u/Popular_Acadia4563

First I assumed it was from flying last weekend, then I figured the chickpea salad sandwich was the culprit. But no matter what I eat or what I do, I fart all morning, have a decent day, and then go crazy again at night.

I guess it's better than waking up unable to walk from joint pain, but wowowow I cannot live like this for the next 10 years. Ironically, prior to diagnosis I had a lot of bloating and constipation after years of dealing with fibroids and other issues. Not anymore!!

For those of you that had this fun side effect, does it ever go away? I had my first shot at the beginning of the month, #2 is on the 30th.

I guess I could laugh about it? But then I'd probably fart.

Hi all! I'm turning 46 next month and just finished active treatment for hormone positive breast cancer. I will be entering medically induced menopause the first week of September.

Cancer took a lot from me already, and I am admittedly very disappointed that not only am not able to ever take HRT, I am losing so much estrogen all at once. It does not help that the discourse around peri- and menopause is ubiquitous amongst my friend group and social media. I have found great support and info in the /breastcancer group, but am wondering if there is a list or resource for effective non-hormonal supplements for those in menopause? I am currently taking magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and Relizen by Bonafide in preparation and plan on adding tart cherry if (when?) I experience joint pain. I also stopped drinking and already have a daily exercise routine in place.

I will of course talk to my oncologist about adding anything more to what I'm already taking.

Thank you!

I've been thinking a lot (too much) about my impending foray into medical menopause and have come up with a deranged theory:

Women who did not enjoy pregnancy and/or could not tolerate hormonal birth control might tolerate (or even thrive during??) menopause?

I had two full term pregnancies, both in my early-mid 30s. I HATED being pregnant. I felt ugly and uncomfortable and had multiple panic attacks during my first. Additionally in my early 20s and then 40s, I was on birth control, first for actual birth control and after to try to mitigate fibroid side effects. I also did a hormonal IUD in between my pregnancies and hated that, too.

I have three close friends who LOVED being pregnant. Annoyingly so. They are all in various stages of perimenopause and are suffering. 2 are on hormones and one is raw dogging it but is a bit of a mess. I was discussing peri/menopause with another friend last week and she said she was fine, but also struggled while pregnant and did not tolerate birth control.

This is madness, right? There is no way this is a real option and I'm clearly in the bargaining phase of grief??

45F, diagnosed 3/31. I'm technically "cancer free" as of 7/21, but still healing from surgery and radiation. I will be entering medical menopause in September (Lupron and Anastrozole).

While in decent shape prior to diagnosis, I'm currently establishing a real workout routine at the gym. I also have vitamin D and Relizen at the ready.

I'm grateful to have the next few weeks to feel some normalcy before the next phase of treatment, but I'm admittedly terrified about menopause and what it will do to me and my self esteem. I'm already shocked at how much older I look when I catch a glimpse of myself in a photo or video. (Where did those jowls come from? And why are my eyes so sunken??)

What is everyone doing, big, small, surgical, natural, etc, for their self esteem when in medical menopause? I know I'm never going to look 30 again, but I'm not ready to look this old!

I'm meeting with my medical oncologist on Tuesday and the assumption is he will recommend OS/AI due to my Oncotype (18), perimenopausal status, and not doing chemo.

I know there are a lot of posts about symptoms, but can't find a master list and wonder if one exists? (I vaguely remember a pinned post about all meds but can't find it and have the memory and word retrieval of a mouse these days due to stress.)

I'd love to arrive at the appointment armed with questions regarding my options as I enter this next phase of treatment. I am already sick of explaining to people that yes, surgery and radiation are over, but I'm only 4 months into a 120 month journey and am terrified of the potential side effects.

Thanks! ❤️

I somehow made it to radiation this morning despite sleeping really poorly and having a stomach that seems determined to ruin my week. I've been sitting on the couch since, doing some low-stakes busy work in an attempt to do my job since getting home 3 hours ago. Every time I feel badly for myself, I am reminded that there are women (and men and queer folk!) who work full time through this absolute insanity.

I want you all to know that I see you, I admire you, and I acknowledge how difficult this is. Give yourself grace and time and space, and if anyone gives you hell, you have my permission to bitch slap them across the face. (Or at the very least give them a death stare that will haunt them for the rest of their days.)

Hang in there. And fuck cancer.

Hello! Not sure how to link to an old post, but last week I detailed my super disappointing first day of Radiation that ended up being 2 hours of waiting for nothing and the news that my end date was 7/14, not 7/10. Y'all were really empowering and supportive and I really appreciated it.

I meet with my Radiation Oncologist every Monday, and tomorrow I need to ask him to give me a double dose one day next week and also consolidate my final 4 days into 3 so I end on the 10th of July. This is so I can fly to Maine (I live in PA) to meet my family (husband, 2 daughters 14 and 9, MIL, FIL, 2 BILs, 2 SILs, 4 yo niece, and 2 yo nephews) who will have been there since July 3rd. As is, I will be missing my FIL's birthday. Also, my 17th anniversary is the 11th. The trip was planned back in November and cannot be changed. My husband has offered to not go, but I do not want to further disrupt his and my daughters' year.

