grammyk

Thanks for participating in the conversations and adding your own experiences and point of view. Your input will help many others just to be able to read about it. We appreciate you being here and helping others!

Yes, I had a low oncotype score also so no chemo. All nodes were clear. I actually had two tumors in the same breast, 2.1cm and .8cm. the other breast was ok but very dense tissue with calcifications. Right mastectomy required, left mastectomy prophylactic. The anastrozole is no fun but manageable. consistent exercise seems to help.

Hi Grammyk,
Thanks so much for getting back to me! Listen I have been here for months and I still get lost on WhatNext, sometimes I think that they have a few bugs in their computer. ;-)
Well I am on Arimidex and another hormone blocker as well, plus chemo pills and I am stage IV. My oncologist assures me that it is safe, so I am keeping fingers crossed that he is right. His name is M. William Audeh and he is the director of the cancer center at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles and he is always running around to meetings, lectures, and conferences. So he is definitely keeping up with the latest news, and he is also on staff at UCLA teaching hospital. I trust him but he has kept me alive for years and also given me a good quality of life which is so important! I use the creme twice a week and it has made a big difference in my quality of life so I wouldn't want to go without it. It is so hard going through cancer treatments, there are so many side effects. I really work hard at fighting cancer but I am also trying to feel as comfortable as possible because I plan on living a long time. And it sounds like you want to feel as good as possible as well but still fight your cancer. It is possible, we can do both! Take care and god bless! xoxoxoxo

p.s. I had stage 1 uterine cancer as well, and that oncologist also said that the crème was safe. I feel lucky that it is safe because it sure makes a big difference...you have to use it for about a month before you notice much of a difference, and of course you have to keep using it.

Hi grammyk, was wondering how the radiation is going? How many rounds are you doing? I am very nosy!!:) Hope this finds you well and spirits high.

GrammyK - Congratulations on completing your rads and your upcoming decision on the hormone treatment. that is about the time frame that I experienced as well. Good luck and keep in touch!!

See you are starting Arimidex...be sure you are aware of the potential side effects...no one gets all of them but most of us get some of them...most are manageable but you do not have to be a martyr, let your oncologist know if you are feeling terrible...there is something for almost every side effect...I like to remember that my side effects are proof that the drug is working! Hot flashes and night sweats initially but resolved over a few months...now with joint pain mostly in my hands and wrists but manageable with heat and exercise...I will be thinking of you, good luck and God bless!

Hi grammyk. This seems to be a safe and caring site, where the advice is generally good and where you can sometimes get information that should be given out by your doctors, but sometimes isn't. I hope you get through your chemo rounds - it can be a challenge - but most everyone here has done it, and survived. The consensus is that radiation was easier. It was in my case. I finished that the end of March. I finished chemo in mid-January. I still have side effects from that. But I try not to pay too much attention to them. And I certainly don't talk about it to my friends - totally boring. But here at WhatNext no one finds this boring. You can safely spill your heart out here. Good luck with your treatments - and may they be successful.

I would say I have adjusted but I won't say it was easy...everyone responds differently and no one will get all the side effects...primarily it was hot flashes and night sweats the first few months but those have definitely gotten better...I now have some joint pain in thumbs, fingers, wrists, knees...how much of that is my age and arthritis and how much is the medication I don' t think anyone can be sure...at one point my oncologist offered to try a different drug but they all have similar side effects and I felt OK with sticking with the Arimidex...it also is the only one that has a generic and my insurance company was happy with that! I have said repeatedly that side effects also prove the drug is working! When the joint pain gets too bad I will take Advil or a naproxen but that happens infrequently...you will do fine...I would recommend a bone density before you start treatment as all the drugs in that class can cause bone thinning...two years on the meds, my last bone density was great...I do take vitamin D and calcium supplements...let me know if you have any other concerns...congrats on finishing up radiation!

Hi grammy k. Nice to meet you. how is it going for you today? Did you just start your rad treatment? I went through rads too. Have a good day. Stay strong and keep positive.

Hi grammyk... This is grandmaof2 aka TerriK. I see you started following me yesterday . Thanks. I guess I joined this group back in October (right after my surgery). Somewhere along the line, I must have forgotten that I already joined this group...LOL (chemo brain), and I rejoined under the name of grandmaof2. Most of my info is listed under "grandmaof2". But my real name is Terri K . . Hope this all makes sense to you... hee hee. Anyway I am going to start following you under my grandmaof2 persona. See ya on the boards. Live, Laugh, Love!!!!

Hello and welcome, we are glad you found us. Please feel free to join in the conversations. Here is a link to our cancer dx page for your type of cancer. Take a look at it to get you started on some information. You will notice at the bottom of that page 4 of our active users who have had that journey already, you may wish to contact them for their experience and wisdom. Also, I encourage you to go to the questions page now by clicking on the questions tab at the top of the page and post what is the most pressing issue you have right now. This will introduce you to the community and get you started on the help you need right now.

https://www.whatnext.com/conditions/cancer/breast-cancer

There are also subtypes listed on this page to narrow down the type of cancer to match your dx.

You may also find our "Beginner's Guide To Cancer" page helpful Click Here for that=> http://bit.ly/10BQKCi

Also, if you can take a few minutes and fill in some details of your journey so far, it will help others as they try to answer questions for you, it also helps others as they search through the data base to find someone like themselves. Confirming your email will allow you to receive updates and notices from the site when someone answers your questions or writes on your wall.

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GregP
3X Survivor
Team WhatNext Community Mgr.

Hello and welcome to the site! We're happy you found us. If you have any QUESTIONS just post them on the Questions tab so everyone can see. Someone will come along and help you. If you find any conversations that interest you, feel free to jump right in and join them. There are some wonderful people on here just waiting to connect with you.

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter