even more positive

Thats great news Elizabeth!

Im doing ok, having my crap days now, but should be ok by monday (if it goes the way it has been ...lol).

Im half way through chemo, 4 down 4 to go. I feel as if im in a good place. Should be done by november fingers crossed!
I dont have to have radiotherapy, so the step after that will be reconstruction, but i dont see that happening for a year or so, im in no hurry (at the moment anyway)

I still have my eyebrows and eyelashes (will they fall out???)

Thats great Elizabeth - you sound much better. And Hugs, you are almost over the halfway hurdle -
To answer your question Elizabeth - I am two years post diagnosis, I had my mastectomy this time two years ago, chemo from Sept 2008 to Feb 2009 and like hugs, I didn't have to have radiotherapy.
I am just two months after my LD reconstruction and am feeling pretty good thanks be to God. (described it in another thread - recon)
I am on tamoxofin alright and it is driving me nuts - the hots and chills are taking over - I was positive for both hormones so can't take black cohash as some people mentioned............. I am sticking it out !!!

Hugs, you are on the chemo countdown and doing well - eek, I had my eyebrows and eyelashes until maybe the third last treatment - I missed the eyelashes alright as bright lights in shops used make my eyes run and I used look like a constant cryer The eyebrows went too but I used a pencil every day for them so that was ok.
However, the eyelashes grew back very quickly - the eyebrows are back but never came dark - they are very light coloured eventhough my hair colour came back much darker than it had been before (not a grey in sight either which is fab I still use pencil on my eyebrows for definition.

so ladies...... BC does fade into the distant past and life does get back to normal - the only thing I have left to do is lose weight and I intend doing this very soon - I put on two stone during chemo and would like to lose it along with maybe another half stone - I would then be a nice size 12 - will let ye know when it happens !!!

take care and have a nice weekend and claps on the back for doing so well so far

r

Hello Hugs and RoxAnn. thanks for your answers. Am having a busy weekend - my grandson's christening tomorrow. Am keeping positive.

Hugs, I didn't lose my eyebrows - they just got thin. Eyelashes nearly all gone - I'm looking forward to them coming back now. My hair is beginning to grow back and it's dark too, like RoxAnn's.

Got to go - visitors arriving soon. Talk next week.

Elizabeth

RoxAnn

My diagnosis time was similar to yours.
I've been on Tamoxifen since Dec08 but as well as the Tamoxifen I also take Effexor (37.5 dose). Started them both at the same time and have had few side effects from the Tamoxifen - periods a bit erratic but at 46 I think that's to be expected.

I started my treatment in the US and it is quite common there to take both Effexor and Tamoxifen. Effexor is used to treat depression, anxiety and panic disorder.... and I think we all get a bit of that with the inital BC diagnosis! The dose advised is the smallest possible.

Initially, I wasn't keen on taking another medication to offset side effects but it works and as these ar the only 2 meds I take, I can live with it for another few years.

Yes, some antidepressants have been proven to be very good at limiting menopausal side effects. I happened to be on Lexapro before BC and often wonder if this is why my night sweats, etc. are not unbearable.

Regards,

Flo.