I tried to communicate my sadness/frustration about the delay as soon as I heard about the July 3rd closure, but felt like anything I said made me sound like a spoiled brat. ("BuT mY vaCaTioN!!") Then when the machine was on the fritz, I was told "these things happen" and made to feel like I was in the wrong for even planning the flight/trip. I am not looking to skip my required regimen; my husband was told a double dose is possible AND my RO already offered to consolidate the last doses, so I know what I am asking is totally reasonable.

I feel a feisty burning fire within my soul most days and am very opinionated, but for some reason when put in medical situations that require advocacy, I turn into a pushover. It does not help when the doctor is male.

Please give me all the advice to enter the appointment with confidence and calm so I can ask for what I need. (How do you ask for what you want under these circumstances??) thank you! ❤️

First of 20 visits was scheduled for today. They took me back right away, and told me they're closed 7/3, so my treatment was scheduled to end 7/13, not 7/10 as planned. I sat there feeling sorry for myself, as my husband and daughters will be in Maine with his extended family 7/3-7/18, and my plan was to fly to meet them 7/10. I was then told there was a system wide outage and I would be delayed. So I sat there, in a cold greige room wearing nothing but a shitty gown, trying not to cry.

After an hour, they took me to see my Radiation Oncologist. By that point I was in tears - the build up, the anticipation, the waiting, the frustration - and the nurse asked me how I was. ("Not great." "Why?" "I have cancer...!?!?") I then sat there snorfling and snotty attached to the blood pressure machine as she asked me a bunch of unnecessary questions about my skin and I kept repeating "I have not had any radiation yet." Useless meeting with the oncologist ensued. At least by then I was off the machine and could get up and get myself a tissue.

Then they put me back in the waiting room, after another hour, they came in and said the machines are still down and I'd have to start tomorrow. ("I can wait." "We have patients after." "I am a patient now.")

Then, 15 minutes later, asked me if I was free tomorrow at 11:30 and sent me on my way. Now it wont end until the 14th.

It all feels so small and trivial. But it all adds up and breaks you down. Little by little, one annoyance at a time. Fuck this fucking disease.

Eta: You're all so supportive and kind. Unfortunately, pushing treatment out further is disruptive to my family/work in other ways, so I can't start later in July.

I've had a lovely little break the last two weeks where I was pretending I'm fine (while still waking up and having my first thought be "you have cancer"). But that's over and my 20 days of radiation starts on Monday. Then soon after I meet with my Medical Oncologist an we plan what meds I'll be on for the next 5-10 years.

I have amazing support and a great therapist. My children are coping wonderfully and my husband is a hero among men. Everyone tells me I'm doing great and they're proud of me and I'm lucky to have caught it "early".

But still.

I'm sick of this shit. I'm sick of feeling scared. I'm sick of feeling sorry for myself. I'm sick of feeling guilty for not doing chemo. I'm sick of hearing about friends' upcoming trips to Portugal and Japan. I'm sick of not knowing if I'll ever feel well enough mentally and physically to work full time again. I'm sick of not knowing what my side effects will be and fearing the worst. I'm sick of looking in the mirror and feeling old. I'm sick of being tired. I'm sick of not having a glass of wine at night because everything I read says alcohol is to blame. I'm sick of wondering if it will be too hot to exercise so I don't get depressed and exhausted. I'm sick of being sick.

Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuck cancer.

Hiya! I'm going to start radiation in 2 weeks and then start estrogen receptor pills and an AI, specific ones TBD.

I'd like to get some sort of exercise plan started/in place so I have a good routine going once the expected side effects hit. I already exercise daily, either 45-75 min dog walks or 20-30 min workouts with weights via MadFit, but really cut back on the workouts when I had my lumpectomy and am scared to go to hard now.

Has anyone successfully found an exercise regimen/routine that works well and is "safe" for people in post-active treatment? Is there someone on YouTube, or is this an in-person trainer situation?

My oncotype (18) threw a wrench in my treatment plan and now a 4x TC Protocol is "up to me". Considering I didn't know what an Oncotype score or TC chemo was 6 weeks ago, it feels ridiculous to put the choice in my hands, yet here we are.

I have the option of the Ofset trial, which honestly seems awesome. The ability to eliminate this entire "gray area" and help other women is so appealing. That said, while adjusting to the thought of chemo has been difficult, I feel anxious at the thought of not getting it in the trial. And that feels like my choice is made: do the chemo. Then I feel selfish and guilty for not helping. And then I am back to not knowing.

For those of you in my position, either to choose chemo and/or enter the trial, what did you do and why?

