Guest guest Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 Barb, Well good for you! I wish I were less self conscious about not wearing the damn thing at all! I just really feel that I paid my dues w/the surgery and chemo and clinical trial (Herceptin) and now Tamoxifen and not being able to bend over or shoot a game of pool or go swimming without having to worry about it really just the last straw. Sorry to vent... but there you have it. Maybe if more women went w/o like you, there would be less stigma about it. Thanks for being a trailblazer! -- --- Barb Roy wrote: > You might try going back to where you got it and > tell them what is going on. I have not been fitted > as was told to wait until all the treatment was done > to make sure any swelling was gone. My daughter said > something to the woman I talked to about her friend > not liking the prosthesis as it was heavy. Her > response is that she probably didn't have the bra on > right.... it needed to be fastened on the second > group of eyelets. > > At this point I have decided not to do > reconstruction... just don't want any more surgery. > I go braless or use a sports bra. Plan to get the > prosthesis that I can wear when I 'dress up', which > isn't often. I'm just a t-shirt and jeans type of > woman. <s> > Barb > > Re: Update - Barb > > > Barb, I'm interested in your " boob " shopping -- > and in > fact I'd like to hear from anyone else > w/prosthesis > experience. I opted not to have reconstructive > surgery, a decision which I do not regret, but I > find > the prosthesis itself and the bras to wear it in > are > not very satisfactory, mostly because every time I > bend over, the weight of the prosthesis pulls it > away > from my body and the bra simply doesn't hold it in > place. This makes me very self conscious whenever > I > bend over to pick something up if someone is > standing > near enough to see down my shirt...and it's not > like I > even wear shirts w/cleavage! > > --- Pinheiro > wrote: > > > Hi Barb, > > > > Glad the A/C is over. And for the huge majority > of > > people, taxanes are not a big problem. Just > watch > > out for the nerves. Even if you have something, > > catching it in the beginning can be treated and > > controlled. > > Steroids are a drag. I am all bloated and > swollen > > with them. But my physical therapist told me to > keep > > drinking a lot of water and tea that it will be > gone > > much sonner. I have now a jar of 8 cups of tea > in > > front of me! > > Hugs > > > > > > Barb Roy wrote: > > Just wanted to update you all.... I have > > completed my 4th treatment of A/C about 10 days > ago. > > This was by far the easiest treatment of all 4. > Onc > > backed me off the steroids and this seemed to > take > > care of day 3 & 4 of headache, nausea, all over > > crappy feeling. It's taken about a week to start > to > > get some energy back and get my digestive system > > working less often and my stomach to quiet down. > My > > red blood cells are down, but insurance will not > pay > > for the meds until I am below a certain point. > This > > made me a little more tired but I've been eating > my > > liver and leafy veggies, hoping to get it back > up. > > > > I talked to the onc about Abraxane instead of > Taxol > > or Taxotere for the next 4 treatments. Although > I > > already knew this, he said there was not enough > long > > term experience with Abraxane and said Taxotere > > works the best with the radiation, so that is > where > > we are going. He said he could put me on meds > with > > less side effects, but they had less long term > > effects too. It wasn't an option for me.... I > want > > to kick cancer butt with the strongest meds out > > there. > > > > I was in last week and got the simulation and > > tattooing done for radiation. Have to go in on > > Wednesday for x-rays and then radiation starts > on > > Thursday for the common 33 treatments. Taxotere > > starts a week from Thursday. Taxotere plus > steroids. > > No nausea meds given. Will see how I react to > that > > one and will again use the backing down of > steroids > > (with oncs approval, of course). > > > > My daughter came in on day 4 of last treatment > to > > help out with my grandson as school was out for > the > > summer. I wasn't sure how those first few days > of > > him home all day was going to go. He loved > having > > his Aunt here to play with him and take him > places. > > I was able to take my daughter to the cancer > center > > so she could see where the infusion room was and > > what everything looked like. She said she feels > so > > disconnected because she is so far away (600 > miles) > > and wanted to be able to imagine where I was and > > what was happening. She shocked me when she > asked to > > see my scars... just to make it real. We were > able > > to get some things done (arrangements to have > > someone come in and clean my house, shave my > head of > > all the stubble and do some 'boob' shopping) and > it > > was good to have her here. > > > > Anyway, I am doing fine... half way done and on > the > > down side (I hope). Caren and Dianne... how are > you > > both doing? Has anyone been able to locate Dari? > It > > seems like forever since she has posted. > > > > Keeping you all in my prayers.... > > > > Barb > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls > for > > ridiculously low rates. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 Not sure I'm a trail blazer... just more about comfort for me. So far, no one has pointed and laughed. <s> Barb Re: Update - Barb > > > Barb, I'm interested in your " boob " shopping -- > and in > fact I'd like to hear from anyone else > w/prosthesis > experience. I opted not to have reconstructive > surgery, a decision which I do not regret, but I > find > the prosthesis itself and the bras to wear it in > are > not very satisfactory, mostly because every time I > bend over, the weight of the prosthesis pulls it > away > from my body and the bra simply doesn't hold it in > place. This makes me very self conscious whenever > I > bend over to pick something up if someone is > standing > near enough to see down my shirt...and it's not > like I > even wear shirts w/cleavage! > > --- Pinheiro > wrote: > > > Hi Barb, > > > > Glad the A/C is over. And for the huge majority > of > > people, taxanes are not a big problem. Just > watch > > out for the nerves. Even if you have something, > > catching it in the beginning can be treated and > > controlled. > > Steroids are a drag. I am all bloated and > swollen > > with them. But my physical therapist told me to > keep > > drinking a lot of water and tea that it will be > gone > > much sonner. I have now a jar of 8 cups of tea > in > > front of me! > > Hugs > > > > > > Barb Roy wrote: > > Just wanted to update you all.... I have > > completed my 4th treatment of A/C about 10 days > ago. > > This was by far the easiest treatment of all 4. > Onc > > backed me off the steroids and this seemed to > take > > care of day 3 & 4 of headache, nausea, all over > > crappy feeling. It's taken about a week to start > to > > get some energy back and get my digestive system > > working less often and my stomach to quiet down. > My > > red blood cells are down, but insurance will not > pay > > for the meds until I am below a certain point. > This > > made me a little more tired but I've been eating > my > > liver and leafy veggies, hoping to get it back > up. > > > > I talked to the onc about Abraxane instead of > Taxol > > or Taxotere for the next 4 treatments. Although > I > > already knew this, he said there was not enough > long > > term experience with Abraxane and said Taxotere > > works the best with the radiation, so that is > where > > we are going. He said he could put me on meds > with > > less side effects, but they had less long term > > effects too. It wasn't an option for me.... I > want > > to kick cancer butt with the strongest meds out > > there. > > > > I was in last week and got the simulation and > > tattooing done for radiation. Have to go in on > > Wednesday for x-rays and then radiation starts > on > > Thursday for the common 33 treatments. Taxotere > > starts a week from Thursday. Taxotere plus > steroids. > > No nausea meds given. Will see how I react to > that > > one and will again use the backing down of > steroids > > (with oncs approval, of course). > > > > My daughter came in on day 4 of last treatment > to > > help out with my grandson as school was out for > the > > summer. I wasn't sure how those first few days > of > > him home all day was going to go. He loved > having > > his Aunt here to play with him and take him > places. > > I was able to take my daughter to the cancer > center > > so she could see where the infusion room was and > > what everything looked like. She said she feels > so > > disconnected because she is so far away (600 > miles) > > and wanted to be able to imagine where I was and > > what was happening. She shocked me when she > asked to > > see my scars... just to make it real. We were > able > > to get some things done (arrangements to have > > someone come in and clean my house, shave my > head of > > all the stubble and do some 'boob' shopping) and > it > > was good to have her here. > > > > Anyway, I am doing fine... half way done and on > the > > down side (I hope). Caren and Dianne... how are > you > > both doing? Has anyone been able to locate Dari? > It > > seems like forever since she has posted. > > > > Keeping you all in my prayers.... > > > > Barb > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls > for > > ridiculously low rates. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote
