Found a breast lump & trying to stay calm... Update: Cancer. - Page 3

[tinuviel_k]

(((Hugs))). I am so sorry to hear your news, but am glad you are on your way to getting treatment.

[hedgehogs4]

I'm sorry to read of your diagnosis. Healing thoughts headed your way.

[eireann]

I'm so sorry! My mom had her first mastectomy 1974 and lived, without any additional treatment, for 36 more years. She passed of an unrelated disease. You can kick this cancers @$$. Hugs.

[sbgrace]

I'm sorry you're facing this.

[Alenushka]

My grandma has stage II at age 50. Smoker her entire life. She died at 82 from something totally different.   Please, have in depth conversation with your oncologist. If you take any supplements, make sure he knows as some of the natural remedies reduce the effectiveness of chemo and can cause bleeding.

Healing thoughts and crossed fingers!

[neonalee]

Oh crunchy_mommy! I've always known you as a wonderful voice here. You will NOT leave your family. You WILL get through this! Love & hugs & tons of prayers for you.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk, please excuse to typos!

[ladylukk]

I am so sorry that you are having to deal with this. You sound like a very strong woman and I'm sure will be able to overcome this as well. Lots of hugs and prayers your way!
 

[crunchy_mommy]

Just figured I'd update since you all have been so encouraging & uplifting! It means a lot to me.

I am 5 weeks post-mastectomy. Healing pretty well, anxious to get back to full strength (I'm still not supposed to be vacuuming or lifting DS but tell that to my 4yo who randomly decides his legs no longer work! LOL!) It is interesting going through this with a young child, just getting around the practical concerns of being a SAHM with limited support. So far so good though, and DS is being really awesome about everything! He comes to a lot of my appointments with me & wants to invite one of the medical secretaries to his birthday party next year. So cute! And he can't wait for me to be bald!

I am starting chemo in one week. It's a bit scary not knowing how I'll react to it... I guess some people are able to live fairly normal lives, while others aren't able to work or even get out of bed! Given my pre-existing medical issues, I know I'll either be at one extreme or the other. I'm used to "functioning" (on a low level, that is!) while feeling very sick & tired... so maybe it will be familiar at least! But I'm also soooo sensitive to things, bad reactions to even mild meds and can't tolerate discomfort well, so I'm worried I'll be one of the ones that's down & out or requires hospitalizations throughout treatment or something! But also secretly hoping that maybe chemo will kill whatever has made me so sick for the last 7 years

So... wish me luck & say some prayers or send good vibes please! In a few months this will all be over & I can hopefully move on with my life, though I know it will never be the same... Just want to get chemo over with and spend the summer with DS at the park & the beach and live a normal life that doesn't involve hospitalizations & constant appointments!

[Nazsmum]

 you are in my prayer.

[beanma]

Thinking of you, crunchy. Hope the chemo treats you nice and you're back better than before as soon as can be!

[tinuviel_k]

Thinking of you and hoping for the BEST results!

[mamapigeon]

Sending good vibes your way, crunchy!   Hoping you'll have the great summer you want with your DS.

[amcal]

Oh Mama :(  I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this :(  

I'm 2 years out from having stage 3 melanoma.  I did a year of interferon and it was brutal but, I absolutely, completely and totally believe that attitude makes a huge difference.  And, you sound like you have an amazing attitude.  That will carry  you though this.  

If I can recommend one thing it would be to see a naturopath about the possibility of IV Vitamin C in conjunction with your chemo.  There is some amazing research out there about Vitamin C and breast cancer.  I wish I had started it when I first started my treatment.  I didn't hear about it until I was 3/4 of the way through treatment but, wow did it make a huge difference once I started.  Obviously, anything you do needs to be discussed with your oncologist.  

Also, fluids are a Godsend.  Again, I wish I had been getting regular IV fluids.  I didn't think I needed them but, at my first appointment with the naturopath, he looked at me and said I was dehydrated.  I said no way - I was drinking a ton.  He said I was seriously dehydrated and I agreed to do just a bag of fluid right then and there.  Oh my heavens.  The difference was astonishing.  I immediately started regular IV fluids (and then Vitamin C after consulting with my oncologist) and I swear if it wasn't for the fluids, I don't know that I could have completed those last few months of treatment.  

I will absolutely be lifting you up in prayer - praying for healing and strength and wisdom.  I'm also here if you need to talk to anyone who has been there.  I too have young children (they were 7 and 9 at the time) and I so understand.  Much love and many prayers to you Mama! 

[Alenushka]

Please, do not use Vit C or any herb in conjunction with your chemo unless cleared by your real doctor. Many of those "natural remedies" interfere with chemo to the point where you will get all the side effects and not benefits.

