the road.0 -
Final pathologyAortus said:I'll third that notion
CR and Mimi are absolutely right. Never go to an appointment alone.
I would also recommend that you keep pestering your surgeon or your oncologist (whoever is more convenient, or both) for the final pathology report after surgery is performed. The one we were given after Moopy's surgery in November 2008 was not the final, as we discovered once we began investigating clinical trials.
Since our hospital keeps its pathologists penned up in a workspace with nothing indicating "Pathology Department" (it isn't even in their phone directory) I had to stalk and track down someone who could interpret Moopy's HER2/Neu status. I lucked into an impromptu meeting with the pathologist who did Moopy's report. She very graciously had a copy of the Moopster's final pathology report printed up for me and then walked me through the HER2/Neu findings.
Nobody was trying to hide anything, but somehow the final pathology report got lost in the shuffle. Obviously, the final pathology report is not the cheeriest document in the world, but it contains important information that can prevent unpleasant surprises down the road.
Joe makes a good point. My biopsy report and final pathology report were different. The biopsy said that I was estrogen positive. The final report indicated otherwise. Always go for the final.
Mimi0 -
DRINKING
hi kat
i am on tamoxifen and i don't believe there is any reason why you can't drink alcohol while on tamoxifen. i've never read it in the literature or had a dr. tell me not to.
the reason i don't drink now is because drinking even ONE glass a day increases a women's chance of breast cancer. there have been many studies done on this.if i've already had it i don't want to push my luck.
i do occasionally have something, share a beer with my husband, a small glass of red wine, sip of champagne on an occasion but this is very rarely. like maybe twice in 6 months.
i really don't care about it that much anymore. i've been struggling with my weight and i know how many calories alcohol has.
i know it doesn't seem fair, i was not even a big drinker before my dx, after i had my kids i just didn't get into getting buzzed anymore, but i see so many women who drink ALOT and i'm thinking why did i get bc. or you know women who are in their 80's having their cocktails everyday.
so who knows if these studies are correct but its been reported in alot of reputable places and i figure why take the chance.
it may be a different story when i reach 80.haha
i'm sure if you enjoy a mojito a couple times this summer it won't hurt.0 -
Kat
I think the main point here is for you to talk to or call your own oncologist inre to this question on drinking. We can tell you what we think, what we have read or what our oncologist's have told us, but, that does NOT mean that yours will say or believe the same. It is always nice to have different opinions and to read or hear different experiences by other breast cancer survivors, but, you need to do what your oncologist tells you and only him or her. They are the ones that know what is best for you!0 -
Kristin N...Kristin N said:Kat
I think the main point here is for you to talk to or call your own oncologist inre to this question on drinking. We can tell you what we think, what we have read or what our oncologist's have told us, but, that does NOT mean that yours will say or believe the same. It is always nice to have different opinions and to read or hear different experiences by other breast cancer survivors, but, you need to do what your oncologist tells you and only him or her. They are the ones that know what is best for you!
Couldn't agree with you more! As wonderful as the board is, with all the info & sharing that passes between all of us - none of it replaces the advice and recommendations from our own doctors and nurses.
Kind regards, Susan0 -
My path reportmimivac said:Final pathology
Joe makes a good point. My biopsy report and final pathology report were different. The biopsy said that I was estrogen positive. The final report indicated otherwise. Always go for the final.
Mimi
My report was also incomplete. I was told positive for estrogen and progesterone and i would be on tamaxofin. Not until recently did i learn I was not. Just Her2 positive (so herceptin for the rest of the year (I also had Herceptin with my chemo) They had to find the report and said it was buried pretty deep. I think they should keep better track of these and give us copies of the final report for our files at home.
It has been in the news here in MT. a man was told he had cancer, did his treatments and then they found out in reality he never had cancer. Several places are getting sued big-time! I told my hubbie..that I would be clicking my heels up to find out that I didn't have cancer!! but the poor guy, going through chemo needlessly..UGH! but this just goes to show you what mistakes can be made with path-reports!! very scary.
Jackie0 -
BUGGER THAT!Christmas Girl said:Kristin N...
Couldn't agree with you more! As wonderful as the board is, with all the info & sharing that passes between all of us - none of it replaces the advice and recommendations from our own doctors and nurses.
Kind regards, Susan
I Drank All through Chemo, Rads and since (on Tamoxifen).. I enjoy it and I had to give up so much for this cancer stuff. I Am also on Zoloft, it makes no difference to me, I enjoy it and will continue to drink, Yeah sometimes to excess....Why not?
Hell, you have to have some fun! Just watching fish breeding wouldn't be an evenings entertainment for me, not force-feeding the cat with catnip, not giving the dog food that makes her fart like Billy-O. Telly....Forget it! Too many ads.
Hugs. Jxxxxxxx.. Forget the rules! You played by them before and look what happened.
Bugger That!0 -
clarificationChristmas Girl said:Hi, Mimi...