Hi again! I see my radiation oncologist on 5/19, but don't have my appointment with a medical oncologist until 6/16. Hoping it is moved up, but in the mean time, this is my situation:

I am 45f, premenopausal with grade 2, HR+, HER2-, Ki-67 10%, oncotype 18, IDC and DCIS in right breast. I had a lumpectomy with clear margins on my 2.8 cm tumor. There were isolated cells in 1 of 3 sentinel nodes removed but I am considered node negative. After surgery and pathology I was staged at 1A, originally staged at 1B.

If I was low clinical risk, chemo would provide <1% benefit, but I am considered high clinical risk because my grade and tumor size is above 4 (grade 2 + 2.8 cm tumor = 4.8). With this risk, it states an average benefit of 3.1%, which feels huge, especially as those pesky isolated cells in my node really freak me out. I also find it perplexing that onco does not include radiation, as that seems to be standard of care with my type of cancer.

So, big question:
If you were me, would you push for chemo/go for it if told it was your choice to make?

Smaller questions:
Anything specific I should I ask my radiation oncologist on Tuesday?

When will I find out how much radiation I will get, regardless of chemo?

Will my radiation oncologist know anything about chemo or the plan, or do I have to keep hoping that appointment is moved sooner?

How long did you go between surgery and radiation or surgery and chemo and radiation?

What else should I take into account when weighing the pros/cons of chemo so I am as informed as possible when I meet with my oncologists?

Thank you, you beautiful people. ❤️

I had my lumpectomy surgical follow up yesterday, 15 days post op. The surgical tape was disintegrating and itchy, so I was grateful to get it off. The incisions look good but I'm having some irritation/pain where the knots from the stitches were sticking out. Nothing looks or feels infected, and the incisions are still closed, they just hurt more than they have been and I can feel them every time I move. My surgeon gave me alcohol to get the residue off, ointment, and gauze, which I used this morning.

How did everyone manage their incisions once they were "exposed"? Is this new discomfort short lived? Would it be bad to put something over the spots that are uncomfortable?

I'm right in the thick of it, but this has unequivocally been the most intense and stressful two months of my life. I am exhausted and pissed and overwhelmed and hopeful and sore and scared and frustrated and grateful.

I am dreading tamoxifen and don't want to go off my anxiety meds. I want to live a long and happy life, but cannot imagine waking up every morning for the next 30+ years and thinking "cancer".

Does it get better? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Is there a time that the fear of recurrence abates?

I received my lumpectomy pathology back yesterday via phone call from my surgeon. She was super pleased and said the margins were clear and of the 3 nodes removed, 2 were completely negative and one "just" had "two tiny spots" but that was considered nothing. I made sure she clarified this specific point because it confused me.

When I read the pathology later, it states "Three lymph nodes, one containing isolated tumor cells, negative for carcinoma (0(i+)/3)." The isolated cells are noted as "two foci of keratin positive cells". My understanding is the cells were less than .2 mm in diameter. And also the node is out, so can no longer spread.

But it was still in there(?!) and is freaking me out.

I avoid googling because it makes me more anxious. I'd love to be able to focus on the positive but am struggling. I was hoping someone had a similar report or experience and could mitigate my worry?

Long time reddit lurker, and of all things a BC diagnosis finally made me get an account. I am 45 yo, pre-menopausal, otherwise healthy (insert all the things here about eating and sleeping and exercising), diagnosed with Stage 1B DCIS and IDC on my right breast on 3/31. The main tumor was 3cm. I am HR+ and HER-2 neg, BRCA neg, and there is zero breast cancer history in my family going back at least 3, likely 4, generations.

I have always been told I have dense breasts, but with the lack of history, never thought much of it. After a routine mammo 10/25, I was referred for additional imaging and US. That was 11/25, and after the follow up mammo, I was told I didn't need an US, so went on my way. Fast forward to March, a calcification I've had for 25+ years was bothering me. Went to my OB/GYN 3/13, she referred me for an US 3/20, met with a surgeon 3/24, biopsy 3/25, and results 3/31. My best guess is the tumor was pushing on the calcification which is why I could feel it. Otherwise who knows how long it would have gone unseen.

I've since had a MRI, follow up US, additional biopsy, and lumpectomy with sentinel node removal on 4/28. I am anxiously awaiting final pathology. (I had a hysterectomy 10/2024 due to fibroids, and this recovery has been much worse.)

My case defies all logic and I believe routine imaging failed me. My diagnosis was/is a complete shock. I know bad luck plays a role, but I also know thats not the only answer as I am told every day about "so and so who is under 50 and had BC last year". I probably have 400 questions (what bras are lopsided ladies wearing who are not opting for reconstruction or lift?), but my main one is this:

How do you answer people who want to know "why" so many women under 50 - especially ones like myself - are being diagnosed with breast cancer?

Thank you so much for the countless ways this group has helped me so far. I hope one day this will be far in my rear view and I can be of equal support to others facing this garbage journey.