You are in my prayers and may all go well!

[Mirzam]

Originally Posted by Alenushka 

Please, do not use Vit C or any herb in conjunction with your chemo unless cleared by your real doctor. Many of those "natural remedies" interfere with chemo to the point where you will get all the side effects and not benefits.

You are in my prayers and may all go well!

This is not true. Antioxidents protect healthy cells. Most oncologists have no clue.

[amcal]

Originally Posted by Mirzam 

This is not true. Antioxidents protect healthy cells. Most oncologists have no clue.

I agree. And, Alenushka as I clearly stated a couple times, anyone undergoing treatment should check with their oncologist first but, I would encourage people to do their own research on IV vitamin C and cancer as well as other complimentary therapies and to talk with a reputable, licensed naturopath.

[Katie8681]

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/777516

I think the title of this article is misleadingly definitive, but, food for thought. My very best to you, OP!

[MeepyCat]

The last paragraphs of that article may be the most important ones for an active patient to be aware of:

Maurie Markman, MD, national director for medical oncology at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, who writes the Medscape Markman on Oncology blog, was asked to comment on the theory.

"The importance of the critical relationship between oxidating activity and antioxidants in the normal functioning of cells has been recognized by many investigators, and it is not surprising that this process would be quite relevant in cancer. However, it must be emphasized that this is a very complex process and the balance between these powerful influences at the cellular level is certain to be very carefully controlled. Further, it should be noted that antioxidants are components of our normal diets. Finally, while a provocative concept, it is most unlikely that a simple approach to somehow removing antioxidants from the body will be a useful strategy in cancer management," he explained.

I also think Watson, as quoted, is straight up wrong about some things in this article.

I'm recently through the more toxic chemotherapies, and I found dietary advice offered while I was on them oppressive.  Chemo is tough, and one of the things it does is damage the intestinal lining, which makes chemo patients, digestively, hugely uncomfortable.  Many of the things that people recommended as healthy foods had intestinal effects that I found incapacitating.  If you're going through treatment, I think you should eat what feels comfortable to you, and focus on just getting through each day.  You can diet like a champ when you're no longer getting infusions. 

Vitamin C, in high doses, is known to be rough on the gut, which is why I absolutely would not have signed up for it.  ANytime I had sufficiently severe diarrhea, I developed a fever, and every fever meant a trip back to the hospital, often through the ER. 

Many people who gave advice about cancer had no idea what kind of cancer I had, and offered up a ton of misunderstood scientific publications, recommending the opposite of what my friends thought they said, for cancer I didn't have.  I stopped reading.

I also found, as a cancer patient, that it was important to me to be choosy in where and when I offered access to my port-a-cath (bad port sticks are crazy painful), and to limit the number of IV sticks that I received.  With the best sterile technique in the world, you cannot entirely remove the potential of infection that is associated with each and every stick.  I loooove IV fluids, god, they save you so much tedious drinking and lugging water around, but unless they're already putting the needle in for something else, I think you'd best figure out what kind of water bottle works best for you.

[kathymuggle]

I am so sorry to read it was cancer.  

I hope chem is easy on you and that you get the beach filled summer you want! 

Hugs and healthy vibes  

(OT:  but I will echo one of the posters above and say you are on of my favourite posters as well.  I am glad you have supportive real life friends - know you can come and b*tch here and we will listen, if not completely understand)

[crunchy_mommy]

Thank you so much, I haven't been on here much lately and it was nice to come back & unexpectedly find these messages of support here. It means a lot to me. Unfortunately a lot of my friends have kind of faded away... I guess cancer scares them too much (of course... it's terrifying to me too!) and some are just really busy/preoccupied... so I haven't felt the outpouring of support I was hoping for, and it's good to find some here.

Chemo is tough but so far not as horrible as I expected. The emotional part is definitely the hardest... I never expected to be facing such painful & lasting issues from this and it's hard to process it all. For the most part I've been keeping my spirits up & trying to maintain as normal a routine as possible for DS (and I guess for my own sake too!)

Oh and as far as Vit. C, I did research it & am glad my PCP (naturopath) mentioned it, but I ultimately decided against it for multiple reasons. I'm actually avoiding nearly all my vitamins & supplements during chemo because a lot of them may interfere with the drugs and I don't want to go through this for nothing. I feel a bit helpless but I just have to focus on being cancer-free and then worry about repairing any other damage to my body. Also thinking I may want to look for a new PCP seeing as this was the same guy who told me it was just a cyst without really investigating it... hard to trust him now...