To specifically answer your question: his rationale was that alcohol constricts the blood vessels, thereby reducing circulation. Good circulation important for chemo to be completely distributed within the bloodstream, and for healing during both chemo and rads. As I already explained, I was a "lightweight" to begin with; and, of course, he knew this. And, again, as I said - during those treatments, I would not have been able to tolerate (digestively) liquor even if I had wanted it. Don't mean to sound like a broken record, but... It is always best for each of us to ask and follow our own doctor's recommendation as best we can. What's good for one may not be good for another.
My surgeon echoed those same restrictions, for both pre- and post-surgery, for the same basic reason. Rad onc, too. So, all three doctors presented a united front on the alcohol ban. Maybe overly cautious. Maybe not. I believe good doctors also consider the "quality of life" issues - not just health issues - for their patients when making these particular types of recommendations. Again, I simply didn't miss the drinks... Maybe I'm the odd duck!
FYI only - I, personally, also have an extremely "sensitive" system/metabolism, if that makes sense. This may or may not have had an effect on these instructions, just not sure. Didn't ask, because it didn't matter to me.
Honestly, and in general, am a big believer in anything/everything in moderation is just fine - at least for most.
Hope you're doing well with your rads, Mimi.
Kind regards, Susan
Hope you don't mind but there is one clarification to be made concerning alcohol and blood vessels. Alcohol is a vasodilator after one drink which is what most people are talking about here. According to this article from ScienceDaily after two it becomes more constricting. Another article stated that only excessive drinking constricted the blood vessels.
"However, the findings of this study* showed virtually identical effects of red wine and alcohol on the specific markers tested. After one drink of either red wine or alcohol, blood vessels were more “relaxed” or dilated, which reduced the amount of work the heart had to do. But, after two drinks, the heart rate, amount of blood pumped out of the heart, and action of the sympathetic nervous system all increased. At the same time, the ability of the blood vessels to expand in response to an increase in blood flow diminished. This counteracted the beneficial effect of one drink of red wine or alcohol"
cheers
jan0 -
Corey - You are right therecorey50 said:DRINKING
hi kat
i am on tamoxifen and i don't believe there is any reason why you can't drink alcohol while on tamoxifen. i've never read it in the literature or had a dr. tell me not to.
the reason i don't drink now is because drinking even ONE glass a day increases a women's chance of breast cancer. there have been many studies done on this.if i've already had it i don't want to push my luck.
i do occasionally have something, share a beer with my husband, a small glass of red wine, sip of champagne on an occasion but this is very rarely. like maybe twice in 6 months.
i really don't care about it that much anymore. i've been struggling with my weight and i know how many calories alcohol has.
i know it doesn't seem fair, i was not even a big drinker before my dx, after i had my kids i just didn't get into getting buzzed anymore, but i see so many women who drink ALOT and i'm thinking why did i get bc. or you know women who are in their 80's having their cocktails everyday.
so who knows if these studies are correct but its been reported in alot of reputable places and i figure why take the chance.
it may be a different story when i reach 80.haha
i'm sure if you enjoy a mojito a couple times this summer it won't hurt.
Corey - You are right there is no warning on the bottle of Tamoxifen. I am not a big drinker could not handle to much without getting sick. It was just something I wanted to know. Durning the summer I do Like the Mojito now and again. Thanks for all the info.0 -
Cr - My biopsy report say'sCR1954 said:OOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKK.......
Ok, I just talked to my daughter, who is a nurse and who also teaches EMT classes at the local college.
She was with me when I first saw the onc and she said that he told me that I am HER-2 positive and also that I am estrogen negative. She then said...don't you remember that? Ummmm, no, apparently not. She said that my path report must not be complete.
But he did apparently go over everything with me (I just don't remember it all and am glad she was with me!)
Which proves once again...don't go to an appt. alone!!
CR
Cr - My biopsy report say's Her2/neu:positive ER 80% PR 1 % That is positive right ??0 -
It's great to have all theKristin N said:Kat
I think the main point here is for you to talk to or call your own oncologist inre to this question on drinking. We can tell you what we think, what we have read or what our oncologist's have told us, but, that does NOT mean that yours will say or believe the same. It is always nice to have different opinions and to read or hear different experiences by other breast cancer survivors, but, you need to do what your oncologist tells you and only him or her. They are the ones that know what is best for you!
It's great to have all the different opinions.0 -
Bugger that huh, your funny.tasha_111 said:BUGGER THAT!
I Drank All through Chemo, Rads and since (on Tamoxifen).. I enjoy it and I had to give up so much for this cancer stuff. I Am also on Zoloft, it makes no difference to me, I enjoy it and will continue to drink, Yeah sometimes to excess....Why not?
Hell, you have to have some fun! Just watching fish breeding wouldn't be an evenings entertainment for me, not force-feeding the cat with catnip, not giving the dog food that makes her fart like Billy-O. Telly....Forget it! Too many ads.
Hugs. Jxxxxxxx.. Forget the rules! You played by them before and look what happened.
Bugger That!
Bugger that huh, your funny. So I take it, while on treatment the drinking did not make you sick. All I want if I can without hurting myself or making thing worse is to have a Mojito once in a while. Enjoy your life.0 -
Kat, my final path report from surgery.......Kat11 said:Cr - My biopsy report say's
Cr - My biopsy report say's Her2/neu:positive ER 80% PR 1 % That is positive right ??
