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kamada
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Joined 7 years ago
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Re: COVID 19 jab
@Afraser same with my doctor. I had my pneumococcal vaccination as it was due then two weeks later the flu vaccination (no side effects as usual) and have COVID-19 one booked for two and a half weeks after that. Just hoping they will have a supply by that time. So good to hear of your lack of side effects @noosa_blue150 🙂. It gives me hope that I can get away with none as well! @Glynnis I agree with the other ladies that the risk in having AZ is so minute that I wouldn’t hesitate to have it to give myself a better chance if I am exposed to this bloody awful virus. 😘Re: One year post surgery
There goes my theory @Blossom1961 😉. Glad you get both as a public patient but it seems others don’t. I think this is so unfair. All breast cancer patients should get both as a matter of course because I have been led to believe that it is this combination that gives the most accurate results. We are all of equal value and deserve an equal standard of care. 😡32Views3likes0CommentsRe: One year post surgery
It is interesting to see that not everyone gets an ultrasound each year as well as a 3D mammogram. I had both on the first anniversary of my surgery and will have both again before the second anniversary in August. I thought that was standard practice. I am a private patient so that may be the difference. I am also checked every 3 months by one of the specialists until I get to two years and then it will be every 6 months. @Jwrenn i would definitely get a referral for the mammogram at the very least and try for the U/S as well because they show more. Good luck with it!37Views0likes0CommentsRe: Stoic? Why? Venting
Hear you @Sister! I ended up almost resenting being told how well I was coping and how positive I was etc etc. Even though I knew it was well meaning and meant as encouragement I started to feel I always had to present myself in the strongest possible light. Yes there were times when I did feel stoic or brave or lucky or whatever but there were also times when I was so resentful or scared or feeling absolutely shitty but I ended up not giving an honest response even when what I really wanted was a shoulder to cry it all out on because I didn’t want to seen as weak or not coping. I have learnt that reactions are complex and at times contradictory when dealing with such long treatments and side effects etc and I agree with the others that until you are in a situation you can’t truly understand no matter how hard you try to emphasise. It is such a blessing to have this place where there is no barrier to laying it all out in the open knowing you are surrounded by those who offer nothing but understanding and support with no judgement so get out there and to hell with other people’s opinions or judgements. 😘8Views3likes0CommentsRe: Osteoporosis
This is an interesting thread. I am in my 70s and had ER+ PR- HER2+ cancer. Chemo and rads plus herceptin (last infusion a couple of weeks ago - exciting after 15 months of various infusions 😊) and started letrozole in April. Due to complete hysterectomy at 43 had osteopenia before all this started and had a base line bone density test done before starting chemo. Just had another one and now have osteoporosis in spine and osteopenia in hips though they showed marked decline. I expected to be given something stronger than caltrate and vit d which I have been taking for years but onc said the same about prolia as your GP @JulieVT11 and he doesn’t like the side effects of the others (made me smile coming from an onc). He said that tamoxifen is good for bone density and will stop the decline and even improve it. I am a bit concerned about following this path and intend to discuss it with my GP but am wondering if anyone else has tried this path and what happened to their bone density. The last thing I need atm or ever is a serious fracture. I am also a bit concerned about the efficacy of tamoxifen compared to letrozole in preventing recurrence as tumour cells were 95% ER+. Would be very interested in any info you ladies may have on either issue.8Views0likes0CommentsRe: Year 4 done and dusted woot woot !!!
Congratulations @kezmusc! I wonder if that “some kind of something” you are missing is the necessity for the all-consuming effort it took to get you to this stage? Perhaps it left a vacuum and you haven’t had time to fully realize that the boring old ordinariness of your present life is actually exactly what you were fighting for all along? Perhaps accepting that a life that has been fought for so hard doesn’t necessarily have to be lived at the same intensity and will hopefully never have to have the same intense sense of purpose you have become used to will help dispel that vacuum and you will come to rejoice in having that very ordinary life because you know the lengths you were prepared to go to to preserve it. Just some thoughts from my own musings. Be kind to yourself as you go through this adjustment. 😘5Views6likes0CommentsRe: It’s lonely at 2:15am
@rebeccamarie Glad you got some temazepam. I have used it every now and then after a run of bad nights to break the cycle. Still have the odd one now. I am wary of becoming reliant on it and so have only used 15 over the last nine months - very economical 😂 but those 15 nights have been life savers! @Sister I feel for you and @Afraser and don’t know how you manage. I was such a good sleeper before that it drives me nuts not being able to nod off and I am really pinged off that even on my good nights I wake up at least four times 😠. I will have a better look at the article @Giovanna_BCNA and try some of the ideas - thank you. Off to bed now to contemplate the coming joy of bowel prep for end/col on Thursday 🥺. That will surely have me 💤 in no time! 😜30Views0likes0CommentsRe: How long does the blue dye last?
@ddon 😂 I saw the post and immediately remembered that I hadn’t noticed my blue nipple for some time and dragged my boob out for an inspection to find that it wasn’t blue any more 😳. When did that happen?? I was watching it so carefully then missed the transformation - bugger! Anyway @Russian_Blue23 my surgery was August 2019 but can’t help with exactly how long it took 😂. Glad to hear you have a good prognosis. Best of luck with your treatment! 😘3Views0likes0CommentsRe: It’s lonely at 2:15am
@rebeccamarie I should have been a little clearer. I found there seemed to be a residual effect from the steroids so the sleep problems could also occur at other times during the cycle as well as when actually taking the dexamethasone. Of course the chemo drugs probably also played a part in sleep pattern disturbances but either way help is needed and beneficial. At least the burst of energy is helpful getting a few things done before “crash day” arrives 😉6Views1like0Comments
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