Guest guest Posted June 22, 2006 Report Posted June 22, 2006 Barb my sister was dx in 1997. She had bilateral bc. She never wore a prothesis at all. She mostly wore t-shirts and scrubs (she worked in medical field). She said that some women were that flat chested naturally and she didn't want to deal with it. She didn't even buy a wig until 2005 when she went on a cruise to Alaska. I'm not even sure she wore it as I don't remember seeing her with it in pictures. She wore beautiful scarfs. I on the other hand didn't feel comfortable without prothesis or wig. SharonB Barb Roy wrote: Not sure I'm a trail blazer... just more about comfort for me. So far, no one has pointed and laughed. <s> Barb Re: Update - Barb > > > Barb, I'm interested in your " boob " shopping -- > and in > fact I'd like to hear from anyone else > w/prosthesis > experience. I opted not to have reconstructive > surgery, a decision which I do not regret, but I > find > the prosthesis itself and the bras to wear it in > are > not very satisfactory, mostly because every time I > bend over, the weight of the prosthesis pulls it > away > from my body and the bra simply doesn't hold it in > place. This makes me very self conscious whenever > I > bend over to pick something up if someone is > standing > near enough to see down my shirt...and it's not > like I > even wear shirts w/cleavage! > > --- Pinheiro > wrote: > > > Hi Barb, > > > > Glad the A/C is over. And for the huge majority > of > > people, taxanes are not a big problem. Just > watch > > out for the nerves. Even if you have something, > > catching it in the beginning can be treated and > > controlled. > > Steroids are a drag. I am all bloated and > swollen > > with them. But my physical therapist told me to > keep > > drinking a lot of water and tea that it will be > gone > > much sonner. I have now a jar of 8 cups of tea > in > > front of me! > > Hugs > > > > > > Barb Roy wrote: > > Just wanted to update you all.... I have > > completed my 4th treatment of A/C about 10 days > ago. > > This was by far the easiest treatment of all 4. > Onc > > backed me off the steroids and this seemed to > take > > care of day 3 & 4 of headache, nausea, all over > > crappy feeling. It's taken about a week to start > to > > get some energy back and get my digestive system > > working less often and my stomach to quiet down. > My > > red blood cells are down, but insurance will not > pay > > for the meds until I am below a certain point. > This > > made me a little more tired but I've been eating > my > > liver and leafy veggies, hoping to get it back > up. > > > > I talked to the onc about Abraxane instead of > Taxol > > or Taxotere for the next 4 treatments. Although > I > > already knew this, he said there was not enough > long > > term experience with Abraxane and said Taxotere > > works the best with the radiation, so that is > where > > we are going. He said he could put me on meds > with > > less side effects, but they had less long term > > effects too. It wasn't an option for me.... I > want > > to kick cancer butt with the strongest meds out > > there. > > > > I was in last week and got the simulation and > > tattooing done for radiation. Have to go in on > > Wednesday for x-rays and then radiation starts > on > > Thursday for the common 33 treatments. Taxotere > > starts a week from Thursday. Taxotere plus > steroids. > > No nausea meds given. Will see how I react to > that > > one and will again use the backing down of > steroids > > (with oncs approval, of course). > > > > My daughter came in on day 4 of last treatment > to > > help out with my grandson as school was out for > the > > summer. I wasn't sure how those first few days > of > > him home all day was going to go. He loved > having > > his Aunt here to play with him and take him > places. > > I was able to take my daughter to the cancer > center > > so she could see where the infusion room was and > > what everything looked like. She said she feels > so > > disconnected because she is so far away (600 > miles) > > and wanted to be able to imagine where I was and > > what was happening. She shocked me when she > asked to > > see my scars... just to make it real. We were > able > > to get some things done (arrangements to have > > someone come in and clean my house, shave my > head of > > all the stubble and do some 'boob' shopping) and > it > > was good to have her here. > > > > Anyway, I am doing fine... half way done and on > the > > down side (I hope). Caren and Dianne... how are > you > > both doing? Has anyone been able to locate Dari? > It > > seems like forever since she has posted. > > > > Keeping you all in my prayers.... > > > > Barb > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > > Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls > for > > ridiculously low rates. > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > > removed] > > > > > > __________________________________________________ > Quote
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