I agree, @Yvonne Smith. I have been extremely lucky to have lived a mostly healthy life in spite of myself, so this was a real shock to me. I certainly have never been into eating particularly healthy or sticking with an exercise plan; I am sporadic at best with that stuff. But you know, I'd venture to guess that half the breast cancer patients I've met so far are health nuts... trim, green smoothie drinking runners, body conscious, "clean" eating, etc. I find it ironic and a bit satisfying that at least I got to enjoy the french fries! My medical oncologist has already advised me that eating will likely be a problem (or at least very different) during chemo, and to not worry about it. If all I can tolerate is ice cream, then eat the ice cream. He does not want me to lose any more weight than necessary during treatment. Some people have told me that things just don't taste right and they stick with bland soups and oatmeal, so we'll see. I know that mouth sores and a "metallic" taste are common with chemo.
Beth..this bit of info comes from several I know who have had chemo. Shave your head first or go buy some nice little hats to wear for after chemo and hair loss. And or purchase a nice wig to wear. Whatever youbchose is suppose to cut down on yhe anxiety of losing your hair.
I know that many women shave their heads, Gloria. My daughter came by a few days ago and offered to give me a "pixie" cut but I just couldn't do it. I've had my shoulder length hair (usually in my grannie bun) for so long that I just can't stand the thought of it. I know it's coming, though.
I understand. Was hard enough losing so much of mine with the presidone. You still need a few cute hats to wear.
I would like to say this to all the women who might be reading this thread. My first symptom that anything was wrong was a small pink "bruise" on top of my right breast, that appeared in mid-December. It is about the size of a quarter, not sore, and I didn't think much about it. After a week or so, it was still there but not changing... not getting yellow or blue-ish like a bruise will. Finally I took to Google with "pink bruise on breast" and screaming back at me came "INFLAMMATORY BREAST CANCER!!!" After scaring myself half to death with internet searches, I called my PCP and got in to see her on December 28. (Christmas was awful; I said nothing to anyone because I didn't want to spoil the holiday with a false alarm.) My PCP took one look and said "this needs to be looked at closer", and she wrote referrals for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. On January 2 I was at MD Anderson, having those tests and 2 biopsies, as indicated by the scans. I knew I had cancer in a lymph node in a matter of days. This is to say again... I did not have a palpable mass or "lump." I had NO OTHER SYMPTOMS other than the pink "bruise" on my skin. (Some of the internet pictures of IBC are beyond terrifying and sad. Do not look at those.) A breast MRI finally revealed a small lump that was biopsied, but it had gone undetected. So ladies (and even some men), please pay attention to ANY change in your breast, and have it checked ASAP. Most of the time, it is not anything serious, but 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. ONE in EIGHT. Please take care of yourselves, and pay attention to your body. That stupid pink bruise changed my life.
Beth, very sorry to hear this about you. Wife and I wishing you well. You are definitely a valued person of this forum.
Thanks very much, Cody. I appreciate the good wishes. (I'm still going to be the same ornery old broad, though. )
This is an education for me (that I wish had been imparted under different circumstances.) I once helped a friend though the biopsy process (hers was benign), and tend to "be up" on things, but she had a lump along with a family history. I have never heard of breast cancer that was not preceded by a lump.
Sadly, some doctors aren't aware, either... they treat women for mastitis or other dermatological symptoms and totally miss the cancer. This is unfortunate because IBC is very aggressive. It is also one of the rarest types of BC.
It's infuriating. Those of us who are engaged in our own healthcare are often dismissed out-of-hand by "the professionals"...some of us more than others. We gotta be aggressive, or at least resolute. Lord help those who walk in and blindly trust. That being said--as you know--the internet is certainly a double-edged sword. But it's the only sword we got.
Apparently I've decided to have a melt-down tonight; the port installation tomorrow is working on my mind so I'm crying big ole' tears all over my poor husband. I must have misplaced my "big girl panties".
Thank you so much, Gloria. I'm on my way; hope this doesn't take long and I can get back home to take a nap.