Says that the ER/PR/HER-2 Neu was tested at time of biopsy.
My biopsy report says ER/PR/HER-2 Neu. Then says comments to follow. There is nothing after that.
I am guessing that I did not get the entire report.
But my daughter insists that the onc went over it when we first met...an hour long appt. and I remember his explaining the HER-2 positive part, but don't remember him talking about ER/PR part. But as I said, I know I was suffering from info. overload within 10 minutes of meeting him, so I'm glad she was with me. I know she asked him numerous questions, but I don't even remember what those questions, or answers were. I think I had chemo brain BEFORE I even had chemo! Or I simply didn't want to hear any more.
CR0 -
yeah bugger that!Kat11 said:Bugger that huh, your funny.
Bugger that huh, your funny. So I take it, while on treatment the drinking did not make you sick. All I want if I can without hurting myself or making thing worse is to have a Mojito once in a while. Enjoy your life.
from our one and only Tash. I couldn't agree more. Why deprive yourself of one little Mojito. Let me know how you make this and we will have a toast to it tomorrow!!
love Jackie0 -
rulestasha_111 said:BUGGER THAT!
I Drank All through Chemo, Rads and since (on Tamoxifen).. I enjoy it and I had to give up so much for this cancer stuff. I Am also on Zoloft, it makes no difference to me, I enjoy it and will continue to drink, Yeah sometimes to excess....Why not?
Hell, you have to have some fun! Just watching fish breeding wouldn't be an evenings entertainment for me, not force-feeding the cat with catnip, not giving the dog food that makes her fart like Billy-O. Telly....Forget it! Too many ads.
Hugs. Jxxxxxxx.. Forget the rules! You played by them before and look what happened.
Bugger That!
forget the rules...thanks Tasha, am saving that one as thats exactly me and my gf's attitude. We all have some kind of crutch to get us through, right?0 -
Path ReportCR1954 said:Hi Mimi....
No, I just have Herceptin infusions for a year, now that chemo is done. I know I am HER2+ because the onc told me that and told me how the Herceptin works.
But nothing was mentioned about estrogen.
The hospital path report says that the ER/PR/HER was done in original biopsy, so was not repeated.
And the original biopsy report simply says ER/PR/HER2 NEU. Comments to follow...but there was no more to the report that I got.
I do know that my cancer is aggressive if that helps to decipher anything.
So I know that I am HER2 positive. My assumption is that I am not estroogen positive as nobody has mentioned it or put me on any other drugs?
I swear, sometimes I feel like such a dunce, and my onc could very well have told me about being estrogen neg. (which I'm assuming), but I simply don't remember.
CR
Hi CR,
There may have been an addendum to your path report giving the results of your tests. My estrogen/progestrone receptor report came a day or two after the initial repot but the HER2/neu report came weeks later. I am making it a habit to get every pathology report I can from the doctors so that I can research and be informed when I see them. Knowledge is power!
I would also assume you are ER negative if you are NOT taking tamoxifen or the AI's. I am estrogen positive and HER2/neu positive.
Had surgery and know I will have rads an tamoxifen (I'm premenopausal, too). I see the medical onc on Monday and assume I will have to take Herceptin but am wondering if I will have to do chemo. My cancer is IDC stage 1b.
Linda0 -
Biopsy ReportKat11 said:Cr - My biopsy report say's
Cr - My biopsy report say's Her2/neu:positive ER 80% PR 1 % That is positive right ??
The PR at 1% is negative. Mine was 6% on the biopsy path report which I thought meant it was positive but on the final report after surgery it said negative. When I asked my surgeon about it, he said it had to be at least 10% to be considered positived. My ER is 60%.0 -
Biopsy ReportKat11 said:Cr - My biopsy report say's
Cr - My biopsy report say's Her2/neu:positive ER 80% PR 1 % That is positive right ??
The PR at 1% is negative. Mine was 6% on the biopsy path report which I thought meant it was positive but on the final report after surgery it said negative. When I asked my surgeon about it, he said it had to be at least 10% to be considered positived. My ER is 60%.0 -
Bugger I understand...tasha_111 said:BUGGER THAT!
I Drank All through Chemo, Rads and since (on Tamoxifen).. I enjoy it and I had to give up so much for this cancer stuff. I Am also on Zoloft, it makes no difference to me, I enjoy it and will continue to drink, Yeah sometimes to excess....Why not?
Hell, you have to have some fun! Just watching fish breeding wouldn't be an evenings entertainment for me, not force-feeding the cat with catnip, not giving the dog food that makes her fart like Billy-O. Telly....Forget it! Too many ads.
Hugs. Jxxxxxxx.. Forget the rules! You played by them before and look what happened.
Bugger That!
However, please explain "Billy-O" (I also understand "telly").
Thank you.
And, you most certainly have every right to enjoy yourself - as does everyone else here, in whatever way possible. And per your own choosing.
Kind regards, Susan0
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